Provided with written permission from ‘Gnome Tone Records’™ Clockworks City, Pävärios.
Secondhand Halo wasn’t written—it boiled over.
It came after the band discovered that a top-tier SLAG pilot had been awarded the Iron Crest of Valor—for a kill credited to a RAT tech's last-minute sacrifice. The crew's body was never recovered. His name was never mentioned.
Ezra found out the truth during a data leak trade at a relay junction two levels below Clockworks East. The band locked themselves in a forgotten broadcast room and tracked the whole song live in one take, using busted gear and echo distortion from a decommissioned drone antenna to dirty the final mix on purpose.
“We wanted it to sound broken.
We wanted it to sound stolen back.”
—Juno
The halo in the title? It’s the shiny PR mask handed to execs, influencers, and career climbers—while the true work, the blood, the soul? Left behind. Buried quiet.
Secondhand Halo is a blistered tribute to every ground-level hero who held the line while someone else got the credit. It’s fury in four minutes. It’s a crown built from junk metal and real fire.
And it never forgets.
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Secondhand Halo (Lyrics)
Shiny, isn’t it?
Shame it never fit
You wear that promotion like you earned it
But your hands have never touched a wrench
Gave the presentation, skipped the all-nighters
Guess credit comes easy from the bench
I trained you for six months straight
Showed you every system, every fix
Now you’re my supervisor making twice my pay
And I’m still the one who knows the tricks
You talk in buzzwords, smile for the boss
Built your career on our unpaid overtime loss
Secondhand halo, shined up bright
Wearing credit that was never your right
Success looks easy when you didn’t earn it
You take the bow while we still burn it
Secondhand halo, borrowed crown
We lifted you up while you looked down
But polish fades and truth will show
So take your praise and let us go
You got the corner office, got the raise
While we’re still fixing your mistakes
You give the orders, we do the work
You get the glory, we get the aches
I watched you take my ideas to management
Present them like they came from you
Got promoted on my problem-solving
While I’m still stuck in the same old crew
Secondhand halo, shined up bright
Wearing credit that was never your right
Success looks easy when you didn’t earn it
You take the bow while we still burn it
Secondhand halo, borrowed crown
We lifted you up while you looked down
But polish fades and truth will show
So take your praise and let us go
We solved the problems
(you took the credit)
We worked the weekends
(you took the bonus)
You got promoted on our foundation
And still you act like it’s just how it goes?
Secondhand halo, we see it clear
Borrowed glory won’t last a year
You shine with talent that’s not your own
But eventually you’ll stand alone
Secondhand halo, enjoy your climb
While we go build something that’s actually mine
The skills you borrowed?
We taught them first
And we’ll still be standing when your bubble bursts
Halo cracked, we’re done asking
Real skill lasts longer than that mask you’re wearing
