Lyrics

Smash to Pieces

1. Muse 2. Lights 3. Sticky 4. Sam 5. Kick 6. City 7. MotherJudge

1369 Lights

1. Muse 2. Lights 3. Sticky 4. Sam 5. Kick 6. City 7. MotherJudge

Spy Love Box

1. Spy 2. Love 3. Box 4. Harder 5. Beatitude 6. Julia 7. Babylon (remix)

Babylon

1. Around1 2. Breathe 3. Nerve 4. Babylon 5. So 6. Holiday 7. Around2

Ones and Zeros

1. Digital 2. Camera 3. When 4. Heart 5. Perfect 6. Jennifer 7. Be 8. Fallen 9. Holy 10. Shine 11. Then 12. Now

Radio Plastic Jennifer

1. Anymore 2. Closer 3. Six 4. Liquefy 5. Tiresias 6. Interview 7. Cycle 8. One-Four 9. Watchtower 10. Smiling 11. Nomo

Smash to Pieces

smash to pieces

1. Reunion (3:44)

Hello!
How have you been?
Hello!
Who have you been?

Everybody’s dying right before our eyes
If I wait another minute it will be a lie
So I’mma hafta say this for the very last time:
“You look the same.”

Hello!
Where are you now?
(Oh yeah, that’s right, I knew that.)
Hello!
What are you know?

Everyone is dying right before our eyes
If I wait another minute it will be a lie
So I’mma hafta say this for the very last time:
“You have not changed.”

The clock tick-tocks to the hip hop rock and these kiddies is getting old!
But the real story ain’t even what I done told
The real story ain’t even what I ain’t done told
The real story is proving to be the choosing of what’s told and untold for the story to unfold
The choosing, the spin, the losing, the win
The decisions and indecision a million revisions
Spitting a vision with imprecision
I’m looking in your eyes trying to read your minds trying to see
I’m squirmin’ to determine what in hell it is you wants me to be

This is how I have been.
This is who I have been.
This is where I have been.
This is what I have been.
This is how I have been.
This is who I have been.
This is where I have been.
This is what I have been.

Everybody’s dying right before our eyes.
We said we look the same for the very last time.
To say it once again would just be a lie.
We’re too late to save.

Amazing just how quickly one minute goes by
I can no longer look directly in your eyes
So I take a drink and stare into my glass of wine
As if it’s my grave.

Hello!

I don’t want this groove to end y’all.

2. Cake (2:44)

You got the megaphone
You got the behind
You got the je ne sais quoi
I’m losing my mind

I could try to talk you out of it
But it’s to no avail
So for the sake of my faith
I’m hoping you fail

This ain’t about me
This ain’t about you
It’s the United States of Have Our Cake and Eat It Too

I couldn’t get away with it
Even with this hair
But you could take off with it
It could make you a millionaire

If I put myself out there like that
They’d put me under the jail
So for the sake of my faith
I’m hoping you fail

This ain’t about me
This ain’t about you
It’s the United States of Have Our Cake and Eat It Too

Everybody wanna be,
No one wanna be one.
Everybody wants a pass.

I’m hoping you fail
For the sake of my vanity
For the sake of my sanity
For the sake of humanity
For the sake of the wine
For the sake of the host
For the sake of the Father,
the Son and the Holy Ghost
For the sake of my faith
For the sake of the cake

This ain’t about me
This ain’t about you
It’s the United States of Have Our Cake and Eat It Too

3. Souls (2:44)

I don’t want to sell no souls
I don’t want to sell no souls tonight
I don’t want to sell no souls
Least of all not mine

I don’t want to crush no souls
I don’t want to crush no souls tonight
I don’t want to crush no souls
Least of all not mine

Is it too much to presume
That I even have a soul?

Look at me.

So if you’ve ever saved a soul
If you’ve ever saved a soul
If you’ve ever saved a soul
Stay away from
Don’t come here go
Stay away from…. mine.

Aaaaahhhhhhhhhh.

4. Revolution (3:16)

Stand down.
Relinquish weapons.
Celebrate.
All you silly poseurs.
Stand down.
Get to steppin’.
Celebrate.
Your revolution’s over.

Revolution over.

It was good enough to make you feel all warm inside.
It was the good stuff. Such a feel-good war.
It was good enough to help us pass the time.
It was good enough for who it was for

It was for you.

Revolution over.

All of our efforts to organize with our eyes on the prize
countering the lies of those who despise us
even as they kiss us and kiss us
we the 21st century Sisyphus Sisyphus
rocking and rolling the rock up the hill
boulder getting bolder soul rock rocking your soul
and the wide sea ebbs and flows
sea is wide and the sun rise high and sets east and west
and over and over and further and closer
hallelujah glory and glory
it’s the same old samo story story
over and over and over and over and
Revolution over.

This time the bad guys won
Sell the wife. Sell the house. Sell the car. Sell the kids.
Forget it.
Run for your lives.
Revolution over.

5. Pieces (4:55)

This is part one of a three part love song.
This is part one of a three part love song.
This is the first part.

It’s in parts. She dropped it to the floor and it broke.
We just have to wait and see
It’s an art to put it back together and hope.
All the queen’s ladies sing

Songs can smash to pieces
Songs can smash to pieces
Souls are mending. The chords are descending.
The first part is ending.

This is part two of her three part love song.
This is part two of her three part love song.
It’s a lot like the first part.

And she knows how this will end, yes she knows
We just have to wait and see
She will go. That’s how it ends. She will go.
All the queen’s ladies sing

Songs can smash to pieces
Songs can smash to pieces
Souls are mending. The chords are descending.
The song is not ending.

This is part four of her three part love song
This is part four of her three part love song
She’s skipping the third part

And she knows how it must end so she goes
She’s skipping the third part
And she knows how it must end so she goes
She’s skipping the worst part
New beginnings
She’s skipping the ending
New beginnings
She’s skipping the ending
To get to beautiful
It’s perfectly ordinary
To get to beautiful
It’s perfectly ordinary

This is the end of a three part love song.

She knows how it must end so she fades it out.

