The new ones come in looking pounded br Beat up and bleary eyed br You can't tell what they are thinking; br About every cure they've tried br br Some eagerly share their stories br Divorce, disease and jail br And feelings of deep remorse br The last one heard without fail br br Many claim this is the start br Of their newly recovered lives br Most of the continuing members br Can't tell if they're hearing lies br br Successful ones share stories br That share a common tinge br We'd lost control of our consumption br Down to the very last binge br br The demon had it's hooks in us br And was scaring us half to death br Mortality stared us in the face br When would be our last breath? br br The newcomer also learns his character br Is much like we used to be br Selfishness, fear and anger br With these he'll never be free br br He hears that we caved in br And got as honest as we could be br We said with our abuse we were powerless br And this opened our eyes to see br br Our stories carry a powerful punch br Nobody's given a shove br What we want the newcomer to feel br Is our unconditional love br br If he looks and listens quite closely br He'll see the pain in his heart br Has disappeared in the rest of us br The result of doing our part br br Will he come back and mend his ways br Or will he just fade away? br Some take the high road, some the low br We just share our love todaybr br Ray Andrewsbr br