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From Sea to Shining Sea

from Back Where We Came From by Purple Gums

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about

This performance was done almost a year before the death of George Floyd. It took place five years after the death of Eric Garner. Both died of compression of the neck. Eric Garner's death happened on July 17th. I didn't realize that at the concert. That says something about the alignment of the stars and whatnot.

lyrics

Come on, Teddy,
We going to do some rough ridin' tonight.
Get the guns, Jack.
We're gonna ride.
Get us some elephants,
Some lions, and tigers, and mama snakes.

I can't breathe. I can't breathe.
I can't breathe.
I can't breathe. I can't breathe. I can't breathe.
I can't breathe.
I can't breathe.
I can't breathe.
I can't breathe.

I can't breathe. I can't breathe. I can't breathe. I can't breathe.
I can't breathe.
Assume the position.
Assume the position! Spread 'em!
I can't breathe. I can't breathe. I can't breathe.
I can't
Breathe.

He was runnin'.
He was runnin' from me.
He was runnin' from me.
His back was to me, but I felt threatened.
I felt threatened.
There was nothing I could do.
I had to take him out.
He was runnin' from me,
Yes, his back was to me,
But I felt threatened,
I had to take him out.
I had to take him out.

But I can't breathe.
I had to take him out.
I can't breathe.
Let me say it again,
I can't breathe.

This land is your land,
This land is my land,
From California, to the redwood forest,
From the Smokey Mountains,
To wherever else there is,
This land was made for you and me.

After we got here,
'Cause we all got here some kind of way.
We just do our best to forget about the folks
Who was here when we got here.
'Cause there was people when we got here.
But this land, I just want you to know,
This land is my land.
This land is my land.
This land was made
For me and me,
And you can just damn well
Go back to where you came from.

America. America.
Don't you ever wonder where that cat eats?
Oh, I guess we know.

credits

from Back Where We Came From, released July 17, 2020
Bobby Bradford - cornet, breaths
Francis Wong - tenor sax, vocals, breaths
William Roper - water buffalo horn, breaths, spoken word, vocals

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all rights reserved

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about

William Roper Los Angeles, California

William Roper is a multi-disciplinary artist residing in Los Angeles. His primary foci are music composition, music performance and improvisation, and the visual arts. He has toured Japan, Europe, and the two Americas, as soloist and ensemble musician. He is represented on 60+ recordings, twelve as leader. ... more

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