First Day Back by Tony Gibbs
All rights reserved © ℗ 2025 Tony Gibbs

Coffee steaming in my hand,
Same old street yet something new.
I’m walking slower than I planned,
Letting daylight filter through.
The world kept spinning smoothly
While I learned to breathe again—
Now I’m stepping through the doorway
Like I’m meeting an old friend.

It’s my first day back,
And the sky feels wider.
Footstep’s lighter,
Finding my pace.
And if the past feels heavy,
I won’t let it track—
I’m here, I’m steady,
It’s my first day back.

I’m not the same as when I left—
And maybe that’s the point.

It’s my first day back,
And the sky feels wider.
Footstep’s lighter,
Finding my pace.
And if the past feels heavy,
I won’t let it track—
I’m here, I’m steady,
It’s my first day back.


First Day Back

Heartbeat Highway by Tony Gibbs
All rights reserved © ℗ 2025 Tony Gibbs

You climbed in my truck with that half-smile grin,
Said, “Roll the windows down, let the night begin.”
Thrown-back seat with your feet on the dash,
Playlist loaded up with a little bit of splash.
City lights fade in the rearview glow,
You said, “Drive ’til we don’t know where we’ll go.”
I’m watchin’ you sing every single line,
Thinkin’, “Girl, I hope you’re mine.”

Every green light feels like fate,
Every red light makes us wait—
Just long enough to feel this grow—

We’re on a heartbeat highway, 
Runnin’ every mile like it’s our last Friday.
Wind in your hair, hand in mine,
Chasin’ down the stars on the county line.
No map, no rules, no why-way,
Just your laugh and this heartbeat highway.
Baby, if you want, we can drive all night,
Let the sunrise tell us we did it right.

You draw hearts on the fogged-up glass,
Write your name next to mine, then you give a little laugh.
You say, “I’ve been hurt but I still believe,”
I say, “Climb on in, that’s the same with me.”
We trade old stories like worn-out tapes,
Skippin’ over all the worst mistakes.
You look at me with that sideways glance,
Say, “Maybe this is our second chance.”

High beams cut through the unknown dark,
Feels like we’re hidin’ in our own theme park—

We’re on a heartbeat highway,
Runnin’ every mile like it’s our last Friday.
Wind in your hair, hand in mine,
Chasin’ down the stars on the county line.
No map, no rules, no why-way,
Just your laugh and this heartbeat highway.
Baby, if you want, we can drive all night,
Let the sunrise tell us we did it right.

One tank of gas, one brave idea,
You and me, girl—no souvenir,
Just miles and smiles written in the sky,
Two lonely hearts finally learnin’ to fly.

On this heartbeat highway,
Runnin’ every mile like it’s our last Friday.
Wind in your hair, hand in mine,
Takin’ this road past the county line.
If love’s a risk, I wanna shy away?
No way, not on this heartbeat highway.
Baby, if you want, we can drive all our lives,
Let every sunrise say our love survives.

Part 1: Heartbeat Highway

After the Long Drive by Tony Gibbs
All rights reserved © ℗ 2025 Tony Gibbs

The morning crawls in soft and slow,
Your hair a mess, the room still glows.
Empty cups and shoes kicked by the door—
Looks like we danced all night once more.
I never thought a simple ride
Would shake me like a shift in tide,
But here we are, still side by side,
And girl… it feels like somethin’ right.

Your sleepy smile hits me like the sun,
And suddenly I know last night wasn’t just fun—

’Cause after the long drive,
Wakin’ up with you feels like
The kind of moment country songs survive.
Baby, your hand in mine
Still fits just right,
And I don’t need a map to know we’re aligned.
If last night was fire,
Then this is the light—
Yeah, I think we found somethin’
After the long drive.

Coffee brewin’ in your kitchen light,
You hum our song from yesterday night.
I watch you laugh at nothin’,
Lose my breath a bit—
How’d you turn a wild ride into somethin’ that sticks?
You lean into me,
Bare feet on tile,
Say, “Maybe stay a little while…”

And it hits me again like the break of day—
This ain’t a fling, no way—

’Cause after the long drive,
Wakin’ up with you feels like
The kind of moment country songs survive.
Baby, your hand in mine
Still fits just right,
And I don’t need a map to know we’re aligned.
If last night was fire,
Then this is the light—
Yeah, I think we found somethin’
After the long drive.

