[Verse 1: Nas]
The ghetto Othello, the Moor
Oh my God, they speak venomous on the boy
Oh my Lord, my enemy is fear and I'm sure
Oh my God, they want the end of me 'cause I'm pure
Oh my Lord, discipline for the win, I just go for it
It's a trend for these men to die on their own sword
Journey far, learn who you can be
But you can learn who you are when you around family
Chip off the shoulders of soldiers, on their grizzle
My granddaddy Mack Little married Nannie Little
They passed down wisdom, blessings were given
Pray my sins don't get passed to my children, I made a killin'
I'm alive like the morning star
Court Jordan's for the price on stock, so what the Hornets are?
I need evaluations, I'm savvy, y'all
Eatin' foie gras and caviar, listen

[Chorus: The-Dream]
Adam and Eve don't fall too far from the apple tree
Ayy
Adam and Eve, Adam and Eve
Don't fall too far from the apple tree, apple tree

[Verse 2: Nas]
The ghosts of gangsters dance
Chinchillas shake on the hanger, the force of this banger
Yeah, my language advanced, my cadence amazin'
The voice triggers somethin', what is this conundrum?
The clouds scurry, your spirit rumble, a boyish smile
Still puff the loud, it's nothing less than a quarter pound
Savage narrative, every verse that I write
Bursts light, brings awareness to my personal life
After my morning walk, Havana cigar, the ganja spark
See my doctor more, sweat in the sauna or
The spa, spendin' fifty large at the Bellagio
Spent twenty on a bad bitch I hardly know
New girl every night, two girls was every other night
Sexual addiction, gangster tradition
They wanna fuck me, have me under their belt, slightly offended
Yeah, that's how I felt, that's how it ended
I'm just good at existing, existin' in my truth
As long as I enjoy the fruit, yeah
See Nas Live
Get tickets as low as $58
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[Chorus: The-Dream]
Adam and Eve don't fall too far from the apple tree
Ayy
Adam and Eve, Adam and Eve
Don't fall too far from the apple tree, apple tree

[Verse 3: Nas]
What come first, peace or the paper?
Before I had a piece of paper, peace was in my favor
Before I sat to eat at the table, it had leeches and traitors
Cut the fat from the meat, extract the weak, bon appetit, no bacon
Brothers is swine
It's so hard to trust 'em 'cause my hustle is mine
It's evident they all the same, with gray hair and still mean muggin'
Gray hairs of wisdom, that means you seen somethin', say something
You stay frontin' but these clowns got false crowns, fictitional kings
You broke my heart, Fredo
You bring this thing of ours down to a fable
Be advised my guys dyin', enterprisin' at a boss's table
There's always room at my table
Insecurities is keepin' you disabled
All this money to get, is there less time?
They ain't stopped printin' money, 'cause they made mine
I learned to stretch time, these are the best times
I'm in my neighborhood in stadiums, the Mets' kind
With restaurants and Carbone, spicy rigatoni go hard
A red Bordeaux, oh God
[Chorus: The-Dream]
Adam and Eve don't fall too far from the apple tree
Ayy
Adam and Eve, Adam and Eve
Don't fall too far from the apple tree, apple tree

Have you been good to yourself?
Have you been getting your proper rest?
Have you been sleeping at least eight hours?
Have you been eating the right kinds of food?
Have you been getting enough exercise?
Have you been living a righteous life?

A lot of people, they work too hard
A lot of people depend on drugs
A lot of people, they go too far
A lot of people don't rest enough
A lot of people not eating right
A lot of people not eating right

Have you been good to yourself?
Have you been living a righteous life?
Have you been treating other people right?
Have you been staying away from adultery?
Have you been staying away from drugs?
Have you been keeping your faith in God?
Have you been following the ten commandments?

