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Park Bench People (Live at (Le) Poisson Rouge)

from José James: New York 2020 (Live) by José James

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Phil Levene
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Chris Welch
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    "José James: New York 2020" is the first live album from an artist with a decade long career built on his electric live show. Despite an entire year without shows, James found a way to create and connect with audiences during the peak of Coronavirus NY lockdown. José James is known for assembling some of the best live bands in the world, and his "New York 2020" crew is no exception. Each song resonates with the creative urgency of an effervescent, resilient 2020 New York City.

    This double CD edition features photos by legendary photographer Janette Beckman and a booklet insert with liner notes by the artist.

    Includes unlimited streaming of José James: New York 2020 (Live) via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.
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lyrics

I see an old man
Sittin' on a park bench
Lookin' in the skies when
He can see the mouth-stench
Of the range of the people
Walkin' and talkin' nonsense

In the park
I see a man sittin' there
With a newspaper
Under his head and hair
I think
He would be down for me to tell him
That he'd been waiting 'round here
For all, of his life and

It took time for the soul to come
When it came i saw the same
Old scene over and over again
My friend
People's talkin' and squackin' in the park, and
Sittin' on a bench, thinkin' 'bout things

I think of all the people of the park
Sleepin' in the street
Livin' from their hearts
Sleepin' in the street
Livin's kinda hard
Sleepin' in the street
People fall apart

There's a park bench
That's painted black and white
And when you sleep there
It won't get wet when you wake up
Because the trees are withered
And so you dry in the sunlight
You sit there and you prepare to make
A move and so you go through
Each and every can
Lookin' inside tryin' to see somethin'
That you didn't see last night
Wantin' to get somethin' to eat

And you go down the street
You see some friends of yours
And then they all speak
Sayin' what's happenin' man
You sleepin' in the park again
Yeah nothin' but a survival thang
You know what i'm sayin'
Insha'allah
Then again my friend

All they want to do
Is play you like you are a fool
But i know better
You're safe from school
Through this stay cool
Mark you are mis-skewed
An' now i know better
I maintain black

We'll overcome
In the sun
On the bench
In the park
Where you lay
When it's dark
And it's wet
Cuz it's raining on you

You have newspapers and you'd like to go home
But you can't
Cuz you just got put out on your own
You're thinkin' 'bout your kids
You're thinkin' 'bout your girl
You're thinkin' of all the things you did
You see the children play
You hear the people barely look at you
Laughing while they run away

Sleeping in the street
Living from the heart
Sleeping in the street
People fall apart
In the park, where are
They's every people walkin' round
Lookin' at themselves far
As if they were somethin'
But they ain't nothin', they frontin'
Not a people nowhere standing
All these people are something

Earth, perched on
The edge of all time, and yet they search
For drums imperial dreams
Similarly so barred
Can't buy my soul
Won't sell my soul
To the devil
On the other level never
With another rebel
Under trouble

I'll never see you go down
My people can't go down
My people can't go down
Sleeping in the street
Leaving from the heart
Sleeping in the street
People fall apart

credits

from José James: New York 2020 (Live), released February 19, 2021
Music and lyrics: Michael Troy, Earthquake Brothers
Published by: Universal Music Publishing

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José James New York, New York

Jazz singer for the hip-hop generation

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