Maybe love starts
In a midnight spark,
Where two lost hearts
Learn where they belong.
And maybe the truth
Is as simple as you—
A sunrise kiss,
A reason to carry on.

After the long drive,
Wakin’ up with you feels like
Life’s checkin’ in and sayin’, “Take your time.”
Baby, your hand in mine
Still fits just right—
Yeah, whatever road comes next, we’ll drive.
If last night was fire
Then this is the light—
Girl, I think we found something
After the long drive.

Part 2: After the Long Drive

Second Chance Road by Tony Gibbs
All rights reserved © ℗ 2025 Tony Gibbs

We’re standin' in the kitchen, sunlight spillin’ through the blinds,
Your shirt hangin’ off one shoulder, my beating heart fallin’ out of time.
Last night we joked about forever like it wasn’t somethin’ big—
But now you’re lookin’ right at me, and I can feel the truth in it.
You say you've been afraid of love since yours turned into dust,
But girl, I’ve had my own wreck too—maybe that’s just why it’s us.

’Cause every mile we drove last night
Felt like a sign that we could get this right—

So let’s take this second chance road,
Where the past can’t weigh what the heart still holds.
Baby, we survived the storm and the cold—
Now it’s time to see where this thing goes.
If love’s the one thing we both outgrew,
Then maybe it’s the one thing we’re meant to redo.
So take my hand, don’t let it go—
Let’s see how far we get
On this second chance road.

You laugh and brush your hair back, say, “I don’t want to rush the signs,”
But your fingers slip in mine like they’ve been waiting for the right time.
We talk about the heartbreaks, all the times we almost quit,
And somehow in the telling, all the pieces seem to fit.
You say, “I’m scared of falling,” and I whisper, “So am I,”
But girl, I’d rather risk the fall than watch this moment pass us by.

’Cause every truth we shared today
Feels like a chance to wash the hurt away—

So let’s take this second chance road,
Where the past can’t weigh what the heart still holds.
Baby, we survived the storm and the cold—
Now it’s time to see where this thing goes.
If love’s the one thing we both outgrew,
Then maybe it’s the one thing we’re meant to redo.
So take my hand, don’t let it go—
Let’s see how far we get
On this second chance road.

Maybe love ain’t perfect—maybe that’s the point.
Two cracked hearts, same old coin.
If we flip it now, who knows what lands?
Maybe heads is hope, maybe tails is chance.
Either way, girl, I’ll take the ride
If it means you're here beside me tonight.

So let’s take this second chance road,
Lose the weight of the things we’ve told.
Let the sunrise write the stories we’ve yet to know,
And let our futures gently unfold.
If love came once and slipped right through,
Maybe this time it’ll stay brand new.
So take my hand—let’s go slow,
’Cause I’m ready to walk with you
Down this second chance road.

Part 3: Second Chance Road

Right Beside You by Tony Gibbs
All rights reserved © ℗ 2025 Tony Gibbs

I still remember Friday night, the way your headlights cut the rain,
I climbed into your old red truck just tryin’ to outrun old pain.
Didn’t think that I was ready, didn’t think I’d feel a spark—
But the way you watched me sing along lit somethin’ in the dark.
You didn’t push, you didn’t pry, just let the moment be—
And somehow in your silence, I finally found room to breathe.

And every mile we chased that night
Felt like the world sayin’ “give this a try”—

So I’m right beside you, more than just ridin’ along,
Finding courage in the quiet, finding hope where I felt wrong.
You took a broken heart and treated it like somethin’ new,
And I’m learnin’ how to love again
Right beside you.
Right beside you.

You saw the scars I tried to hide, the ones I never meant to share,
But instead of runnin’ from them, you just brushed them with a prayer.
I told you I’d been shattered, you just nodded, said, “Me too,”
And it felt like every jagged edge finally had a home in you.
You didn’t rush, you didn’t fix—just held space for me to grow,
And I’m startin’ to believe that maybe this is how love goes.

