From the recording War never leaves your brain
“‘War Never Leaves Your Brain’ is a tribute to the invisible battle that so many wage after the physical fight has ceased. Inspired by the stories of veterans and survivors, this song delves into the small details of PTSD: being startled by the rain, the sleepless nights, and the 'ghosts' that keep marching. It is a reminder that leaving a battlefield is not the same as finding peace.”
Lyrics
He still flinches at the sound of rain
Says it falls just like it did that day
Windows shake and he’s back again
In a place he never really escaped
He keeps his boots by the bedroom door
Like he’s ready if the sirens call
But the war don’t live there anymore
Still it’s written on the walls
He smiles like everything’s alright
But his eyes don’t close at night
’Cause the echoes don’t sleep
They whisper underneath
Every breath he tries to take
Every promise that he breaks
And the silence cuts deep
When there’s no one left to blame
You can leave a battlefield
But it never leaves your brain
She counts shadows on the ceiling late
Every face turns into someone gone
Says she’s fine but she medicates
Just to keep herself holding on
There’s a child in her memory still
Frozen in a scream she can’t erase
Time moves on but it always will
Circle back to that same place
She laughs like she’s not in pain
But the past runs through her veins
’Cause the echoes don’t sleep
They whisper underneath
Every breath she tries to take
Every chance she’s too afraid to make
And the silence cuts deep
When the world just looks away
You can leave a battlefield
But it never leaves your brain
No medals for the nights they fight
No parade for what they hide
Just ghosts marching in their heads
Long after the last goodbye
Yeah the echoes don’t sleep
They’re buried in too deep
In the hearts that learned to fear
Every sound, every year
And the silence cuts deep
When the healing feels too late
You can leave a battlefield…
But it never fades away
So they carry it alone
In the quiet, in the cold
Yeah the war is never gone…
It just learns to take its toll