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Part I: Livin’ on Troost Avenue
Part II: Cityvu from Troost Avenue
Part III: Dyin’ on Troost Avenue
See complete lyrics below.
TROOST AVENUE
BLUES
By Roger Coleman
PART I: LIVIN’
ON TROOST AVENUE
(Verbal introduction)
Hey Joe, what you doing here
You got no business here
Mind yourself
You got no business
No business here
On Troost Avenue.
I
They gonna carve up this city
Gonna cut it in two
They gonna carve up this city
Gonna cut it in two
Give some to me, some to you
Give some to me, some to you -
Give most to you.
Gotta little service station
Twenty-four hour scene
Gotta little service station
Twenty-four hour scene
Got here everything you need
Just got everything you need -
‘cept gasoline.
Got some ‘crazy little women’
Slow-walking by the Strand
Got some ‘crazy little women’
Slow-walking by the Strand
All wed to the junkyard man
All wed to the junkyard man -
Ain’t luv grand.
Refrain
Some crying, some flying
Some dying on Troost Avenue
Some crying, some flying
Some dying on Troost Avenue.
II
Everybody’s got a hustle
Little street talking trash
Everybody’s got a hustle
Little street talking trash
Need some food for my baby
Gimme food for my baby -
Only take cash.
Driving down Troost one wintry night
Snow flying thick and white
Driving down Troost one wintry night
Snow flying thick and white
Wheelchair man headed my way
Wheelchair man headed my way -
Very strange sight.
Gotta church on every corner
Worship all deities
Gotta church on every corner
Worship all deities
Everyone praying to heaven
Just praying to high heaven –
Nobody praying for me.
Refrain
Some crying, some
flying
Some dying on
Troost Avenue
Some crying, some
flying
Some dying on
Troost Avenue.
III
The police hello-copter
Done buzzed my house last night
The police hello-copter
Done buzzed my house last night
I can’t find no resting place
Just can’t find no resting place –
Shut out them lights.
Sounds here like the Fourth of July
Just about ev’ry night
Sounds here like the Fourth of July
Just about ev’ry night
Pop, pop, pop outside my door
Pop, pop, pop outside my door -
Pull them covers tight.
Gotta handful of good people
Doing the best they can
Gotta handful of good people
Doing the best they can
Trying to take back the night
Just want to take back the night –
Need a helping hand.
Refrain
Some crying, some
flying
Some dying on
Troost Avenue
Some crying, some
flying
Some dying on
Troost Avenue.
IV
Bus a comin’ ain’t Jordan bound
New cars all headed south
Bus a comin’ ain’t Jordan bound
New cars all headed south
You can’t get nowhere from here
Just can’t get nowhere from here -
Shut your mouth.
I ain’t gonna fault nobody
See things just as they are
I ain’t gonna fault nobody
See things just as they are
No more victimization
No more victimization -
No more wishing star.
When I can gonna buy some wine
Drink it all by myself
When I can gonna buy some wine
Drink it all by myself
Only sure road to heaven
Only sure road to heaven -
Is within thyself.
Refrain
Some crying, some flying
Some dying on Troost Avenue
Some crying, some flying
Some dying on Troost Avenue.
Some crying, some flying
Some dying on Troost Avenue
Some crying, some flying
Some dying on Troost Avenue
Just dying here on Troost Avenue.
PART II:
CITYVU FROM TROOST AVENUE
(Verbal introduction)
Hey, Joe, I done told you once
Get on outta here
I ain’t gonna tell you again
This here’s uptown
Get on downtown
Downtown where you belong.
I
Got me some magical glasses
Help me to clearly see
Got me some magical glasses
Help me to clearly see
Now see everybody else
Now see everybody else -
But they can’t see me.
Ain’t got no heart to this city
Arteries all messed up
Ain’t got no heart to this city
Arteries all messed up
Need some angioplasty
Need some angioplasty –
Not a by-pass cut.
Done found another dead body
Just around the corner
Done found another dead body
Just around the corner
Soon won’t be nobody left
Just won’t be nobody left -
‘cept the county coroner.
Refrain
Some crying, some flying
Most dying on Troost Avenue
Some crying, some flying
Most dying on Troost Avenue.
II
Gonna build a sports arena
Create the prom-missed land
Gonna build a sports arena
Create the prom-missed land
Get me a good job for sure
Get me a good job for sure -
Hey, popcorn man.
City gonna fix old houses
Sure make Beacon Hill thrive
City gonna fix old houses
Sure make Beacon Hill thrive
Spend one million for just two
Spend one million for just two –
Now Mission Hills Dr.
I gotta development plan
Make these empty lots pay
I gotta development plan
Make these empty lots pay
Build national headquarters
Build national headquarters –
For the N R A.
Refrain
Some crying, some flying
Most dying on Troost Avenue
Some crying, some flying
Most dying on Troost Avenue.
III
Wanna do something good for kids
Build a basketball goal
Wanna do something good for kids
Build a basketball goal
Ain’t got no money for that
Ain’t got no money for that -
Build more prison holes.
I’m gonna write my congressman
Ask Mr. Cleaver why
I’m gonna write my congressman
Ask Mr. Cleaver why
All these bars on my windows
All these bars on my windows -
and boarded-up eyes.
