[Verse 1] There is a house in every town Its light shines blue and green Where lonely boys go chasing dreams Inside a glowing screen My mother said, "Come outside, son, The summer day won't wait" But dragons called from pixel hills And I clicked my own fate [Verse 2] I crossed a thousand fantasy lands And sailed ten thousand seas I slew the kings of demon hordes And bent great worlds to me I built empires upon the stars Won battles none could name But every victory disappeared The moment I quit the game [Chorus] Oh Lord, the hours slipped away Like sand beneath a stream I lived a hundred thousand lives Inside a glowing dream And now I watch the evening fall Where all my years have been Spent in the house of endless worlds Behind the glowing screen [Verse 3] My father worked with weathered hands And built things meant to last I earned my gold in distant realms That vanished with the past He spoke of family, love, and time Of children and a home I said, "Perhaps another day" And journeyed on alone [Verse 4] I knew the names of heroes all And every secret lore But not the neighbors down the street Who knocked upon my door There was a girl with laughing eyes Who asked me once to stay I said I'd join her after one More quest before the day [Chorus] Oh Lord, the hours slipped away Like sand beneath a stream I lived a hundred thousand lives Inside a glowing dream And now I watch the evening fall Where all my years have been Spent in the house of endless worlds Behind the glowing screen [Verse 5] The consoles changed, the years rolled on The graphics grew so bright The kingdoms gained a million souls Connected through the night And though my hair turned winter white I still chased one more level Still hunting treasures in the dark While bargaining with the devil [Bridge] Yet I cannot curse those distant lands They carried me through pain When grief would knock upon my door They sheltered me from rain I met some friends I'd never see And laughed through countless nights The worlds were real enough to me Beneath their colored lights But comfort is a gentle chain When worn too long alone And every road I never walked Is carved into my bones [Final Verse] Now the doctor's words grow soft and dim The finish line's in sight And all the bosses left to fight Will not yield to might No cheat code waits to save me now No extra life remains Just memories of enchanted worlds And all their sweet refrains [Final Chorus] Oh Lord, the hours slipped away Like sand beneath a stream I lived a hundred thousand lives Inside a glowing dream If I could speak to younger me I'd tell him what I've seen "Go love the world beyond the glass... Then come back to the screen." [Outro] There is a house in every town Its light shines blue and green And many souls still wander there Inside a glowing screen
