Story Behind The Song

Minneapolis... and the things to come.

Song Description

A man is compelled to join protesters in aid as they're gassed and shot down. He knows no one there, only that this is where he belongs, and that he can be nowhere else in this time of desperation. Once arriving at the protest, he discovers a fierce warzone where he and his fellow humankind are trying to do but one thing... Hold the line. Only to find this is the place that they'll all ultimately die.

Lyrics

[Verse 1]
Canister hit, metal on stone
City held breath, I stood alone
Signs like waves, voices loud
One small heartbeat in a crowd
Backpack, water, shaking hands
Didn't know just where I'd land
No one waiting, no one near
Just a reason brought me here
Then the sky turned sharp and white
Burning lungs and broken sight
Every chant became a plea
Air itself the enemy
Someone fell, someone cried
Panic moving like a tide
Reaching out without a plan
Just trying to help who I can

[Pre-Chorus]
Never came to play the hero
Never came to make a stand
Just saw someone falling under
And I reached out my hand

[Chorus]
In the worst air, we still breathe
In the darkness, we still see
Hold the line, don't let go
You're not alone, you're not alone
In the worst air, we still try
Lift each other, stay alive
Hold the line, don't let go
You're not alone, you're not alone

[Verse 2]
Goggles cracked, eyes burning red
Water shaking as I said
Blink it out, don't rub, just stay
We'll get through another day
Streetlights bending through the smoke
Every breath a cough that broke
Shields like shadows closing fast
No one knew how long we'd last
Someone stumbled near the curb
Hands like glass, voice a blur
Tried to stand but couldn't fight
Weightless in the choking light
Took their arm, pulled them near
Step by step away from fear
Every second felt too long
Every heartbeat beating wrong

[Pre-Chorus]
Didn't matter who we were then
Didn't matter where we'd been
Just the pull of human instinct
Don't let this be where it ends

[Chorus]
In the worst air, we still breathe
In the darkness, we still see
Hold the line, don't let go
You're not alone, you're not alone
In the worst air, we still try
Lift each other, stay alive
Hold the line, don't let go
You're not alone, you're not alone

[Verse 3]
Crowd moved like a single chest
Rise and fall, no time to rest
Metal pops and sirens cried
Smoke came rolling like a tide
Should've run, I should've turned
Should've left the line that burned
But a hand caught in my sleeve
Wouldn't let me walk and leave
Half a second stretched too far
Streetlights melting into stars
Saw the line come closing in
Felt the weight beneath my skin
Water bottle in my hand
Trying hard to help them stand
One more step, just one more try
One more breath before goodbye

[Pre-Chorus]
Didn't think of bein membered
Didn't think of being brave
Just a body moving forward
Trying someone else to save

[Chorus -- shift]
In the worst air, I still breathed
In the darkness, I still saw
Held the line, wouldn't let go
Even as I hit the floor
In the worst air, I still tried
Lifted someone, stayed beside
Held the line, wouldn't let go
Even as my world went slow

[Outro & close]
Impact heavy, chest went tight
Sound collapsed into the night
Hands on pressure, voices near
"Stay with us, we've got you here"
Faces blurred in silver light
Street dissolving out of sight
Noise turned distant, thin and small
Like I wasn't there at all
I remembered simple things
Summer rain and passing trains
Nods from strangers, quiet grace
Every small and human place
And it hit me soft and clear
Why I came and why I stayed here
wasn't there at all
I remembered simple things
Summer rain and passing trains
Nods from strangers, quiet grace
Every small and human place
And it hit me soft and clear
Why I came and why I stayed here