Alright! I’ll keep the vibe of the first song but make it a bit less structured, with some freer lines. Here’s a new version with that authentic, storytelling touch: Song Title: “Long Road Back” Verse 1 Rolling through miles of dust and dreams, Left pieces of myself scattered in towns I’ll never see again. Every turn I take feels like a step away from home, But maybe someday, these wheels will spin me back. Chorus It’s a long road back to you, Nights colder than I’d ever choose, If I could hold onto one last memory, I’d fight my way through, just to have you here with me. Verse 2 Old guitar on the seat next to me, still out of tune, Playing songs I know you’d sing along to if you could. Every roadside bar, just a shadowed place, But your laughter’s in my ear, steady as I go. Chorus It’s a long road back to you, Dark skies holding a hint of blue, If I could find one way to see you again, I’d chase every mile until the journey ends. Bridge They say hearts break in all kinds of ways, But ours keeps haunting me through night and day. If I could change the road beneath my feet, I’d turn it back to where you wait for me. Outro It’s a long road back, one I can’t ignore, I’ll drive it forever, or until there’s no more. Maybe someday, we’ll share that dance, But for now, darlin’, I’ll hold onto this chance. This should give it that classic Zach Bryan feel—unrefined, soulful, and real.
Country folk
English
The song evokes a sense of longing, nostalgia, and melancholic love. It captures the emotional weight of missing someone and the desire to reconnect, making it relatable to anyone who has experienced distance from a loved one.
This song can be used in various scenarios such as road trip playlists, reflective moments after a breakup, or during quiet nights spent reminiscing with friends. Its storytelling nature resonates well during moments of nostalgia or longing.
The song employs storytelling through its lyrical structure, with a clear narrative arc. Its use of imagery (miles of dust and dreams, old guitar) and metaphor (the long road back) creates an evocative picture. The verses are structured with personal reflections, and the chorus emphasizes emotional resonance, using repetition and contrast to highlight the journey's difficulty versus the hope of reunion.
Verse 1 The fire’s gone, the hearth is cold, The sturdy walls now crumble, old. Her home destroyed by cruelest hands, She walks away from familiar lands. Beneath the frost, she takes her place, Among the foes with hardened face. Not for honor, pride, or fame, But just to live—no other aim. Chorus Oh, gentle girl, lost in war, You dream of love, you wish for more. The sword’s your song, the spear’s your tune, Your fate is sealed beneath the moon. Verse 2 She cloaks herself in dark disguise, And walks among the enemy’s lies. Their flags are raised, their voices grim, Their fight’s not hers, yet she’s with them. “Perhaps,” she whispers, “hope will stay, And guide me through this stormy way.” But love’s embrace is far and thin, And cold regret creeps deep within. Chorus Oh, gentle girl, lost in war, You dream of love, you wish for more. The sword’s your song, the spear’s your tune, Your fate is sealed beneath the moon. Bridge Not for riches, not for pride, But just to keep her soul alive. The battlefield becomes her stage, Her youth consumed by endless rage. Still, deep within, a small light burned, For kinder days, a peace she yearned. Verse 3 But time was cruel, her years were few, Her heart was strong, her spirit true. Beneath the stars, she met her end, A fleeting life the world won’t mend. The evil cause for which she bled, A bitter path her fate had led. Her name now lingers in the wind, A tale of loss, a heart that sinned. Final Chorus Oh, gentle girl, lost in war, You dream of love, you wish for more. The sword’s your song, the spear’s your tune, Your fate is sealed beneath the moon. Outro So fades the tale of a girl so fair, Her dreams now dust, her heart laid bare. Though skies may weep and winds may cry, Her fleeting hope will always die.
