[Verse 1]
You wake up and the coffee's cold, the morning feels like lead,
You smile like everything's alright but you're somewhere else instead.
You gave so much to everyone, you forgot to save a piece,
And now you're running on the fumes of someone else's needs.
There's a version of yourself you left behind at twenty-three,
She's still waiting by the window wondering when you'll be free.
You keep saying "after this" like the finish line will show,
But the race just keeps on running and you're tired of letting go.

[PreChorus]
And you don't have to fake it, no you don't have to pretend,
That you've got all the answers when you're barely holding on again.

[Chorus]
So take the long way home tonight and let the windows down,
Scream the words to every song that used to spin you around.
You're not as lost as you believe, you're not as far behind,
The girl you were is still in there, she's just been hard to find.
Yeah, she's just been hard to find.

[Verse 2]
You fell in love with talking late when everything felt true,
With someone who could finish all the sentences with you.
You wanted something reckless but you settled for what's safe,
And now you're wondering what happened to the fire in your face.
It's not that you stopped feeling, no, you feel it all too much,
You just learned to build the walls up so you wouldn't need the crutch.
But the ones who really see you know there's gold beneath the dust,
And the right ones stick around because they know you're worth the trust.

[PreChorus]
And you don't have to fake it, no you don't have to pretend,
That you've got all the answers when you're barely holding on again.

[Chorus]
So take the long way home tonight and let the windows down,
Scream the words to every song that used to spin you around.
You're not as lost as you believe, you're not as far behind,
The girl you were is still in there, she's just been hard to find.
Yeah, she's just been hard to find.

[Verse 3]
You've been through more than anyone would ever guess to see,
You built a life out of the rubble with no guarantee.
The cracks don't make you broken, they're just proof that you survived,
And every time you hit the ground you figured out the climb.
Your purpose isn't being perfect or the best one in the room,
It's showing up when showing up feels like you're walking through the gloom.
The world keeps spinning anyway, might as well enjoy the ride,
Stop waiting for permission just to feel alive inside.

[PreChorus]
And you don't have to fake it, no you don't have to pretend,
That you've got all the answers when you're barely holding on again.

[Chorus]
So take the long way home tonight and let the windows down,
Scream the words to every song that used to spin you around.
You're not as lost as you believe, you're not as far behind,
The girl you were is still in there, she's just been hard to find.
Yeah, she's just been hard to find.

[Verse 4]
Tomorrow's gonna come whether you're ready or you're not,
So stop white-knuckling the wheel for every single shot.
The best things that you ever did weren't part of any plan,
They happened when you finally said "I'll figure out the land."
So crank the radio up loud and sing off-key with me,
The mess you think you're hiding is your own damn poetry.
You've always been enough, you know, you just forgot the proof,
Now here's your reminder standing barefoot on the roof.

[Bridge]
Every fall just made you funnier, sharper than before,
Every wrong turn was just teaching you what you were looking for.
You're exactly who you need to be, standing in this skin,
So stop apologizing for the space you're taking in.

[Outro]
Take the long way home,
You don't have to do this alone.
She's still in there somewhere,
Yeah, she's just been hard to find.