Love Wins

They grew up in east St Louis
On the wrong side of the river
Never knew his dad and his mama had
A taste for cheap corn liquor
Started runnin' with a gang
Despite his grandma's prayers
If the finish line was a chalk outline
Well, he was halfway there

Then one night as he was walkin' out the door
She threw her arms around him
Like he was goin' off to war
She kissed him on the forehead
Whispered three words in his ear
And all the anger he held on to
Began to disappear

Love wins
No matter what they say
It's bigger than the biggest fear
Stronger than the strongest hate
The kindness of a kiss
Unclenches any fist
It's like a daisy in the barrel of a gun
But in the end
Love wins

Tommy tattooed his hatred
Up and down his arm
He shaved his head, those words in red
Never entered his cold heart
He spent his whole life judging
People by the color of their skin
White was right you couldn't change his mind
No matter what you did

Then one night
A gang jumped him from behind
He was dying in that alley
When Ray came walking by
The color didn't matter
As he reached out a saving hand
And ever since that moment
Tommy's been a different man

Love wins
No matter what they say
It's bigger than the biggest fear
Stronger than the strongest hate
The kindness of a kiss
Unclenches any fist
It's like a daisy in the barrel of a gun
But in the end
Love wins

When it looks like it's gonna lose
When it's almost dark
The clouds just part
The sun comes shining through

Love wins
No matter what they say
It's bigger than the biggest fear
Stronger than the strongest hate
The kindness of a kiss
Unclenches any fist
It's like a daisy in the barrel of a gun
But in the end
Love wins
Love wins