One Three Six Nine

1. MUSE

Johnny Luke is spooked cuz good ‘n plenty Jenny don’t come around here no more He brings his camera to the open mic Wednesday night, he wanna get inside her drawers He’s still using film and the kids are all laughing but they’re so easy to ignore He peers inside the viewfinder but she never comes through the door Julia say she saw Jennifer corner of Albany and Steuben Jive icky bicky sticky sticky to the icky if she’s tricky turning tricks again Jennifer swears she ain’t been around town, she’s been traveling all over the world You can take the girl out of Schenectadyu but you can’t get it out of the girl Red and white blue neglige and six-inch high heel shoes If you see her, she’s a runaway. She’s the muse. Sweet delicious Jen, where the hell you been? I just can’t drink you off my mind. It really hurts my head just thinking ’bout your legs, Your behind is almost as fine as mine. Jennifer I’m dying. Where have you been hidin’? I really wanna be your man. I know you really love me, more than just a junkie. More than just a one night stand. You’re me. You’re mine. Jesus say he saw Jennifer tryin’ to wash sticky blood off her hands Lady Mac knick knack paddy whack same name try to blame it on her man Lady Mac? That’s whack! Othello is her fellow. She’s down with Desdemona, ya know. But if she sees her man with a pillow in his hands She’ll take him out like Cleopatra Jones! Red and white blue neglige and six-inch high heel shoes If you see her, she’s a runaway. She’s the muse. Neglige by Betsy Ross and six-inch high heel shoes If you see her, she’s lost. She’s the muse. She’s the muse. Radiator tatoos. We want our black music funky But Uncle Tom is just a junky Strung out in heaven’s high…

2. LIGHTS

My hole is warm and full of light. Yes it is full of light. There’s no brighter spot in all of New York than this hole of mine. This does not exclude Broadway. Or the view from the Empire State These two spots are among the darkest in our so-called civilization… culture. I have one-thousand three-hundred sixty-nine lights There’s only one radio I plan to have five Playing the same song at once to overcome the acoustical deadness Pour me some sloe gin Over vanilla ice cream As Louis bends his military instrument into a beam of lyrical sound I have one-thousand three-hundred sixty-nine lights So I fight Light & Power with light This is how the world moves. No arrow. No spiral. Prepare for the boomerang of history. Keep a steel helmet handy. Immature poets imitate. Mature poets steal. I stole that from Eliot. I stole it just to prove him wrong. I have one-thousand three-hundred sixty-nine lights Truth is light. Truth is light.

3. STICKY

Baby I wanna kiss you Baby I’ll be right with you As soon as I clean my hands I’ll make you a man So sticky, my hands are so sticky. To undo my unsexing You must first undress me Do not hide your face Screw your courage to the sticking place So sticky the place is so sticky The Thane of Fife he had a wife But I’m the wife who gave Mac the knife Long live the king, the king is dead Come to bed, to bed, to bed Come to bed with me it’s gettin’ kinda sticky Come to bed now for the sticky to the icky My mama is gonna be proud Picture me wearing a crown Mama your sweet little, sweet little girl Is gonna be the queen of the whole damn world I’m the queen. I’m the queen. Look at me mama, I’m the queen. Look at me mama, my man is a man One little spot of blood on my hands I’m the queen. The hurly-burly’s done The battle’s lost and won. Long live the king he’s dead But the seas have all gone red So sticky the blood is so sticky For want of my man to be the man Can’t get this spot out my pretty hand All the per-fume in Arabia Ain’t got no hope of savin’ ya All the perfume in Babylon Ain’t gonna make this stink be gone

4. SAM

They call me Uncle Sam Wilson’ I used to live down on Ferry Street But now I spend all of my days in a grave on the hill And I look down on the town of today and it’s scaring me The white girls from Troy are birthing black boys With names like Dashawn and Malik and Leroy I was born in 1776 That makes me 10 years more wise, beyond the birth of a nation And ten years more surprised by all the miscegenation I was born in 1776 These days the white girls from Troy are birthing black boys With names like Dashawn and Malik and Leroy Fulfilling incentive for public assistance They wait for black daddies to get out of prison And a baby boy’s wide eyes absorb the tv light He’s watching R-rated movies, up way past his bedtime In the next room his grandmama’s dropping her n-bombs Each day he grows bigger and bigger He’s getting too big for Troy. Maybe one day still he will rest on the hill Looking down on the town on the souls left to save On the souls of the damned as he rots in his grave Like his Uncle Sam They parade through the streets on a Sunday in September It’s all in my name but they do not remember That the stars and the stripes on the flag that they wave Mean much more than they’d like and I turn in my grave The white girls from Troy are birthing black boys With names like Dashawn and Malik and Leroy I pray these white girls from Troy will one day give a damn Get back to birthing white boys. Maybe even name ’em Sam

5. KICK

It would be so perfect if she kicked his behind I knew that y’all would change your minds It would be so perfect if she kicked his behind And I’m kicking myself My red white and blue girl… was just a tease I should have known. It would be so perfect if she kicked his behind You tried to sell him in 0-4 but you was just selling yourself As the true red and white and blue and ebony and ivory kumbaya You the auctioneer the overseer I didn’t have the scratch to match the high bid If you truly do not see no color Why you always try to sell a brother – up until Fake facts from the fake hacks talking smack Made him more black gave you a heart attack Talking smack bout God and country This shit is getting ugly Should I step outside the center or Fight like hell to redefine it What should I say? What should I do? Can any of y’all handle the truth? Or is it just typical reaction typical distraction Talk about so-called in the affirmative action You scared of Reparation retribution black revolution While Dick and your boy George eat the Constitution You fear a black golden rule To make you fuss and cuss If it do unto y’all what y’all been doin’ to us Back of the bus. Back of the bus. Back of the bus. Doin’ to y’all what y’all been Doing to Afghanistan Doing to Iraq Iran Half full half a man Half empty half-rican No we cain’t, yes we can Kick the can American Kick the can. It would be so perfect if she kicked his behind Excuse me while I lose my mind It would be so perfect if she kicked his behind

6. CITY

Your baby sister’s chilling, MotherJudge is singing Babylon and Revelation 17 Queen Odetta’s Glory Hallelujah is So serene… But now you’re in the city without me babe. How you dig the city without me babe? We could have taken in a Broadway show as part of your visit “Passing Strange,” I know you’d dig it It’s your Daddy’s life story – and yours Before you’ve even lived it But now you’re in the city without me babe. How you in the city without me babe? Baby sister’s digging music here in Washington Park New York City never sleeps but it sho gets dark To do the right thang in this summer of Sam Grab a cap and mic and follow me if you can Times Square lights are so pretty at night But I’m telling you the city is dark inside Cuz in the Seven-0 the Five-0 done “broke a man down” And a man with a wallet is taking 41 rounds And the colored orphans and the mob they fled And the Stonewall Girls are beat upside their heads And the Triangle Shirt girls fall thud dead And 3000 souls all fall thud dead And two tall towers fall thud dead And on a pile of ashes in a hole downtown The megaphone man drags Liberty down I hope you dig the city without me, babe. I hope you dig the city without me, babe. I hope you dig the city without me, babe. I know you’ll dig the city without me, babe.

