"I Was Never The Shame" (Official Lyrics Video) | Rise Undone — from the album Real Experiences

"I Was Never The Shame"

(Lyrics)

Verse 1:
Where were you, mama, when they walked in?
I was a child, not your sin.
No locked door, no safe place,
Just fear frozen on my face.
He stood inside like he had the right,
While I stayed quiet, gripped by fright.
I still recall the urge to flee —
But fear spoke louder than my feet.

Verse 2:
My brother watched, then looked away,
As if I'd somehow asked to stay.
He brought them in, then wore that glare —
Like I should answer for despair.
My home was chaos, noise, and mess,
No calm, no love, no tenderness.
The scenes I saw, the things they played —
Left pieces in me still afraid.

Chorus:
But I was never the shame,
Not the dirty, not the blame.
What they did was rot, not me —
I'm still fire, I’m still free.
This body’s mine, not your claim,
Not your playground, not your game.
Say my name — I was never the shame.

Verse 3:
One man offered coins at night,
Hoped I’d give in, dim my light.
But I ran hard, I found my will —
Refused to let him get his fill.
An uncle smiled with hidden harm,
And still they sent me to his arms.
I cried, I begged, I tried to fight —
But mama forced me into night.
Clarinet at midnight, all alone,
While shadows tried to steal my home.
They thought I’d break, but I held tight —
Carved my power out of night.

Bridge:
And still, they say “she’s troubled, loud,”
But I survived what breaks the proud.
I wore stained sheets and a shattered soul —
But never once did I lose control.
Break (Spoken/Rising):
You think your silence could make me small?
You think I’d crumble, lose it all?
No.
That was your sickness.
This is my life.
I am the fire.
I survived.

Final Chorus:
I was never the shame,
Never your guilt, never your stain.
You left your shadows on my skin —
But I was light, always within.
This soul’s not broken, this heart’s not tame,
I hold the fire, I own the flame.
You will never take my name —
'Cause I was NEVER the shame.

Outro:
Let the world hear what I became —
Not your silence, not your game.
You hurt a child — I became flame.
And I was never… ever… the shame.