[Verse 1] He’s standing by the off-ramp With a kingdom in his hand Seven shining invitations And not one piece of land His cardboard sign is crooked Black marker, rain-stained plea “I’m not asking for a miracle Just enough to play turn three” The traffic keeps on moving Someone offers thoughts and prayers Someone shouts, “Just work much harder” Like he hasn’t lived there for years [Pre-Chorus] He’s got the vision He’s got the cards He’s got the scars from coming this far No one can build what no one can start When survival taps everything dark [Chorus] NEED MANA ANY COLOR HELPS Got a winning hand I cannot play myself Need mana Not advice, not praise I’ve been holding my future For a thousand unpaid days Don’t tell me I’m gifted Don’t call me inspired If you love what I could summon Help me pay what it requires NEED MANA The cardboard says I’ve got the whole damn world in my hand And nothing left to cast it with yet [Verse 2] A woman lowers her window Says, “You’re wasting all that skill” He says, “That’s an observation Are you helping with the bill?” A businessman takes his picture Posts, “This really made me think” Gets eleven thousand comments While the artist needs a drink Someone offers him exposure He turns the sign around “People die from that in winter Do you have something less profound?” [Pre-Chorus] He knows the combo He wrote the rules He made whole palaces out of borrowed tools But every favor, every emergency Took one more resource from his treasury [Chorus] NEED MANA ANY COLOR HELPS Got a winning hand I cannot play myself Need mana Not advice, not praise I’ve been holding my future For a thousand unpaid days Don’t tell me I’m gifted Don’t call me inspired If you love what I could summon Help me pay what it requires NEED MANA The cardboard says I’ve got the whole damn world in my hand And nothing left to cast it with yet [Bridge] Five for the workshop Two for the light One for a room where the locks work at night Three for the tire Four for the fee One untapped morning that belongs to me Enough for the canvas Enough for the wire Enough that my hunger stops eating the fire I’m not short on purpose I’m not short on plans I am standing here flooded With no fucking land [Breakdown] You keep asking for the masterpiece Like it’s hiding in my coat Every dream has a material cost Every vision needs a vote So if you want to see the empire Quit admiring the sand Put a little power in it Put some mana in my hand [Final Chorus] NEED MANA ANY COLOR HELPS I’m done spending mine Keeping alive everybody else Need mana And yes, I mean pay You cannot fund a future With the nice things people say Don’t tell me I’m chosen Don’t call this divine If Reality used my lyrics Reality can pay me this time NEED MANA The cardboard reads I already drew the win condition Now fund the fucking dream [Outro] He folds the sign beneath his arm As one car turns around Not salvation Not a savior Just somebody Tapping land