I draw lines and mark where the rivers should bend And trace out the roads that I'll never descend A paper ocean, wrinkles and waves Godlike intentions, but frozen in place I chart constellations, connecting the stars A galaxy born, as the ink leaves a mark The compass spins, but I’m stuck on this page Set sail without movement, drifting in place A pen in my hand, and the lines overflow The tides keep on rising, but I’m stuck below Ships passing by, they don’t notice me calling I forget I’m in charge and that I’m the one stalling The horizon stretches, but it never grows near The winds whisper secrets I refuse to hear When one map is finished, I start off anew I’m dreaming up dreams that’ll never come true I paint the shadows where the mountains once stood And sketch every path that I’ll never pursue A paper sky, the colors don’t blend Lacking intention, a goal, or a plan I’ve thought up journeys, a million so far Though I’ve traced every line, there’s no path to embark The ink dries slowly, it never runs out A journey in drawings, but no steps to count A pen in my hand, and the lines overflow The tides keep on rising, but I’m stuck below Ships passing by, they don’t notice me calling I forget I’m in charge and that I’m the one stalling The horizon stretches, but it never grows near The winds whisper secrets I refuse to hear When one map is finished, I start off anew I’m dreaming up dreams that’ll never come true These maps are a prison I created myself I choose to stand still with no story to tell A paper-thin world that easily tares With intricate roads that lead me nowhere A pen in my hand, and the lines overflow The tides keep on rising, but I’m stuck below Ships passing by, they don’t notice me calling I forget I’m in charge and that I’m the one stalling The horizon stretches, but it never grows near The winds whisper secrets I refuse to hear When one map is finished, I start off anew I’m dreaming up dreams that’ll never come true A pen in my hand, and the lines overflow The tides keep on rising, but I’m stuck below Ships passing by, they don’t notice me calling I forget I’m in charge and that I’m the one stalling The horizon stretches, but it never grows near The winds whisper secrets I refuse to hear When one map is finished, I start off anew I’m dreaming up dreams that’ll never come true
I draw lines and mark where the rivers should bend And trace out the roads that I'll never descend A paper ocean, wrinkles and waves Godlike intentions, but frozen in place I chart constellations, connecting the stars A galaxy born, as the ink leaves a mark The compass spins, but I’m stuck on this page Set sail without movement, drifting in place A pen in my hand, and the lines overflow The tides keep on rising, but I’m stuck below Ships passing by, they don’t notice me calling I forget I’m in charge and that I’m the one stalling The horizon stretches, but it never grows near The winds whisper secrets I refuse to hear When one map is finished, I start off anew I’m dreaming up dreams that’ll never come true I paint the shadows where the mountains once stood And sketch every path that I’ll never pursue A paper sky, the colors don’t blend Lacking intention, a goal, or a plan I’ve thought up journeys, a million so far Though I’ve traced every line, there’s no path to embark The ink dries slowly, it never runs out A journey in drawings, but no steps to count A pen in my hand, and the lines overflow The tides keep on rising, but I’m stuck below Ships passing by, they don’t notice me calling I forget I’m in charge and that I’m the one stalling The horizon stretches, but it never grows near The winds whisper secrets I refuse to hear When one map is finished, I start off anew I’m dreaming up dreams that’ll never come true These maps are a prison I created myself I choose to stand still with no story to tell A paper-thin world that easily tares With intricate roads that lead me nowhere A pen in my hand, and the lines overflow The tides keep on rising, but I’m stuck below Ships passing by, they don’t notice me calling I forget I’m in charge and that I’m the one stalling The horizon stretches, but it never grows near The winds whisper secrets I refuse to hear When one map is finished, I start off anew I’m dreaming up dreams that’ll never come true A pen in my hand, and the lines overflow The tides keep on rising, but I’m stuck below Ships passing by, they don’t notice me calling I forget I’m in charge and that I’m the one stalling The horizon stretches, but it never grows near The winds whisper secrets I refuse to hear When one map is finished, I start off anew I’m dreaming up dreams that’ll never come true
I draw lines and mark where the rivers should bend And trace out the roads that I'll never descend A paper ocean, wrinkles and waves Godlike intentions, but frozen in place I chart constellations, connecting the stars A galaxy born, as the ink leaves a mark The compass spins, but I’m stuck on this page Set sail without movement, drifting in place A pen in my hand, and the lines overflow The tides keep on rising, but I’m stuck below Ships passing by, they don’t notice me calling I forget I’m in charge and that I’m the one stalling The horizon stretches, but it never grows near The winds whisper secrets I refuse to hear When one map is finished, I start off anew I’m dreaming up dreams that’ll never come true I paint the shadows where the mountains once stood And sketch every path that I’ll never pursue A paper sky, the colors don’t blend Lacking intention, a goal, or a plan I’ve thought up journeys, a million so far Though I’ve traced every line, there’s no path to embark The ink dries