Though we might hate to admit it   There are always two sides to every story      Find yourself in the gutter in a lonely part of town   Where death waits in the darkness   With a weapon to cut some stranger down      Sleeping with an empty bottle   He's a sad and an empty hearted man   All he needs is a job and a little respect   So he can get out while he can      We always need to hear both sides of the story      A neighborhood peace is shattered   It's the middle of the night young faces hide in the shadows   While they watch their mother and father fight      He says she's been unfaithful   She says her love for him has gone   And the brother shrugs to his sister and says   "Looks like it's just us from now on"      We always need to hear both sides of the story      And the lights are all on, the world is watching now   People looking for truth, we must not fail them now   Be sure, before we close our eyes   Don't walk away from here till you hear both sides      Here we are all gathered in what seems   To be the center of the storm   Neighbors once friendly now stand each side   Of the line that has been drawn      They've been fighting here for years   But now there's killing on the streets   While small coffins are lined up sadly   Now united in defeat      We always need to hear both sides of the story      And the lights are all on, the world is watching now   People looking for truth, we must not fail them now   Be sure, before we close our eyes   Don't walk away from here till you see both sides      White man turns the corner   Finds himself within a different world   Ghetto kid grabs his shoulder   Throws him up against the wall      He says, "Would you respect me   If I didn't have this gun   'Cos without it, I don't get it   And that's why I carry one"      We always need to hear both sides of the story