When my man Victor (A/K/A Liquid, A/K/A Pete, A/K/A Pahpeetah) first exposed me to this track back in June 09, I couldn’t get it out of my head. It just had current times all over it. Then that “moment” happened. I absolutely had to write. I was also taken back home where I had the privilege to grow up close to my grandfather - Mr. Francis Alex. He's a Louisiana native with a remarkable work ethic, full of wisdom and LOOOOVES to fish (yeah, that’s where it comes from...ignore the fact that my mouth is all open there....oookaaay). I spent many seasons on that old boat of his listening to half-Creole/half-English conversations on the big fish (they never caught) life, and the struggle to simply survive. I was astonished when I heard of the things they had to overcome in their lifetime. Yet their stories paralleled so many great men and women in history. An era filled with testimonials where faith, family, hard work, personal responsibility, and a sense of community were all the fundamental bricks laid beneath their success. Playing the victim simply wasn’t an option and almost frowned upon in some cases. They simply put their faith in God and their hand to the plow. All this further proves that nothing is new under the sun and that the bible is true after all. Even America can note October 1929 as proof that we can recover from anything. The ugly faces of terror are now poverty, crime, social injustices and racism. Hill Street Blues is an anthem to rally the cry that our current challenges are an awesome opportunity to return back to the core values needed to secure a SOLID world for the future.
We hope it will jump-start your passion to KNUCKLE UP, fight the good fight and stand strong in the midst of the Hill Street Blues. So from the busy pulse of Philadelphia city life to small towns in Louisiana, let’s reach out to the unloved sons & daughters who have fallen prey to the Hill Street Blues. Walk (or jog) to this joint in the strength of the Almighty because you will reap if you don’t faint. Hill Street Blues is the Rocky III/Shooter/Matrix gumbo for your SOULLLLLL…..LESSSGOO!!!
*Thanks Paw-Paw & shouts to Pete’s Grand-mother in Philly*
HILL STREET BLUES LYRICS
-Long Version-
Sometimes you gotta knuckle up
I’ve decided today
I’m not running away
I’m not gonna fall to the Hill Street Blues
I’m not gonna lose
I’m taking it all
Just another day in the life - listen:
Alarm clock spins another day begins
Blessed with an opportunity to put work in
Gotta secure some last minute details from yesterday
Backpack a fat plate then it’s blast to rat race
Fast past hustling in space and time
Slip a dollar in the bucket of that Hill Street mime
Same block where the little tots diddy-bop
And the city cops drop locks on the wrists of the idiots
White collar blue collar syncopated myriad
Then enters the ugly face of terror and it’s really dark
All pray to Deliverer for the humble and the gutts
To set aside their differences for the sake of innocent lives
Many become one refusing to be victims of an unloved son
Cause there’s a time to pass the buck and there’s a time to strut
And there’s a time to knuckle up
I’ve decided todayI’m not running away
I’m not gonna fall to the Hill Street Blues
I’m not gonna lose
I’m taking it all
Another epidemic hits the city daily headlines say these are the worst of times
Yet are the surviving descendants of October 1929
I sought my grand-pappa for perspective and he said sonny boy let me give you a clue
We never said never and we’re a better era where a fella did what he had to do - and it’s true
He’s said remember all the lessons that I taught you bout the better men
Do you, forget about the rest and impressing them
Live a life of reverence, beware of the clever men
Cause every smiley face isn’t necessarily brether’and
Fight like your life depends
Cause at your last breath you can’t do it again
There’s no time to pass the buck and there’s not time to strut
Son, you gotta knuckle up
I’ve decided todayI’m not running away
I’m not gonna fall to the Hill Street Blues
I’m not gonna lose
I’m taking it all
At the end of me is the beginning of you
I know your got my back so let’s press on through
There are days when the rain comes down harder than the Dow (Jones)
I wont quit I wont fall I will turn it all around
I wont break I wont bend I will struggle I win
I wont quit I wont back down I will turn it all around
I wont break I wont bend I will struggle I win
I wont quit I wont fall I will turn it all around
I wont break I wont bend I will struggle I win
I wont quit I wont back down I will turn it all around
I wont break I wont bend I will struggle I win
I’ve decided todayI’m not running away
I’m not gonna fall to the Hill Street Blues
I’m not gonna lose
I’m taking it all
At the end of me is the beginning of you
I know you got my back so let’s press on through