The Manhattan Transfer
" Live "

Purchase the CD here


Tracks:
1. Four Brothers (3:53)
2. Rambo (3:44)
3. Meet Benny Bailey (3:06)
4. Airegin (3:20)
5. To You (3:59)
6. Sing Joy Spring (6:19)
7. Move (2:49)
8. That's Killer Joe (4:52)
9. The Duke Of Dubuque (2:34)
10. Gloria (2:53)
11. On The Boulevard (3:35)
12. Shaker Song (3:51)
13. Ray's Rockhouse (5:15)

LIVE was recorded live at Nakano Sun Plaza Hall in Tokyo, Japan on February 20 & 21, 1986 and was released in 1987. This was their second live album following 1978's "The Manhattan Transfer Live." (This is the first live album with Cheryl Bentyne in the group.)
L Y R I C S

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FOUR BROTHERS
By Jimmy Giuffre & Jon Hendricks

Take a seat and cool it 'cause unless you overrule it
We are ready to show you some blowin'
A rompin' and a stompin' is a lot of fun
Four brothers who are blowin' our horns

So settle down an' listen 'cause you don't know what you're missin'
And we're ready to give you a showin'
A movin' it 'n groovin' it has just begun
Four brothers who are blowin' our horns

We got a little message that you're gonna enjoy
Ain't no sense in dodgin' the facts
So settle in your easy chair an' if you ever had a care - forget it,
It's time to relax

We might as well admit it, we're the best that ever did it
But in case you ain't too sure a knowin'
We're gonna let you listen to us one by one
Four brothers who are blowin' our horns

JANIS:
How'd ya do, I'm talkin' about you
It's very nice to know that you have really taken time to listen to me blow
'Cause as sure as I'm born, I'm blowin' my horn
It's me baby, I'm blowin', zootin' it up
And I hope you dig the sounds I'm makin' more'n any other
Now I must go for it's time for you to listen to my other brother

TIM:
I think the chick's talkin' 'bout me so I'd better go 'n see
I'm hip that she knows a horn is very best to greet you
That's the reason I'm blowin' so snappily
I don't know what ya got, but it thrills me an' I hope to have a lot
'Cause it puts me in clover
So baby, if you would like to dig my other brother
You're gonna have to turn the record over

ALAN:
Hey hey hey
Who ya talkin' about, say who ya talkin' about
Did I hear you say you'd introduce your other brother
'Cause in case I heard you talkin' about three, that's me
Pleased to meet you, how'd you do, how are you, nothing new,
How is everything with you?
Whattya say I leave this jazz up to my brother --

CHERYL:
Dig dig dig my Long Island sound
I hope you're puttin' it down
You got me in a mood that's so romantic
If you notice you can dig this silly old act
Because I'm actin' so distracted when I dig you
Pretty baby you will never know how much I really dig you
You have got me so excited that I goofed blowin' my horn

ALL:
Ooh bop the news is gettin' around, we're really puttin' it down
We're glad of fact that you enjoy it and we wish we had the time to give you more
Thank you for the compliment
You told us we were better just as if we didn't know it
We're hip that we're the best, we're over all the rest
We're in the modern school, we always play it cool, we never play the fool
The honkers and the squeakers might be stealin' the show
But we don't go for that, so while we blow

BAND MEMBER:
Hi-ho, lackadaise, for it's a natural fact
I ain't no kin, but I would like to get in the act!

ALL:
Well get outta here, get outta here, get outta here
Now fellas we appreciate him makin you mad,
But we must ask you to apologize
Because after all he's in our band

Four brothers, four brothers, four brothers
Although we sound like more
Four brothers, four brothers, four brothers
We're really only four

We like to blow but we don't know how time can fly and how our cares pass away
We wish the time would never go so we could take our time an' blow 'til judgement day

Four brothers, four brothers, four brothers
Now just one final word:

JANIS: I'd like to know you and I hope I don't forget you
TIM: It's really a pleasure and I hope I don't look silly to you
ALAN: I'm hopin' the story that I told did not upset you
CHERYL: Sorry now in conclusion were you hoping that you heard four

ALL:
So just before we go we want you to know ---
We're glad you let us show you how we always end up with that jazz
(We don't call for back up on the road)
Oh - ohhh!!!!





