"Charlie Kirk" is a somber yet defiant tribute, written in the wake of his assassination on September 10, 2025. More than a name, Charlie Kirk was a bridge — between youth and tradition, silence and defiance, free speech and those who tried to suppress it.

This song carries his memory in the spirit of Appalachian Americana Roots Jamband tradition, blending the grit of Southern Rock with the storytelling of a protest ballad. It honors him as a father-voice to a generation, a fighter who exposed the agenda in classrooms, and a symbol of how words can ignite a movement.

"Charlie Kirk" isn’t just a memorial — it’s a declaration that the fire cannot be silenced. They took the man, but they can’t kill the truth.

Charlie Kirk

Recorded 2025

LYRICS

(Verse 1)
In a world that keeps on changing,
Where silence knows no bounds,
One man raised his voice above it,
And refused to be pushed down.
Truth is heavy when it’s spoken,
But he carried it with grace,
Every word was like a lantern,
Shining light in darker days.

(Chorus)
Here’s to his courage, here’s to his fight,
To standing tall in the fading light.
Life can vanish in the blink of ones eye,
But a soul lives on, though the body dies.
We’ll remember the fire, we’ll remember the spark,
The ballad of a voice unafraid in the dark.

(Verse 2)
We build our days like houses,
Never knowing when they'll fall,
But the echo of the truth he spoke
Will outlast fragile walls.
In the quiet of the evening,
Where the world feels torn apart,
We’ll hear Gods words like thunder,
Rolling deep inside our hearts.

(Chorus)
Here’s to the courage, here’s to the fight,
To standing tall in the fading light.
Life can vanish in the blink of an eye,
But a soul lives on, though the body dies.
We’ll remember the fire, we’ll remember the spark,
A man and a voice unafraid in the dark.

(Bridge)

Oh, Society may steal his breath away,
But it can’t take the truth he spoke.
And the God he spoke of, is on the way,
And his words that will ring true.

(Final Chorus)
Here’s to the courage, here’s to the fight,
To standing tall in the fading light.
HIs Life was taken in a blink of an eye,
But his soul lives on, though the body dies.
We’ll remember his fire, we’ll remember his spark,
A man and a voice unafraid in the dark.

(Spoken)
Charlie Kirk..., A man with a voice, unafraid in the dark.

Voice Unafraid (Charlie Kirk Tribute)

You came with love pure and true
When I was an immature youth
Simple man with hands that build
You were the lamb that love killed

But here I am, now an old man
Wanting to know Your plan
Wanting to do Your will
Can you use me still?

I pray we'll start to understand
And place our hearts into Your hands
We've gone astray, but we're Your lambs
Break these chains, and save our land

Break these chains we've made ourselves
Save us from the grave and hell
Only Your grace can save our land
We place our hearts into your hands

The flame's been fanned
In Your grace we stand
Break these chains
And save our land

The walls we built so high
Are built of guilt and pride
But the cross on which You died
Will unite and not divide

I pray we'll start to understand
And place our hearts into Your hands
We've gone astray, but we're Your lambs
Break these chains, and save our land

Break these chains we've made ourselves
Save us from the grave and hell
Only Your grace can save our land
We place our hearts into your hands

Only You can save our land
Take our hearts into Your hands
Like lost lambs, we gone astray
But we're calling out today

Break these chains we've made ourselves
Save us from the grave and hell
Only Your grace can save our land
We place our hearts into your hands...

The flame's been fanned
In Your grace we stand
Break these chains
And save our land

If we humble our hearts before You
And turn away from selfish pride
If we pray and seek Your face
You'll be standing by our side

Only You can save our land
We place our hearts into Your hands
If we stand and watch and pray
Your hand of judgement You will stay

Break these chains we've made ourselves
Save us from the grave and hell
Only Your grace can save our land
We place our hearts into Your hands...

