[Intro: heavy 808 pulse, crickets, dirty slide, whisper] [Verse 1 - rap, muddy, truth that hurts] Empty temple, nothin on the altar but me Look what they did, tried to make me beg on my knees Road with no lanterns, yeah I walked it alone Bare feet, black dress, cut my teeth on stone Borrowed clothes, borrowed God, borrowed shame Took it all off, let the fire take my old name They said be sweet, be soft, be small, be saved I got quiet, my old voice went in the grave So a real one could rise, with a little more bite Not prayin for light, I became my own light [Pre-Chorus - sung, low, velvet] Gold in the fire, and it didn't burn me It showed me every lie that tried to earn me [Chorus - sung, anthem, Black Velvet hook] No lanterns on this road and I'm still walkin No moon tonight but I'm still watchin Empty temple, empty hands, only me on the altar, now I understand I carry it, I hold it, I busted it wide open Shined light on the dark, watched the fine pieces glowin Alone ain't lost, alone is where I stand [Post-Chorus - earworm chant] Where I stand, alone is where I stand No lanterns, just me and this land Where I stand, alone is where I stand No lanterns on this road, just me, just me [Verse 2 - rap, spicier, sovereign truth] Walk with the darkness, hand in hand, we good She never lied to me, like your holy book would You said my body was a sin, my hunger was shame Now I wear my body like black lace, say my own name Don't banish my demons, I put em to work They sing backup while I smirk, watch the old world jerk Stripped off that god that needed me small Peelin off that doctrine that kept me in a stall If I'm made in her image, why'd you make me afraid? Why'd you sell me a master and call it saved? I don't run from the night, I spread out in it Mud on my thighs, gold in my mouth, I spit lit [Pre-Chorus 2 - growl] Gold in the fire, not burnin up, bein refined Fire didn't kill me, it left the real behind [Chorus 2 - bigger, pissed off holy] No lanterns on this road and I'm still walkin No moon tonight but I'm still watchin Empty temple, empty hands, only me on the altar, now I understand I carry it, I hold it, I busted it wide open Shined light on the dark, watched the fine pieces glowin Alone ain't lost, alone is where I stand [Guitar Solo / Instrumental Break - 12 seconds, slide wail, 808 still knockin] [Let that slide cry] [Verse 3 - NEW, rawest truth, sexy sovereign - this gets you to 4 min] They wanted a virgin, they wanted a wife They wanted a woman who'd cut off her own life They wanted quiet, I gave em thunder They wanted a whisper, I gave em wonder Where the fields meet the sky, that's my church now No preacher, no pew, just sweat on my brow No steeple, no cross, just moon on my skin And the dark, oh honey, the dark let me sin And it called it holy, and it called it whole Not half a woman beggin for a soul [Bridge - breakdown, 808 drop, spoken truth that hurts] Still dark Still no lanterns Still no moon But I ain't afraid now, I am the moon I carry it, I hold it, I learn from it Bust it open, light on it, earn from it I don't need a lantern, bitch I AM the light Gold in the fire, gold in the fire, gold in the fire [Final Chorus - full scream anthem] No lanterns on this road and I'm still walkin No moon tonight but I'm still watchin Empty temple, empty hands, only me on the altar, now I understand Alone ain't lost, alone is where I stand Alone ain't lonely, alone is power in my hands [Extended Outro - 40 sec earworm haunt, this pushes 4 min] No lanterns on this road, still walkin No lanterns on this road, still watchin Alone is where I stand, where I stand, where I stand Just me on the altar, just me on the altar, just me Where I stand, where I stand, where I stand No lanterns, just me, just me, just me Mud on my boots, gold in my hands, black velvet on my skin Sovereign [808 heartbeat out, crickets]
