
Lane Rope
[Verse 1: Screaming Louisville male rock lead, arena loud] Chlorine and banners and a packed little stand Freshman on the block with a shake in his hand Lane rope hums like a wire in the light I raise the gun and his toes go white False start jumps out of his nerves like a spark Crowd starts to mutter and the coaches go dark Rule book says dq and the heat moves on I call it my error and I reset the gun [Pre-Chorus: Screaming Louisville male rock lead, rising] Rule book waits with a cold little face I spend one error to buy him a place [Chorus: Screaming Louisville male rock lead, belted, full chest] Hold the rope, take the second clean start Nerves are not cheats and they are not art I eat the mistake so the kid gets a lane Hold the rope, take the second clean start [Verse 2: Screaming Louisville male rock lead, gun delay, the starter gun waits one extra breath, then cracks as the freshman finally leaves clean] Delay on the gun for a single held breath Then the crack hits hard and he leaves the death Water takes him and the rope keeps the line Parents unclench and the whole heat looks fine Official side-eyes and I meet him square My fault, I say, and he leaves it there Kid touches home with a time he can own Mercy wore a whistle and a starter tone [Chorus: Screaming Louisville male rock lead, belted, full chest] Hold the rope, take the second clean start Nerves are not cheats and they are not art I eat the mistake so the kid gets a lane Hold the rope, take the second clean start [Bridge: Screaming Louisville male rock lead, counting lanes] One for the rule and two for the break Three for the kid who still needed a take Four for the stand that never knew why Five for the rope that still keeps them dry [Verse 3: Screaming Louisville male rock lead, full force] I am not soft and I am not a joke False starts still cost when the foul is a poke But a first-time freeze is a human thing I spent one error so a swimmer could spring Louisville finals and a gun in my fist Hold means more than the metal I kissed Hold means a chance that still looks like law Hold means the rope and the breath that I saw [Chorus: Screaming Louisville male rock lead, belted, full chest] Hold the rope, take the second clean start Nerves are not cheats and they are not art I eat the mistake so the kid gets a lane Hold the rope, take the second clean start [Outro: Screaming Louisville male rock lead, loud, the last gun delay rings out and fades] Hold the rope Second clean Start [End]

