Louis Rosen & Capathia Jenkins
ONE OUNCE OF TRUTH
The Nikki Giovanni Songs
(PS Classics, 2008)
Produced by Louis Rosen, Scott Lehrer & Capathia Jenkins
Music by Louis Rosen, Poetry by Nikki Giovanni
(Part Three of The Black Loom Trilogy)
“...a continually shifting musical patchwork of blues, folk, jazz and pop…as earthy, tuneful art song.” NY Times
"The blissful collaboration of composer Louis Rosen and singer Capathia Jenkins…have found a kindred spirit in poet Nikki Giovanni...The combination has charm and beauty to spare. ... Rosen [as] songwriter and musician, charts an irresistible landscape between pop music and art song…." Bloomberg News
“'One Ounce of Truth' … is sophisticated and thrilling, a true treat for adults looking for meaningful pop music…. The first time through it’s actually difficult to grasp the full weight of the songs. The music is so enjoyable.... ” Edge, New York
“…For a textbook example of a near-perfect marriage of poetry and music, try Capathia Jenkins and Louis Rosen’s latest CD, 'One Ounce of Truth.' …. a celebration of every facet of life.” Cabaret Scenes
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LISTEN to songs from "ONE OUNCE OF TRUTH"
Capathia Jenkins - vocals
Louis Rosen - vocals, acoustic & nylon string guitar, spinet, additional percussion
Kimberly Grigsby - piano
Rob Moose - violin
Andrew Sterman - saxophones & flute
Glenn Drewes - trumpet & fluegelhorn
Dave Phillips - acoustic & electric bass
Erik Charlston - vibraphone, marimba, glockenspiel, drums & percussion
Kevin Kuhn - electric guitar
Gary Seligson - drums
Bruce Eidem - trombone
Instrumental and Vocal Arrangements by Louis Rosen
Songs
THE WORLD
the world is not a pleasant place
to be without
someone to hold and be held by
a river would stop
its flow if only
a stream were there
to receive it
an ocean would never laugh
if clouds weren’t there
to kiss her tears
the world is not
a pleasant place to be without
someone
TELEPHONE SONG
Cans and strings and backyard trees
Giggles coming through the wire
Summer mud pies lemonade stands
Hang Up No You Hang Up First
Potatoes must be piled mile high
Then you add the leaves
Daddies always light the fires
Hang Up No You Hang Up First
Marriage children divorce jobs
Ambitions eat our days away
Girl I miss our silly times
Hang Up No You Hang Up First
THE MOON SHINES DOWN
the moon shines down
on new york city
while I smile over
at you
the moon is still
against the night
and I am still
against you
surely you must sometimes wonder
won’t I ever go home
surely you must sometimes say
poet please leave me alone
but my bad rhyme
and love of night
retain me here with you
and though it’s so sad to admit
without you what would I do
of course you are no panacea
for my lack of friends
but if I were a hallmark card
here’s where we’d begin
the moon shines down
on new york city
while I smile over at you
I WROTE A GOOD OMELETE
I wrote a good omelet . . . and ate a hot poem . . .
after loving you
Buttoned my car . . . and drove my coat home . . . in the
rain . . .
after loving you
I goed on red . . . and stopped on green . . . floating
somewhere in between . . .
being here and being there . . .
after loving you
I rolled my bed . . . turned down my hair . . . slightly
confused but . . . I don’t care . . .
Laid out my teeth . . . and gargled my gown . . . then I stood
. . . and laid me down . . .
to sleep . . .
