I Should Have Known Better (Extended 1)

Intro – Soft Layered Harmony

Shadows in the hallway, memories in the air

Caught between hope and the truth I never dared

Wishing for forever in a world built on sand

This heart carried secrets I couldn’t understand

Verse 0 – Group Lead

I let the minutes linger on your midnight calls

Built my life around your rise and fall

Didn’t know pain could arrive in gold disguise

Now the mirror won’t lie, though my heart denies

Verse 1- Lead 1

I gave you Sunday mornings, no makeup, no guard.

Told my girls, “He’s different,” while you played your part.

You said I was your future, I put you in my plans.

Now I’m staring at the ceiling with a broken promise in my hand.

Pre Chorus- Member 2

All the signs were there, I just turned away

Red flags look white when you wanna stay

I was riding for you hard, didn’t see the cost

Now I’m adding up the years that I lost

Chorus – All

I should’ve known better than to love you like I did

Should’ve kept my heart instead of giving up my last name,

All that time, all that trust, all for nothing

Now I’m sitting here wondering

How I let you waste my love

How I let you take so much

You were never who you said you was

And I should’ve known better

Verse 2 – Member 3

I ignored the late nights, the “working overtime”

All them “she just a friend” stories every time

You had me defending you to everybody else

While you was out here choosing yourself

Pre-Chorus – Member 4

I was loyal to a fault, blinded by the dream

Trying to fix a man who didn’t fix me

Every tear I cried, every prayer I prayed

Was for a love that never stayed

Chorus – All

I should’ve known better than to love you like I did

Should’ve kept my heart instead of giving you my kids’ names

All that time, all that trust, all for nothing

Now I’m sitting here wondering

How I let you waste my love

How I let you take so much

You were never who you said you was

And I should’ve known better

Bridge – Soft Harmony Build

Now I’m picking up the pieces of me

Learning love ain’t supposed to bleed

If it costs my peace, it ain’t worth the ring

I won’t beg for what I bring

(Ad-lib layer)

No more waiting…

No more saving you…

I’m done paying dues…

Breakdown – Call & Response

Lead: I gave you my twenties

Group: And you gave me excuses

Lead: I gave you my body

Group: You gave me confusion

Lead: I gave you my everything

Group: You gave me illusion

Final Chorus – Bigger, Gospel-tinged

I should’ve known better than to love you like I did

Should’ve loved myself enough to walk away sooner

All that time, all that trust, I’m done losing

Now I finally see the truth and

You can’t waste my love

You can’t take no more

I’m walking out that door

And I know better

Outro – Soft, Layered Harmony

Time don’t come back around

But I’m still standing now

You lost a real one

And I found myself.**

Outro 2 – Male Vocalist & Group

(Male lead)

There’s an empty chair where I used to pray

Guess you learned to love in a harder way

I remember your laughter spillin’ through my night

Didn’t see the day you’d say goodbye

(Group harmony)

Now we learn to let go instead of holding tight

Learn to heal in the slow, lonely light

When the love is gone, and the lesson’s clear

We find ourselves right here

(Harmony ad-lib)

Right here, right here

Standing in the truth, unafraid to feel

Right here, right here

Nothing left to lose but