If I Could Trade Places

# IF I COULD TRADE PLACES **(Verse 1)** If I could trade places, I'd do it tonight, Take every bit of your pain, take the end of your life, I'd carry that weight if it meant you could breathe, I'd give you my future if you gave yours back to me. I know that's impossible, but I still think it, Every time that I miss you, every time that I feel it, My mind keeps rewinding to the things I could've changed, Like somehow I could've stopped what was already on its way. I keep asking myself if I should've known, If I should've called, if I should've come home, If one different decision could've changed that night, Or if I would've still been standing here saying goodbye. That's the part that kills me, I'll never know, There's questions in my head that'll never have closure, So I carry every "what if" like a weight on my chest, And I wonder if you knew that I loved you to death. **(Hook)** If I could trade places, I'd trade mine for yours, Walk through every pain that you ever endured, I'd give up tomorrow just to give you today, I'd take every ounce of the hurt if it kept you away from the grave. If I could trade places, I'd do it no doubt, I'd give you my heartbeat if yours could come back now, But I can't bargain with heaven, can't rewrite what was done, So I'll live for the brother that I'll never stop loving. **(Verse 2)** Sometimes guilt gets louder than the memories do, Starts telling me I should've done something for you, Like I had some power that I never possessed, Like I could've fought death and somehow won that contest. I know that's not fair, but grief ain't logical, It turns every little detail into something impossible, Makes you question every moment that you ever ignored, Every text you didn't answer, every time you walked out the door. And I know you wouldn't want me destroying myself, You'd probably tell me, "Bro, go live for yourself," But how the fuck do I smile like the world didn't change? How do I celebrate when I still feel the pain? I know I can't save you, but I can save your name, Keep telling your story so you don't fade away, Turn every tear into something that lives, Give the world all the love that you never got to give. **(Hook)** If I could trade places, I'd trade mine for yours, Walk through every pain that you ever endured, I'd give up tomorrow just to give you today, I'd take every ounce of the hurt if it kept you away from the grave. If I could trade places, I'd do it no doubt, I'd give you my heartbeat if yours could come back now, But I can't bargain with heaven, can't rewrite what was done, So I'll live for the brother that I'll never stop loving. **(Bridge)** Maybe someday I'll stop asking why, Maybe someday I won't break when I look at the sky, Maybe I'll understand what I can't understand, Maybe I'll finally accept I couldn't change what happened. But until that day, I'll carry the blame, Even knowing deep down it wasn't mine to claim, And if loving you means I hurt for the rest of my life, Then I'll carry that pain, 'cause you were worth every fight. **(Final Hook)** If I could trade places, I'd trade mine for yours, I'd walk through that darkness and open the door, I'd give you my heartbeat, my breath, my time, I'd give you tomorrow if I could give you mine. If I could trade places, I'd do it today, But all I can do now is carry your name, So I'll keep moving forward with you by my side, Until the day that I see you on the other side.