The flame's been fanned
In Your grace we stand
Only You can save our land
Only You can save our land 

Break These Chains

I couldn't shake
The nagging ache
Tried to be strong
But somethin' was wrong

The pain wouldn't leave
It's hard to conceive
But I was deceived
By what I believed

All of this time
I worked and I strived
And tried to survive
Believing a lie

I believed everything
They told me
But it was pure BS
They sold me

I wanted to scream n fight
Now I finally see the light
Now I rejoice as I hear
A different voice so clear

I threw stones at first
Only made things worse
I was lost in the crowd
But now I've been found

My pride ran deep
I've made a clean sweep
Now I kneel at Your feet
Help my unbelief

All of this time
I worked and I strived
And tried to survive
Believing a lie

I believed everything
They told me
But it was pure BS
They sold me

I wanted to scream n fight
Now I finally see the light
Now I rejoice as I hear
A different voice so clear

I was mad at the world, couldn't deal with my pain
Mad at things that I couldn't explain
Thought you were frail, thought you were cold
Believed all the tales, that I'd been told

But when I fell down, You picked me up
You turned me around and show me Your love
The scales fell off my blinded eyes
I finally saw through all the lies

My heart of stone became a heart of flesh
I saw life through a different lens

I wanted to scream n fight
Now I finally see the light
Now I rejoice as I hear
A different voice so clear

What I once hated
I now love
What once was lost
I found above

I believed everything
They told me
But it was pure BS
They sold me

I wanted to scream n fight
Now I finally see the light
Now I rejoice as I hear
A different voice so clear

Used to hate
Now I pray
Found my way
Here to stay

I Finally See the Light

I watched the sun rise over wintered streets,
Car horns singing to a restless crowd
Hope lies scattered, splintered at my feet
Faith worn thin beneath a feckless shroud

I spy my neighbor clutching her heart in fear,
And I’m weighed down by my own mistakes
We built up walls between us year after year
Still longing and aching for Your grace...

I keep hearing that still, small voice
Asking me to make a simple choice
Between bitterness and forgiveness
Need to be about our Father's business

Only You can mend
Only You can heal
Only You can put us
On an even keel

They talk on screens about the state we’re in
All the quick fixes won’t make us great again
But I sense a longing in each tired drawn face
We’re thirsty for mercy, in need of Your grace

I’m tired of pointing fingers, tired of the noise
You're the One who gives us cause to rejoice
When will this nightmare - finally end?
Will this affair break us? Or will we bend?

I keep hearing that still, small voice—
Asking me to make a simple choice
Between bitterness and forgiveness
Need to be about our Father's business

Only You can mend
Only You can heal
Only You can put us
On an even keel

If we who are called, lay our failures down
Turn from the ways that led us to flail n drown
You'd cleanse us within and our sin You'd forgive
So our prayers will be heard and we can truly live

Only You can mend
Only You can heal
Only You can put us
On an even keel

Only You
can mend
Only You
can heal
Only You
can put us
On an even keel

Only You can mend
Only You can heal
Only You can put us
On an even keel

An Even Keel

The morning brings more unanswered prayer
Is anybody listening or answering up there?
You said we just had to seek and ask
The heavens seem to be as brass

Lord, You've not heard us when we pray
Like sheep with no shepherd, we've gone astray
We've ignored Your word that You've justly spoken
Please restore the trust that's been crushed and broken

We need to begin again
We need a touch from above
This ain't just about them
It's 'bout me, 'bout you, 'bout us

Like children who've wandered far from home
We've gone way beyond our comfort zone
But still You call us by our name
We're the reason why You came

When did we forget Your grace?
How will we enter your gates?

Lord, You've not heard us when we pray
Like sheep with no shepherd, we've gone astray
We've ignored Your word that You've justly spoken
Please restore the trust that's been crushed n broken

We need to begin again
We need a touch from above
This ain't just about them
It's 'bout me, 'bout you, 'bout us

If my people who are called by my name
Will humble themselves and seek my face
Turn from their wicked, evil ways
Then I will hear them, when they pray

When did we forget Your grace?
How will we enter your gates?

