down at the jazz factory
landlord keeps the beat
steady
steady
slow
this is landlord’s parade
and this is how he plays it
his sticks are tight, the music tight
this night feels
all right
landlord hits the cymbals
and it starts to rain
shh-tat-ta-tat-tat-splash
just a little sprinkle
shh-tat-ta-tat-tat-splash
and the horns walk in, start jumping
into puddles
trombone is the backbone, the big brother
do-whop-a-whop
wah-wah
do-whop-a-whop
wah-wah
trumpet is the poet of the family
he pours the coffee
beh-dee-deet
da dee-deet
beh-dee-da-dee-da-dee-deet
and the girl
with the whiskey fist
and the rose on her lips
blows him a kiss
so he talks to her
beh-dee-deet
da dee-deet
beh-dee-da-dee-da-dee-deet
time gets loose and thin
but landlord snares it in
so tight
shh-tat-ta-tat-tat-splash, shh-tat-ta-tat-tat-splash
do-whop-a-whop
wah-wah
do-whop-a-whop
wah-wah
landlord punched the clock
and we start to rock
beh-dee-deet
da dee-deet
beh-dee-da-dee-da-dee-deet
landlord is pounding
horns are laughing
pounding and laughing
laughing
and pounding
all of a sudden
the music stops
all is
quiet
silent
like
holding your breath
before a storm
and landlord says
“time to pay the rent!”
boom-boom-splash-boom!, bah-boom-bah-boom! bah-boom! ric-a-tic-a- splash!
boom-boom-boom! thump-a-thump-a-tic-a-tic-a boom-bash-boom-splash!
boom-splash! boom-splash! rat-a-tat-tat-tat-boom, bah-boom! bah-boom-boom-
splash! splash! splash!
boom-boom!
splash!
boom!
boom!
boom-splash!
yeah!
and then the trombone blows up, and the trumpet blows up, and the room blows up
and the moon blows up, one whole city block blows up, and all of harlem
shakes
all the whiskey fists and red rose lips screaming “drums have won! horns have won!
all is one!”
just the way i like it
posted for Shay's Word List #7
posted for dverse oln #307
posted for poets and storytellers united
jalopy dreams 