And every truth we spoke today
Stroked the fear inside my chest away—

So I’m right beside you, more than just ridin’ along,
Finding courage in the quiet, finding hope where I felt wrong.
You took a broken heart and treated it like somethin’ new,
And I’m learnin’ how to love again
Right beside you.
Right beside you.

Maybe love is slow steps,
Maybe love is soft hands,
Maybe love is two people
Daring to try again.
And if tomorrow shakes us
Like yesterday once did—
I’ll still choose the road we’re taking,
I’ll still choose you,
I always did.

’Cause I’m right beside you, watchin’ new horizons rise,
Feelin’ safe enough to trust what’s right in front of my eyes.
You took a wounded heart and helped it beat like something true,
And wherever this road leads us,
I’ll walk it through—
Right beside you.
Right beside you.

Part 4: Right Beside You

Two Hearts One Highway by Tony Gibbs
All rights reserved © ℗ 2025 Tony Gibbs

I still feel that Friday night,
You climbin’ in my truck so quiet.
Didn’t know that one small ride
Would change the whole direction of my life.

I still see those empty neon lights,
Your smile cuttin’ through my fear that night.
Didn’t think I’d ever trust
But somethin’ in your voice said “Girl, you might.”

Every mile we chased felt new,
Every song we played felt true,
Didn’t know where the road would bend—
Didn’t know I could start again—
But somehow the night became a friend.

’Cause it’s two hearts, one highway,
Drivin’ past the things we couldn’t outrun yesterday.
Your hand finds mine, and the world feels safe,
Like the pieces finally fell into place.
Baby, whatever comes our way,
We’ll face it side by side, come what may—
Two hearts, one highway.

You saw the parts of me I hide,
The ones I never say out loud.
But you held them like they mattered,
Like they were somethin’ to be proud of now.

And you showed me that a broken past
Ain’t something love can’t overcome.
Girl, with you I feel the kind of peace
I didn’t know I’d ever find with anyone.

We’ve both been cut,
We’ve both been scarred,
But soft beginnings grow from hard—
And love don’t rush,
It just unfolds,
A story written brave and bold.

’Cause it’s two hearts, one highway,
Drivin’ past the things we couldn’t outrun yesterday.
Your hand finds mine, and the world feels safe,
Like the pieces finally fell into place.
Baby, whatever comes our way,
We’ll face it side by side, come what may—
Two hearts, one highway.

Maybe love is in the miles—
Maybe love is when both try —
Maybe love is in your laughter—
Maybe love is in your eyes—
Maybe love is in the truth
That every road just leads to you.

Two hearts, one highway,
Rollin’ into every sunrise, findin’ our own way.
If life throws storms or skies of gray,
We’ll hold on tight and never stray.
Baby, whatever comes our way,
We’ll face it side by side, come what may—
Two hearts,
One highway.

Part 5: Two Hearts, One Highway (duet)

The Way We Hold On by Tony Gibbs
All rights reserved © ℗ 2025 Tony Gibbs

It’s been a while since that wild first ride,
Since your feet on my dash, since our hearts couldn’t hide.
Now the shoes by the door look a lot like home,
And the life that we built doesn’t feel like a loan.
Coffee cups and calendars,
All the little everyday whispers—
Funny how the smallest things
Become the ones you treasure.

And when the world gets loud outside,
You’re still the quiet place I find—

It’s in the way we hold on,
Soft but strong, steady and long,
How the years turn hard times into songs.
Love ain’t fireworks or perfect lines,
It’s the promise kept a thousand times.
Baby, we’ve come so far,
And I’m still fallin’, still in awe—
Of the way we hold on.

We’ve had nights with too much silence,
We’ve had days when we fell apart.
But every time we lost direction,
You still reached for my hand in the dark.
We learned that love is patient,
More honest than we knew—
It’s sayin’ “I’m not leaving”
Even when the sky turns blue to blue.

And every time my fear kicks in,
You’re there to let the light back in—

It’s in the way we hold on,
Soft but strong, steady and long,
How the years turn hard times into songs.
Love ain’t fireworks or perfect lines,
It’s the promise kept a thousand times.
Baby, we’ve come so far,
And I’m still fallin’, still in awe—
Of the way we hold on.