RAMBO
Music by J.J. Johnson
Lyrics by Jon Hendricks

He's got that funny name
An' ramblin' that's his game, that's it
He's Rambo, talkin' bout
Me!
We'll see (Piano)
They call him Rambo 'cause he's travellin'
He don't stay one place
His life's a string he keeps unravellin'
He don't leave no trace
He's got a yen for changin' places
He digs changin' scenes
That way he stays in everybody's good graces

He's happy on the move
He's mobile and free
He wants no strings attached
That's how it's gotta be, see!
He'll keep on ramblin' till the coda
He don't stay one place
Because he's just a ramblin' man
His favorite hobby's hittin' the road
He was a fella livin' solely by the ramblers only code
Some people're born to roam
Fate gave 'em roamin' natures

An' so they wander aroun'
Leavin' people wondrin' when they'll touch the groun'
Hither 'n yon, here 'n beyon'
Wherever they never been before
As soon as you're used t'their face

They're off 'n runnin' again
Gone to another new place
Peripatetic is the only word
that I have ever heard that people could use
that really describes him
There's no other word could do that
Only other word I know that comes
The closest to it is "Gypsy"
An' that don't really fit him at all
"Cause he ain't tellin' fortunes
'N hates bein' dipsy
Everywhere I go they call him Rambo
'Cause he won't stay long

In my ramblin'
I've met a lotta people here 'n there
An' I find they're 'bout the same everywhere
Each with his own little thing
That he uses while he's tryin' to swing
Maybe the look ain't the same
But they play the same game
An' there's quite a bit o' difference
In their outlook, I know
Still 'n yet, their story, lem'me tell you
Is a story that you won't forget
When I was young 'n very green
I felt so stuck with m'present situation
Later, when I got a little older
that was when I discovered I could split
'N find myself another groove
That was all I need
I was on the move
I packed my little sack 'n started ramblin'
To this day I'm a rover who'll always be ramblin'

You git drug stayin' in one place
Depressed an' feelin' low down
Get new kicks movin' roun'

Roamin' the country's educational for you
'N widens your point of view
Tests y' mettle 'n cools y' mind out
'N that's true without a doubt
Y know? I mean y'dig - -
That's Rambo's gig
Rambo is ready to ramble 'n itchin' t'split
Oh yeah, he'll start packin' 'n quit it
Forget it! 'Cause he's done with it

That's Rambo! Travellin' light
Stay too long he'll git uptight
So his motto is "Keep movin'"
You got it! That's his bit!
Nex' time he might leave an address
'Cause the little girl that he met
Las' night
Paid him so much attention
That it got him a bit uptight
We might not have t'call him Rambo
'Cause he jes' might be settlin' down
He's gone the way of all men
Fat, skinny or tall men
It happened to this Rover we know - Rambo





MEET BENNY BAILEY
Music by Quincy Jones
Lyrics by Jon Hendricks

Let me introduce you
I've heard that boredom's entered your life
And you're feelin' real low
Have you met Benny Bailey?
Well he's a fella that you should know

They tell me lassitude's has laid you low
An' you're losin' your grip
you must meet Benny Bailey
At least he's somebody who is hip

To cure an ennui, you need a bon nuit
It's part o' the joie de vie
And his attention, I'm loathe to mention
Is, incident'ly, available

And so if providence should decree (Background Vocals: Once you've met)
Who'll stand in the way (You won't forget)
So you'll meet Benny Bailey (No stuff)
And you'll remember your lucky day (Benny's tough)
(Repeat 1,2,3)

This could be your lucky day
Incident'ly, he's the sort
Tho' seen at court
Carries an awful lotta weight
In many less royal quarters
Filled with less than regal daughters
Quite the quixotic Romeo whom every
Filly'll know because they find his (Background Vocals: Meet this cat)
Reputation wherever they go (He's where it's at)
Whether it's here (That's right, outta sight)
Or whether it's in another boudoir (Benny Bailey)
Whee!
He's such a scandal, really (He's no slouch)
T' handle him demands a savoir fairer (For this I'll vouch)
And a great indulgence rarer (He's cool, he's no fool)
Than any that I've encountered surveyin' the scene
But never mind, I'll explain it later
The fact is that he's always ready to please
And that's aroused a lot o'chatter
But it really doesn't matter, not to him
No siree! It's 'bout as big t'him as any flea
He's gotta be maitre'd
Or so it seems to me
Wait'll y'meet, you'll see what I'm sayin'

