Lyrics

[Verse 1]
I gave my best years to a woman and the land
Built a life with calloused hands and a wedding band
Watched the sunrise with a hope I could trust
But dreams fade fast when love turns to dust

She packed up her heart in the middle of fall
Took the dog, the truck, and the strength from it all
But I stood like a fencepost sunk deep in the clay
Whispered, "The wind can howl, but I won't sway"


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[Chorus]
When the dust settles down and the silence is loud
And you’re all outta luck, but you’re still standin’ proud
You learn what you're made of when no one's around
Just the weight of your boots on forgotten ground
You find out the fire’s still burnin’ somehow
When the dust… settles down


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[Verse 2]
I’ve got songs full of scars and a Bible that’s worn
A bottle half-empty, and a heart battle-torn
The whiskey don’t fix it, but it takes off the edge
Like a prayer whispered slow on a back porch ledge

I still see her ghost when I close my eyes
Still talk to the stars in the Tennessee sky
They don’t talk back, but they damn sure stay
And they shine just as bright when she walked away


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[Chorus]
When the dust settles down and the silence is loud
And you’re all outta luck, but you’re still standin’ proud
You learn what you're made of when no one's around
Just the weight of your boots on forgotten ground
You find out the fire’s still burnin’ somehow
When the dust… settles down


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[Bridge]
It ain't about riches, it’s about what remains
When you've loved, when you've lost, when you've danced through the pain
It’s the truth in your chest when the whole world walks out—
That’s what country’s about


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[Final Chorus]
When the dust settles down and the stories are gone
And the flame in your soul keeps flickerin’ on
May they say you were loyal, may they say you were tough
May they know you gave more when the road got rough
‘Cause you held your line and you held your ground
When the dust… settles down