A lot of people have given up
A lot of people can't stand the storm
A lot of people, they turn to drugs
A lot of people are staying drunk
A lot of people are leaving here
A lot of people, they need our prayers
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Have you been good to yourself?
Oh have you been good?
Have you been good to yourself?
If you're not gonna be good to yourself
Then you're not gonna be good to others
If you're not gonna be good to yourself
Then you're not gonna be good to others

When you mistreat yourself
Then you mistreat others
When you mistreat yourself
Then you mistreat your family
When you mistreat yourself
Then you mistreat your children
When you mistreat yourself
Then you mistreat your children
When you mistreat yourself
Then you mistreat your children
When you mistreat yourself

The song describes a dream of flying through the sky with a heart full of love and happiness

Nel blu, dipinto di blu (Volare)
Music by Domenico Modugno; Lyrics by Domenico Modugno & Franco Migliacci - 1958

Penso che un sogno così non ritorni mai più:
mi dipingevo le mani e la faccia di blu,
poi d’improvviso venivo dal vento rapito
e incominciavo a volare nel cielo infinito

Volare… oh, oh!… Cantare… oh, oh, oh, oh!
Nel blu, dipinto di blu, felice di stare lassù.

E volavo, volavo felice
più in alto del sole ed ancora più su,
mentre il mondo pian piano spariva lontano laggiù,
una musica dolce suonava soltanto per me
Volare… oh, oh!… Cantare… oh, oh, oh, oh!
Nel blu, dipinto di blu, felice di stare lassù.

Ma tutti i sogni nell’alba svaniscon perché,
quando tramonta, la luna li porta con sé.
Ma io continuo a sognare negli occhi tuoi belli,
che sono blu come un cielo trapunto di stelle.

Volare… oh, oh!… Cantare… oh, oh, oh, oh!
Nel blu, dipinto di blu, felice di stare quaggiù.

E continuo a volare felice
più in alto del sole ed ancora più su,
mentre il mondo pian piano scompare negli occhi tuoi blu,
la tua voce è una musica dolce che suona per me

Volare… oh, oh!… Cantare… oh, oh, oh, oh!
Nel blu, dipinto di blu, felice di stare quaggiù.
Nel blu degli occhi tuoi blu, felice di stare quaggiù, con te!

In the Blue-Painted Blue Sky
Translated by: Francesco Ciabattoni

I think a dream like this will never come back:
I painted my hands and face blue
then I was suddenly seized by the wind
and began to fly in the infinite sky
​
Fly, oh oh! Sing, oh, oh, oh, oh!
in the blue-painted blue sky, so happy to be up there

And I flew, I flew happily
higher up than the sun, and higher yet,
while the world slowly faded away down there,
a sweet music was playing just for me…
​
Fly, oh oh! Sing, oh, oh, oh, oh!
in the blue-painted blue sky, so happy to be up there

But every dream vanishes at dawn because
when the moon sets she takes them away with her.
But I keep dreaming in your beautiful eyes,
that are blue like a star-spangled sky.

Fly, oh oh! Sing, oh, oh, oh, oh!
in the blue-painted blue sky, so happy to be up there
​
And I flew on, so happy
higher up than the sun, and higher yet,
while the world slowly faded away in your blue eyes
your voice is a sweet music that plays for me

Fly, oh oh! Sing, oh, oh, oh, oh!
in the blue-painted blue sky, so happy to be up there
In the blue of your blue eyes, so happy to be down there, with you!

You saw me crying in the chapel
The tears I shed were tears of joy
I know the meaning of contentment
Now I'm happy with the Lord
Just a plain and simple chapel
Where humble people go to pray
I pray the Lord that I'll grow stronger
As I live from day to day
I've searched (I've searched) and I've searched (I've searched)
But I couldn't find
No way on earth to gain peace of mind
Now I'm happy in the chapel
Where people are of one accord (One accord)
Yes, we gather in the chapel
Just to sing and praise the Lord
You'll search (You'll search) and you'll search (You'll search)
But you'll never find
No way on earth to gain peace of mind
Take your troubles to the chapel
Get down on your knees and pray (Knees and pray)
Then your burdens will be lighter
And you'll surely find the way (And you'll surely find the way)

[Chorus]
A stick, a stone, it's the end of the road
It's the rest of a stump, it's a little alone
It's a sliver of glass, it is life, it's the sun
It is night, it is death, it's a trap, it's a gun

[Verse 1]
The oak when it blooms, a fox in the brush
A knot in the wood, the song of a thrush
The wood of the wind, a cliff, a fall
A scratch, a lump, it is nothing at all
It's the wind blowing free, it's the end of the slope
It's a beam, it's a void, it's a hunch, it's a hope

