[Intro-Mournful guitar] Verse 1 Red light hanging, nobody moves I roll down the window, I don’t introduce He revs beside me like he already won I smile at the asphalt, not at anyone Money on the dash, pride in the lane He talks with the throttle, I don’t entertain Ten seconds is a lifetime if you waste the start I don’t flinch, I don’t pray, I just play the part Live this life a quarter mile, then I do it again If you blink at the light, you’re already late, friend [Pre-chorus] Hands on the wheel, heart in the lane When the light drops, I don’t wait [Hook] Quarter mile, quarter mile, that’s all I need Light goes green and I disappear Ten seconds, no mercy, no rearview plea I live my life a quarter mile at a time — watch me [Verse 2] Second gear bites, the night splits wide His mirror fills, then he’s not beside Spanish guitar in the back of the seat Beat knocking like the road under me Tach climbing, breath even, eyes on the stripe He checks his mirror, I don’t check twice Crowd on the corner holding their breath I don’t hear them, I don’t owe them a guess I don’t look over, I don’t check the clock If you’re still thinking, you already lost Lane is a knife and I’m riding the edge Ten seconds of silence, then the win at the end [Hook] [Instrumental bridge- no words, Mournful guitar] Verse 3 Third light, last run, money on the line I don’t pray, I just time Whistle for half a breath, then the tires take Everything else can wait He inches up early, I let him cheat the start Doesn’t matter — I still own the dark Third gear, fourth, the white line coming fast His headlights shrink, then they’re in the past He taps the brakes, I don’t Ten flat, lights out, I’m gone No speech, no wave, no looking back Just the dark, the stripe, and the next red light after that Instrumental bridge [8 bars, no vocals. Guitar lead, dembow, rising 808, hard stop] Final hook Quarter mile, quarter mile, that’s all I need Light goes green and I disappear Ten seconds, no mercy, no rearview plea I live my life a quarter mile at a time — watch me [Outro] [Whispered] I live my life a quarter mile at a time
