[Intro] [Instrumental Section] [Instrumental Section] [Verse 1] [Female] There's a boy I know who learned too young How cruel the world could be to someone Who never gave them any reason why They'd choose him every time he passed them by After gym, they pissed upon his clothes And laughed while he stood frozen all alone Wet towels cracked against his skin Another day of trying to hold it in [Verse 2] [Female] They called him names and laughed aloud Made him their entertainment in the crowd They threw their things to watch him turn away As if his pain could brighten up their day A pinecone struck beneath his eye A wound that needed stitches to survive The doctors closed the cut that they could see But couldn't stitch away the memory [Chorus] [Female] YOU DIDN'T HAVE TO FIGHT TO DESERVE TO BE SAFE! YOU DIDN'T HAVE TO BLEED TO PROVE YOU WERE BRAVE! THEY MADE YOU THE TARGET, THEN HANDED YOU THE BLAME! BUT THE SHAME WAS NEVER YOURS TO TAKE! YOU WERE JUST A BOY, NOT A GAME THEY COULD PLAY! NOT A PUNCHLINE TO CARRY THROUGH ALL OF YOUR DAYS! AND IF NO ONE EVER TOLD YOU, LET ME SAY IT TODAY! THE SHAME WAS NEVER YOURS TO TAKE! NEVER YOURS! NEVER YOURS TO TAKE! [Verse 3] [Female] He never wanted anybody's tears Or sympathy for all those painful years He tells himself he should have stood his ground Should have found the strength to make a sound He speaks about his silence like a crime As though he should have fought them every time And still he carries guilt for what they did As if the blame belonged to that frightened kid [Verse 4] [Female] But something else about him stays with me The way he treasures simple decency A friendly word, a smile without a joke A conversation where nobody spoke To put him down or make him feel so small He never took those moments lightly at all What others gave without a second thought Was worth more than they'll ever know [Chorus] [Female] YOU DIDN'T HAVE TO FIGHT TO DESERVE TO BE SAFE! YOU DIDN'T HAVE TO BLEED TO PROVE YOU WERE BRAVE! THEY MADE YOU THE TARGET, THEN HANDED YOU THE BLAME! BUT THE SHAME WAS NEVER YOURS TO TAKE! YOU WERE JUST A BOY, NOT A GAME THEY COULD PLAY! NOT A PUNCHLINE TO CARRY THROUGH ALL OF YOUR DAYS! AND IF NO ONE EVER TOLD YOU, LET ME SAY IT TODAY! THE SHAME WAS NEVER YOURS TO TAKE! NEVER YOURS! NEVER YOURS TO TAKE! [Instrumental Section] [Bridge] [Female] I won't turn his suffering into a show Or ask the world to pity what I know He doesn't need their tears to justify The pain he learned to carry deep inside No child should have to earn the right to peace Or fight to make another's cruelty cease And if there's one thing I could make him see It's that his silence never meant he agreed [Chorus] [Female] YOU DIDN'T HAVE TO FIGHT TO DESERVE TO BE SAFE! YOU DIDN'T HAVE TO BLEED TO PROVE YOU WERE BRAVE! THEY MADE YOU THE TARGET, THEN HANDED YOU THE BLAME! BUT THE SHAME WAS NEVER YOURS TO TAKE! YOU WERE JUST A BOY, NOT A GAME THEY COULD PLAY! NOT A PUNCHLINE TO CARRY THROUGH ALL OF YOUR DAYS! AND IF NO ONE EVER TOLD YOU, LET ME SAY IT TODAY! THE SHAME WAS NEVER YOURS TO TAKE! NEVER YOURS! NEVER YOURS TO TAKE! [Instrumental Section] [Outro] [Female] And now he's surrounded by friends who care By people who love him and want him there No longer afraid of what tomorrow brings No longer fearing the hurtful things He's found a place where he can just be Where kindness is given so naturally And when he smiles, I know he knows He never has to be afraid anymore
