About the song
A story for this song hasn’t been added yet.
Words from the artist’s archive
Tested, Not Told lyrics
Artist-supplied lyric sheet, matched by title. The sheet may differ from this released performance. Production notes and alternate promotional cuts are omitted.
Read the lyric sheet
Intro
Streetlights hum when the fridge stay full, Easy to be righteous when the world feel cool. Take the locks off, pressure on the spine, Watch halos crack when survival on the line.
Verse 1
Most folks think good is a permanent skin, But comfort make saints, not the bones within. When rent paid, laws up, food on the plate, Morals feel light, self-control feel great. Pull the floor out, fear in the room, Same hands shaking now gripping a broom, Sweep it under, “I had no choice,” That’s how silence slowly learns a voice.
Pre-chorus
You don’t know you till the test get real, When the crowd move fast and the doubt got wheels. It ain’t good or bad, it’s the weight you hold, Truth come out when the heat get cold.
Chorus
We ain’t angels, we ain’t stone, Just people in the pressure zone. Real good ain’t harmless talk, It’s seeing wrong and still don’t walk.
Verse 2
Cruel don’t crash in overnight, It tiptoe in dressed as “doing right.” Mask of a badge or a glowing screen, Hard to feel human when you call ’em “things.” First it’s a joke, then it’s just a lie, Then it’s “that’s above my pay grade, why try?” Story get edited frame by frame, So you sleep at night while shifting the blame.
Bridge 1
Dark side ain’t a flaw, it’s a fact, Knowing it there keep you on track. Pause that breath when the order feel wrong, One second slow can be brave that long.
Verse 3
Good ain’t soft, it’s a trained restraint, Power in the hand that decide it ain’t. Values practiced in the small routine, Like how you talk when nobody seen. Crowd say run, leader say strike, But you read your soul like a traffic light. Red mean stop even if green look safe, That’s character built, not a lucky place.
Chorus
We ain’t angels, we ain’t stone, Just people in the pressure zone. Real good ain’t harmless talk, It’s seeing wrong and still don’t walk.
Bridge 2
If you know your dark, you ain’t controlled, That’s the difference between bought and bold. Easy road always got a toll, Hard choice cheaper for the soul.
Chorus
We ain’t angels, we ain’t stone, Still choosing right when alone. Real good don’t need a throne, Just say “no” when yes is shown.
Chorus
We ain’t angels, we ain’t stone, Tested hearts, that’s how we known. Real good loud when the lights go low, That’s the code, now you know.
Outro
Don’t flex perfection, flex control, Knowing your shadow make you whole. When life push fast, slow your role, That pause might save your soul.
Inside the recording
Streetlights hum when the fridge stay full, Easy to be righteous when the world feel cool.
You don’t know you till the test get real, When the crowd move fast and the doubt got wheels.
Don’t flex perfection, flex control, Knowing your shadow make you whole.
Excerpts from artist-supplied lyric files matched by title. Lyric sheets may differ from the released performance.