It was an ordinary life ‘til that long, cold, December night
Midnight knock on my door, a cop’s silhouette in a dark corridor
He said, "I’m here to let you know: we found a body out on River Road
You've lost your brother to a knife, but we caught the killer; we'll try to make it right with..."
Chorus
An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth
A sword for a sword—the devil gets his due
Another eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth
A sword for a sword—the best that we can do
The best that we can do
I couldn’t sleep, couldn't cry, I lived to watch the killer die
When the trial came around, I held my breath 'til “Guilty” rang out
Then the judge turned to me: “Would the family care to speak?
“For your brother’s life, is this want from the man who used the knife?”
Chorus repeat, ending with
Is that what we should do? Is that what we should do?
I looked into the killer's eyes, felt my hatred start to rise
But when I saw his sister's face, I saw my own pain, and had to look away
She was a mirror of my soul—same burning eyes, same aching hole
So do I ask for death to try to kill my pain?
Or do I ask for life to try to break the chain of...
Chorus repeat twice, ending with
When will it be through? When will it be through?
Lyrics © 2007 by Lee Edwards. All rights reserved.
