[Intro] The rifles slept at morning, The horses bent their heads. The trail had turned to silence, The fire had turned to lead. [Verse] We had crossed the burning valleys, We had climbed the frozen stone, We had buried too many children On a road that had no home. The soldiers waited quietly, Their faces hard and pale, And the wind moved through the cedars Like the ending of a tale. [Pre-Chorus] I looked upon my weary people, Saw the hunger in their eyes, What is freedom when the children Have no strength left to rise? [Chorus] The Last Surrender, bitter as rain, Lay down the rifle, carry the pain. Not every chain can break the ember, I will remember The Last Surrender. [Verse] They spoke of peace and distant places, Spoke of mercy, spoke of law, But I had heard those words before them From another open jaw. Still the mothers held their babies, Still the old men could not stand, And I felt the whole world closing Like a fist around my hand. [Pre-Chorus] If I fight, I lose the living. If I yield, I lose the sky. Some roads cut the soul in pieces, Some roads teach the brave to cry. [Chorus] The Last Surrender, bitter as rain, Lay down the rifle, carry the pain. Not every chain can break the ember, I will remember The Last Surrender. [Instrumental] Soft guitar, heavy strings, Drums like mourning eagle wings. [Bridge] Do not call this peace. Do not call this grace. I gave my gun to save my people, Not to bless this stolen place. [Breakdown] Hands open. Heart burning. Eyes lifted. World turning. [Build-up] Take the weapon, not the name, Take the road, not the flame. [Chorus] The Last Surrender, bitter as rain, Lay down the rifle, carry the pain. Not every chain can break the ember, I will remember The Last Surrender. [Chorus] The Last Surrender, under gray sky, No free man chooses where dreams go to die. But deep in the dust, beneath every ember, The spirit survives The Last Surrender. [Outro] The rifles slept at morning, The horses bent their heads. The trail had turned to silence, But the old fire was not dead.