Louis Rosen - ONE OUNCE OF TRUTH: The Nikki Giovanni Songs

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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

Available now for purchase or download at

iTunes, Amazon.com and Louis' Store

(Click on the store's name to be taken to its site.)

Also available at most other online distributors.

Click on the album cover above for LOUIS' STORE.

LISTEN to songs from "ONE OUNCE OF TRUTH"

READ the press highlights

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

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

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

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

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