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[Verse 1]
I remember who you were before Before the bottles, before the lies Before I learned to read the hurt You tried so hard to hide
You were laughter down the hallway Bare feet running through our home I never knew one little pill Could make you feel so alone
I watched the light leave your eyes A little more each day And every time I reached for you You slipped further away
[Pre-Chorus]
I thought if I held on tighter You might remember who you were But I was fighting something Love alone could never cure
[Chorus]
If love could’ve saved you You’d still be here tonight I would’ve loved the darkness out of you And pulled you toward the light
If tears could’ve changed it I’d have cried an endless sea If I could’ve carried all your pain I swear I’d have let it bury me
I gave you every piece of my heart But there was one thing I couldn’t do I could love you through the breaking But I couldn’t save you
[Verse 2]
There were nights I heard you crying Through a bedroom door locked tight Mornings when you swore you’d stop And I wanted to believe you every time
Then came anger, then came silence Then the girl I knew was gone I hated what those pills had done But I never stopped holding on
And God, I said some things in anger Things I wish that I could take away I didn’t know I was running out Of chances to make you stay
[Pre-Chorus]
Everybody says I tried Like that should somehow set me free But they don’t hear the question That still won’t let me sleep
[Chorus]
If love could’ve saved you You’d still be here tonight I would’ve loved the darkness out of you And pulled you toward the light
If tears could’ve changed it I’d have cried an endless sea If I could’ve carried all your pain I swear I’d have let it bury me
I gave you every piece of my heart But there was one thing I couldn’t do I could love you through the breaking But I couldn’t save you
[Bridge]
Could I have seen it sooner? Could I have said your name? Could I have found the right words Before the pills took you away?
Was there a door I didn’t open? Was there a hand I didn’t hold? Was there one more “please don’t leave me” That could’ve brought my sister home?
I’ve asked a thousand questions And none bring you back to me Maybe loving someone doesn’t mean You get to make them free
[Breakdown]
So I’ll stop asking the silence For an answer it can’t give I’ll remember more than how you died I’ll remember how you lived
You were more than your addiction More than every choice you made You were my sister You were Emily And you deserved to be remembered that way
[Final Chorus]
If love could’ve saved you You never would’ve gone You’d be sitting here beside me Laughing at this stupid song
If love could’ve healed you There’d be no goodbye to grieve Because there wasn’t one damn second That you weren’t loved by me
I couldn’t stop the ending No matter how badly I wanted to But I can carry your story And tell the world the truth
Addiction may have taken you But it doesn’t get all of you
[Outro]
So when they say your name I won’t let the ending speak first
I’ll tell them you were funny I’ll tell them you had dreams I’ll tell them you were someone’s daughter And you were everything to me
And if another sister hears this While she’s begging hers to stay I hope she knows that love still matters Even when love can’t take the pain away
If love could’ve saved you… Emily, you would’ve stayed.