ANTHOLOGY: THE QUARANTINE SONGS OF CORNELIUS EADY

Anthology (for Ahmaud Arbery)
Vocals: Cornelius Eady Text: lines from Eady, Lucille Clifton, Sterling A. Brown, Anand Prahlad, Gary Lilley, Ahmaud Arbery and News Reports
Sound Design, Arrangement, Roland Juno 60 Synth: Jenny Johnson
Electric Guitars: Lisa Liu & Charlie Rauh
Trumpet Sample: Michael Jones
Anthology

VOX 1: “I’ve written so many of these, too many” (Cornelius Eady)

VOX 2: “Everyday
Something has tried to kill me” (Lucille Clifton)

VOX 3: “He toppled, and the blood rushed out” (Sterling A. Brown)

VOX 4: “See the way
Dey lock up good
Desperate t’ keep
All the me’s out” (Anand Prahlad)

VOX 5: “The old man guns the motor to say
I’m moving too slow” (Gary Lilley)

VOX 6: “You bothered me for nothing” (Ahmaud Arbery)

VOX 7: “There’s a black male running down the street.” (News Report)

VOX 8: “Under Georgia law this is perfectly legal.” (News Report)

NYC

Words and Music: Cornelius Eady

The police round up the homeless
And drive them to the camps
You see, there ain’t no place in this town
For economic dissidence.
You say these dumps ain’t worth the rent,

But this is New York City,
New York Town,
If you can’t cut it, baby,
You won’t stick around
You’re so young and so pretty
Steppin’ off the greyhound.

You stick around a few weeks
And here’s what you learn:
Money equals love,
And love equals burns.
A thousand shades of hunger

In New York City,
The New York School,
Hard knocks, eclectic shocks,
Bustin’ knuckles on the new.
Will your tongue be drinkin’ pity,
Or lappin’ up its due?

City of the Gold Calf,
City with no kids,
City of the dark truths,
City of the Id.
You sweet, abusive lover,

New York City,
The New York rage,
A one bedroom apartment
At the end of the modern age.
The mutants wait for Jesus
Beneath the subway.

CE: Vocal; Concetta Abbate: Vocal & Violin; Lisa Liu: Acoustic Guitar & Piano; Charlie Rauh: Electric Guitar. Arranged by Liu & Rauh. Mixed by Lisa Liu

Nurse Red Line

Words and Music: Cornelius Eady

The angels are working overtime
Their wings are sore from flying
Carry the wounded, carry the dead
Check your pulse, and keep on trying

Nurse Red line, she’s full time
Patron Saint of the left-behind
As your world unglues
Who’s gonna rescue you?

Nobody talks ‘bout
The things you do without
And still get through the day
Nobody wants to know
The things you can’t let go
The shit that won’t go away.

Nurse Red line, he’s full time
Patron Saint of the left-behind
As your world unglues
Who’s gonna rescue you?

There’s a canvas bag
He used to be a father
But he ain’t a father no more
There’s a tent in the rain
Where all the crates are the same
You’re stacking up the over flow

Nurse Red line, they’re full time
Patron Saint of the left-behind.
As your world unglues
Who’s gonna rescue you?

She’s the mayor
Of the City of the Dead
He’s a landlord
Collecting ghost rent.
There’s no deposits, no returns
After all your heart is spent.

Nurse Red line, tuff & fine,
Patron Saint of the left-behind
As your world unglues
Who’s gonna rescue you?

CE: Vocal; Lisa Liu: Electric Piano; Charlie Rauh: Acoustic Guitar. Recorded in shelter in Manhattan, Brooklyn and Long Island. Arranged by Liu & Rauh. Mixed by Lisa Liu.

Words and Music: Cornelius Eady

O, Lord
Please don’t cheat me of my days
O, Lord
O, Lord
Please don’t cheat me of my days
O, Lord
O, Lord