Woah… woah now… [Horse snorts again, restless] What’s the matter, girl? [Dark electric guitar moans in the distance] [Wind crawls through the brush] You hear somethin’ I don’t? [Pause] Mmm… Nah. I feel it too. [Deep 808 heartbeat fades in] Ain’t scared of it… but somethin’ out there done stepped too close. [Verse 1] She stopped dead by the county line ears sharp toward the pines Moonlight caught her nervous eyes like she seen past mine I kept one hand on the reins one hand near my side Not ’cause I was scared to die but I know when death ride That guitar cried behind me like a soul that couldn’t rest Thunder talked in broken tongues somewhere toward the west She snorted like a warning dug her hooves into the ground And I whispered, “Easy, girl…” but I still turned around [Pre-Hook] Ain’t no coyote moving like that Ain’t no wind that heavy Ain’t no shadow supposed to breathe standing in the mesquite [Hook] The horse knew something was out there I felt it in my chest Darkness don’t scare an outlaw but I still respect a threat I ain’t running from the devil I done looked him in the eye But something moved behind that thunder and it knew my name tonight [Post-Hook — low male humming, horse breathing] Mmm… knew my name tonight… Mmm… horse knew first… [Verse 2] I scanned the dirt, then scanned the sky clouds blacked out the moon Thunder cracked a little louder like judgment coming soon Wind picked up and circled us dust rose from the road My horse leaned back against the reins like, “Boy, don’t go alone” Then I saw them standing there where the lightning split the rain Four silhouettes with no clear face but every one had names One name was Fear in a long black coat one was an Ugly Lie One was Justice standing still with fire in his eyes The last one shook like broken glass too proud to turn and cry Just a fool who didn’t know better but still chose the darker side I didn’t blink, I didn’t bow I just breathed in slow ’Cause when the storm starts naming shadows that’s when outlaws know [Pre-Hook] Ain’t no dream when the horse won’t move Ain’t no trick of the rain When thunder starts calling witnesses somebody gotta answer names [Hook] The horse knew something was out there I felt it in my chest Darkness don’t scare an outlaw but I still respect a threat I ain’t running from the devil I done looked him in the eye But something moved behind that thunder and it knew my name tonight [Breakdown — gothic electric guitar feedback, thunder closer, 808 drops out then returns heavy] [Horse breathing heavy] [Wind whipping dust] [Dark cello swells] [Electric guitar bends like metal in the dark] [Horse belts out a soaring snort] Da’OutLaw, spoken calm: Now, now… nothing we ain’t dealt with before. Stay calm, girl. [Horse snorts again, lower] That’s it… [Low male choir hums underneath] Da’OutLaw raised up in the saddle. Tilted his hat toward the ground. Thunder rolled behind him like war drums from Heaven. Then he yelled— LET’S GOOOOOOOOO! [808 slams back in] [Electric guitar rips wide open] [Dark cello surges] [Thunder cracks overhead] [Verse 3] I leaned down close to her mane felt that lightning in her bones Told her, “Girl, we been through hell and still made it back home” Fear stood tall on my left side Lie grinned from the rain Justice waited straight ahead Fool shook calling my name I tipped my hat down to the dirt like prayer before the ride Then raised my chest into the storm with fire in both my eyes I wasn’t begging for mercy wasn’t asking who they were I kicked dust up off that road and let thunder speak first [Bridge — half-time, dark cello, low male humming, guitar pulse] Fear said, “You remember me?” I said, “I never forgot.” Lie said, “You belong to me.” I said, “No, I do not.” Justice said, “Stand where you stand.” I said, “I won’t run.” Fool said, “I ain’t know better.” I said, “But you still done what you done.” [Pause] Horse snorted like amen. Sky opened like a wound. I looked past every shadow there and rode straight through the truth. [Final Hook — bigger, male choir low, guitar screaming behind lead] The horse knew something was out there I felt it in my chest Darkness don’t scare an outlaw but I still respect a threat I ain’t running from the devil I done looked him in the eye But something moved behind that thunder and it knew my name tonight [Repeat Hook — stronger, battle-ready] The horse knew something was out there I felt it in my chest Darkness don’t scare an outlaw but I still respect a threat I ain’t running from the devil I done looked him in the eye But something moved behind that thunder and it knew my name tonight [Outro — fading ride, thunder rolling away] [Horse hooves hitting wet dirt] [Horse breathing steady now] [Dark electric guitar fading into feedback] [Low male