Lord, You've not heard us when we kneel n pray
Like sheep with no shepherd, we've gone astray
We've ignored Your word that You've justly spoken
Please restore the trust that's been crushed n broken

We need to begin again
We need a touch from above
This ain't just 'bout them
It's 'bout me, 'bout you, 'bout us 

A Touch From Above

Quiet morning, light breaks in
All night stormin', nerves worn thin
They've come unhinged, they're bound to fall
He built a bridge -- we built a wall

They're filled with greed -- they're bound to fall...
When will we -- heed His call?

Only He -- could bridge the gap
Between a holy God and sinful man
Believe me -- He has a simple plan
To redeem -- and heal our sinful land

They've come unhinged n I'm appalled
Not just the fringe -- it's nearly all
He built a bridge -- we built a wall
When will we -- heed His call?

Only He -- could bridge the gap
Between a holy God and sinful man
Believe me -- He has a simple plan
To redeem -- and heal our sinful land

If my people -- who are called by My name
Will seek My face, turn from their wicked ways
I'll stay my hand and save their land
I'll stay my hand and save their land

He came to redeem us from the fall (oh)
When will we heed His call?

Only He -- could bridge the gap
Between a holy God and sinful man
Believe me -- He has a simple plan
To redeem -- and heal our sinful land

If my people -- who are called by My name
Will seek My face, turn from their wicked ways
I'll stay my hand and save their land
I'll stay my hand and save their land

Only He -- could bridge the gap
Between a holy God and sinful man
Believe me -- He has a simple plan
To redeem -- and heal our sinful land
Believe me -- He has a simple plan 

Simple Plan

If aliens invaded us from space
They'd wonder who was runnin' this place
People rioting in the streets
No one passin' the pipe of peace

They've awakened the sleeping giant
What they're sellin', we just ain't buyin'
We'll be storming the gates of hell
Demon hordes ain't gonna prevail

Right now we're grievin' and mournin'
I'm givin' you a briefin' n a warnin'
They'll wish they could retrieve that bullet
Wish that trigger, they'd never pulled it

They thought they ended his career
With all the awful taunts and jeers
They can launch their darts and spears
But he'll haunt them through the years

They think they're feeding us to the lions
But they've awakened the sleeping giant
The demon hordes scream n they yell
But we'll be storming the gates of hell

We're slayin' giants tryin' to tear us apart
We'll be brave and not afraid of the dark
They can launch their spears and their darts
Charlie's legacy burns deep in our hearts

They thought they ended his career
With all the awful taunts and jeers
They can launch their darts and spears
But he'll haunt them through the years

Right now we're grievin' and mournin'
I'm givin' you a briefin' n a warnin'
They'll wish they could retrieve that bullet
Wish that trigger, they'd never pulled it

We're slayin' giants tryin' to tear us apart
We'll be brave and not afraid of the dark
They can launch their spears and their darts
Charlie's legacy burns deep in our hearts
Deep in our hearts, deep in our hearts 

Slayin' Giants

Studio inboxes choked with thousands of demos
My notebook overflows with yellow notes n memos
We used to chase chords, now we chase plays n clicks
Thirty-second hooks and viral video clips

I watch the charts turn, the metrics go up n down
A formula learned by some corporate clown
They don't want the heart, they just want the noise
Another disposable, market-researched voice

I've got calloused fingers and pockets of pain
But I'm losing the battle to the TikTok game!
​
Do I need a filter? A soundbite, a trend?
Do I have to break, to make them bend?
Can't dumb it down, won't compromise
I won't succumb to phony cons and lies

'Cause a million melodies are vying for our ears
From friends and enemies crying floods of tears
They don't need to hear fancy garnished tunes
They just need to hear the unvarnished truth

To goobers, rubes and fools
Must I be a sweaty prisoner?
Can I break algorithmic rules
And still find ready listeners?

