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West Philadelphia Orchestra and g. mervine - Ancestors

from WPO Singles 2019​-​2022 by West Philadelphia Orchestra

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Music and lyrics by Gregg Mervine

lyrics

See the timeline’s changing
Get it through your head.
(oh oh-oh oh-oh)
Shocker of an ending, baby,
We all dead!
(oh oh-oh oh-oh)

How do we say goodbye
Is it a battle cry?
Is it too late to contemplate
our fate and reasons why?

Will an answer toll
Like thunder
from the mountain top?
Fuck that,
I dedicate this body
To the future crop.

- - - - - - - - - - - -
I asked the stars,
“Why if we were made from clay,
did we begin
to see another way?”
Try to throw away the dice
And redesign the rules
Draw lines across the land
preach and teach it in the schools

That these rivers are not veins (sung by children)
And these waters are not blood
That the soil’s not alive
Born of fires born of flood

But see these trees
With their fingers reaching upwards to the sky
Are praising the same god, tracing I and I.

You taught me joy, taught me peace
The cool of earth, the mirth of bees.
How to dig the dark like roots
And bring to surface bitter fruits.

But all along I held a knife
With unseen hand pressed to your side.
I thought you gave your gifts for free

I long to see you
Drinketh from your heart.
Forgive me dear,I did betray,
When all these years I should have stayed
With thee.

- - - - - - - - -

What will we pray for as the ending nears?
What will we pray fothrough the burning years?
What will we pray to as confusion clears?
Don’t leave us drowning in our tears.

Ancestors
Of disaster.
Was entitled to
Live like masters.

That’s what they’re gonna say about us.
That’s all of you that they will ever know.

What will we pray to as the ending nears?
What will we pray for through the burning years?
What will we pray to as confusion clears?
Don’t leave us drowning in our tears.


You brought me love,taught me peace
The cool of earth, the mirth of bees.
How to dig darkness like roots
And bring to surface bitter fruits.

I didn’t know I held a knife
With unseen hand pressed to your side.
I thought you gave these gifts for free

I long to see you
Drinketh from your heart.
In your fields and folds
You saved me from the start.
Forgive me dear,I did betray,
When all these years I should have stayed
With thee.

credits

from WPO Singles 2019​-​2022, track released November 3, 2021
G. Mervine - vocals, percussion
Chad Brown and Elliot Beck - percussion
Elliott Levin, David Fishkin, Larry Goldfinger - reeds
Jim Parker, Frank Rein, Larry Toft, Hayley Varhol - low brass
Daniel Stern, Dawn Webster, Adam Hershberger - trumpets
Jesse Sparhawk - harp

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West Philadelphia Orchestra Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

West Philadelphia Orchestra (WPO) is a brass band whose music draws inspiration from Balkan brass bands and transcendent jazz. WPO is known for the intensity and chaos of their dance parties, as well as their curious line-up of musicians: spinning tubist, Elliott's hellfire sax, and the voice of Petia Z. ... more

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