To cure an ennui
You need a bon nuit
It's part of the joie de vie

He's the kind o'cat people hear about
But in a second-handed way
That there's nothing really clear about

Let me introduce you
I've heard that boredom's entered your life
And you're feelin' real low
Have you met Benny Bailey?
Well he's a fella that you should know

They tell me lassitude's has laid you low
An' you're losin' your grip
you must meet Benny Bailey
At least he's somebody who is hip

We're glad you got to meet Benny Bailey
I'm happy fin'lly meeting with you





AIREGIN
Music by Sonny Rollins
Lyrics by Jon Hendricks

Wait'll y'dig it on the map - Airegin
Spelled backwards
Really're closin' up the gap - Airegin
Gone fac'wards
Back long time ago they saw a ghost
Ghost made a boast
Soon that ghost was host
(Repeat first 8 bars)

Those losing their hue
They goofed 'n got the wrong view
First, things reverse, last is first!
Y' dig it!

Whatta' y' think o'that'n get a load a'
What I tell y'
What this place is no one knows it
There's no traces of the kind o'place it was
Before it got "discovered" by the kind o'
Cat that knows the earth belongs t'him
Back when the world was young
An' man was a living god
An' he walked this earthly sod
This was sod that god would trod on
Till one day a stranger landed
With a line o'jive
Laid it on the natives till he had 'em thinkin'
Maybe that they should really take five
An' he quickly stole the natives' soul
So he could control it
An' he took care of that missionary biz
Till the lan' was his

Never heard a story draggy as that
Tell th' truth I ain't never heard another
That exasperated more
What an exasperating narrative t'play
Upon the sensitive and kindly soul that I am
'Way back when I was crawlin' in m'crib
I was doin' all kinds o'thinkin'
Aw'ready I had figured out the 'cut of m'jib'
The kind o'soul that never liked t'tell 'r live a fib
A body who was steadily reachin' up
A min' always thinkin' on high-minded things
Whee! I was always one t'be free
Ain't never had a keeper why don't people
Learn t'git along t'gether stead o'
Meddlin' aroun' 'n fussin' with the fella nearest to 'em
Me, I'm the old fashioned kind
I was never good at follow-the-leader
Real real real real real real real
That's me, as real as a Yankee can be
That's me

Millions o' years ago
There was a Paleolithic age on Earth
An' the whole world was young
And full o'the vim of constant rebirth
Brontosauruses 'n dinosaurs 'n pterodactyls
Ever'where abounding that was the case
'N plus the millions o' mammoths here 'n there
An' in addition there were lots o'men everywhere
Who had no hi-tech and no intellect 'nary a speck
But in that spot
Where it was so lush, where it was so hot
Where many animal was roamin'
An' nature was kind, life was thrivin'
There livin' was actual an' the feelin' was natural
I'm tellin' the truth
What-a-benign livin' some livin'
All's forgiven come on home

Blew a truly unruly storm
That wrecked a boat in a climate warm
'N full o'ashy-colored cats all lookin'
White like ghosts
'N when the natives checked 'em out
It blew 'em away t'find that they resembled spirits
Long ago there was a legend
'Bout a spirit who would someday come

A look at these cats
'N y' could see they prob'ly had some
So they welcomed 'em with peace and love
And everything there's plenty of
'N soon the tables had turned to rigormortis
That's when the castaway had his say
Like a dog had his day they told the
People that they were spirits actual
Y'see how perfectly a fable c'n be
Incorporated into what a cat'll think is factual
What was an accident turns int' something
So unbelievably heaven-sent
Everybody falls for it
Right on down t' the militants
'N marchin' 'n the martyrs 'n the murder of Lumumba

Wait'll y'dig it on the map - Airegin
Spelled backwards
Really're closin' up the gap - Airegin
Gone fac'wards
Back long time ago they saw a ghost
Ghost made a boast
Soon that ghost was host

Wait'll y'dig it on the map - Airegin
Spelled backwards
Really're closin' up the gap - Airegin
Gone fac'wards

Those losing their hue
They goofed 'n got the wrong view
First, things reverse, last is first!
Y' dig it!





