[Verse 1]
The Smith family next door just disappeared one night
Their curtains drawn, their mailbox full, but no one asks what's right
We turn our heads and walk away, pretend we didn't see
"It's better if we don't get involved," becomes our guarantee
[Chorus]
Before the choice becomes heroic
Before the stakes are life or death
Resistance works when it's not tragic
When you still have room to breathe and breath
Early action, small decisions
Make the difference in the end
Don't wait until it takes a hero
That's when freedom's hardest to defend
[Verse 2]
The teachers got new lesson plans, the doctors new commands
The lawyers signed their loyalty oath with their own trembling hands
"Just doing my job" they whisper low, "just following the rules"
Professional compliance turns the wise into the fools
[Chorus]
Before the choice becomes heroic
Before the stakes are life or death
Resistance works when it's not tragic
When you still have room to breathe and breath
Early action, small decisions
Make the difference in the end
Don't wait until it takes a hero
That's when freedom's hardest to defend
[Bridge]
Trading liberty for safety
Feels so reasonable and right
But freedom dies incrementally
In broad daylight, not just night
The moment when you could have acted
Slips away like morning mist
By the time you realize the danger
You're already on the list
[Verse 3]
The warning signs were always there, we chose to look away
The gradual erosion of the rights we had today
When speaking up was still allowed, we kept our voices low
Now silence is the only choice for those who want to go
[Final Chorus]
Before the choice becomes heroic
Before the stakes are life or death
Resistance works when it's not tragic
When you still have room to breathe and breath
Early action, small decisions
Make the difference in the end
Don't wait until it takes a hero
That's when freedom's hardest to defend
[Outro]
The time to act is always now
Before the darkness falls
The time to act is always now
Before heroism calls