[Intro – Horn Stabs & Organ Swell]

(sharp brass hits, Hammond organ rising, drummer lays down a steady backbeat)

Verse 1

People laughin’ on the corner

Smiles so wide they hide the tears

I been fightin’ with my shadow

Carryin’ this weight for years

You can’t skip through life, baby

Without feelin’ every stride

Every joy, every sorrow

It’s the reason we survive

Chorus

Skip through life? No, you gotta walk it slow

Every pain, every lesson helps your spirit grow

You can’t run from the thunder, can’t hide from the rain

If you wanna feel the sunshine

You gotta carry the pain

Verse 2

I’ve been down in the valley

Cried until my voice was gone

But I kept on climbin’ higher

Every step, it made me strong

Don’t be fooled by the laughter

Don’t be blinded by the game

If you try to skip through life, child

You’ll be runnin’ from the flame

Chorus

Skip through life? No, you gotta walk it slow

Every pain, every lesson helps your spirit grow

You can’t run from the thunder, can’t hide from the rain

If you wanna feel the sunshine

You gotta carry the pain

Bridge – Instrumental Cry

(horn solo, raw and pleading → wah guitar bends → organ shouts like a preacher → vocal ad-libs: “Ohhh, Lord! Don’t skip it, baby!”)

Breakdown

(bass and drums only, handclaps echo, singer moans: “mmm, yeah… you can’t skip through life”)

Final Chorus – Extended

Skip through life? No, you gotta walk it slow

Every pain, every lesson helps your spirit grow

You can’t run from the thunder, can’t hide from the rain

If you wanna feel the sunshine

You gotta carry the pain

Outro

(horns fade, organ sustains, final whispered line: “You can’t skip through life… you gotta live it.”)