With one foot in hip-hop & the other in jazz, "Hearsay" confronts moral relativism & culture-wide hypocrisy.
For Laurie Croasdale, Rachael Peterson, Natalie Pohorski, & the Facing Blue movement.
lyrics
You know it really is a great tale
But I have to speak in code, or you’ll take this as hate mail
And on the chance my debate fails,
Quick as I came, I'll be looking for the quickest escape trail
The safe trail's the quickest in sight, but
If I step on nobody's toes I must not be doing my job right
It's not about me thinking that I'm right,
It's about a generation that lost motivation to fight.
So who can tell me where the fire went?
Take me to your leader—would she even know where you start & I end?
She's talking funny & she's coming on strong;
Moses help me, how do I free a people with a song?
CHORUS:
Just let the band play
It's all hearsay
Just let the band play
It's all hearsay
You know it really is a great shame
That we choose to bow our heads to the smokescreens & fake names
And euphemistic campaigns
I mean I don't know about you, but, we came here to break chains
So there'll be no polite fiction tonight
'Cause if I walk where everyone goes I will not be happy in hindsight.
It's not about me thinking that I'm right,
We're just trying to build a nation & make them ready to fight
So while you think about this,
Pay a little mind to the things that you're doing with your lips.
No strings, just seeing if it fits
Prove to me world peace is more than a vague wish, go.
CHORUS
BREAKDOWN:
Feed the hoax with keyboard strokes & holidays,
Cigarettes & Kanye West & cabernet.
I'm puzzled by the pride I find upon your faces;
Activist with benefits, I call your name.
credits
from Hearsay (Single),
released February 1, 2018
Written by Alma Cook. All vocals arranged & performed by Alma Cook. Produced by Chris Thigpen, who also contributed bass, guitar, & keys. Trumpet by Noah Conrad. Engineered & mixed by Raz Klinghoffer (Los Angeles, CA), with additional production work by Chris Thigpen. Mastered by Karibu Mastering (Ala di Stura, Italy). Artwork by Alma Cook.
Detroit producer Tall Black Guy collaborated with a Cleveland, Ohio youth literary non-profit to create this delightful project. Bandcamp New & Notable Jul 9, 2021