I Was Only Eight

**[Intro – Quiet, emotional vocals]**

I was just a little kid, didn't understand the pain,

Lost my mama way too young, nothing ever felt the same,

I was only two years old, didn't get to say goodbye,

Now I'm growing up with questions that I carry deep inside.

**[Verse 1 – Slow melodic flow]**

I was two when heaven took the person I needed most,

Too young to understand why I was left here alone,

I grew up looking for a face I'd never get to see,

Wondering what my mama would've thought of me.

And my dad was never there the way a father should be,

I needed someone guiding me, someone believing in me,

But I learned to wipe my tears and figure things out,

Had to become my own support when nobody was around.

I was just a little kid who needed someone to care,

But I got used to being hurt and acting like I wasn't scared,

While other kids were playing, I was dealing with the weight,

I never got a childhood, I was forced to grow up way too late.

**[Chorus – Emotional, powerful vocals]**

I was only eight, but I felt like I was grown,

Had to fight my own battles, had to make it on my own,

I was just a little kid who needed somewhere safe,

But life put all this pain right in my face.

Where were you when I needed someone by my side?

Where were you when I was breaking down inside?

I never asked for much, just somebody to stay,

I was only a child, why'd I have to hurt this way?

**[Verse 2 – More aggressive, emotional delivery]**

I had questions growing up that I couldn't understand,

Why'd I have to learn the world without a helping hand?

Why'd I have to be so strong when I was barely getting by?

Why'd I have to hide my feelings every time I wanted to cry?

I watched the years go by, but the pain never left,

Had to learn to pick myself up with nobody's help,

I became my own parent, became my own friend,

Had to learn how to survive when I had nobody to depend on.

Sometimes I wonder how my life would've been,

If my mama was beside me, if my dad would've stepped in,

Would I still feel so empty? Would I still feel this pain?

Would somebody have protected me from all these rainy days?

**[Bridge – Beat drops, almost crying vocals]**

Mama, I wish that you could see me now,

There's so much I wanna tell you, but I don't know how,

I wonder if you'd hug me when the world gets cold,

'Cause I've been carrying this weight since I was eight years old.

I never got to know you, but I miss you all the same,

And I grew up with a thousand things I never got to say.

**[Final Chorus – Layered vocals, powerful beat]**

I was only eight, but I felt like I was grown,

Had to fight my own battles, had to make it on my own,

I was just a little kid who needed somewhere safe,

But life put all this pain right in my face.

Where were you when I needed someone by my side?

Where were you when I was breaking down inside?

I never asked for much, just somebody to stay,

I was only a child, why'd I have to hurt this way?

**[Outro – Soft piano, fading vocals]**

I didn't wanna grow up, I just wanted to be a kid,

I had so much love to give, but nobody knew it existed,

I lost my mom before I even knew what losing meant,

And spent my whole childhood trying to understand it.

I hope she's proud of the person I've become,

Even though I had to grow up before my childhood was done.

I was only eight...

I was only eight...

ElijahTunes...