Couplet 1

Whatever happened
To Carlton Bell
My best friend
In the seventh grade
We played our snare drums
Side by side
In the middle school
Marching band Disney parade
We raised our money
To ride the bus to Orlando
Knocking on doors
Up and down the street
Selling those bars
Of the world's finest chocolate
And splitting every third one
Between him and me

Refrain 1

And his skin was black
And my skin was white
And the sky was blue
And the future was bright
And our blood ran red
In both our veins
And we were looking at the world
In living color

Couplet 2

He moved away
The first year of high school
No phones no internet
So we just lost touch
But I'd think about him
Every now and then in marching band
Laughing loud windows down
In the back row of the bus

Refrain 2

And his skin was dark
And my skin was light
But all we saw was
A friend in each other's eyes
And our blood ran red
In both our hearts
And we were looking at the world
In living color

Couplet 3

So I did a little search
And I found his picture
I recognized his smile immediately
He moved out west
Raising kids working in a factory
Got sick and passed away in 2016
Looking at his face
As a grown man got me thinking
How different life can be
While so much stays the same
His friends said he was a good man
Loved his God and loved his family
Did not surprise me
That his good heart remained

Refrain 3

But his skin was black
And I wonder if my friend
Feels judged and afraid
In ways that I've never been
And it weighs heavy on my heart
But then I think of where he is now
In living color

Couplet 4

Well I know these things
Are all way more complicated
So much is broken
Beyond fixing it can seem
And if I'm honest I'm scared
To even write and sing this song
I don't wanna somehow
Say the wrong thing
But I was thinking maybe
If I told our story
Maybe I could help someone
Remember and believe
There's a lot of goodness
And wonder left in this broken world
Just like there was back
Then for Carlton and me

Refrain 1

And his skin was black
And my skin was white
And the sky was blue
And the future was bright
And our blood ran red
In both our veins
And we were looking at the world

Transition

In living color