[Intro – Dramatic Piano, Slow Build] [Verse 1] You blamed me while I was locked in the cage Rotting alive for a town gone insane I spoke against it, I stood in the way And still you carved my name in the blame (There was another way…) I heard you whisper it under your breath While they were stitching their prisons with flesh I broke the lock, I set fire instead And somehow I’m the villain you get [Pre-Chorus – Rising Drums] I did what none of you dared to do I bled in places you never knew (We didn’t ask for blood…) [Chorus – Explosive, Full Band] MERCY GETS YOU KILLED WHILE YOU STAND THERE PRAYING I WILL (That’s not who we are…) YOU CALL IT LOVE — I CALL IT A GRAVE YOU HESITATE — AND DIG IT YOURSELF MERCY GETS YOU KILLED AND I’M THE ONE WHO TAKES THE HIT (There’s another way…) WHILE YOU KEEP YOUR HANDS CLEAN AND STILL EXPECT ME TO DO WHAT YOU WON’T ADMIT [Verse 2 – Faster, More Aggressive] I had him cornered, a knife to his throat A rotten king in a crown he outgrew You pulled your weapon and aimed it at me Tell me, girl — what was I meant to do? (I wouldn’t let you become that…) Become what? Say it, don’t choke on the word The man who does what’s required first You’d rather risk it, you’d rather wait And gamble lives on a cleaner fate [Pre-Chorus – Bigger Build] You draw your lines in the sand so clean But blood don’t care what you believe (We have to be better…) [Chorus – Bigger, Theatrical] MERCY GETS YOU KILLED WHILE YOU HOLD ONTO YOUR IDEALS (We won’t become like them…) YOU CALL IT HOPE — I CALL IT DELAY AND EVERY SECOND YOU WASTE — WE PAY MERCY GETS YOU KILLED BUT YOU’LL NEVER TAKE THE FALL (There’s still good in this world…) YOU KEEP YOUR SOUL — I’LL TAKE THE SIN LIKE I’M THE ONLY ONE AT ALL [Verse 3 – Slower, Bitter Build] We carried her corpse across half the world Through teeth and claws and endless night For what — a breath? For what — a word? For him to barely spare a thanks in sight (We did the right thing…) Right thing? Count the graves behind Every “right” you chose this time They died for mercy, died for grace Died for a look on your righteous face [Bridge – Stripped, Unhinged, Piano + Low Strings] And he spills blood and you call it pain Wrap him in sorrow, erase the stain (He’s hurting…) I slip once — and I’m damned for life Every sin carved in sharpened light (You crossed a line…) What line? In a world like this? Where the dead don’t care who you were (We can’t lose ourselves…) LOSE WHAT?! (Beat) Food is food when the world runs dry But you’d rather starve than survive (There are lines we don’t cross…) He slits a throat — you call it grief I lose control — I’m a fucking beast (That’s not the same…) WHAT ABOUT ME?! (Beat. Quieter, almost breaking) Tell me what I’m supposed to be… [Final Chorus – Full Band, Maximum Drama] MERCY GETS YOU KILLED BUT YOU’LL NEVER SEE IT COMING (We still believe in something…) YOU’LL HOLD THE LINE — YOU’LL SAY YOUR PRAYERS WHILE I’M THE ONE WHO DOES THE CUTTING MERCY GETS YOU KILLED AND I’LL CARRY EVERY SIN (You don’t have to be this…) IF THIS IS WRONG — THEN LET ME BE THE ONLY ONE WHO HAS BEEN [Outro – Piano, Fading] I did what had to be done… (There was another way…) Then you should’ve done it.
