Battle Scars

## Single by Guy Sebastian featuring Lupe Fiasco

"**Battle Scars**" is a song by Guy Sebastian and Lupe Fiasco. It was released on August 10, 2012, with its music video directed by Jonathan Baker and Josh Baker. It appears as the third track from Sebastian's sixth album, *Armageddon*, and the eleventh track from Fiasco's fourth studio album, *Food & Liquor II: The Great American Rap Album Pt. 1*.

## Background

In an interview with *TimeOut*, Sebastian discussed the process, "With 'Battle Scars' I wrote the song and demo'ed it and sent it to Lupe, and it was right at the height of his album *Lasers*, and I thought, 'I probably won't get him, but I may as well ask'. He came back two days later saying 'I love the song, I'll do it'. Everything he wrote for his rap just nailed me, I was almost in tears. He doesn't just rap about being in a club or shaking your booty, he raps about a lot of deep stuff, politically."

Fiasco had two raps written, though Sebastian immediately fell in love with the first version.

## Credits and personnel

* Producer: Darrale Jones
* Vocals, Writer: Guy Sebastian
* Assistant Mixing Engineer: James Kang
* Masterer: Leon Zervos
* Vocals, Writer: Lupe Fiasco
* Mixer: Miles Walker
* Producer: Pro-Jay
* Writer: David Ryan Harris

## Lyrics

**Lyrics**
[Intro: Lupe Fiasco]

The wound heals but it never does

That's cause you're at war with love

You're at war with love, yeah

[Chorus: Guy Sebastian]

These battle scars don't look like they're fading

Don't look like they're ever going away

They ain't never gonna change

These battle

[Verse 1: Lupe Fiasco]

Never let a wound ruin me

But I feel like ruin's ruin me

Arrow holes that never close from Cupid on a shooting spree

Feeling stupid cause I know it ain't no you and me

But when you're trying to beat the odds up

Been trying to keep your nods up and you know that you should know

And let her go but the fear of the unknown

Holding on another lover's phone sends you back into the zone

(Go!) With no Tom Hanks to bring you home

A lover not a fighter on the frontline with a poem

Trying to write yourself a rifle, maybe sharpen up a song

To fight the tanks and drones of you being alone

[Pre-Chorus: Guy Sebastian]

I wish I never looked, I wish I never touched

I wish that I could stop loving you so much

'Cause I'm the only one that's tryna keep us together

When all of the signs say that I should forget her

I wish you weren't the best, the best I ever had

I wish that the good outweighed the bad

'Cause it'll never be over, until you tell me it's over

[Chorus: Guy Sebastian]

These battle scars, don't look like they're fading

Don't look like they're ever going away

They ain't never gonna change

These battle scars, don't look like they're fading

Don't look like they're ever going away

They ain't never gonna change

These battle

[Verse 2: Lupe Fiasco]

(And just leave then)

You shouldn't have but you said it

(And I hope you never come back)

It shouldn't have happened but you let it

Now you're down on the ground screaming "medic"

The only thing that comes is the post-traumatic stresses

Shields, body armors and vests

Don't properly work, that's why you're in a locker full of hurt

The enemy within and all the fires from your friends

The best medicine is to probably just let her win

[Pre-Chorus 2: Guy Sebastian]

I wish I couldn't feel, I wish I couldn't love

I wish that I could stop cause it hurts so much

'Cause I'm the only one that's trying to keep us together

When all of the signs say that I should forget her

I wish you weren't the best, the best I ever had

I wish that the good outweighed the bad

'Cause it'll never be over, until you tell me it's over

[Chorus: Guy Sebastian]

These battle scars, don't look like they're fading

Don't look like they're ever going away

They ain't never gonna change

These battle scars, don't look like they're fading

Don't look like they're ever going away

They ain't never gonna change

These battle

[Bridge: Guy Sebastian, *Lupe Fiasco*]

'Cause you've set me on fire

I've never felt so alive, yeah

*No, hoping wounds heal, but it never does*

*That's because you're at war with love*

And I'm at the point of breaking

And it's impossible to shake it

[Pre-Chorus: Lupe Fiasco]

See, you hoped the wound heals, but it never does

That's cause you're at war with love

Hope it heals, but it never does

That's cause you're at war with love!

[Chorus: Guy Sebastian]

These battle scars, don't look like they're fading

Don't look like they're ever going away

I ain't ever gonna change

These battle scars, don't look like they're fading

Don't look like they're ever going away

They ain't never gonna change

These battle scars, don't look like they're fading

Don't look like they're ever going away

I ain't ever gonna change

These battle

## References

1. ↑ Hewett, Jenny (January 28, 2014). "Aussie X Factor star Guy Sebastian interview". *TimeOut*.
2. ↑ "Guy Sebastian Talks About Battle Scars And Lupe Fiasco (Interview August 2012)". *YouTube*. August 29, 2012.