Bill Lee

you can never tell what's in a man's mind
and if he's from harlem there's no use of even trying
just like the tot his mind comes and goes
like march weather when he'll change
nobody knows nobody knows
the man i love well he just turn me down
he's a harlem brown
off times i wish that i were in this ground,
six feet underground
he allows me as no other could no no
then he surprises me leave me a note saying
he's 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 move some hall maid who champ go out for a lark
just to drive off
this mean you note harlem blues
you can have your Broadway give me Lenox Avenue
angels from the sky stroll seventh of that
things i do from Madame Walker's beauty shops
to pro-system to
that may those girls angels without any doubt
there are songs for something harlem well i'm taught
its sudden death
to let somebody see you even stop to get trouble breath
if you never been to harlem then i guess you'll never know
how these mean note harlem blues
i 've this one sweet spot in harlem known as
Drivers' Road ditty folk song call 'em
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 it 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 move some homemaid who champ go out for a lark
just to drive off
this mean you note harlem blues
i've this one sweet spot in harlem known as
Drivers' Road ditty folk song call 'em
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 it harlem blues
to put some music to my troubles and call it
the harlem blues
harlem , the harlem blues
harlem , the harlem blues

"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 ?re condite?
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..

you can never tell what's in a man's mind
and if he's from harlem there's no use of even trying
just like the tot his mind comes and goes
like march weather when he'll change
nobody knows nobody knows



the man i love well he just turn me down
he's a harlem brown
off times i wish that i were in this ground,
six feet underground
he allows me as no other could no no
then he surprises me leave me a note saying


he's 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 move some hall maid who champ go out for a lark
just to drive off this mean you note harlem blues


you can have your Broadway give me Lenox Avenue
angels from the sky stroll seventh of that things i do

from Madame Walker's beauty shops to pro-system to
that may those girls angels without any doubt


there are songs for something harlem

well i'm taught its sudden death
to let somebody see you even stop to get trouble breath
if you never been to harlem

then i guess you'll never know
how these mean note harlem blues


i 've this one sweet spot in harlem known as Drivers' Road
ditty folk song call 'em 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 it 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 move some homemaid who champ go out for a lark
just to drive off this mean you note harlem blues


i've this one sweet spot in harlem known as Drivers' Road
ditty folk song call 'em
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 it harlem blues


to put some music to my troubles and call it the harlem blues
harlem , the harlem blues
harlem , the harlem blues