prison oft.skin

Lyrics

Title: Prison of My Skin
(Slow 12-bar blues shuffle, capo on 3rd or 4th fret, fingerpicked or lightly strummed)
Verse 1
I been running, running, running, Lord, but I don’t know where to
Chasing ghosts down empty roads that I ain’t never knew
Sun went down a long time ago, ain’t no light left in the blue
I keep moving, but I’m standing still — don’t know what else to do
Chorus
I’m trapped inside this prison of my skin
Drowning in the silence, where the tears stay locked within
Used to have a light, Lord, shining in my eyes
Now there’s only darkness and these worn-out alibis
Verse 2
Back when I was younger, man, I still had a sound mind
Could look up at the night sky, make a wish on stars that shined
Then one day a piece of me just crumbled up and died
Left me talking to myself, with nowhere left to hide
Chorus
I’m trapped inside this prison of my skin
Every mile I’m running just brings me back again
Thought I’d reach the finish line, claim some kind of prize
Now I see the road is gone — nothing left but lies
Bridge (spoken or half-sung, slower)
What happens when the road runs out beneath my feet?
No more race to finish, no victory to meet
Will I keep on chasing till they lay me in the ground?
Or finally break wide open… and see I ain’t been found?
Verse 3
Sometimes I think I’m losing what little mind I got
Thoughts keep spinning circles, tying me in knots
There’s a whole lot more inside than I ever let you see
A graveyard full of yesterdays still haunting me
Final Chorus (softer, then building)
Yeah, I’m trapped inside this prison of my skin
Running from the man I was, and the man I might’ve been
When they close that coffin lid and lay my body down
Will I finally understand I never was what I thought I was…
(Last line whispered or let ring out)
Never really was at all…