When He Was Him

[Verse 1] Back when he was him Tattooed denim Crooked grin Spilling secrets in the kitchen Salt and sugar on his lips [Pre-Chorus] He swore he'd never fade Just needed space Just needed change But I can see the costume seams Pulling tight on what remains [Chorus] When he was him He laughed from the belly Not from the teeth When he was him He'd pull me in Not pull the string Now every word feels practiced Clean Like someone wrote him new beliefs I miss that mess That honest sin I miss him When he was him [Verse 2] He used to slam the door Then slide back down onto the floor Say he's scared of getting older Not of being poor [Pre-Chorus] Now his smile is all career Calendar instead of years He talks in goals and guarantees But never says what he believes [Chorus] When he was him He laughed from the belly Not from the teeth When he was him He'd pull me in Not pull the string Now every word feels practiced Clean Like someone wrote him new beliefs I miss that mess That honest sin I miss him When he was him [Bridge] Is he buried in that closet With the jacket that he loved Does he still sing in the car Or did they turn the speakers off (oh) If I called him by that nickname Would he even turn his head Or would he flinch like it's a stranger Talking to the man he left [Chorus] When he was him He laughed from the belly Not from the teeth When he was him He'd pull me in Not pull the string Now every word feels practiced Clean Like someone wrote him new beliefs I miss that mess That honest sin I miss the boy beneath this skin I miss him When he was him