Tuesday, December 2, 2008

Video for Miami Beach


Miami Beach was recorded in 1980 in London with the great LINTON KWESI JOHNSON as the narrator, reading the news from the Miami Herald. I went to the UK to record this one and worked with the great dubmaster Dennis Bovell and his musicians. We achieved the exact result we wanted. Linton read my clipping and the sound of his voice and mine did the talking.
Best Wishes,
Garland Jeffreys

Miami Beach
Music & Lyrics by Garland Jeffreys

I was walkin' Miami Beach
I was feelin' so out of reach
It was not like the European nights
It was not like the Broadway lights
They like-a-separate-a-Black from a-Whites
They like-a-separate-a Black from his rights
I was feelin' so out of touch
I don't like this place very much

Walkin' down the road in the boilin' heat
The Miami sun in the middle of the street
See a cop with a club and a gun
The man say he no hurt anyone
He lies through his teeth
With a smilin' face
He cries to the judge and
They close up the case
Now 'ya know this a real and a-true ya' know
What ya' gonna feel and do

I was walkin' down the road in the blistering heat
A bomb explode on a hot concrete
It can happen in a broad daylight
It can happen in the middle of the night
Screech and a scream and a pistol shot
It can't be a dream if it sounds like that
It's a riot in a Liberty City
A race riot such a down right pity
Walkin' down the road one afternoon
Feelin' upset no I'm not immune
Let me tell you a story
Another painful story

What ya' think of a world like that
A clicky lickle world like that
What ya' think of a world like that
A world full a' dread like that

Think!!

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