7. MOTHERJUDGE

There’s a party going on at Tess’ Every Wednesday night Of the “Best of” hers is The Bestest Mother Judge’s Open Mic If you need a drummer I betchya Candlen can You could have Mitch on guitar and Albie on bass And Sten will add some flava on mandolin They gonna wreck the place Or Mr. Brodeur can be your one-man power trio He plays guitar, bass and drums at the same time He’s in twenty-nine bands so yours will make an even three-oh But his review may call you out for your lame rhymes There’s a party going on at Tess’ Every Wednesday night Of the “Best of” hers is The Bestest Mother Judge’s Open Mic In the back of the room there is chatter That Rosanne will show or even Powhida But when Mother takes the mic nothing else matters It’s all about: Sweet Caroline And Mother Judge’s Open Mic is like open arms… Yes she welcomes you with open arms tonight But when she opens her mouth she don’t need the mic A voice loud and proud like her beauty mark It’s calling past the bar, out the door of the Lark They hear it across the street in the Lionheart It’s giving Moses the chills up in Washington Park Down Madison past the old Palais digs Steamrolling past Eliot and Silda’s crib The voice of heaven, the song of God’s daughter Over 787 to the Hudson waters And the Hudson’s love takes it all the way down To New York City Manhattan Town This voice so pretty it lifts like magic Over New York City where they wish they had it. Where did our scene go? Where can we sing our songs? I think Annine knows. She says: “Mother Judge has had it all along.” But will it be worth it? Will it be as good as I remember it? It’s making me nervous… And I know that the antidote to my suburban loneliness is just a few miles down Delaware to her society of urban holinesss – where Mr. Bob Buckley knows every song written since 1965 – where Mr. Troy Pohl is going electric tonight – where Ms. Abdou is up on the TV screen coming in live from the other side of the world via satellite – where Mr. Sevayega rolls in to rock at 1 o’clock a.m. he’s on C.P. time. But for this here crazy hair four-eyes brace-face big black behind havin’ semi-retired from the music so-called business thirty-somethin’ somethin’ pushin’ forty union webmaster by day husband and daddy by night chilling cold chilling free to be put in a cage livin’ in the acoustic soul rock ‘n roll capital of the world – a.k.a Delmar… it’s just a 14-minute drive – – To the party going on at Tess’ Every Wednesday night Of the “Best of” hers is The Bestest Mother Judge’s Open Mic

SPY LOVE BOX

1. SPY

I’mma gonna hafta sing one more song about it. High alert code yellow little white lie Pretty little girl is in disguise Got a fake passport and a dossier On a mission impossible every day Never shoot to kill because All she gots is a license to love A little girl will save the world from itself Be strong don’t you cry Pretty little girl is daddy’s little spy Daddy was a spy, too 99 percent just code word nuance And little white lies, too But every now and then they’d get their truth on Daddy’s heart go boom They’d be talkin’ ’bout niggers like I wasn’t in the room Never shot to kill because All I gots is a license to love A little girl will save the world from itself Be strong don’t cry Pretty little girl is daddy’s little spy She gots to call ’em on it It’s the only way to save the world She gots to shout it out It’s the only way to save the world from People on the right, people on the left And everyone in between need to check yourself People on the right, people on the left God Bless America check yourself Daddy’s little spy she didn’t wanna hear about it Daddy’s little spy tried to cover her ears about it But her hands ain’t big enough to block to sound Daddy’s little spy wanna cry out loud. Pretty girl just nods and smiles Just like Daddy keep it all inside She whispers prayers for the world Daddy’s spy is just a little girl Whisper prayers for the world Daddy’s little spy is daddy’s little girl

2. LOVE (American Style)

Would I forgive you for all that you say, Would I forgive you for all that you do, Would I get on my knees and pray, If I did not love you? Would I wipe all tears from my face, Would I forgive you of all your untruths, Would I get on my knees and taste, If I did not love you? Kissing me into submission. Artfully stroking my face. I’m gon assume the position. Affix that love to your waist. Some days I’m sure she’d do anything for my love Some days I’m sure she do not even want my love I need to tell y’all the truth of this but the truth confounds I don’t mean to be scarin’ ya but me and Miss America been messin’ around You look so good on paper Centerfold constitution Hold me until I feel safer Loving me is the solution Open your eyes as you kiss me Don’t picture nobody else Open your mouth as you kiss me Speaking in tongues kiss and tell Of all of the lovers before me The ladies and gents you have done Tomorrow I know you’ll ignore me And tonite you will not even get us there Tonite you will not even get us there In spite of your efforts to get us there Tonite neither one of us will come. And still I’ll love you.

3. BOX

They put Jesus’ brother Jimmy in a box Big brother got the crucifix But that was too grand for this heretic So they just stoned him And they laid the body in a cave then And they waited and they prayed then For the Saviour to come back and save him They were hoping Big Brother Nazareth Would come back and pull another Lazarus But faith is only good for three-sixty-five And they knew they’d never see him again alive So they put his dust and ashes in a box. We look to the brother To save us from sin Look to the brother Instead of within They buried him south of the Mount of Olives. And there he lay two-thousand years. ‘Til we unearthed him to remind us Big brother’s return was drawing near. Jimmy ain’t believe it his own self Till big brother come back the first time Him and Doubting Tommy got the hard sell Got the proof when the Lord let his light shine I believe, I believe y’all But these days it ain’t enough These days I’m believing y’all He’s given up on us Too many sinners For one man to save So He’s up and left us Spinning in space The party continues Beyond the one-nine-nine-nine And there is no rapture No ending divine He will not drown us in the oceans No wrath to mark the end of time No blood no flood no fire or famine We’re killing each other just fine

4. HARDER

This ain’t no call to end blackness But a player has got to be played It’s hurts to be shovelin’ dirt y’all To be calling a spade a spade Baby. You make it harder for the rest of us. Harder than you’ve ever had it Selling the rest of us out In less than New York minute Burning down your master’s house While the rest of us niggers still be in it. Baby. Bein’ a martyr don’t make you the best of us. JB. You make it harder for the rest of us. Harder than you’ve ever had it I’m just trying to understand The New York Times’ effect on this man. Gonna turn it around. Gonna turn it around. ABCDEFG HIJKLMNOP QRS&TUV W. Wipe that smug smile off of your face girl. W. This here’s about much more than race girl. W. I can’t b’lieve you been making a pass at me (and my people) W. You misunderstand the word ‘compassionately’ I’m thinking we got different Jesuses Mine preaches love and understanding and forgiveness Mine preaches strength comes through humility Yours is all hellfire vengeance futility My Jesus never preached that might makes right My Jesus wonders how you sleep at night My Jesus weeps when you use his book to justify Sending our boys and girls in uniform to kill and die He said: “The meek shall inherit the earth” He said: “The meek shall inherit the earth” He said: “The meek shall inherit the earth” Ashes to ashes and dirt to dirt. W. You make it harder for the rest of us. W. You make it harder for the rest of us. Harder than you’ve ever had it. Somewhere a little boy is struggling with thangs you ain’t never had to deal with. Somewhere a little boy is trying his damnedest just to get by.

