It Takes More
Goapele Lyrics

He was fourteen years old
He was just a teenager at the time

All his life he never left the west side (oh)
He had never been outside his neighborhood

I walked past him everyday
The singer crossed paths with him daily

Heading downtown
Narrator was on their way to the city

Always on the go
The subject was always active

He was the kind of guy you never gave your real name to
He couldn't be trusted with personal information

So young but still trying to game you
Despite his age, he was manipulative

But what he was going through
The artist was unaware of his struggles

It's such a shame
The situation is regrettable

How people change
People's actions can be surprising

And I never really knew his name
The singer never learned his name

But it takes more than two to raise a youth
Parenting requires more than just two people

And for that we all did lose
Everyone involved suffered a loss

Because if one of us had noticed you
If someone had paid attention to him

How I wish I was there for you
The singer wishes they could have helped

I was busy filling my own shoes
The artist was preoccupied with their own life

All his life he heard 'You won't amount to nothing'
He had been repeatedly told he was destined for failure

Low expectations
Expectations for him were not high

In need of money
He lacked financial stability

Few too many choices
His options were limited

And no patience
He had little tolerance for waiting

So what do you know
In search of a solution

For a good cash flow
He found selling to be a lucrative option

It's easy to fit the role
He adapted well to the lifestyle

But when your living the fast life
Partaking in a high-speed existence

He considered all times a go
He approached everything with a sense of urgency

Is that how he came around
Is that how he ended up in this situation

For his child he'll know now
He now understands how negative parental influence can impact a child

'Cause he left him with bruises
The child was physically harmed due to his actions

His words just abusive
He was verbally abusive to his child

The love he didn't show
He failed to express love and care for his child

And what his boy was going through
The child faced challenges that he didn't recognize

He had never imagined
He never foresaw the negative outcomes of his behavior

But when love turns to hate
A shift in attitude from love to hatred

It's the worse out of passion
Negative emotions lead to destructive actions

His son was bold
His child displayed boldness and bravery

And by then it was too late
It was too late to rectify the situation

From his friend they get console
The child's friends provided support for him

Then his hands, his shoes
The investigation focused on his hands and footwear

The life or death they couldn't hold
The situation was beyond their control

Oh, two seconds cold
The child lost his life in a matter of seconds

Locked up until he's old
He was imprisoned for a long time

How moments change
Things can change rapidly

And I never really knew his name
The artist remained unaware of his name

But it takes more than two to raise a youth
Multiple individuals are necessary for effective parenting

And for that we all did lose
The community suffered a loss as a result of his tragic end

Because if one of us had noticed you
If the community had taken notice of him

How I wish I was there for you
The artist wishes they could have been present for him

I was busy filling my own shoes
The singer was preoccupied with their own life