TO YOU
Music by Thad Jones
Lyrics by Jon Hendricks

To you my very heart and soul
Everyday my very heart
Very heart and soul ----
I give to you
You never know of giving
Until you give yourself
I do - To you
To you the very life I live I give to you
Very life I live
My deep devotion
My every thought and feeling, too
I give, I do
All my love, all my life to you

I've never known a day of strife
Since you entered my life
My care and my sorrow had me everyway
Before we met, I was tryin'
But my livin' felt like dyin'
To you I give all of my heart and my very soul
The life I'm living
Yes, I'm giving everything to you
It's true, really true
You know that it's true
All my love, all my life I live
I want to give to you





SING JOY SPRING
Music by Clifford Brown
Lyrics by Jon Hendricks

We sing a spring
(Sing joy spring)
A rare and most mysterious spring
(This most occult thing)
Is buried deep in the soul
(It's story never has been told)

The joy spring, the fountain of pleasure
Is deep inside you whether you're diggin' it or not
Once you're aware of this spring
You'll know that it's the greatest
Treasure you've got
And furthermore
The joy spring, the bounteous treasure
Cannot be bartered away and never
Can be sold
Nothing can take it from you
It's yours and yours alone to have
And to hold
And something more:
It never is lost to fire or theft
It's always around
When trouble is gone the pleasure
Is left I've always found
It's burglar-proof same as the treasure
Man lays up in heaven worth a
Price no one can measure
that says a lot
So joy spring this fountain of pleasure
That's deep inside you let me inform
You in all truth *(to Coda second time)
Ponce de Leon sought this
When he was searchin' for the fountain of youth

Ol' Ponce de Leon laughed so much he
Never did find the magic fountain
But many people with a well-adjusted
Spirit they could hear it when y'told
'em it was there tellin' them was
Like tellin' it on the mountain

It's quite a life havin' the gift of
laughter I'm a man who knows in a
minute I can tell y'just exactly how the story goes
It involves a firm conviction in another
previous life givin' your mind a chance to fly
Fly aroun' the universe investigatin' other
galaxies n' certain other subtle
types o'life tryin' t'dig it gettin'
pretty well-acquainted with a lot of
other strife an' pretty much acquirin'
yourself plenty of education
pretty soon here comes earth birth
'n then y'ready t'put it all t'work
but soon as you're finished bein' born
you start forgettin' what you knew
'Cause you're another kinda you - a
reincarnation manifestation
of spirit in sensation

Y'really got that right
The average person isn't bright
not so bright that they recall the fatal fall
down here t' this earth
their minds disguise their death to spirit
life and call it birth
that's their reason for forgetting and they
find it very upsetting when reminded
tell 'em they've lived before
They'll show y' the nearest open door
Gotta have feelin' while dealin' with
walkers in their sleep
they can't imagine somethin' as deep

Here they come - here they come - there they are
Unimaginative and ignorant of falling from a star
Here they come - there they are - there they go
Life is over in a minute an' they never dug
it in it or enjoy a minute of it
'cause they put too much above it
that was gross
somethin' that was worth a couple bucks
at mos'

So there is the reason that the maker of man
included there in his plan
A certain fountain deep within'
where there was laughter, youth 'n gold
for human beings t'have 'n hold
'n share the memory of where we've all been

Brothers called Grimm knew chances were slim'
Anybody would dig that the human soul
was Snow White
and the Seven Dwarfs were seven tempers
in man
whose digging out the gold completes
the plan
An Bacon was hip that Shakespeare
couldn't read
and so he gave him all the rhymes
that have lasted through the years
and kept eternal truths alive through
several centuries
That's how we know them now
they lasted 'cause they're true

What was it from "MacBeth?"
"Life's but a walking shadow
a player poor
that struts and frets upon the stage
and's seen no more
A tale that truly has an idiotic ring
That's full of lotsa sound and fury
signifying nothing..."