Lord, it ain’t more buildings we need
To save this city’s soul
Lord, it ain’t more buildings we need
To save this city’s soul
Support your blues musician
Support your blues musician -
Play some jellyroll.
Refrain
Some crying, some flying
Most dying on Troost Avenue
Some crying, some flying
Most dying on Troost Avenue.
IV
Gonna try and find some meaning
Cut to the very core
Gonna try and find some meaning
Cut to the very core
Don’t be telling it’s progress
Don’t be telling it’s progress -
Rearranging the poor.
My good friends always telling me
Better keep your mouth shut
My good friends always telling me
Better keep your mouth shut
To get by in this city
To get by in this city -
Gotta hide the hurt.
Gonna put on my walking shoes
Leave this city behind
Gonna put on my walking shoes
Leave this city behind
I’m tired of all this meanness
Just tired of all this meanness -
Want some peace of mind.
Refrain
Some crying, some flying
Most dying on Troost Avenue
Some crying, some flying
Most dying on Troost Avenue.
Some crying, some flying
Most dying on Troost Avenue
Some crying, some flying
Most dying on Troost Avenue
Just dying here on Troost Avenue.
PART III:
DYIN’ ON TROOST AVENUE
(Verbal introduction)
Our father who art in Washington
Dubya be thy name
Our father who art in Washington
Dubya be thy name
Thy city come, thy will be done
On Troost as it is in heaven
Gonna give us some food today
Gonna forgive all our debts
Gonna keep guns and drugs off these streets
Gonna keep guns and drugs off these streets
For my man Dubya got the money and the power
I say, my man Dubya, he got the money and the power.
I
Man trying to make a living
They shoot him in the head
Man trying to make a living
They shoot him in the head
We’re just killing each other
We’re just killing each other -
‘nother brother dead.
Gotta big room full of people
Ain’t nothing being said
Gotta big room full of people
Ain’t nothing being said
Silent pray’r for the victim
Silent pray’r for the victim –
Long time dead.
Won’t get no social security
Like I never was born
Won’t get “social insecurity”
Like I never was born
Too many ways to die here
Too many ways to die here –
Old age ain’t one.
Refrain
Some crying, some flying
All dying on Troost Avenue
Some crying, some flying
All dying on Troost Avenue.
II
Preacher say God gonna call you
When your time here is done
Preacher say God gonna call you (on your cell phone)
When your time here is done
God got angels on these streets
Lots of angels on these streets –
All carrying guns.
Young man gonna look right through you
See life with angry eyes
Young man gonna look right through you
See life with angry eyes
Think he knows fact from fiction
Think he knows fact from fiction -
Won’t even try.
Watch out who you done call ugly
Take a gun to your ass
Watch out who you done call ugly
Take a gun to your ass
You’re talking to my woman
You’re talking to my woman –
May be your last.
Refrain
Some crying, some flying
All dying on Troost Avenue
Some crying, some flying
All dying on Troost Avenue.
III
Another after-school shooting
A fifteen year-old kid.
Another after-school shooting
A fifteen year-old kid.
Never said “when” I grow up
Never said “when” I grow up -
But “if” I did.
Every home gotta
small altar
Picture of a young
child
Every home gotta
small altar
Picture of a young
child
No candle ever
burn out
No candle ever
burn out –
That youthful smile.
Gotta good neighbor down the street
Saxophone playing man
Gotta good neighbor down the street
Saxophone playing man
Got the liver cirrhosis
Got the liver cirrhosis -
Soon play heaven’s band.
Refrain
Some crying, some flying
All dying on Troost Avenue
Some crying, some flying
All dying on Troost Avenue.
IV
You can be mad at your mama
Tell me justice ain’t blind
You can be mad at your mama
Tell me justice ain’t blind
But if you love nobody
If you just love nobody –
Gonna die on the vine.
Found a baby in the bushes
Just a few blocks away
Found a (precious) baby in the bushes
Just a few blocks away
Gonna call her Mosetta
Gonna call her Mosetta -
Hope for a better day.
Let not your hearts be troubled
Let them not be afraid
Let not your hearts be troubled
Let them not be afraid
These sweet words of the Master
These sweet words of the Master -
Strengthen my days.
Refrain
Some crying, some flying
All dying on Troost Avenue
Some crying, some flying
All dying on Troost Avenue.
Some crying, some
flying
All dying on
Troost Avenue
Some crying, some
flying
All dying on
Troost Avenue.
(Bridge)
Got here the key to this city
All live or die on Troost
Got here the key to this city
All live or die on Troost
Lord, ain’t no separation
Lord, ain’t no separation -
Here all chickens roost.
Some crying, some
flying
All dying on
Troost Avenue
Some crying, some
flying
All dying on
Troost Avenue
Just dying here on
Troost Avenue.
(Verbal Ending)
Dust to dust ashes
to ashes
Gonna lay this
body down
Dust to dust ashes
to ashes
Gonna lay this
body down
For the last time
Gonna lay this body down
Maybe for the last time
See you later Joe.
©
Roger Coleman 2005
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