Shadows from Shine

Take it back to when I got in this
Nothing more than a snotty kid
All I crave was a little bit of fame, start listening to tapes
You can tell how much I wanted it

Before I ever had a following
Saw my older brother on a stage and I followed him
In our teens, local scene, had some dominance
I only caught a glimpse, but my vision locked onto her

'Cause we started out as novices
But I could see my love for it was blossoming
So, I went and became the embodiment
Of this name that they gave and this moniker

Eventually I'd travel round the continent
Battling, it turned me to a warrior
I saw some dollars and I started getting sponsorship
Looking at the profit never thinking about the cost of it

'Til I felt lost in it
I was not even, couldn't see the positives
Could hear the demons that were lurking my subconsciousness
I hit the poison just to harm my own incompetence

Man, I guess the change is obvious
I was addicted to the feeling that I got from it
Any good advice I got, I went and did the opposite
Was fucking up repeatedly not thinking 'bout the consequence

Told 'em all to put a sock in it
They only gave a fuck about me when I wrote the prominence
Feelings were ominous from all the broken promises
When all I really wanted from 'em was acknowledgment

I was out fishing for compliments
But this shits the only thing that ever gave me confidence
So, I can look back at my accomplishments
Wonder how they treat me if I just remained anonymous

Sometimes I wish I never gave into the opulence
Wish I never bothered getting caught up in the politics
Wish I never ever cared about this bollocks
Where I needed validation instead of staying autonomous

What a croc of shit
Why can't I just be happy with what I got from this?
Looking at what I didn't do instead of what I did
That will have you feeling robbed when you got a win

But maybe that's just my prerogative
Maybe if I tone it down for radio and polished it
I couldn't reel it in at all I had to be provocative
Was screaming fuck the world 'til I'm burning my esophagus

Reaching for the stars like astronomers
In this three-ring circus that they want from us
Pushed it to the back of my mind and built a tolerance
For any time, I hear my music playing through the monitors

All these shadows from shine, they damaged my mind
Brought out that arrogant pride from when I carried a mic
When I look back at my life in front of cameras and lights
Would I be happy inside without this passion of mine?

All these shadows from shine, they damaged my mind
Brought out that arrogant pride from when I carried a mic
When I look back at my life in front of cameras and lights
Would I be happy inside without this passion of mine?

Yeah, I've been around
Was in the thick of it and thought I had it figured out
Past the point of no return, it had me feeling down
Thought I was at the end of it, but it's only the beginning now

Chasing fame had me wigging out
But there's more to it than playing to the biggest crowds
There's more to it than stacking up a big account
More to it than sniffing mouse, party in a living lounge

'Cause I came from a little town
And everywhere I went I did my city proud
They knew I was a beast can you hear me growl
Hanging from a high rise, King Kong in the South

That's how the king was crowned
And for the most I was too ignorant to think about it
Just chasing the next high, get me a head of powder
Fucking my priorities were focused on the drinks, I'm drowning

But I'm from Hobart, I grew up in the misty mountains
Thought I reached the peak, but the image had my vision doubt her
But I couldn't see the pinnacle 'cause that shit was clouded
Lost my footing, hanging on for life while the wind was howling

White flag at the ready like I've been surrounded
Instead of moving up, I was just sitting down
The fame tasted sweet but with every sip, it soured
Only holding onto this rep because it gives me power

But power fed my ego it was repetitive
Not looking at the positives, I focused on the negatives
Turn me from an optimist, I went into a pessimist
To fill my head with jealousy, it made me too competitive

Getting argumentative and lost my sense of etiquette
Insensitive to anything that didn't get me credited
I thought it was imperative, I chose it over everything
Was chasing mine and thought nobody else could stop me getting it

The shadows to the shine it's all relative
Was it my own choice, well, that's a definite
All the privileges I've got still have me feeling tentative
When I'm projecting all the energy that represented it

Staying silent in a room full of elephants
It kept me up at night that's why I blur it out with sedatives
Because we reap what we sow and then take the benefits
Well, it ain't the fame's fault I became my own nemesis

All these shadows from shine, they damaged my mind
Brought out that arrogant pride from when I carried a mic
When I look back at my life in front of cameras and lights
Would I be happy inside without this passion of mine?

All these shadows from shine, they damaged my mind
Brought out that arrogant pride from when I carried a mic
When I look back at my life in front of cameras and lights
Would I be happy inside without this passion of mine?

All these shadows from shine, they damaged my mind (after all this time, it's now I find)
Brought out that arrogant pride from when I carried a mic (those shadows ain't from shine)
When I look back at my life in front of cameras and lights (after all this time, it's now I find)
Would I be happy inside without this passion of mine? (Those shadows ain't from shine)

All these shadows from shine, they damaged my mind (after all this time, it's now I find)
Brought out that arrogant pride from when I carried a mic (those shadows ain't from shine)
When I look back at my life in front of cameras and lights (after all this time, it's now I find)
Would I be happy inside without this passion of mine? (Those shadows ain't from shine)

After all this time, it's now I find
Those shadows ain't from shine
After all this time, it's now I find
Those shadows ain't from shine

After all this time, it's now I find
Those shadows ain't from shine
After all this time, it's now I find
Those shadows ain't from shine