Maybe love was made for seasons—
Storms and summers, doubts and reasons.
But you’re the place I always land,
My steady heart, my second chance.
And even when the years grow tall,
You’re the one I trust through it all.

It’s in the way we hold on,
In the way we choose to stay when the night feels long.
How forgiveness turns the past to dawn.
Love’s not easy, but it’s ours—
A little fragile, mostly stars.
Baby, even when we’re old and gone,
I’ll still be grateful, still be strong—
For the way we hold on.

Part 6: The Way We Hold On (duet)

When the Road Turns Quiet by Tony Gibbs
All rights reserved © ℗ 2025 Tony Gibbs

The sun sets slower these days,
Soft gold in all the familiar ways.
Your old sweater on the backdoor rail,
A warm reminder when the nights get pale.
We’ve driven miles through storms and grace,
But somehow ended in this sacred place—
A house of memories, brave and true,
A little world built by me and you.

And even when the shadows climb,
Your hand still reaches out for mine—

When the road turns quiet,
And the world slows down,
When the laughter fades
To a gentle sound—
I look at you
And I still find
The reason I kept tryin’
All this time.
Love isn’t loud—
It’s strong, it’s kind,
Holdin’ us steady
When the road turns quiet.

We’ve had years that shook our bones,
Tears and triumphs, shifting tones.
But every chapter, every year,
Brought us closer, kept you near.
You still hum that old song sometimes,
The one we played in our reckless prime.
I smile and think of who we were—
And how we still choose who we are.

And even when the night feels long,
Your voice still turns my fear to calm—

When the road turns quiet,
And the world slows down,
When the laughter fades
To a gentle sound—
I look at you
And I still find
The reason I kept tryin’
All this time.
Love isn’t loud—
It’s strong, it’s kind,
Holdin’ us steady
When the road turns quiet.

Maybe the journey
Was never the point—
Maybe love’s the home
We built joint by joint.
Maybe the magic
Was never the start—
Maybe it lives here
In your steady heart.

When the road turns quiet,
And the years unfold,
And the stories settle
Into tales we’ve told—
I hold your hand
And I still know:
You were my map
On every road.
Love carried us
Through fast and slow—
And I’ll love you still
When it’s time to go.
Side by side,
Soft and quiet,
We reach the end
Where the road turns quiet.

Part 7: When the Road Turns Quiet (duet)

Heartbeat Highway (reprise)  by Tony Gibbs
All rights reserved © ℗ 2025 Tony Gibbs

I still remember that first night,
You climbin’ in with that half-smile light.
Windows down, a brand-new road,
Two tired hearts with a heavy load.
Funny how the smallest spark
Can shake the quiet in the dark—
I didn’t know it then, but true,
That drive was leadin’ me to you.

On that heartbeat highway,
Where the stars looked close
And the world felt far away—
Wind in your hair,
Your laugh in mine,
Two lost souls findin’ the same line.
No map, no plan,
Just fate on display—
Oh, love began
On that heartbeat highway.

Now years have written on our skin,
But I still feel that spark again
Every time you brush my hand
Or say my name the way you can.
We’ve seen dawns and storms and change,
But nothing made that night grow strange—
It lives inside us like a flame,
Burnin’ soft but just the same.

On that heartbeat highway,
Where something fragile
Found a place to stay—
Two hearts jumpin’,
One story born,
A promise whispered
Long before the morn’.
Whatever life brings
Come night or day—
My heart still runs
On that heartbeat highway.

Part 8: Heartbeat Highway (reprise)

Little Firecracker by Tony Gibbs
All rights reserved © ℗ 2025 Tony Gibbs

You walk in, boom, like the Fourth of July,
Red dress, wild hair, mischief in your eye.
You toss your keys on the corner of the bar,
Like you already know you’re the brightest star.
You don’t need matches, you don’t need light,
You bring your own everywhere you go at night.
I’m just a guy tryin’ not to stare,
But you strike sparks in the summer air.