5. BEATITUDE

If Jesus hates fags If Jesus hates Jews If Jesus hates Arabs Could Jesus hate you? We all fall down We all fall down We all fall down And it will come back around If Jesus loves nigger haters If Jesus loves Jew baiters If Jesus loves Crusaders Could Jesus love me, too? We all fall down We all fall down We all fall down And it will come back around He died trying to explain it to y’all He died trying to explain it to y’all He died trying to explain it to y’all And it’s killing me. Blessed are the poor, for theirs is heaven Blessed are the merciful for they shall have mercy Blessed are the meek for they shall inherit the earth Blessed are the peacemakers. The peacemakers are the children of God But she opens the Book of George She turns to chapter W She seeks to justify a stupid, stupid, stupid war My Jesus wept! Oh, doesn’t that trouble you? But some of the people some of the time And some of the people some of the time. And some of the people some of the time And 59 million people all of the time. We all fall down We all fall down We all fall down We all fall down And the meek shall inherit the earth “I’m gonna try and break it down into a language he can understand: this is to the son of a president from the son of a preacher man.” 14 Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. 16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven. 43 Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy. 44 But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; 45 That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust. 48 Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect. But perfect would be too good for you Hatred is not a moral value. Lying is not a moral value. Torture is not a moral value. War is not a moral value.

6. JULIA

No sooner do the words “no blood no flood” pass from my lips And two tracks later begin the apocalypse Sending little brown boys and girls into a water grave And who does Buddah Allah Jesus save? Is this our due, Lord, are you gettin all Old Testament? I apologize for prayin for indifference Instant karma come and get me It’s a struggle believing. When everyone’s trying to rule ya In a garden of Eden Winston’s waiting for Julia And I don’t know which book to believe no more Matthew Mark or Luke or John – or George… Oh… well. 1 to the 9 to the 8 to the 4 And we have always been at war. So Winston: step out into pools of gold where the boughs part. Up the lane through dappled light and shade you make your way. The ground is misty with bluebells. The air seems to kiss your skin. It’s the second of May. But tell me Winston was she worth the wait? You musta had to know she would eventually capitulate Couldya read between her lines even before you been with her? No Julia: I’m gonna stick with Jennifer. But it’s a struggle believing. When everyone’s trying to fool ya In a garden of Eden Winston’s waiting for Julia And everything you know All that you understand Julia takes your trembling hand She’s gonna crush that mountain of your knowledge into sand In the rush the space between your faith and this new place And you want it, and you don’t want it And you want it, and you don’t want it… Anticipate… the anticipation… Play your guitar, Jennifer, darling Ain’t no concedin No more lettin them fool ya In the garden of Eden Winston’s waitin’ for julia Dear Jean Luc. Send me a sign. Dear Jennifer. Send me a sign. Dear Julia. Send me a sign. Somebody help me now Dear Daddy Can you send me a sign? Dear Daddy Can you help my light to shine? It’s gettin’ me down, the state of this world Help me raise this little baby girl And the answer is the one thing I already know And I usually hear it inside of a little girl’s laugh Daddy’s saying: “You had it right 11 songs ago. Third record: the third verse, of the third track.” “Remember what Jesus said Don’t worry ’bout no Julia Remember what Jesus said Just sing halelujah.”

4. BABYLON (acoustic remix)

Hallelujah! Glory glory! We pray for new Jerusalem, but it’s the same old story. Babylon the Great. Drunk on the blood of saints. Drunk on the blood of martyrs. Wherefore did y’all marvel? Babylon the Harlot. Done up in purple and scarlet. And gold and jewels and pearls abomination and fornication and seven heads and seven kings and seven nations and seven mountaintops to sing and shout from about how this is the end, y’all. This is the way the world ends not with a bang not with a whimper it’s something more simpler it’s something more sinister sinister slowly but surely again and again and again it’s the same old story. ‘And the woman thou sawest is that great city which reigneth over the kings of the Earth.’ We pray for new Jerusalem, but it’s the same old story. Hallelujah, glory glory!

BABYLON

1. AROUND1

I’m here to testify that she’s been messing around. America, the dragon chase is gaining ground. And you know it’s gonna come back around. She’s been working it in a Betsy Ross skirt. She’s been working it in a red white and blue skirt. She’s shaking it left to right so hard it hurts. And she swings her behind like she knows it’s too big for the Planet Earth. And Harry Belafonte sings a sad, sad song about it. Mama’s getting on Papa to write the baby a song. She wants a pretty song. A lullaby. But he’s taking so long. Cuz these days the inspiration is wrong. Lord have mercy on us all.

2. BREATHE

Doctor says it’s easier if you breathe through it. Doctor says it’s easier if you breathe. Easy for him to say he got no need to do it. Easy for him to say he got no need. And it’s coming in fast, and it’s coming in clean. It’ll kick your ass if you forget to breathe. Baby, baby it can’t be so bad. It can’t be any much worse than the TV news. It can’t be worse, it can’t be any sadder than the planet you’re pushing this pickaninny into. Easy for me to say. Easy for me to sing. Why you giving me that look? Have you forgotten to breathe? Earth Wind Fire Water Father Son and Holy Ghost. You and me and baby makes three. Ain’t it the most? Ha ha ha hee hee. If I were you I’d much rather drink through it. I’d rather have a big glass of red wine. And chase it with pills or something even stronger. But even then I bet it would kick my big black behind. But not you, babe. You’re the strong one. So baby remember to breathe. Baby remember to breathe through it.

3. NERVE

Dear Bryan: This is Jean-Luc. And I’m here to explain to you that you’ve got some nerve. I ain’t afraid of it. And I sleep well at night. And it’s just like smack if you do it right. Nerve you got some nerve you don’t deserve us you observe us and pervert us you pre-vert you got some nerve. Dear Bryan: This is Jennifer. And I’m here to explain to you that you’ve got some nerve. You say you wanna love me. You say you wanna lick it. Well brother I bet you do! Cuz I know who you really are and what you’re all about. And as the joke goes: “If you could reach, you wouldn’t leave the house.” Nerve you got some nerve you don’t deserve us you observe us and pervert us you pre-vert you peeping Thomas peeping doubting peeping Thomas cherry bomb us peeping voyeur boy enjoy play with your toy you voyeur boy you got some nerve. Nerve you got some nerve you don’t deserve us you observe us and pervert us you pre-vert you peeping Bryan doubting Thomas peeping Thomas cherry bomb us peeping voyeur boy enjoy play with your toy you’re playing poking stroking peeping penetrating poking where you don’t belong in song in song you got it wrong Serena song you got it wrong you got some nerve! Dear Bryan: This is Jesus! And I oughta bust your ass. But I ain’t about that. You got it all wrong. You and your tiny song. So the next time you’re so inspired. Next time you got the fire. Just sing hallelujah. Sing hallelujah. Sing hallelujah. Sing!

