RAINBOWS WAY BACK

(Tempo: Moderate, laid-back beat with a strong acoustic guitar and fiddle presence) Verse 1 (A little slow, acoustic guitar-driven, setting the scene) Sunrise used to catch me workin’ down at Miss Betty’s Diner, Serving coffee black and strong, hoping no one looked too finer. Heard the whispers through the steam, felt the sideways glance they’d throw, This was long before the hashtags, before the Pride Parade glow. Back then, a small-town boy like me, just had to keep his head down low. Didn't have a banner or a buzzword, just a secret only he could know. Chorus (Fiddle comes in strong, drums pick up, powerful and a little defiant) I was gay before it was cool, before it was a brand-new trend. I walked that lonesome, dusty road, long before it had an end. Yeah, I lived my truth out in the dark, under a dusty, dim saloon light, My neon rainbow burned on pure grit, not on a viral overnight. So don’t tell me 'bout the struggle now, 'cause I paid my dues and then some, I was gay before it was cool, back when the thunder had to come. Verse 2 (Back to a slightly more conversational pace, focusing on the past) Remember leaving town for the city, thought I’d find some open air, Found a lot of folks like me, but we were fighting just to keep things fair. We weren’t posing for the magazines, we were raising money for the cause, Didn't have a corporate sponsor, just some busted, handwritten laws. We held our hands under the table, kept our voices soft and sweet, 'Cause the world outside the front door, it didn’t offer us a welcome seat. Chorus (Repeat, full energy, banjo/pedal steel fills) I was gay before it was cool, before it was a brand-new trend. I walked that lonesome, dusty road, long before it had an end. Yeah, I lived my truth out in the dark, under a dusty, dim saloon light, My neon rainbow burned on pure grit, not on a viral overnight. So don’t tell me 'bout the struggle now, 'cause I paid my dues and then some, I was gay before it was cool, back when the thunder had to come. Bridge (Slows down, more reflective and emotional, just the acoustic guitar and voice) Now I see the kids on TV, holding hands and looking proud, And I'm glad to see them standing tall, way above the judgmental crowd. But every time I hear 'em talkin' 'bout the 'movement' and the 'times,' I just smile and think about the years I spent paying for those simple rhymes. I earned my stripes in silence, not on a trending social feed, Planted the tiny little seed. Guitar/Fiddle Solo (A classic, soulful country instrumental break) Chorus (Repeat, the biggest and loudest, all instruments driving the point home) I was gay before it was cool, before it was a brand-new trend. I walked that lonesome, dusty road, long before it had an end. Yeah, I lived my truth out in the dark, under a dusty, dim saloon light, My neon rainbow burned on pure grit, not on a viral overnight. So don’t tell me 'bout the struggle now, 'cause I paid my dues and then some, I was gay before it was cool, back when the thunder had to come. Outro/Tag (Fades out slowly, just the voice and acoustic guitar) Yeah, back when the thunder had to come... I was just living, not a fashion... My neon rainbow... earned every drop of rain. (Final acoustic guitar strum and soft, held fiddle note)