Gil Scott-Heron

17th Street


I've done a lot of travellin', seen a lot of pretty faces.
I've sung my way out blues songs in extraordinary places.
I come from 17th Street and that's on the other side of town,
an' if you see me wit' my brothers

don'cha dare go no further
you know we gonna get down, down, down.

Some people think I'm crazy, they say gil,
"it mus' be in yo' mind." They tell me
"there jus' ain' no sane reazon the way
yawl get down ev'ry time."
(I trytatellemthat):
"I come from 17th Street an'
that's where the brothers don' mess around"
and if you lookin' for the music
an' we find out you can use it
you know we gonna get down, down, down.
If you lookin' for excitement you may need
only look next door
because the brothers from 17th Street
they don't all live there anymore.
Some done moved to Harlem an'
Some moved way uptown, but if you
thinkin' bout the Spirit
an' you want to get near it
c'mon, c'mon an' get down, down, down.