4. BABYLON

5. SO

And she says: “Zoe means life. That would make a beautiful name for our baby daughter.” She says this as I put my ear to her belly to hear the life growing therein. So I say: “How can you be so sure it’s a daughter? It sounds to me like a little man is swimming inside you.” And she says: “Cuz Jesus promised me a little girl. Another man in this family would just exacerbate the mess we’re in.” So I look her in the eye and I ain’t certain if she’s trying to tell me she loves me or if she’s trying to tell me she’s been hurting. I don’t know which is worse, but either way: she persecutes me with her eyes. So lately I’m trying so hard to be so… So she says: “I am your wife, so black man you oughta.” She says this as I put my cheek to her belly to feel the life growing therein. So she says: “Brotherman you need to get your act together and articulate some of what you’re keeping bottled up inside you.” Just as I’m about to respond to her, baby Zoe kicks me in the chin. So lately I’m trying so hard to be so… Anima rising. Uprising in me tonight. Anima rising. So what? Fidelis. Fidelis. Fidelis. So… So she says: “Darling, good night. I’ll wake you up if I break my water.” Still silent I recoil with a hand to my belly to feel the butterflies growing therein. So she puts out the light, puts a hand on my shoulder and puts two lips to my ear. It’s amazing what a kiss can do, cuz suddenly I have no fear. I know that’ll change in the morning, so: I’m gonna have to try harder so much harder to be so… very… so… completely… so… absolutely… so… good god…. So damn.

6. HOLIDAY

How’s he gonna reconcile if she’s born on this holiday while bombs burst in air to celebrate baby’s fall to Earth? Maybe colors in the sky at night will be enough to amplify the joy in a mixed emotion baby birth. Her Papa picked a good one – he was born on Mama’s Day while San Francisco marched for Huey’s freedom at the nation’s door. Baby coulda dropped on Juneteenth for her Daddy, but six-one-nine is sometimes as false to him as seven-four. Is it a holiday if Alice don’t celebrate, if Alice don’t even need one? Is this a holy day or a trample the lowly day – a mockery of true freedom? As if to please her Daddy, she does not arrive on the holiday while bombs burst in air on this Fourth of July. Daddy puts an ear to Mama’s belly and baby answers all of his questions. She’s singing: “This is a new day! So look to the sky. Just as these colors fall to Earth and four fades into five, Daddy, days can change in meaning over time.”

7. AROUND2

I’m here to testify that she’s been messing around. And you know that it will come back around. And round and round turntable deejay spin song in the key of life and Francis Scott. Scratch spin ’til fingers raw and we think raw means real so we be real quick to drop them drawers, them red, white and blue drawers. Richard is the rawest mother in the business (oldest profession), but Richard is raw for the right reasons. Richard is raw to teach lessons. Point finger happy trigger crazy nigger turn gun on self aim first the head mind brain think aim next the chest heart pain stink foul rag and bone shop. Stop. Feel the gun. Test it. “The next man that moves and the nigger gets it!” Bang! Drip drop blood bleed soul. And so, like Richard (now wheelchair bound because no good deed goes unpunished), let’s roll. And still I love her, and still I ask my God to bless her but she don’t want my love. She wants new lover same old same old. She licks this lover but he don’t even lick back. I will lick back. I will lick her back. I will lick her neck. I will lick until she forgets September because she remembers it the wrong way. She remembers broke nail stocking run mascara chase black tear down cheek. She’s weak. She thinks the hurt is hers and hers alone so alone she takes a breath. And Harry Belafonte sings a sad, sad song about how these niggers be fucking each other to death. And she wants this death without the fucking so she walks these nigger streets in her red white and blue skirt with an ass too big for the Planet Earth and a heart not big enough. She walks these nigger streets like she ain’t working them. She walks these nigger streets like she’s above niggers. She walks these nigger streets like her high heels don’t touch the nigger sidewalk. She walks these nigger streets like these nigger chilluns ain’t her own flesh and blood. Mulatto. Quadroon. Octoroon. These monster nigger chilluns from the black lagoon. These nigger chilluns be the pickaninny proof of a self and a soul she don’t want to know. So elsewhere looking she goes. At night. Sidewalk. Street light. Car slows. Window rolls. Eyes meet. No words. They know. He parks. Gets out. And into the alley they go. “Relax. Lean back,” she says but he don’t want to mess up his suit leaning on the side of building still wet with yesterday’s rain. She wants it slow and sacred like new religion but he needs to hurry home to tuck his kids in. So no relax no make it last take hold the hair and bring it fast like summer into fall and she likes it this way after all this quicker path to bomb burst blast lips kiss blown to bits mouth and teeth and spit bomb burst in air the proof she’s there on her cheek in her hair this speed seed spill spunk drip drop down death doom disgrace this seed has no womb to chase while soundtrack car passing boom bass boom bass boom bass. He fixes his belt, aloof. Reaches in his pocket for the real proof: Lincoln and Lincoln fall to alley floor, lust to wet dust, her rate per minute, her hands and fingers in it. But that ain’t all: he smirks, and Washington falls. She smiles thinking she’s made his bomb blast one louder. In truth it’s just his little joke and either way it’s just junk, just her next spunk junk fix takes her to temporary heaven. Hers goes to eleven unlike her heart. Indifferent lover then departs. So Myth America stoops to folly and paces the nigger streets again, alone; smoothes her weave with automatic hand, and hits redial on her mobile phone. Sun up. Time to sleep. Time to dream green jism dreams ’til nighty fight she wakes to walk the streets again. To walk and wait in unreal Myth America unreal nigger city nigger town when spunk junk trick comes back around when spunk junk trick comes back around. And around. And around. And I’m here to testify that she’s been messing around. And you know that it will come back around.

ONES AND ZEROS

1. DIGITAL

Dear Jean-Luc. Don’t be afraid. I’m scared, too, but don’t be afraid. It ain’t heroin. It ain’t mescaline. It ain’t criminal. It’s just digital. No doubt. No time. No past. No rewind. No more heroines. No more heroes. It’s just digital. Ones and zeros. Jean-Luc you’ve got nothing to fear. It ain’t going to sum you up like you did Lear. Because you didn’t even read it, but you sure as hell did see it. Light through plastic flicker Ran reveal daughter defying her daddy Cordelia sing nothing is nothing is nothing is nothing is nothing is nothing is. Mr. Brody’s going to sum you up in a single sentence anyway. So dear Jean-Luc , if you die today, go out playing the fiddle. Go out just like Nero. No digital! No ones and zeros! Jean-Luc you got nothing to fear. I couldn’t make it through the remake with Mr. Gere. But you skipped the epiphany. Deleted decision from sympathy devil down dirge into tribal dance one plus one two plus two nothing is nothing is everything nothing is everything nothing is everything everything is. It’s just digital. Ones and zeros. It’s just fingers. Lady fingers. Of flipping birds engagement mood rings, fingers fail me. Nothing is nothing is everything nothing is everything nothing is everything everything everything is cinema.

