Behind the Smile

This ballad explores the emotional journey of someone who appears happy and composed on the surface, surrounded by friends and family, but battles deep pain in solitude. Behind closed doors, the mask falls away, revealing the tears and heartbreak that no one else sees. It's a haunting reminder that sometimes the people who seem the most put-together are the ones fighting the hardest battles alone. This song is for anyone who's ever felt invisible despite being seen, or struggled to let others know what's really going on beneath the smile.

Lyrics:
She laughs at all the right moments
Says all the things they want to hear
Holds herself so perfectly together
Dancing through another year
Nobody sees the weight she carries
Hidden deep behind her eyes
A masterpiece of bright pretending
Wrapped up in a thin disguise

They don't know what waits at midnight
She's alone behind closed doors
How the mask falls to the pillow
And the tears hit her chest like wars
She's a phantom in her own life
Smiling while she falls apart
They see the woman that she shows them
But they'll never see her heart

Oh-oh-oh
Oh-oh-oh

At dinner tables full of laughter
She's the one who makes them smile
Plays the part so automatic
Hasn't dropped it in a while
But when the car pulls in the driveway
And the silence hits like stone
All the breaking she's been hiding
Finally finds a place called home

They don't know what waits at midnight
When she's alone behind closed doors
How the mask falls to the pillow
And the tears hit her chest like wars
She's a phantom in her own life
Smiling while she falls apart
They see the woman that she shows them
But they'll never see her heart

How long can you carry an ocean
Dressed up in a summer dress?
How long can you hide the drowning
While they call you blessed?
She's fading like a ghost in daylight
Burning up from the inside out
And nobody notices the woman
Learning how to live in doubt

She wakes up and does it all again
The performance, smooth and clean
The best actor that you've ever known
Living in a tragic scene
But somewhere in those hours of darkness
She's screaming without any sound
And the person they all know and love
Is slowly burning down

Oh-oh-oh
Oh-oh-oh

They don't know what waits at midnight
When she's alone behind closed doors
How the mask falls to the pillow
And the tears hit her chest like wars
She's a phantom in her own life
Breaking while she holds it tight
They see the woman that she shows them
But they don't see her fight

Lyrics & Images by TSonic Vibes
AI assisted vocals & arrangement