Velvet Courage” is a tribute to my daughter — a song born of the way she makes me strive to be more than I am. It blends smooth, shimmering tones with a bold new soundscape, leaving distorted guitars behind for a sleek, luminous vibe. A hymn to quiet strength and the velvet light that guides us home
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I used to carry you on my shoulders
Through streets lit up in winter dark
You’d press your cheek against my sweater
Just to hear my beating heart
***
I held your hand on your first school day
Felt the lump down in my throat
Never guessed how fast you’d wander
Never guessed how far you’d go
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And you make me try
To be better than I am
Yeah, you make me try
To be more than just a man
Though you’re learning how to fly
You’re the reason why
I keep trying
***
You’re singing truths I never dared to
On stages where the spotlight shines
Your courage stings me, kind of sweetly
For all the dreams I left behind
***
And though you’ve stumbled here and there
And wiped your tears with your own hands
You keep dancing through your battles
Teaching me to take my stand
***
‘Cause you make me try
To be better than I am
Yeah, you make me try
To be more than just a man
Though you’re learning how to fly
You’re the reason why
I keep trying
***
One more year and you’ll be leaving
Trading childhood for your name
But I’ll be cheering from the sidelines
***
Sometimes I wish you’d stay my small one
Tiny hand and sleepy eyes
But I’m proud of who you’ve grown to
You’re my strength and my surprisemore