2. CAMERA

These movies all the same. Moving pictures effing lame. Sticky seats and floors. Tissue dreams. Seem insignificant. Hi ho silver screen. Junk blonde and her pretty boy. Junk blonde make a pretty noise. A purr. A whisper. A wince. A sigh. So beautiful. I close my eyes. If she would only kiss him. Have camera would direct. I’d give these perverts what they’d least expect. Half of making love is the love. I would exploit the love. She puts one knee to her chest. Fingers dance across her neck. Her red eyes close. She parts the lips a bit. She gives the sky a kiss. And I’ve got the whole world in my hands. If she would only kiss him. If she’s going to get with him, hell she might as well kiss him. Kiss the camera. Lick the lens. If she would only kiss him I could come. I could go home and kiss my wife. Tuck the kids in. Put out the light. Tomorrow back to nine to five. Tomorrow smothers. I could come.

3. WHEN

When my time comes, I will not be strong. When my time comes, it won’t take too long. I’ll just have tears to fight it. I will quick collapse. Ain’t no time for heroes. Ain’t no time for heroes. When. All them strong ones? They don’t know no better. I will not be strong. But until then.

4. HEART

I got a big heart. Some days being good gets boring. Some days ain’t got no meaning. Good girl I want to get you soon. You’re such a good girl. You want to save the world. Some days I want you in the morning. Some days I want you in the evening. But every day I want you in the afternoon. You’re such a good girl. You want to save the world. You got a big heart. I got a big heart, too. You got a big heart. I got nothing to prove. I got a big heart. It’s a big heart. It’s so big. It’s got arms and legs and feet and fists. It’s going to bust wide open. It’s going to bust out my chest and get you. I got me a big heart. It’s got big cartoon eyes. Big yellow nigger eyes like a Randy Newman Capetown Christmas. Big eyes see through this big fat chest and see right through you. You been lying girl. I got me a big heart. It’s my little big man. I ride shotgun. He drives the car. He don’t talk much. He sure don’t whine about it. If he got something to say he just plays that guitar. You’re such a good girl. You want to save the world. But the world will end one day. We will all die anyway. You’re such a good girl. But you’ll never save the world. Save the world. [Heart.]

5. PERFECT

I never considered him a pretty man. I never much liked his attitude. I never cared for his silly songs. I never considered him a pretty man. At least not as much as you did. And that’s what you want. And that’s what you need. Perfect would be too good for you. You need tension. You need mystery. You need drama. Perfect would be too good for you. I never thought he was very good to you. And you can tell him I said that. I always thought I was the one he had a crush on. I always thought he was using you to get to me. And while he’s pulling your hair and scratching your back, I bet I’m the one he’s picturing when you call out his name. And you can tell him I said that. Because if it’s even a little bit true, it’ll mess up his game with you. And that’s what you want. And that’s what you need. Perfect would be too good for you.

6. JENNIFER

Jennifer. Jennifer. They say you ain’t black enough. They say you ain’t white enough. They don’t know. Jennifer. Jennifer. How do Uncle Sam want his black girls? How do Uncle Tom want his white girls? Uncle Tom and Uncle Sam and Jagger ain’t got the jam. What do they know? You think you’re too big for Schenectady? You think you’re too big for Schenectady? You think you’re too big for Schenectady? You ain’t big enough. Jennifer. Jennifer. Does a soul cracker make nigger rock does a soul cracker make nigger rock? They don’t know. Jennifer. Jennifer. naked lady no head giant butt big leg big feet big foot big boot boots are made for kicking ass butt ass made to walk and made to run but she can’t fly fly fly fly fly fly fly fly fly fly unless she buy a ticket to ride maybe Mary Poppins um-buh-rella Cinderfella getting high yella yella anymore closer six liquefy tiresias interview one fo cycle smile nomo she’s the Staziak crazy black negrolomaniac so funky even Mr. Hanson dancing dancing in the streets zen Jen just be taste delicious viciously drop da bomb flame muse she’s my muse flame fire bandit can you stand it stand it stick it stick it super califragi lick it lick it lick it lick it lick it lick it Jennifer! Jennifer! Let me love you Jennifer! You think you’re too big for Schenectady? You think you’re too big for Schenectady? You think you’re too big for Schenectady? You think you’re too big for Schenectady? You think you’re too big for Schenectady? You think you’re too big for Schenectady? You think you’re too big for Schenectady? You think you’re too big for Schenectady? You think you’re too big for Schenectady? You ain’t big enough.

7. BE

If one day I could everything, today I’m going to just be. Mario’s chilling in the zone, ‘Chasing Butterflies.’ Johnny’s killing ‘Boys with Guitars’ with a pickup band. Paddy sings ‘The Other Way,’ brings tear to eye. If I want this. If I need this. Maybe I could be this. If one day I could everything, today I’m going to just be. Of late like masturbation she’s all about the destination, not the getting there. If August kills, I must not sleep September. October. November. December. I must awake. I must alive. And anger. And temper. And passion. And love. If one day I could everything, today I’m going to just be.

8. FALLEN

I have fallen moonbeam space and sky. Freedom falling rushing down. Freedom falling Earth is rising up to meet me. We collide. Fallen to Earth on Sunday. Clawing through dirt on Monday. Tr ipping on the reasons why. Is it just to die? Prison is sky and womb is the Earth. Fingers claw through soil taste the dirt. And time and forever and time and freedom. We collide. Fallen to Earth on Sunday. Clawing through dirt on Monday. Tripping on the reasons why. Is it just to die? Everything is Savior. Everything is Lord.

9. HOLY

I am holy again. I had fallen. I am holy again. The Lord is calling. I’m going to bust that ass. I’m going to show you all. I am holy again. It is promised. For every Mary Magdalene. For every doubting Thomas. No more trifling ones and zeros. Just like Jesus I’m a black superhero. I’m going to bust that ass. I’m going to show you all. I am holy I have risen again. I’m going to bust that ass. Paddle it red.

