Silk & Steel [Intro] (rapid hi-hats, 808 slide, dark piano) [Verse 1] (smooth vocals over hard beat) They see the armor but they don't see the wounds The way I had to grow up way too soon Built these walls so high, nobody gets through But late at night I wonder if I'm fooling you Came up rough, learned not to show the pain Smile through the storm, dance in the rain But behind closed doors when I'm all alone This tough exterior cracks down to the bone [Pre-Chorus] (building) I'm not what I seem Harder than I want to be Softer than you'd believe Caught in between [Chorus] (vulnerable over aggressive production) I'm trying to be gentle in a world that isn't Trying to stay tender when everything's resistant They want me hard as stone but I still bleed Caught between who I am and who I need to be Show them strength but hide the scars beneath Wear the mask but underneath I'm weak Trying to be gentle, trying to stay me In a world that punishes vulnerability (808 slide, aggressive) [Verse 2] (intimate confession) She said "baby, why you always on defense" I said "cause letting people in don't make sense" Every time I opened up, they walked away So I learned to keep my feelings locked and safe But I'm tired of being something that I'm not Of pretending that I don't care a lot Of acting like I'm bulletproof and cold When honestly I'm barely in control [Pre-Chorus] I'm not what I seem Tougher than I want to be Softer than you'd believe Torn between extremes [Chorus] I'm trying to be gentle in a world that isn't Trying to stay tender when everything's resistant They want me hard as stone but I still bleed Caught between who I am and who I need to be Show them strength but hide the scars beneath Wear the mask but underneath I'm weak Trying to be gentle, trying to stay me In a world that punishes vulnerability [Bridge] (stripped to minimal piano and vocals) What if I put down the armor What if I let you see The parts of me I've hidden The parts that aren't so mean What if being soft ain't weakness What if being real is strength What if all this time I've been protecting The wrong things (drill beat crashes back - aggressive) Maybe I don't have to choose between The person that I am and what they need Maybe I can be both gentle and survive Maybe showing heart don't mean I'm giving up the fight [Final Chorus] (vulnerable, powerful) I'm learning to be gentle in a world that isn't Learning to stay tender when everything's resistant They want me hard as stone but I still bleed Finding peace between who I am and who I need to be Show them strength and show the scars beneath Wear my truth, let them see I'm weak Learning to be gentle, learning to be free In a world that's scared of vulnerability (extended aggressive outro) I can be both (808 slides) I can be both (rapid hi-hats) Soft and strong (aggressive beat) I can be both [Outro] (drill beat continues) (piano final chord) (808 final slide down) (sudden cut) [End]
