All Along 74th Avenue

Yeah… 74th Avenue… East Oakland… Joker to the thief… but this time the watchtower has familia… [Verse 1 – “There must be some way out of here,” said the young vato to the streets “Too much confusion, I can’t get no sleep East Side Barrio sliding through, 60s Ave and the 41st Psychos creep They want the whole block, but this is my turf to keep Businessmen drink my wine, politicians dig my earth None of them along the line know what mi familia is worth I was just a kid with a slingshot and a prayer Learned real quick — protect your barrio, your blood, your people right there” [Verse 2 – “No reason to get excited,” the old head kindly spoke “Many here among us feel that life is just a joke But you and I, we’ve been through that, and this is not our fate So let us not talk falsely now, the hour is getting late Keep that light on pa’ los babies, guard the gate 74th Avenue raised us, taught us how to stand tall Gangs from the east tryna take it — we ain’t lettin’ ‘em take it at all” [Chorus – All along 74th Avenue… princes kept the view Mamas came and went, barefoot kids running too Outside in the distance, the wildcats still growl Two riders approaching… pero we hold it down right now All along 74th… we hold it down somehow [Bridge – I was just a kid… learned to guard mi familia, guard my friends East Side tryin’ to slide in, but we built these walls with our hands From the candy store runs to the ice cream truck bells ringing To the nights we stood tall when the whole block felt like hell Holy Spirit in my chest, Bible glowing in the dark Turned that fear into fire — now I’m lighting up the park [Final Chorus – All along 74th Avenue… princes kept the view Familia, friends, the whole hood — that’s what we do Outside in the distance, hear the wildcats growl But two riders turn around… ‘cause we standin’ tall right now All along 74th… we standin’ tall right now [Outro – Fading Hendrix-style guitar solo + ad-libs] 74th Ave… Hammerville… Protect la familia… protect the block… Jimi TY, take us home…