10. SHINE

The boy just wants to end the hurt. So he takes his mama’s hand and steps inside the church. He marches right up to the front where his daddy used to preach. Peek inside the casket. Daddy’s fast asleep. Say goodbye. Bye-bye. Mama points out all the paintings of the saints up on the walls. She says: ‘See how they’re smiling down on you, boy? It’s going to be all right after all.’ But to the little boy these old white men ain’t smiling – they’re laughing. And beneath the organ and the out-of-tune piano he can hear them saying, ‘Boy, we got your daddy.’ Choir singing, ‘Shine, shine, shine.’ ‘Wake up, Daddy. Wake up, Daddy. They’re singing your song. Lead them, Daddy. Half of them are singing it wrong. Singing song about the Lord above. Song about the King. Wake up, Daddy. And sing.’ ‘This little light of mine. I’m going to let it shine. This little light of mine. I’m going to let it shine. Let it shine. Let it shine. Let it shine.’ The boy starts staring at a painting of the Holy Mother. She’s holding the baby Jesus in her arms. Angels fly above her. And she looks up out the painting to tell the little boy: ‘You think you got it bad? You ain’t the only one. Sure He took your daddy, but to save your soul, He took my baby son.’ The saints are all still laughing. Mother Mary heaves a sigh. The boy can’t take his eyes off of the baby Jesus. Above His head, a little circle of light. Let it shine.

11. THEN

One day it all will come home. One day it all will come back to me. One day it all will come home. But until then.

12. NOW

This is how you live it. This is how you live. Not then. Now. This is how you learn it. This is how you learn. Not then. Now. So you work it out. Three a.m. blue and red light flashing peek through curtain land on little boy and bedroom wall darkness three a.m. no sirens scream just blue and red light like 3D glasses cellophane and no police siren scream just voices next room & downstairs and blue and red light dancing darkness on little boy and bedroom wall and no siren scream just the sound just the sound the cellophane sound just the sound of little boy heart beat and beating and one day breaking and beating against bedroom wall drum beat dance beat heart beat dance with blue and red light 3D glasses cellophane dance three a.m. blue and red and red and blue heartbeat. So you work it out. This is how you be. This is who you be. Not then. Now.

RADIO PLASTIC JENNIFER

1. ANYMORE

news fall first to the ear of robin goodfellow. board the bus believe in nothing, believe in everything. shock but not surprise inside his eyes they say hello. curse the air vent village voice page blowin in the wind. meanwhile he sits inside the cell he’s been in all along. phone call make it time to take her home to come to terms. meanwhile silly boys and girls sing their silly simile songs. navel navel silly simile words. ‘isn’t love like this? isn’t love like this and this and that? ain’t the pain like this? it fall like rain like this and that and the other.’ what the hell’d he come here for if he don’t want to be here anymore? some love some hurt for (quote) quite sluggish sales (unquote he got one). some love some hurt some kill to sell out irving in an hour. some love some kurt some kill some die for son to ride their shotgun. or to give good autograph rapunzel record towers. if he wants to live then something has to give. if he wants to fly then something has to die. something he’ll discover. what the hell’d he come here for if he don’t want to be here anymore? frisch weh der wind der heima zu. mein african kind wo weilest du? hurry up please it’s time. why land when you can fly? next day tuesday open mic nite woodstock tinker town. levon’s setlist beneath the glass it should be inspiration. applause is good tonite but soon it’s gone i’m all alone. driving back up 87 it’s masturbation. it’s getting too late. i’m getting less alive. it’s getting too late tomorrow back to nine to five. tomorrow smothers. what the hell’d i come here for? i don’t need to be here anymore.

2. CLOSER

you’ve convinced me. he coulda been anyone. he coulda been anything. yeah you been fuckin round. but you’re so convincing. and you’re so lucky now that i’m forgiving. you say he meant nothing to ya. he was just something to do ya. now it’s over. maybe that’s what it takes for the love that we make to bring us closer. your pretty white boy with the pretty long hair. i swear i’m over it. i swear i don’t care. the shit ain’t killed us so we must be stronger. you say he meant nothing to ya. he was just something to do ya. now you’re sober. but you don’t need to take no time to regret the man cuz if in fact it proves to you that i’m the better man it just brings us closer. correct our love begin with a kiss. correct our love begin with the lips. come here turn around girl. i can’t look you in the face just yet. turn around girl. tonite it’s all about the back of your head. see the closest i can get to cheating myself is i gots to picture someone else. so turn around girl. i can’t look at you. here comes everything he could not be. i got everything he could not be. i am everything he could not be. i will remind you. now i’ve put your ass to sleep. i pray the lord your soul to keep. i pray the lord your soul to take. i pray you’ll die before i wake. i pray for fire famine flood. i pray he’ll turn the seas to blood. the earth to burn the sky to fall. i pray the lord to end it all. i pray for this to all be over. i pray for this to bring us closer i pray for this to all be over. i pray for this to bring us closer. i pray for this to bring us closer i pray for this to bring us closer.

3. SIX

of broken chords expensive guitars fingers fail me. of flipping birds engagement mood rings fingers fail me. and how many guitar licks before i understand? typically 1 2 3 4 5 6… six licks. of many miles inside her shoes feets don’t fail me. of ruby slipper fuck me pumps feets don’t fail me now. and how many miles before i feel? and how many clicks of ruby heels? and how many times must she kick my ass before i understand? typically 1 2 3 4 5 6… six kicks. on the sixth day my true love on the sixth day. six lords a leaping lord’s asleep lord’s a-napping but the lord’s a-comin back to whack the six six six six pipers puff a pipe puff a crack pipe load blow smoke a pipe smoke it smoke it stroke it ladies six ladies dance shake it in the hot pants six sick sallies dontchya dilly dally make the booty go boom six drummas make her cumma nigga bout the beat box big foot all about the one make the booty boom six maids milk a milkman milk a mailman junk mail junk bond milk michael milken six loretta lynn swan long duck dong donald daffy ugly ducklin women ugly swimmin women six geese a laying laid laying laid laying i like yo mama goose geezer wheezer wheezin gettin laid six golden onions golden nose golden moody mood ring around your planet ring around your collar collar collar six colly bird cauliflower collie lassie come home kiss her heels six times make your lassie come six french fry french guy french maid french dressing undress six french kisses kisses six turtle web design make a dove cry but this is what it sound like when a bry-bry make a web design a href equals head ache tee tee pee pee colon colon blowin blowin sue faludi backlash forward slash my guns and roses nigga dubble yoo dubble yo dubble you bryanthomas dot com six yellow moon danny moon danny boy danny six yellow moon danny dinsmore danny neet danny walsh yellow moon danny moon danny boy danny bona fide el duce danny partridge in a pear tree. of lollipops and lingerie i get tongue tied. of lollipops and lingerie i get tongue tied. and how many licks to the center of you? how many licks to the center of you? how many licks to the center of you? how many lollipop licks before you understand? typically 1 2 3 4 5 6… 1 2 3 4 5 6… six licks. here g-go the radio plastic jen-jen ask a nigga where he goin he tell you where he been been i been with jen six times here she be be feline funky jungle jazz sexy slippery bry-bry striptease take off all of my hipplery for the radical plastical sexical reciprical it’s the sound of jennifer gettin with me feline funky jungle jazz sexy slippery it’s gon justify it’s gon pacify it’s gon purify…

4. LIQUEFY

i shall fill your glass again. but this time drink it slowly. let the ice kiss your lips. let the ice touch the tongue. feel the cold. it come the cold. and then the burn. it justifies. it pacifies. it purifies. to liquefy. you know i love you. but after three and after four i love you more. i love you harder. i love you longer. i’ll do whatever it takes i will kneel to taste the wet there so slowly so slowly the longer it takes the better it feels when you get there. it justifies. it pacifies. it crucifies. to liquefy.