after loving you
I WANT TO SING
I want to sing
a piercing note
lazily throwing my legs
across the moon
my voice carrying all the way
over to your pillow
I want you
I need I swear to loll
about the sun
and have it smelt me
the ionosphere carrying
my ashes all
the way over
to your pillow
I want you
AT THE BALL
(Convenient Haystacks)
The ostrich talked and the goldfish walked while the little dog wagged its tail
The lion roared the rhino bored a black hole through the jail
The elephant laughed to see such a sight the hyenas howled through it all
The moon shined down on the prairie dog town while you and I danced
at the ball the ball
while you and I danced at the ball
And though it was great we really were late getting the carriage back
So off we walked to talk sweet talk making stops by convenient haystacks haystacks
making stops by convenient haystacks
YOU WERE GONE
You were gone
like a fly lighting
on that wall
with a spider in the corner
You were gone
like last week’s paycheck
for this week’s bills
You were gone
like the years between
twenty-five and thirty
as if somehow
You never existed
and if it wouldn’t be
for the gray hairs
I’d never know that
You had come
ALL I GOTTA DO
all I gotta do
is sit and wait
sit and wait
and it’s gonna find
me
all I gotta do
is sit and wait
if I can learn
how
what I need to do
is sit and wait
cause i’m a woman
sit and wait
what I gotta do
is sit and wait
cause i’m a woman
it’ll find me
you get yours
and i’ll get mine
if I learn
to sit and wait
you got yours
I want mine
and i’m gonna get it
cause I gotta get it
cause I need to get it
if I learn how
thought about calling
for it on the phone
asked for a delivery
but they didn’t have it
thought about going
to the store to get it
walked to the corner
but they didn’t have it
called your name
in my sleep
sitting and waiting
thought you would awake me
called your name
lying in my bed
but you didn’t have it
offered to go get it
but you didn’t have it
so i’m sitting
waiting
all I know
is sitting and waiting
waiting and sitting
cause i’m a woman
all I know
is sitting and waiting
cause I gotta wait
wait for it to find
me
KISS A FROG
write a letter write a song
tell a story right or wrong
kiss a frog and make a prince
mix the sugar with the quince
at hummingbirds
what a lie
light the candle see the bear
west winds blowing time to care
for the babies sleeping tight
through the sweet dreams of the night
THE BLACK LOOM
(Genie in the Jar: for Nina Simone)
take a note and spin it around spin it around
don’t prick your finger
take a note and spin it around
on the Black loom on the Black loom
careful baby
don't prick your finger
take the air and weave the sky
around the Black loom around the Black loom
make the sky sing a Black song sing a blue song
sing my song make the sky sing a Black song
from the Black loom from the Black loom
careful baby
don’t prick your finger
take a genie and put her in a jar
put her in a jar
wrap the sky around her
take the genie and put her in a jar
wrap the sky around her
listen to her sing
sing a Black song our Black song
from the Black loom
singing to me
from the Black loom
careful baby
don’t prick your finger
ONE OUNCE OF TRUTH
one ounce of truth benefits
like ripples on a pond
one ounce of truth benefits like a ripple
on a pond
one ounce of truth
benefits like ripples on
a pond
as things change remember my smile
the old man said my time is getting near
the old man said my time
is getting near
he looked at his dusty cracked boots to say
sister my time is getting near
and when I’m gone remember I smiled
and when I’m gone remember
I smiled
I’m glad my time is getting there
the baby cried wanting some milk
the baby cried needing some milk
the baby he cried for wanting
his mother kissed him gently
when I came they sang a song
when I was born they sang a song
when I was saved they sang a song
remember I smiled when i’m gone
remember I smiled when i’m gone
sing a good song when I’m gone
we ain’t got long to stay
THAT DAY
if you’ve got the key
then i’ve got the door
let’s do what we did
when we did it before
if you’ve got the time
i’ve got the way
let’s do what we did
when we did it all day
if you’ve got the dough
then i’ve got the heat
we can use my oven
til it’s warm and sweet
i know I’m bold
coming on like this
but the good things in life
are too good to be missed
now time is money
and money is sweet
if you’re busy baby
we can do it on our feet
we can do it on the floor
we can do it on the stair
we can do it on the couch
we can do it in the air
if we do it once a month
we can do it in time
if we do it once a week
we can do it in rhyme
if we do it every day
we can do it everyway
we can do it like we did
when we did it
that day
THINGS THAT GO TOGETHER
Let’s start with the air which has its airplanes
And thunder
And lightning
And kites
Then think of the bulbs which have shades
And switches
To turn on
When we need night lights
Oysters have seas Some dogs have fleas
though bricks and mortar are sticking
Rock has its roll BayBridge: No Toll
and pillows have cases and ticking
And tumbling through Space with a smile on its face
The moon has its wine and its cheeses
The Jeopardy answer is: You and Me
The question is: Who likes squeezes
All Songs © 2008 by Louis Rosen & Nikki Giovanni. Publisher: Lullwater Music, ASCAP. All Rights Reserved.
Poetry © 1968, 1970, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1975, 1978, 1979, 1983, 1993, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1999 by Nikki Giovanni