That's right signifying nothing
I'll repeat it! Nothing
Don't forget it - Nothing
And that's the reason for that spring
of joy
That the Father put inside of every
single girl and boy

Show time! Everyone's on
let's hit the stage
It's show time everyone an' proceed
to act your age

Whatever you're frownin' at is funny
enough f'laughin'
so you're wastin' all your humor on a frown
While you're bringin' your spirit down

You gotta book yourself a comic in your act
without some laughter life's a maudlin
farce 'n that's a fact

Once you know about the spring you always can smile
It becomes your one expression
and you're always wearin' it like the
Buddhas do

(Repeat Intro to *)
(Coda)
Ponce de Leon sought this
When he was searchin'
for the fountain of youth
I say in truth he
sought a magical thing
For he was searchin'
for the joy spring





MOVE
Music by Denzil deCosta Best
Lyrics by Jon Hendricks

Move, c'mon -- move

Nothing's lacking motion
Not the heavens or the ocean
Or the planets or the weather
All are moving all together
On the move

Let's go - let's go
Let's get t'movin' it
Let's go - Let's get t'groovin' it
Why're y'hesitating
Can't you feel the rhythm waitin'
Strike a groove, let's move
Git it on!

That's right! That's right!
Don't ever have t'fight
That's right
Don't hold y'self so tight
Give it a solid minute
And you'll find you've fallen in it
What's to prove?

Just move - git it on

Move it any way you want to move
As long as you can fin' a groove
that's cool, that'll do

Move fast or move it slow
Same any way you go
(Repeat Chorus)
Background

Make a motion - move!
Strike a groove
make an effort - swing!
Shake that thing
Make a motion
Move-groove

I'm movin' I'm movin'
I'm taking it on out
Gotta bottle up 'n git it
Listen to me - dig
Time never hesitates,
It's always just a little bossy

Everybody knows a rolling stone
Is never really very mossy
Y' never wanna hesitate
Y' feet'll take y'with 'em
'Cause when y'moving
You ain't got the time
F'nothing else
But paying strict attention
To the music and the fascinatin' rhythm
So I'm tellin' y'man
To move it right along

'N hurry up and sing your little song
'N while you're moving madly
You can sing yourself a happy
Little ditty while you groove
And then you never have to worry
'Bout striking a good groove

I was diggin' whatcha talkin' 'bout
And listenin' to the groovy way
You spit it out
And baby that was really somethin' to hear
Funny, when you're movin' and you're groovin'
How you haven't got a second
F' a little light revivin'
'Cause you go too fast
Time passes, this groove's too good to last
When you're talking fas' y'lyin'
'N there ain't nobody buyin'
That's the sayin'
Everybody's layin' down
But you got a way
Playing what you play
Saying what you say
Turnin' everything 'round
Everybody's gotta dig it
If they don't they're deaf

I can testify that you were really gittin' in it
Much as any person ever could
'N y'really did it good

Come and face the facts
Come show the people how you move it on the sax
Rich, you move in style!
Make all the moves, find all the strangest grooves
Man , what a tone!
Come play the saxophone
Come show the people how you move it on the horn

Let's git movin' it
Git to groovin' it
Better get to movin' while the gittin' is good
Let's go - let's go
Let's move git it on

That's right - that's right (Let's go - let's go)
Never have t'fight (Why are you hesitatin'?)
How you gonna move it (Can't y'feel the rhythm waitin'?)
(Strike a groove)
When y'hold yourself tight? (Let's move git it on)
Let's go - let's go
Let's move git it on

Move it any way you wanna move
As long as you can strike a groove (Let's go - let's go)
That's cool that'll do (Give it a solid minute)
Move fast or move it slow (And you'll find you've fallen in it)
Same any way you go (What's to prove?)
Let's git movin' it (Just move git it on)
Get t'groovin' it
Better git movin' while the gittin' is good

Strike that groove (Let's go - let's go)
'N move (Why are you hesitatin'?)
'N don't be hesitatin' (Can't y'feel the rhythm waitin'?)
One lil' bit (Strike a groove)
Got t'hip y' that's it (Let's move git it on)
So now will y'move?

