Mistress (Verse 1) She don’t walk in the daylight, she don’t knock on the door She’s already in the bottle sitting on the floor Sweet like a promise, smooth on the lips But she don’t love you back, she just tightens her grip I’ve seen her take a good man and turn his eyes cold Make him say things that don’t sound like his soul (Pre-Chorus) You don’t see her coming, she don’t make a sound But she’s there in the silence when you’re not around (Chorus) He don’t call her a mistress, but I know her name She’s the one he runs to when he can’t face the pain Changes his voice, puts a shadow in his eyes Turns love into something I don’t recognize And I’m standing right here, but he’s somewhere else Choosing that bottle over anything else Yeah, I’ve loved men who couldn’t resist this Always losing them to his mistress (Verse 2) Mama used to wear it like a second skin Coffee and smoke with a little poured in She’d laugh real loud, then she’d fade away Call me the wrong name at the end of the day And I swore I’d never live that life again But I keep finding pieces of her in these men (Pre-Chorus) It’s a slow kind of breaking you don’t understand Till you’re reaching for someone who ain’t really there (Chorus) He don’t call her a mistress, but I know her name She’s the one he runs to when he can’t face the pain Changes his touch, puts a distance in his kiss Turns love into something that feels like this And I’m begging him stay, but he’s already gone Sitting right beside me, but the man I love’s not home Yeah, I’ve loved men who couldn’t resist this Always losing them to his mistress (Bridge) They write songs about whiskey like it’s some old friend Like it don’t take and take till there’s nothing left But I’ve seen what it does when the lights go dim It don’t just take them—it takes you with him (Final Chorus) He don’t call her a mistress, but I finally do She’s the one he chooses when he’s choosing not you And I won’t fight a ghost I can’t hold or fix I won’t lose myself to his mistress So I’m walking away while there’s something left of me Before she takes another piece I can’t get free (Outro) She don’t wear no perfume, don’t leave no trace Just an empty glass and a different face And I won’t stay and watch her win I’ve already lost enough of them