Every laugh you throw is a Roman candle,
I’m a simple heart you’re tryin’ to handle—

Girl, you’re my little firecracker,
Snappin’ off sparks every time I catch ya.
Turnin’ this night into dynamite,
Yeah, you blow my mind in the best way, right?
You light me up, boom-boom laughter—
Girl, you’re my little firecracker.

You grab my hand when the DJ hits,
Drag me to the floor where the rhythm splits.
You spin around in your torn blue jeans,
Givin’ all the stars some brand-new means.
You don’t need a script, you just improvise,
Every move you make is a new surprise.
You say, “Come on boy, don’t hold back,”
And there goes my careful heart off track.

You’re a sparkler trail in a dark sky,
Drawin’ your name on my good-bye—

’Cause girl, you’re my little firecracker,
Snappin’ off sparks every time I catch ya.
Turnin’ this night into dynamite,
Yeah, you blow my mind in the best way, right?
You light me up, boom-boom laughter—
Girl, you’re my little firecracker.

If we burn out when the night is through,
I’ll still be thankful I got lit by you.
But I got a feelin’ when the smoke is gone,
You’ll still be here turnin’ my heart on—

’Cause girl, you’re my little firecracker,
Snappin’ off sparks every time I catch ya.
Turnin’ my life into dynamite,
Yeah, you blow my mind in the best way, right?
You light me up, boom-boom laughter,
I’ll chase you ever after.
In a world full of fade-to-blackers—
You’re my little,
My forever
Firecracker.

Little Firecracker

Sunrise with You by Tony Gibbs
All rights reserved © ℗ 2025 Tony Gibbs

Hit the gravel road with the windows down,
You laughed as the dust kicked up from town.
Said, “Let’s chase nothin’, just the open blue,”
And girl, I’d chase anything with you.
You leaned back, feet propped on the dash,
Hair in the wind like a photograph.
That moment felt like something true —
And all I wanted was sunrise with you.

Give me sunrise with you,
Paintin’ the sky in a golden hue.
Give me laughter, give me truth,
Give me mornin’s that start with you.
We’ll outrun the night like dreamers do —
Just gimme sunrise, sunrise with you.

Stopped by the lake where the water gleamed,
Skipped a few stones, talked big and dreamed.
You told me fears you never said out loud,
I told you pride gets in the way somehow.
We sat in silence as the day turned low,
And I felt somethin’ start to grow.
If every dawn could feel brand new —
It’d be sunrise spent with you.

Give me sunrise with you,
Paintin’ the sky in a golden hue.
Give me laughter, give me truth,
Give me mornin’s that start with you.
We’ll outrun the night like dreamers do —
Just gimme sunrise, sunrise with you.

If the world turns hard and the nights get long,
We’ll find the light where we belong—

Give me sunrise with you,
Paintin’ the sky in a golden hue.
Give me laughter, give me truth,
Give me mornin’s that start with you.
We’ll outrun the night like dreamers do —
Just gimme sunrise, sunrise with you.

Baby, every day feels new
When I get sunrise with you.

Sunrise with You (Americana)

UK songwriter. Featured songs have been produced thanks to the talent of Donna Hazelton, Esther O'Connor, Tim O'Connor, Graeme Duffin, Sandy Jones, John Harley Weston, Kim Copeland, Erin Caldwell, Rachel Williams, Tim Buppert, Pete Dymond, Marcie Summers, Stuart Brayson, Buddy Hyatt, Jim Hyatt, Brian Fullen, Glen Duncan, Bob Britt, Wayne Killius, James Mitchell, Doug Grieves, and Ray Curtis. 

All music and lyrics © Tony Gibbs unless shown otherwise. 

2025 onwards: Lyrics, melodies and creative direction: Tony Gibbs.

Use of Artificial Intelligence:

All creative work is developed through a human-led process where AI acts as a digital tool, not a replacement. My role is to provide the emotional truth, lived experience and artistic direction through my lyrics.

Every idea, story and emotional direction originates from my lived experience and/or my own imagination. AI helped me shape structure, phrasing and flow — the final voice, choices and meaning are entirely mine. Backing tracks created using AI. 

All intellectual property for the final lyrics remains with the human author.

Sunrise with You (Americana)

Tony Gibbs

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