Gotta move - gotta move





THAT'S KILLER JOE
Music by Benny Golson
Lyrics by Jon Hendricks

Killer Joe - Killer Joe
Killer Joe - love dough
(Repeat)

Love of gold
Has made him very cold (Repeat Top)

I hit the big town an'he turned me roun'
He dazzled me with some pretty jive
prettier than any jive I've ever heard from
any man alive
He called me "Baby," 'n "Honey"
Messed wit m'head, tol' ,e he'd show me
a whole mess o'money
An' what did I get?
That's somethin' I ain't figured out yet

Each woman I meet is like a bead
that's strung on a string
an' I wear 'em like I'm wearin' a necklace
Women love me, n'think lots of me
Really! How c'n they be so reckless
I tell 'em in front, that I do love money
So - later on - then they won't get funny
When I tighten up an' the scene gets heavy
times when I laugh they're over,
now they're gonna' feel a draf'
Tell y'truth, if y'mus know
Only thing c'n save y'is t'bring me lots
o'dough

(Background)
Poor girl - Pity the hick
Poor girl - Man, is he slick
Poor girl - Pity the poor chick

Stars were peepin' low
An' man dud she have eyes for that Joe
'N Joe was jivin' with all of his lies
She felt he must o'meant it
Boy, the chick was in f'some surprise
Yep! 'N Joe ain' 'bout t'let 'er slide
Git'er t'flyin' high 'n wide
Then goof her carpet ride
She was cute, he had class
Y'knew he had 'er soon s'he made his pass

(Background)
(That's Joe!)

Big cities are jungles an' men're like leopards
An' women are lost lambs who've
strayed from kep' herds
An' them leopards - are real wolves
Actin' jus' like shepherds

Look out! Joe got his hook out
He's lookin' so han'some
Guaranteed trouble
Y'think you c'n stan' some
He'll furnish it double
So look out

(Repeat top)





THE DUKE OF DUBUQUE
By James Marchant, Larry Royal and Billy Faber

Well I'm known near and far
as the cousin to the czar
I'm the Duke, Duke of Dubuque
It's well understood
that my credit is no good (no good, no good)
I'm the Duke of Dubuque
And if you don't believe me and tell me it ain't true
I've only got one answer,
that answer's' "botsch" to you!
For now, au reviour, I must write the dear old czar
I'm the Duke of Dubuque

I'm descended from the Romanovs in Russia
In the books my father was the czar of Prussia
But he sailed away one day
to the state of Iowa
That's how you'll find me in the USA
I'm the crackers, I'm the cheese
Yeah call them Oakhounds, if you please
Cause I'm the Duke
Yes, I'm the Duke of Dubuque

Yeah I'm wrackin'
Wrackin' my brains baby
So give me, give me some of that gravy
'Cause I'm the Duke
I said I'm the Duke of Dubuque

And if you don't believe me and tell me it ain't true
I've only got one answer,
That answer's nuts to you!

For now, fun to do, can you spare a buck or two?
I'm the Duke, Duke of Dubuque

He's the Duke, Duke of Dubuque
He's the Duke, Duke of Dubuque
(He is the Duke of Dubuque)
Yes, I'm the Duke, the Duke of Dubuque
Doo dat doo dat doo dat Dubuque





GLORIA
By Esther Navarro

Gloria
Gloria
It's not Marie
Gloria
It's not Sherry
Gloria (Gloria)
But she's not in love with me

Can't you see
It's not Marie
Gloria
It's not Sherry
Gloria (Gloria)
But she's not in love with me

And maybe (maybe)
She'll want me (want me)
But who am I to know (who am I to know)
And maybe (ooh, maybe)
She'll want me (ooh, want me)
But who am I to know (who am I to know)
Oh---

Gloria (Gloria)
It's not Marie
Gloria (Gloria)
It's not Sherry
Gloria (Gloria)
'Cause she's not in love with me

Gloria!





