[Male Vocal][Weathered blues baritone][Natural Southern drawl][No AutoTune][Dry smoke-stained mix][Resolute mood] [Intro | dirty bottleneck slide moan | low harmonica breath | deep bass swell | dragging drum pulse] [Instrumental] [Verse 1 | close rough vocal | sparse slide guitar answers | dry kick and snare | slow bass pocket] [Worn] These old hands have carried more than they should, Built what I could... out of broken wood. I've worn regret like a threadbare coat, Still found a song in a cracked-up throat. Some folks throw stones just to watch you bleed. Some only take... and they never see. I could've learned to hate them too... But hate grows chains around the truth. [Chorus | heavy blues groove | crying slide guitar | low harmonica responses | roughened lead vocal] [Black-and-blue] I've got black and blue mercy... Bruised, but it still beats strong. This old heart keeps on forgiving... Even when the night's too long. You can knock me down... You can leave me in the rain. But I won't trade my soul away... Just to hand somebody back their pain. [Turnaround | slide guitar scrape | harmonica growl | bass walk-down | stop-time hit] [Verse 2 | low worn vocal | dirty guitar pulse | loose snare shuffle | harmonica between lines] [Scarred] I've buried dreams beside the road, Carried silence like a heavy load. Found out strength ain't raising your fist... It's opening your hand when you could resist. Mirror show the man I've been. River wash the pain I've seen. If grace can find this weathered soul... There's still a chance I can be whole. [Instrumental | raw harmonica solo | bottleneck guitar response | heavy bass pocket | dragging drums] [Bridge | stripped bass and kick | low slide drone | close vocal | stop-time tension] [Broken-down] Mercy ain't weakness... It's the hardest thing I've known. It's standing in the fire... And refusing to throw the stone. [Instrumental | stinging slide guitar solo | harmonica underneath | deep bass groove | slow drum build] [Final Chorus | full electric blues weight | distorted slide guitar | sustained harmonica cries | gritty baritone release] [Weather-beaten] I've got black and blue mercy... Scars that still can heal. Pain may shape this old heart... But it don't decide what's real. If tomorrow takes my name... Let one thing still be true: I left a little kindness... In a world that left me black and blue. [Outro | fading slide guitar | lone harmonica | bass dropping away | slowing drum pulse] [Spent] If mercy comes my way... I earned it with my scars. [Instrumental | final slide moan | harmonica fading | amplifier hum | clean stop]
