[Verse 1] They knew better when the sun came up But they played dumb, let the dust pile up Every warnin' sign was a white fence line Still they drove that road like it was all just fine Mama said slow down, son, count your cost They heard that truth and they still got lost Kept one eye closed, kept one foot in sin Now the same old fire tryin' to pull 'em in [Chorus] Oh, they felt that pull Oh, they heard that call But pride got loud And they let it all fall They knew better But better they didn't do They knew better Now the whole truth bit them through~ (They knew better) (But better they didn't do) [Verse 2] Uh, yeah yeah He had a plan on a paper plate Said "one more run" then it got too late Took the long way 'round past the county shed Now he's chasin' smoke with a haunted head She saw that crack in the old front door Should've fixed that hole, should've asked for more But she let that silence set up camp Now the dark got big in the table lamp [Chorus] Oh, they felt that pull Oh, they heard that call But pride got loud And they let it all fall They knew better But better they didn't do They knew better Now the whole truth bit them through (They knew better) (But better they didn't do) [Verse 3] Yeah, there's a boy out back with a busted wheel Talkin' real brave, actin' steel for steel He said "I got this" with a crooked grin Then the whole house shook when the storm rolled in Every shortcut burns like a barbed-wire trail Every half-truth comes with a hammer and nail You can fake that grin, you can fake that talk But the road keeps score when you won't walk [Bridge] I seen kings turn lean, seen plans unwind Seen hard heads crack on the dotted line If you know the right thing, do the right thing now 'Fore that lesson gets loud and it lays you down [Chorus] They knew better But better they didn't do They knew better Now the whole truth bit them through~ (They knew better) (But better they didn't do) They knew better And the wreck came clean and true