ON THE BOULEVARD
Music by Jay Graydon and Richard Page
Lyrics by Marc Jordan

Darkness lights the lamps of old Brazil
Deep inside the jungle hearts are still
Tigers hide inside alley cats eyes
Waiting for you to walk by

Underneath this starlight latitude
Underneath this tranquil attitude
Oh my feelings are running so high
I feel I could color the sky
Amazon blue

Oh it's you
(Don't you break my heart Brazil)
And it's me
(And leave me here)
On the boulevard
(Upon the boulevard)

Caught inside your spell it's your parade
Refugees from love we masquerade
Though your lover is waiting at home
I have one of my own
I must go to

Oh it's you
(Don't you break my heart Brazil)
And it's me
(And leave me here)
On the boulevard
(Upon the boulevard)

Oh my feelings are running so high
I feel I could color the sky
Amazon blue

Oh it's you
(Don't you break my heart Brazil)
And it's me
(And leave me here)
On the boulevard
(Upon the boulevard)





SHAKER SONG
Music by Jay Beckenstein
Lyrics by Allee Willis and David Lasley

The fool screams, 'no more!"
He grabs his shirt and hits the door
What she needs from him he ignores.
It's a bore. Oh it's a bore. Oh it's a bore. Oh it's a bore.
(Oh it's a Š)

Blast the radio.
The hits just come and go.
Block out what he knows that he has blown
(That he has blownŠ)

The night hangs its head
As the fool crawls into bed.
Still his hungry heart begs to be fed
All the words she once said
(That she said. That she said. That she said.)

So then he grabs his Chevrolet
In one more attempt to get away
But the thoughts of all the crimes of passion lay in his way.

He can shake the blues,
But you know he still can get confused.
It seems like such a waste
'Cause he can't shake her.
He can shake his tail,
But you know his moves are getting stale
He's on the make, but oh, his heart can't fake
That he can't shake her.
He can't shake her.
No, he can't shake her.

Romance falls like rain
But all the motives are insane
Everytime that he plays the game he feels the pain
(He feels the pain. Who is to blame? Who is to blame?)

He finds a joint that's jive
Guys are spinning girls like 45's.
All of the live bait sink for his lines they are so high

He knows he is beat
As his heart puts on the heat
Run from the street that don't even fit his feet
(Don't fit his feet. Now he can see. Now he can really see)

Tell him here's a telephone
He can beg to let the fool come home
He tells her that his life's a drag alone
(Can't be alone)

He can shake the blues,
But you know he still can get confused.
It seems like such a waste
'Cause he can't shake her.
He can shake his tail,
But you know his moves are getting stale
He's on the make, but oh, his heart can't fake
That he can't shake her.
He can't shake her.
No, he can't shake her.





RAY'S ROCKHOUSE
Music by Ray Charles
Lyrics by Jon Hendricks

Ray's Rockhouse, that's my joint
House of soul, git my point
We don't care what's your blues
Come in here, lose yo' blues
When trouble comes a-knockin'
Everything looks better while y'rockin'
You don't notice trouble while y'rockin'
Rock! (Repeat for 12 bars)

(Chorus)
Let's rock! That's what we're offerin' you
Let's rock! That's what we wantcha' t'do
Let's rock! Rock all y' troubles away
Let's rock! Rock till the dawnin' o'day
Let's rock! Rockhouse is ready t'roll
Let's rock! Rockhouse is good f'th'soul

Ev'ry Saturday night there's a scene
That's a part o'the fun
Mrs. Tucker will enter the joint
In a search for her son
Every Saturday night he sneaks out
Leavin' her in the lurch
But she's lookin' t'bring him on home
'Cause tomorrow is church
She really hates the rockhouse
She's sure the devil is in control here
Nothin' but rock'n'roll here

Yodle-dole-dole (Echo) Lady who
gotr a lotta rockin' to do
Swing - whatta y'waitin' for
We got plenty o'soul for you

Everybody gotta loosen your hip
Do a few rolls wait'll y'feel
Y'back'll slip then y'rockin'
Rock!

(Repeat Chorus)

Sisters of the flockhouse
Ain't got no business comin' to th'rockhouse
All the people in here
Are all in t'sin in here
Of this there's no doubt
That's why Miz' Tucker is pullin' Sam out
Rock!

(Repeat Chorus)



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© 2005 The Manhattan Transfer Fan Club