(Verse 1) He was born with a storm in his blood A wild horse that no one could break Spoke in fire when he should have been still Left his mother’s heart with an ache She begged the Lord and she begged the night But he walked right out the door Said, “I’m not the son you wanted, Ma” And he didn’t look back anymore (Chorus) He ran with the wolves on a needle and a dime Bought his peace with a borrowed lie Every hand that reached just pulled him down 'Til there was no one left to try He was a neon ghost in a city of stone A king of the lost and the damned But the devil don’t pay for a broken home With a boy who never knew who he was (Verse 2) He learned the trade of the midnight man The sell, the steal, the score He brought the rats into the house And they slept on his mother’s floor She’d find the wrappers in the couch The money gone from her purse She’d cry until her voice gave out “Son, you’re making this worse” (Chorus) He ran with the wolves on a needle and a dime Bought his peace with a borrowed lie Every hand that reached just pulled him down 'Til there was no one left to try He was a neon ghost in a city of stone A king of the lost and the damned But the devil don’t pay for a broken home With a boy who never knew who he was (Bridge) Empty fridge, empty face Empty promises, no grace The helpers came, the helpers went He took their change and he bent and bent 'Til the last bend broke his spine They found his prints on a windowpane But the house was dark, and the fall was blind (Final Verse) They say he climbed for silver, gold A chimney black as coal One slip, one crack, one final gasp And the smoke took his soul No sirens sang, no church bell tolled Just a flue that wouldn't sing He fell into the dark he made And the house just swallowed him (Outro) Oh, mother, don't you visit that grave With a flower in your hand He wasn't bad, he was just too sad To ever understand He was just a boy who couldn't find The door back to the light And the chimney smoke took him home In the middle of the night