[Refrain]
And the river bank talks of the waters of March
It's the end of the strain, it's the joy in your heart

[Verse 2]
The foot, the ground, the flesh and the bone
The beat of the road, a slingshot's stone
A fish, a flash, a silvery glow
A fight, a bet, the flange of a bow
The bed of the well, the end of the line
The dismay in the face, it's a loss, it's a find
A spear, a spike, a point, a nail
A drip, a drop, the end of the tale
A truckload of bricks in the soft morning light
The sound of a gun in the dead of the night
A mile, a must, a thrust, a bump
It's a girl, it's a rhyme, it's a cold, it's the mumps
The plan of the house, the body in bed
And the car that got stuck, it's the mud, it's the mud
A float, a drift, a flight, a wing
A hank, a quail, the promise of spring
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[Refrain]
And the river bank talks of the waters of March
It's the promise of life, it's the joy in your heart

[Instrumental Break]

[Verse 3]
A snake, a stick, it is John, it is Joe
It's a thorn on your hand and a cut in your toe
A point, a grain, a bee, a bite
A blink, a buzzard, a sudden stroke of night
A pin, a needle, a sting, a pain
A snail, a riddle, a wasp or a stain
A pass in the mountains, a horse and a mule
In the distance, the shelves rode three shadows of blue

[Refrain]
And the river bank talks of the waters of March
It's the promise of life in your heart, in your heart

[Chorus]
A stick, a stone, the end of the road
The rest of a stump, a lonesome road
A sliver of glass, a life, the sun
A knife, a death, the end of the run
[Refrain]
And the river bank talks of the waters of March
It's the end of all strain, it's the joy in your heart

Darlin' you can count on me
'Til the sun dries up the sea
Until then, I'll always be devoted to you
I'll be yours through endless time
I'll adore your charm sublime
Guess by now you know that I'm devoted to you
I'll never hurt you
I'll never lie
I'll never be untrue
I'll never give you reason to cry
I'd be unhappy if you were blue
Through the years my love will grow
Like a river, it will flow
It can't die because I'm so devoted to you
I'll never hurt you
I'll never lie
I'll never be untrue
I'll never give you reason to cry
I'd be unhappy if you were blue
Through the years my love will grow
Like a river, it will flow
It can't die because I'm so devoted to you

Written by Boudleaux Bryant

It is surprisingly common for artists to revisit a cover song years later, often to radically change the arrangement or to update the recording for a different stage of their career.

2 Songs from my friend Terry

Pastor Thomas Lee Barrett Jr. (born 1944) is an American Pentecostal preacher and gospel musician whose 1970s recordings became cult classics after being rediscovered by the hip-hop community in the 2010s. Based on Chicago's South Side, he is the longtime leader of the Life Center Church of God in Christ.

The song sounds different because it refuses refinement. It captures belief under strain, recorded close to the moment of its expression. What you’re hearing is not gospel as genre, but gospel as lived pressure—communal, imperfect, and unresolved.

Gal Costa was a transformative Brazilian singer and a central figure of the Tropicália movement. Renowned for her versatile mezzo-soprano voice, she bridged the gap between traditional Brazilian rhythms like bossa nova and the experimental sounds of psychedelic rock and pop.

I personally enjoy her Intimate, stripped-down delivery. Her vocal expression is fragile and touching.

The song Lágrimas Negras is off her album Cantar, which is not available on streaming; however, you can find the record on YouTube, unfortunately, without the great song Lágrimas Negras

https://youtu.be/0iZ_Te5CKVE?si=1IScX6CjoYPdb1Im

Jazz

Homage to Dima.

Thank you sir.

MADE IN THE USA

Beastie boys, NWA, Boogie Down Productions are also worth checking out.

'"Some random 80s R&B soul and Funk songs I enjoy"

These two gentleman have written of some of my favorite songs, including Blue Moon, a song sung by both Elvis and Dean Martin. They must have received God's grace.

Originally dedicated to Houston Texas music.

Plus two: https://youtu.be/ah6rnjWEFB4

https://youtu.be/K0iGYlKP3UQ