Love Will Work It Out

Album: Private Space (2021)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • "Love Will Work It Out" finds Durand Jones reflecting on the state of America in 2020. It was a nightmarish time when coupled with the raging pandemic ("folks overtaken by disease"), there was a sharp increase in unarmed people of color being brutalized by the police ("modern day lynchings in the streets that I called home").
  • The police killings of Breonna Taylor and death of George Floyd resonated around the world, sparking global protests and demonstrations. The atrocities silenced Jones. "I don't want to write a song, I don't want to talk on social media," he told Mojo magazine. "I can't do anything but breathe right now. I need to keep my soul and my sanity intact. How much more do we have to take? How many more people have to die by the hands of police for us to truly receive justice?"

    Jones took a step back from everything until the universe told him it was time for him to make art again. In November 2020, he got that call. "I wrote this poem, about everything that happened in 2020," he said, "and that's where the song came from."
  • Ultimately, the song's message is one of optimism, as Jones declares on the chorus that "love will work it out."

    "That comes from my grandmother, who raised me and really believed in what Dr. King stood for," he told Mojo. "She's long gone now, but after George Floyd died, and I was feeling despair and doubt, I'd think about things that she would say. And that song is the sort of thing she would tell me, like, it's hard right now, but don't give up."

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Max Cavalera of Soulfly (ex-Sepultura)

Max Cavalera of Soulfly (ex-Sepultura)Songwriter Interviews

The Brazilian rocker sees pictures in his riffs. When he came up with one of his gnarliest songs, there was a riot going on.

History Of Rock

History Of RockSong Writing

An interview with Dr. John Covach, music professor at the University of Rochester whose free online courses have become wildly popular.

Martyn Ware of Heaven 17

Martyn Ware of Heaven 17Songwriter Interviews

Martyn talks about producing Tina Turner, some Heaven 17 hits, and his work with the British Electric Foundation.

Michael W. Smith

Michael W. SmithSongwriter Interviews

Smith breaks down some of his worship tracks as well as his mainstream hits, including "I Will Be Here For You" and "A Place In This World."

British Invasion

British InvasionFact or Fiction

Go beyond The Beatles to see what you know about the British Invasion.

Jethro Tull

Jethro TullFact or Fiction

Stage urinals, flute devices, and the real Aqualung in this Fact or Fiction.