(How can we know love when we were never shown it?)
Little richie was the runt of the litter
Given a thick hide by father and brothers
Identified more with his sisters and mother
Always felt a bit different from the others
A loving marriage from the outside, but oh
How ferociously he'd hit her

Richie stood by the bleach white bedside
Ma held his face in her hands while he cried
"Hush, now, precious lamb, everything will be alright
I know how it looks but I swear he's a good man
Oh baby, g-d has a much bigger plan
I have my family, I have my health
And I'm quite content with that. "
"How can you say this time that it will be alright?
How can you still look in his eyes
And see the love of your life? "

He works all things for good! In the end
It's love that wins!
In the end, it is love
In the end, it is love
Love was his inclination
Belief, his dearest passion
A beautiful escape from resentment
Fear of the next crushing blow

(How can we know love when were never shown it? Repeat)
He'd wait on his lonesome
For that blue hair in her station wagon
Attending those baptist services alone
In the house of the lord, he found purpose and a home
Richie stood on a chair
Peeked over the pulpit
Reminded himself and the beloved

Not lacking in youthful wit
"This is what's promised
He works all things for good! In the end
It's love that wins! "
How are we to know how to love
When every attempt is met with the back of a hand?
It would only be love to mend the damned
Who never grew to know compassion
Just another unfortunate

Beaten senseless by his ol' man
"How can you say this time that it'll be alright?
How can you still look in his eyes
And see the love of your life? "
He works all things for good! In the end
It's love that wins!

How can we know love, when we
Were never shown it?
How can we know love, when we
Were never shown it?
An heirloom passed down before its day
Legacy came
Violently to rip innocence away