slowly, it never runs out A journey in drawings, but no steps to count A pen in my hand, and the lines overflow The tides keep on rising, but I’m stuck below Ships passing by, they don’t notice me calling I forget I’m in charge and that I’m the one stalling The horizon stretches, but it never grows near The winds whisper secrets I refuse to hear When one map is finished, I start off anew I’m dreaming up dreams that’ll never come true These maps are a prison I created myself I choose to stand still with no story to tell A paper-thin world that easily tears With intricate roads that lead me nowhere A pen in my hand, and the lines overflow The tides keep on rising, but I’m stuck below Ships passing by, they don’t notice me calling I forget I’m in charge and that I’m the one stalling The horizon stretches, but it never grows near The winds whisper secrets I refuse to hear When one map is finished, I start off anew I’m dreaming up dreams that’ll never come true A pen in my hand, and the lines overflow The tides keep on rising, but I’m stuck below Ships passing by, they don’t notice me calling I forget I’m in charge and that I’m the one stalling The horizon stretches, but it never grows near The winds whisper secrets I refuse to hear When one map is finished, I start off anew I’m dreaming up dreams that’ll never come true
The world keeps turning even after we’re gone Raindrops will fall, no need for anyone The faster, the better, humanity’s a plague We’re stuck in a loop, and counting the days The sun will still set, the stars burning out Clocks keep on ticking, but there’s nothing to count The future’s a lie, and the past doesn’t care Every step taken, it leads us nowhere Why live a life full of wasted potential Why tell the truth when it’s not what they want Why be a good person when good never works Mercy is met with a blade in return Why stand up for right when wrong is a winner Why bother smiling when everything’s a joke Why dream of the sky when you’re chained to the earth Mercy is met with a blade in return The waves coming in, try to wash us away Tides ever shifting, we simply stay in place The harder we work, the less we achieve We’re fighting for nothing, pretend to believe The streets might stop burning, but the blood never dries Ignoring the carnage, try as we might The future’s a lie, and the past doesn’t care Every step taken, it leads us nowhere Why live a life full of wasted potential Why tell the truth when it’s not what they want Why be a good person when good never works Mercy is met with a blade in return Why stand up for right when wrong is a winner Why bother smiling when everything’s a joke Why dream of the sky when you’re chained to the earth Mercy is met with a blade in return We’re born just to suffer, and die to be free Chasing a purpose that’s never been real This life’s but a cycle, we kill and we rape Still we keep marching, cause nothing’s at stake Why live a life full of wasted potential Why tell the truth when it’s not what they want Why be a good person when good never works Mercy is met with a blade in return Why stand up for right when wrong is a winner Why bother smiling when everything’s a joke Why dream of the sky when you’re chained to the earth Mercy is met with a blade in return Mercy is met with a blade in return
The world keeps turning even after we’re gone Raindrops will fall, no need for anyone The faster, the better, humanity’s a plague We’re stuck in a loop, and counting the days The sun will still set, the stars burning out Clocks keep on ticking, but there’s nothing to count The future’s a lie, and the past doesn’t care Every step taken, it leads us nowhere Why live a life full of wasted potential Why tell the truth when it’s not what they want Why be a good person when good never works Mercy is met with a blade in return Why stand up for right when wrong is a winner Why bother smiling when everything’s a joke Why dream of the sky when you’re chained to the earth Mercy is met with a blade in return The waves coming in, try to wash us away Tides ever shifting, we simply stay in place The harder we work, the less we achieve We’re fighting for nothing, pretend to believe The streets might stop burning, but the blood never dries Ignoring the carnage, try as we might The future’s a lie, and the past doesn’t care Every step taken, it leads us nowhere Why live a life full of wasted potential Why tell the truth when it’s not what they want Why be a good person when good never works Mercy is met with a blade in return Why stand up for right when wrong is a winner Why bother smiling when everything’s a joke Why dream of the sky when you’re chained to the earth Mercy is met with a blade in return We’re born just to suffer, and die to be free Chasing a purpose that’s never been real This life’s but a cycle, we kill and we rape Still we keep marching, cause nothing’s at stake Why live a life full of wasted potential Why tell the truth when it’s not what they want Why be a good person when good never works Mercy is met with a blade in return Why stand up for right when wrong is a winner Why bother smiling when everything’s a joke Why dream of the sky when you’re chained to the earth Mercy is met with a blade in return Mercy is met with a blade in return
