Paid by the Name

Lyrics

[Intro] Cash on the table, dust on my coat Same old bargain, same old road [Verse 1] Mama kept the rent in a jar by the sink I learned what a hungry man does not think One bad winter, one door kicked wide Now I count every favor by who survived Auntie said, “Leave,” but I had nowhere to go The block taught a lesson the books never show I took that first envelope, swallowed the blame Then the next one came quicker; I answered the same [Chorus] Paid by the night, paid by the name I do what I know; I keep feeding the flame No clean way out, no soft place to land I learned this life with a gun in my hand Paid by the night, paid by the name Every new face looks a little the same If there’s another road, I don’t understand This is the only life I know how to plan [Verse 2] I don’t brag on the work; I just know what it costs A face in the mirror, a list of the lost The cash buys a meal, not a minute of sleep And the promises I made are too heavy to keep My brother got quiet, my old friends moved west I wear my old choices like weight on my chest Still, the phone keeps ringing, the rent comes due And the only trade I learned is the one I do [Chorus] Paid by the night, paid by the name I do what I know; I keep feeding the flame No clean way out, no soft place to land I learned this life with a gun in my hand Paid by the night, paid by the name Every new face looks a little the same If there’s another road, I don’t understand This is the only life I know how to plan [Bridge] When the room goes still, I can hear that jar Coins at the bottom, not enough by far I could walk from the door, but I don’t know where So I lace up again with the weight I wear [Verse 3] Now the dawn finds me counting what the night took away A name I won’t speak, and a debt left to pay I wanted a life that was wider than fear But the map in my head only brought me right here If I ever get free, let it start with the truth: I mistook being feared for a way to be proof The money runs out, and the old roads remain I know how to survive; I don’t know how to change [Chorus] Paid by the night, paid by the name I do what I know; I keep feeding the flame No clean way out, no soft place to land I learned this life with a gun in my hand Paid by the night, paid by the name Every new face looks a little the same If there’s another road, I don’t understand This is the only life I know how to plan [Outro] Cash on the table, dust on my coat Same old bargain, same old road