[Verse 1]
He was fourteen years old
All his life he never left the Westside
I walked past him every day
Heading downtown, always on the go
He's the kind of guy you never give your real name to
So young but still trying to game you
But what he was going through I never knew
[Chorus]
It's such a shame how people change (How people change)
And I never really knew his name
But it takes more than two to raise a youth
And for that we all did lose
Because if one of us had noticed you (Noticed you)
How I wish I was there for you (There for you)
I was busy filling my own shoes (My own shoes)
[Verse 2]
All his life he heard "You won't amount to nothing"
Low expectations
In need of money, few too many choices
And no patience
So what do you know
For a quick cashflow
He could always sell
It's easy to fit the role
But when you're living the fast life
He considered all times a go
[Chorus]
It's such a same how people change (How people change)
And I never really knew his name
But it takes more than two to raise a youth
And for that we all did lose (To raise a youth)
Because if one of us had noticed you (Noticed you)
How I wish I was there for you (There for you)
I was busy filling my own shoes (My own shoes)
[Verse 3]
His dad hardly came around
For his child he'll know now
'Cause he left him with bruises
His words just abusive
The love he didn't show
And what his boy was going through
He had never imagined
But when love turns to hate
It's the worst kind of passion
His son was bold
And by then it was too late
From his friend the game was sold
In his hands, he'd choose
The life or death the trigger hold
Oh, oh, two seconds cold
He was fourteen years old
Locked up until he's old
[Chorus]
It's such a same how moments change (How moments change)
And I never really knew your name
But it takes more than two to raise a youth
And for that we all did lose (We all did lose)
Because if one of us had noticed you (Noticed you)
How I wish I was there for you (There for you)
I was busy filling my own shoes (Filling my own shoes)
[Outro]
How moments, how moments change
Moments change
I wish I could turn it all around
We all did lose
I wish I was there for you
I was busy filling my own shoes
And two seconds could change your whole life
With three strikes, you're out
It's all over now
We all did, we all did lose
It Takes More was written by Goapele & Sylvia Moy & Shorty Long.
It Takes More was produced by Johnson (Producer).
Goapele released It Takes More on Tue Sep 10 2002.