The world keeps turning even after we’re gone Raindrops will fall, no need for anyone The faster, the better, humanity’s a plague We’re stuck in a loop, and counting the days The sun will still set, the stars burning out Clocks keep on ticking, but there’s nothing to count The future’s a lie, and the past doesn’t care Every step taken, it leads us nowhere Why live a life full of wasted potential Why tell the truth when it’s not what they want Why be a good person when good never works Mercy is met with a blade in return Why stand up for right when wrong is a winner Why bother smiling when everything’s a joke Why dream of the sky when you’re chained to the earth Mercy is met with a blade in return The waves coming in, try to wash us away Tides ever shifting, we simply stay in place The harder we work, the less we achieve We’re fighting for nothing, pretend to believe The streets might stop burning, but the blood never dries Ignoring the carnage, try as we might The future’s a lie, and the past doesn’t care Every step taken, it leads us nowhere We’re born just to suffer, and die to be free Chasing a purpose that’s never been real This life’s but a cycle, we kill and we rape Still we keep marching, cause nothing’s at stake Why live a life full of wasted potential Why tell the truth when it’s not what they want Why be a good person when good never works Mercy is met with a blade in return Why stand up for right when wrong is a winner Why bother smiling when everything’s a joke Why dream of the sky when you’re chained to the earth Mercy is met with a blade in return
The world keeps turning even after we’re gone Raindrops will fall, no need for anyone The faster, the better, humanity’s a plague We’re stuck in a loop, and counting the days The sun will still set, the stars burning out Clocks keep on ticking, but there’s nothing to count The future’s a lie, and the past doesn’t care Every step taken, it leads us nowhere Why live a life full of wasted potential Why tell the truth when it’s not what they want Why be a good person when good never works Mercy is met with a blade in return Why stand up for right when wrong is a winner Why bother smiling when everything’s a joke Why dream of the sky when you’re chained to the earth Mercy is met with a blade in return The waves coming in, try to wash us away Tides ever shifting, we simply stay in place The harder we work, the less we achieve We’re fighting for nothing, pretend to believe The streets might stop burning, but the blood never dries Ignoring the carnage, try as we might The future’s a lie, and the past doesn’t care Every step taken, it leads us nowhere We’re born just to suffer, and die to be free Chasing a purpose that’s never been real This life’s but a cycle, we kill and we rape Still we keep marching, cause nothing’s at stake Why live a life full of wasted potential Why tell the truth when it’s not what they want Why be a good person when good never works Mercy is met with a blade in return Why stand up for right when wrong is a winner Why bother smiling when everything’s a joke Why dream of the sky when you’re chained to the earth Mercy is met with a blade in return
The world keeps turning even after we’re gone Raindrops will fall, no need for anyone The faster, the better, humanity’s a plague We’re stuck in a loop, and counting the days The sun will still set, the stars burning out Clocking keep on ticking, but there’s nothing to count The future’s a lie, and the past doesn’t care Every step taken, it leads us nowhere Why live a life full of wasted potential Why tell the truth when it’s not what they want Why be a good person when good never works Mercy is met with a blade in return Why stand up for right when wrong is a winner Why bother smiling when everything’s a joke Why dream of the sky when you’re chained to the earth Mercy is met with a blade in return The waves coming in, try to wash us away Tides ever shifting, we simply stay in place The harder we work, the less we achieve We’re fighting for nothing, pretend to believe The streets might stop burning, but the blood never dries Ignoring the bloodshed, try as we might The future’s a lie, and the past doesn’t care Every step taken, it leads us nowhere We’re born just to suffer, and die to be free Chasing a purpose that’s never been real This life’s but a cycle, we kill and we rape Still we keep marching, cause nothing’s at stake Why live a life full of wasted potential Why tell the truth when it’s not what they want Why be a good person when good never works Mercy is met with a blade in return Why stand up for right when wrong is a winner Why bother smiling when everything’s a joke Why dream of the sky when you’re chained to the earth Mercy is met with a blade in return
[male] Be near me when my light is low, When shadows deepen, winds won’t blow. When dreams unravel, thread by thread, And hope’s faint whispers fill my head. When every step feels like a fall, And silence echoes through it all. Be near me then, and hold me tight, A star to guide through endless night. [Chorus] Be near me now, when the world turns away, When my strength has faded, my heart gone astray. Oh, Oh, Oh Oh... Let your presence mend what’s broken in me, A light in the dark, a safe harbor at sea. [male] When blood creeps slow and nerves betray, And life itself seems far away. When every thought, a weight, a stone, And I am left to stand alone. Be near me when the voices fade, When shadows of rejection invade. Stay close, though I am bruised and torn, A spark remains where love was born. [Chorus] Be near me now, when the world turns away, When my strength has faded, my heart gone astray. Oh, Oh, Oh Oh... Let your presence mend what’s broken in me, A light in the dark, a safe harbor at sea. [Male] For even when all wheels are slow, A deeper truth begins to grow. Through pain, through loss, the soul can rise, If hope stays near, it never dies. [Male] Be near me when my light is low, And I shall find the strength to go. Through every shadow, every scar, Hope will guide me, near or far.
