“Team of Rivals”
[Spoken Intro]
Abraham Lincoln led a nation torn apart.
He could have surrounded himself with friends.
Instead, he chose his rivals.
He built a team of enemies and asked them to serve.
This is his song.
[Verse 1]
He came from nothing, split the rails
He taught himself through borrowed books
He lost elections, failed, and failed
But he never stopped, he always looked
For something bigger than his name
A country bound by more than chains
[Pre-Chorus]
And when the storm was at its height
He did not choose the easy fight
He called the ones who disagreed
And asked them what the nation needs
[Chorus]
Team of rivals, team of rivals
Bring the ones who challenge you
Listen close and learn the truth
Team of rivals, team of rivals
That’s the righteous thing to do
That’s the righteous thing to do
[Verse 2]
The Homestead Act gave land to those
Who had no fortune, had no name
The Emancipation broke the chains
And called the enslaved by their true name
The Gettysburg Address defined
A war for all of humankind
The Thirteenth Amendment sealed the vow
That slavery would not stand somehow
[Pre-Chorus]
And when the storm was at its height
He did not choose the easy fight
He called the ones who disagreed
And asked them what the nation needs
[Chorus]
Team of rivals, team of rivals
Bring the ones who challenge you
Listen close and learn the truth
Team of rivals, team of rivals
That’s the righteous thing to do
That’s the righteous thing to do
[Bridge]
In your life, in your work, in your home
Do you only keep the ones who agree?
Do you shut the door on the ones who challenge?
Do you only keep the ones who agree?
Open the door, listen, learn
That’s how a righteous heart will turn
[Final Chorus]
Team of rivals, team of rivals
Bring the ones who challenge you
Listen close and learn the truth
Team of rivals, team of rivals
That’s the righteous thing to do
That’s the righteous thing to do
[Spoken Reflection]
Think about this:
Who in your life disagrees with you?
What could you learn from them?
Righteousness is not about being right.
It is about seeking what is right.
[Chorus Reprise — soft, with harmonies]
Team of rivals, team of rivals
Bring the ones who challenge you
Listen close and learn the truth
Team of rivals, team of rivals
That’s the righteous thing to do
[Spoken Outro]
Righteousness principle:
Strength is not in silence.
Strength is in listening to those who disagree.
Build a team of rivals. Learn from them. Lead with them.
Chord Chart:
The section-by-section chord chart for “Team of Rivals” aligned with the lyrics, set in the key of D major (82 BPM) using standard, easy-to-read chord progressions:
[Spoken Intro]
(Spoken over ambient acoustic guitar fingerpicking in D major)
- Abraham Lincoln led a nation torn apart.
- He could have surrounded himself with friends.
- Instead, he chose his rivals.
- He built a team of enemies and asked them to serve.
- This is his song.
[Verse 1]
D
He came from nothing, split the rails
G
He taught himself through borrowed books
Bm
He lost elections, failed, and failed
G
But he never stopped, he always looked
D
For something bigger than his name
A
A country bound by more than chains
[Pre-Chorus]
Bm
And when the storm was at its height
G
He did not choose the easy fight
D
He called the ones who disagreed
A
And asked them what the nation needs
[Chorus]
D
Team of rivals, team of rivals
G
Bring the ones who challenge you
Bm
Listen close and learn the truth
G
Team of rivals, team of rivals
D
That’s the righteous thing to do
A
That’s the righteous thing to do
[Verse 2]
D
The Homestead Act gave land to those
G
Who had no fortune, had no name
Bm
The Emancipation broke the chains
G
And called the enslaved by their true name
D
The Gettysburg Address defined
A
A war for all of humankind
Bm
The Thirteenth Amendment sealed the vow
G
That slavery would not stand somehow
[Pre-Chorus]
Bm
And when the storm was at its height
G
He did not choose the easy fight
D
He called the ones who disagreed
A
And asked them what the nation needs
[Chorus]
D
Team of rivals, team of rivals
G
Bring the ones who challenge you
Bm
Listen close and learn the truth
G
Team of rivals, team of rivals
D
That’s the righteous thing to do
A
That’s the righteous thing to do
[Bridge]
Bm
In your life, in your work, in your home
G
Do you only keep the ones who agree?
Bm
Do you shut the door on the ones who challenge?
G
Do you only keep the ones who agree?
D
Open the door, listen, learn
A
That’s how a righteous heart will turn
[Final Chorus]
D
Team of rivals, team of rivals
G
Bring the ones who challenge you
Bm
Listen close and learn the truth
G
Team of rivals, team of rivals
D
That’s the righteous thing to do
A
That’s the righteous thing to do
[Spoken Reflection]
(Spoken over a sparse, reflective piano line)
- Think about this:
- Who in your life disagrees with you?
- What could you learn from them?
- Righteousness is not about being right.
- It is about seeking what is right.
[Chorus Reprise — soft, with harmonies]
D
Team of rivals, team of rivals
G
Bring the ones who challenge you
Bm
Listen close and learn the truth
G
Team of rivals, team of rivals
D
That’s the righteous thing to do
[Spoken Outro]
(Spoken over final resolving chords)
- Righteousness principle:
- Strength is not in silence.
- Strength is in listening to those who disagree.
- Build a team of rivals. Learn from them. Lead with them.