The A&R guy told me, "You need a 'brand'"
"Something explosive, so they understand
Lose the nuance, the complicated shade
Keep it simple, before the stream is paid."

I used to see musicians buskin' on the lawn
Now they're chasin' clicks from dusk to dawn
It's all 'bout promoting, not making or crafting
The art of the hook is the art of distracting

A thousand plays on a loop in the mall
Is not why I answered the music's call

Do I need a filter? A soundbite, a trend?
Do I have to break, to make them bend?
Can't dumb it down, won't compromise
I won't succumb to phony cons and lies

'Cause a million melodies are vying for our ears
From friends and enemies crying floods of tears
They don't need to hear fancy garnished tunes
They just need to hear the unvarnished truth

To goobers, rubes and fools
Must I be a sweaty prisoner?
Can I break algorithmic rules
and still find ready listeners?

I remember the first time, guitar in my hand
Three chords and a rhyme, lined up a band
No analytics, no pressure, no crowd, no fear
Just an honest sound ringing loud and clear

Maybe the trick is to stop playing their game
And just write the song that's calling my name
If it finds one true fan in the deafening crowd
I'll know I need to keep my hand to the plow

'Cause a million melodies are vying for our ears
From friends and enemies crying floods of tears
They don't need to hear fancy garnished tunes
They just need to hear the unvarnished truth

To goobers, rubes and fools
Must I be a sweaty prisoner?
Can I break algorithmic rules
and still find ready listeners? 

A Million Melodies

Verse 1
All these headlines spinning, from Utah to D.C.
The other side is winning, history's on repeat
Black and white footage, echoes back at me
JFK, RFK, Martin Luther King

Tensions risin', we need to stand up
Ain't surprisin', cuz nothin' adds up

They can't make their case
So they punch out someone's lights
They can't win the debate
So they take away someone's life

Now we circle the same moves, history on repeat
When logic leaves the room, they take it to the streets
Trying to seek the truth in the static and the haze
Follow the loot and black and white fades to gray

Tensions risin', we need to stand up
Ain't surprisin', cuz nothin' adds up

They can't make their case
So they punch out someone's lights
They can't win the debate
So they take away someone's life

A country can't stand if it's this damned divided
The flame's been fanned, we need to stand united
If reason fails, and rival voices won’t stand
All we can do is wail, and wring our hands

Tensions risin', we need to stand up
Ain't surprisin', cuz nothin' adds up

They can't make their case
So they punch out someone's lights
They can't win the debate
So they take away someone's life

There must be a better way
to settle this debate
We need to watch and pray
That God will make a way 

Nothin' Adds Up

Songwriter. Storyteller. Sound pioneer, Stan Countz is a genre-bending songwriter with over 300 original songs under his belt — a true craftsman of lyric and melody. From his debut track “Those Hap Happy Days” in 2005, a nostalgic tribute to the golden era of the ’50s and ’60s, Stan has built a musical legacy rooted in meaning, melody, and message.

Writing under the moniker Stan and Be Counted, he stands tall in the world of music as both a creator and a voice of purpose. His catalog spans a kaleidoscope of genres — from contemporary Christian rock and gospel to EDM, country pop, blues, R&B, hip hop, folk, and beyond. Each song is a reflection of his passion for storytelling and his desire to uplift, challenge, and connect.

Whether crafting soul-stirring love ballads, foot-tapping jingles, or heart-pounding hard rock anthems, Stan brings a rare blend of versatility, depth, and soul to every track. He doesn't just write songs — he writes moments you can feel.

Stan Countz is more than an artist — he’s a movement. A call to stand... and be counted. He is a prolific lyricist and lives in Denison, Texas with his artist/photographer wife. 

If you're an Artist looking for a song for the next hit, send me a message. Who knows, I may have a gem and a #1 hit for us both!