"47th Street" lyrics
(feat. J. Ivy)
[J. Ivy:]
The South had an exodus
After flipping through the paper
Our kin folk knew what was next for us
They headed north down to lay down their roots
The train was filled with hope
From the freight cars to the caboose
Next stop Chicago
The big city of dreams and big shoulders
This was the hot spot even though the winters were much older
Many made their way to the Southside and adopted it
It was here where they fell in love with this
Black metropolis
[Lalah Hathaway:]
47th Street
Do you remember me
When the world was slow and the rent was cheap
Grandmothers voice in the summer heat
Holding it down
Harrold (HAROLD) Washington and Arie Crown
Every streetlight hums your name
Every corner burns the same
You can occupy these streets
But you can't evict what lives in me
You knew when we were coming through
On Sundays we'd run the block
If only these streets could talk
That's where my daddy laid his hat down
Sweet Hosea wore the crown
My soul sings a legacy
I am the promise of what can be
You can occupy these streets
But you can't evict what lives in me
You can occupy these streets
But you can't evict what lives in me
[J. Ivy:]
Up here in Bronzeville
These country folk figured out how to make a way
Our people made something out of nothing
There's always been magic in our DNA
From our art, our poetry, to the music we would play
The whole world watch as our Black renaissance was put on full display
We were raised right
Traditions were passed down, we welcomed new life
We had our own doctors and banks
We had our fair share of unfair fights
We weren't all rich
But this felt like our (US?) small piece of heaven
We spread love from the lake to State
From 31st to 47th
The South had an exodus
After flipping through the paper
Our kin folk knew what was next for us
They headed north down to lay down their roots
The train was filled with hope
From the freight cars to the caboose
Next stop Chicago
The big city of dreams and big shoulders
This was the hot spot even though the winters were much older
Many made their way to the Southside and adopted it
It was here where they fell in love with this
Black metropolis
[Lalah Hathaway:]
47th Street
Do you remember me
When the world was slow and the rent was cheap
Grandmothers voice in the summer heat
Holding it down
Harrold (HAROLD) Washington and Arie Crown
Every streetlight hums your name
Every corner burns the same
You can occupy these streets
But you can't evict what lives in me
You knew when we were coming through
On Sundays we'd run the block
If only these streets could talk
That's where my daddy laid his hat down
Sweet Hosea wore the crown
My soul sings a legacy
I am the promise of what can be
You can occupy these streets
But you can't evict what lives in me
You can occupy these streets
But you can't evict what lives in me
[J. Ivy:]
Up here in Bronzeville
These country folk figured out how to make a way
Our people made something out of nothing
There's always been magic in our DNA
From our art, our poetry, to the music we would play
The whole world watch as our Black renaissance was put on full display
We were raised right
Traditions were passed down, we welcomed new life
We had our own doctors and banks
We had our fair share of unfair fights
We weren't all rich
But this felt like our (US?) small piece of heaven
We spread love from the lake to State
From 31st to 47th
