Harlem Blues

Say Hey

Knocked Out Of The Box

Again Never

Mo' Better Blues

Pop Top 40

Beneath The Underdog

Jazz Thing

Harlem Blues (Acapulco Version) .......... Cynda Williams / Branford Marsalis / Kenny Kirkland / Robert Hurst / Jeff 'Tain' Watts / Terence Blanchard

You can never tell what's in a man's mind
And if he's from Harlem, there's no use of even tryin'
Just like the tide, his mind comes and goes
Like March weather, when he'll change
Nobody knows, nobody knows

The man I love, well, he just turned me down, he's a Harlem brown
Oftimes I wish that I were in this ground, six feet underground
He idolized me, as no other could, no, no
Then he surprised me, leavin' me a note sayin' he's gone for good
Gone for good...

And since my sweetie left me,
Harlem, well, it ain't the same old place
Though a thousand dandies smile right in my face
I think I'll mooch some homemade hooch and go out for a lark
Just to drive off these mean ole Harlem Blues

You can have your Broadway, give me Lennox Avenue
Angels from the skies stroll 7th and for that thanks are due
From Madam Walker's beauty shops to the pro-ro system, too
That made those girls angels without any doubt

There are some spots up in Harlem where I'm told it's sudden death
To let somebody see you even stop to catch your breath
If you've never been to Harlem, then I guess you'll never know
The power of these mean ole Harlem blues

Ah, there's one sweet spot in Harlem known as Striver's Row
'Diddy folks come call them, one thing you should know
Is that I have a friend who lives there I know he won't refuse
To put some music to my troubles and call 'em Harlem blues

And since my sweetie left me, Harlem, well, it ain't the same old place
Though a thousand dandies smile right in my face
I think I'll mooch some homemade hooch and go out for a lark
Just to drive off these mean ole Harlem Blues

Ah, there's one sweet spot in Harlem known as Striver's Row
'Diddy folks come call them, one thing you should know
Is that I have a friend who lives there I know he won't refuse
To put some music to my troubles and call 'em Harlem blues
To put some music to my troubles and call them the Harlem blues

Harlem, the Harlem blues, Harlem, the Harlem blues

[Thanks to Tahira for correct lyrics]

Instrumental

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Instrumental

GangStarr Lyrics - Jazz Thing Video Version Lyrics

featuring Branford Marsalis (instrumentally only)

* original version appeared on the "Mo' Better Blues" soundtrack

"I would like to play a.. little tune I just composed not so long ago"
"Ms. Billie Ms. Billie Ms. Billie Holiday"
*HORNS*
*drum roll* *piano keys played*
*HORNS*
"Byrd..?" *trumpet solo* *group horns*
"The music called jazz.." > Guru
*HORNS*

[Guru]
It's roots are in the sounds of the African
or should I say the mother.. bringin us back again
From the drummin on the Congo, we came with a strong flow
and continue to grow
Feet move, to the beat of the t'balo
Now dig the story and follow
For then it landed, on American soil
Through the sweat, the blood, and the toil
Hear, "Praise the Lord," shouted on chain gangs
Pain they felt, but it helped them to maintain
Scott Joplin's rags, Bessie Smith's blues
St. Louis blues, they were all the news
Ringin smooth.. in all the listeners ears
Fulfillin the needs, and plantin the seeds
of a jazz thing

King Oliver's group was a train comin through
to Chicago, bringin the New Orleans groove
And when Satchmo blew, the audience knew
Basil Street blues was the whole house tune
it was music.. great to dance to
Great to romance to with a lot to say to you
Relaying a message, revealing the essence
of a jazz thing

* DJ Premier cuts "jazz music" *

In the 40's came be-bop, the first be-bop
The real be-bop, so let me talk about
Diz' and Byrd, givin the word
Defining how a beat could be so complete
Playing with ferocity, thinkin with velocity
About ornathology, or anthropology
and even ?, and this is real history
Theolonious Monk, a melodious thunk

No mistakes were made with the notes he played
His conception, was recondite.
A star glowing bright among dim lights
The critics did cite that he sounded alright
Charlie Mingus, such nimble fingers
Droppin the bass, all over the place
and Max Roach, cymbals socking
Bass drum talking, snare drum rocking
Restructuring.. the metaphysics
of a jazz thing

John Coltrane, a man supreme
He was the cream.. he was the wise one
The impression of Afro Blue
and of the promise, that was not kept
He was a GIANT step, and there was Ornette Coleman
He was another soul man
The original invisible, playing great music
I wonder why the ?Bangles? couldn't use it
Now listen see
The real mystery is how music history
created by white men or any other white man
that pretended he originated "uh-huh.."
and contended that he innovated "uh-huh.."
a jazz thing
("Of course we know who can really blow")
Scheamin on the meaning
of a jazz thing

And this music ain't dead, so don't be misled
by those who said that jazz was on it's deathbed
Cause when Betty Carter sings a song
ain't nuttin goin on, but simply good music
And you won't refuse it
She's takin her time, makin the nuances rhyme
Sonny Rollins, tenor saxophone
with a big old tone, recitin poems
with notes as words, and haven't you heard
NEXT STOP BUTTER, RIGHT PAST OLEO
Now there's young cats blowin
And more and more people, yes they will be knowin
Jazz ain't the past, this music's gonna last
and as the facts unfold, remember who foretold
The 90's, will be the decade of
a jazz thing "I love jazz music" (3X)

* Primo scratches "I love jazz music" *

A jazz thing

Harlem Blues Lyrics