5. TIRESIAS

imagine that nothing is there. imagine a space. pick out a point at the top near the center. pick out a point to love indirectly. slowly to forget we’re not one. the wet will remind. feel out the space with the fingers. gently and let the love linger. until i am woman i can’t understand. tonite i’m her woman and she is my man. imagine that nothing’s not there. imagine a place. come the new nothing go slow as i enter. come the new nothing she lets me. slowly… to forget we’re not one. the sweat will remind. and there is no nothing to be afraid of. at last we will know what we’re made of. until she’s not woman we can’t understand. tonite love the woman as if she’s my man. all the party phobes rock the party all nite… and we measure our time with silly things. and we measure our lives with silly things. so measure me no more in gray scale. measure me only in rainbow. men do not know little girls understand. until i am woman i can’t be a man.

6. INTERVIEW

cranky elevator twenty-second floor. fourth wall fourth estater slip inside the door. lisa. l-l-l-lisa. she could ask me anything. i’d answer anything. but she ain’t saying nuthin. it’s her scoop it’s her exclusive. but she just stares at elevator buttons. kurt would not kick quiet. tabby would talk to me too. darling don’t deny it – you want this interview. cuz phillip had his marlo janey her trudeau maria had her arnold so let’s begin our show. if she ain’t gon talk i can pretend. so i pretend she starts to speak to me. she say: ‘are you vee-ache-none or empty-vee? are you the crossover king? do the comparisons all make you wince seal d’angelo former prince. prince you say? i dig him too. he’s the one i really want to interview. i mean other than you.’ maybe she’d put down her notebook. maybe she’d lean in closer. maybe she’d touch my shoulder. and maybe she would start to say: ‘do you do it all alone? do you do it on the phone? do you like to play with toys? do you like girls or boys? if we can not meet up later we can do it right here in the elevator. do you have a girlfriend? do you want a girlfriend? do you need a girlfriend? do you want me to be your girlfriend? maybe media can imitate life tonite.’ (here come the reality check…) i say, ‘don’t mean to trouble you i’m just looking for a job. i’m just looking for mister double yoo.’ so she say: ‘am i gonna have to call the cops?’ lisa when this dog’s day come not tabby neither kurt. lisa when fifteen fame come you will hear it first.

7. CYCLE

black boy in your arms and a lullaby. lullaby lies on the radio. it’s all good now – but soon you gonna hafta say goodbye. hold him close now. cuz soon you gonna hafta let go cuz this little boy is gonna make you cry one day. this little boy is gonna disappoint you baby’s eyes so wide they swallow up everything. baby’s eyes so wide they swallow up the whole world. and the boy got the good hair to kick the waves without the do rag. a pretty baby boy like that could grow up to be a threat to all the girls. but this little boy is gonna make you cry one day. this little boy is gonna disappoint you. your precious little boy is gonna die one day. your precious little boy is gonna die before you do. try to find yourself inside his eyes but all you see is his daddy. the sparkle soon to die inside his eyes is all the memory you have of his daddy. may i remind you what his daddy said? may i remind you what his daddy said? he said: ‘i know this can never really be love.’ as if to prove he was lying, there’s the little black boy in your arms. there’s the proof that there was love. but the cycle is so efficient now. killing cycle so efficient y’all. be glad it come quick it do not prolong the pain cuz soon there’ll be no more black babies at all if it get any more efficient nigger babies be born direct into the grave. so hold that l’il black boy in your arms tonite. hold him close to you pretend you never have to let go. yeah hold that l’il boy in your arms tonite. and listen to the lies on the radio. everything gonna be all right. amazing grace how sweet the sounds. everything gonna be all right. that saved a wretch like me…

8. ONE-FOUR

who you think you calling fool? i ain’t said the lord ain’t cool. but tee vee flash light end of time. tee vee scare between my thighs. tee vee flash light white like hell. flash filthy niggas doin’ for self. all god’s niggas soon be dead. gonna eat dead chilluns just like bread. eat ’em off the killing floor. i’m trying to get to twenty-three but i’m stuck on one-four. i think i’m ready for the psalm. i promise you i ain’t gonna want. least of all i don’t want to die. i just wanna ride my baby’s thighs. my baby loves me kinda rough. my baby loves me downside up. baby bounce me flip me over. i wanna lick my baby until october. right there on the kitchen floor. i’m trying to get to twenty-three but i’m stuck on one-four. the lord is my shepherd; i shall not want… the lord… the load asthma shipyard; ishmael net won’t. ham macon meat toe lake down on groin purse chairs. ham loadeth may bow seed them stale war tears; hoary star is mess soil. him loadeth me oath tresspass or white chestnuts fear haste norm’s sock; yo they eye rock three them volley eave them showdown if darth, ice show far nor orville, fare though wart white meat. though pear pour ester topple fear man anna maze; hem on oink eastman hard white towel; make up ron is hoover. charlemagne guard nasty moose say shell fowl lo mein al them dorsey may laugh, one day weld wheel on them horse after lard fear heaven… and i will dwell in the house of the lord forever. cuz i’m trying to get to twenty-three but i’m stuck on one-four.

9. WATCHTOWER

By Bob Dylan, adapted by Bryan Thomas, used by permission. ‘there must be some kind of way outta here,’ said the joker to the thief. there’s too much confusion. i can get no relief. businessman he drink my wine, plowman dig my earth. none of them along the line know what any of it’s worth.’ ‘no reason to get excited,’ the thief he kindly spoke. ‘there’s a couple here among us who think this life is just a joke. but you and i are hip to that. this is not our fate. so let us not talk b.s. now the hour is getting late.’ all along the watchtower princes kept the view. eleven lords a-leapin. barefoot servants too. outside in the distance a pussycat meows. two riders are approaching. two riders are approaching. two horsemen are approaching. and the wind… december wind… begins to howl. halelujah.