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  • 2 days ago
Sing Sing Prison Concert 1972
Transcript
00:00:00Hi.
00:00:26Behind me is the Hudson River and panorama of the Palisades.
00:00:39Maybe you think that I'm up in Caskills somewhere, but you're wrong.
00:00:48Though I'm here and the river is behind me, it's true, I'm up the river.
00:00:53I'm up in a place where I'm just a number and a face among 1,200 other faces and other names and numbers.
00:01:08It's a place where people such as the famous Willie Sutton, the Rosenbergs, Trigger Burke, Joe Bellacci, they all pass through here.
00:01:22This is the...
00:01:26...Iconic Correctional Facility, known the world over as the famous Sing Sing Prison.
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00:09:26I didn't do it. I didn't do it.
00:09:29You know, the food in here is terrible.
00:09:32I really mean it.
00:09:33You cannot eat this food.
00:09:35If it wasn't for my parents and the other parents of the guys that I hang out with,
00:09:39you never would be eating.
00:09:40How much time do you have?
00:09:42Oh, I got me. I got five years.
00:09:44I should be going home by next month, anyway.
00:09:48What are you here for?
00:09:49Oh, I'm here for armed robbery.
00:09:52You armed robbery?
00:09:53Oh, yeah.
00:09:54Is that right?
00:09:55Sure.
00:09:56I'm not proud of it. Don't get in the sun to stand me.
00:10:01I hope the sun doesn't come out.
00:10:04Be inside.
00:10:06Yeah, right.
00:10:07I woke up this morning with tears in my bed.
00:10:13They shot him up.
00:10:15They killed a man I really love.
00:10:17Shot him in the head.
00:10:20Lord, Lord, they shot George Jackson down.
00:10:24Lord, Lord, they laid him in the ground.
00:10:29Lord, Lord, they shot George Jackson down.
00:10:33Lord, Lord, they laid him in the ground.
00:10:36Put your back up on the bar.
00:10:38Well, I'm fixing.
00:10:39Don't touch your back.
00:10:41Where is this going?
00:10:42I don't know.
00:10:42What is this?
00:10:43That's the organ speaker.
00:10:44Who wanted it?
00:10:44It's the organ?
00:10:45That's the organ.
00:10:46Put the organ over there.
00:10:47On the other side of the organ.
00:10:48You can do one over there and keep one over here.
00:10:50Ain't that the organ?
00:10:50No, that's the piano.
00:10:52That's the organ over there.
00:10:53Keep one over there and keep one over there.
00:10:54Hey, watch my back.
00:10:57What are you?
00:10:57See that fresh guy?
00:10:58This goes on the other side with you already.
00:10:59I told you that.
00:11:00No, I told you that.
00:11:01I don't know.
00:11:03Because I gave him the keys this morning.
00:11:05You got it?
00:11:06You got your other keys there?
00:11:07Yeah, I gave him to Pat Canavan to open up that room.
00:11:09Hey, Sarge, he's not a Christian science room.
00:11:11Hey, someone want to let me out?
00:11:13Just open it up.
00:11:14You want to let me out so I can know?
00:11:16Is it 149628, Hoffman, 5292, 39480, 151433, 152302, visit.
00:11:46Well, I think that we're here to provide as much protection for outside people as possible
00:12:13because anything can happen.
00:12:16We are nervous and excited.
00:12:18We're going to do everything we can to put as much protection on these people as possible.
00:12:22Not that we expect anything.
00:12:23We don't expect the population to be tough.
00:12:25We expect them to get all excited.
00:12:27Yes, we don't expect anything.
00:12:28You think you can handle anything that might happen?
00:12:29I think we can.
00:12:31I know we can.
00:12:33Right now, everybody's coming in, and they're trying to get themselves situated in a seat.
00:12:39I'm nervous because I'm anxious for, you know, for this thing to start so once we get started,
00:12:46like, we start picking up one, two, three, and, like, I won't be nervous no more.
00:12:50We need some pencils.
00:12:51Anybody want to need some?
00:12:54All inmates, performers, report to the chapel.
00:12:58Right now.
00:13:02Yes?
00:13:03Can I have everybody else that's going to help us here on stage, and then we'll get everything up together so that we're together?
00:13:09We got them here.
00:13:10Oh, okay.
00:13:11That's the village of, how do you pronounce it?
00:13:13Austin?
00:13:14Austin.
00:13:14Austin.
00:13:16Yeah.
00:13:17Yeah, well, we're here.
00:13:21Excuse me.
00:13:22This is Dave Hoffman.
00:13:25He's the executive producer and director of this picture at the institution today.
00:13:29He's going to say a few words.
00:13:30My partner and I have been working for this concert for about a year.
00:13:39You haven't seen most of us, and I guess I haven't seen most of you,
00:13:42but it took us a year to get this thing to come off,
00:13:45and I still don't know what it's going to be like.
00:13:47Joan Baez and B.B. King aren't even in here yet.
00:13:50There's some hang-up outside.
00:13:52I understand that people don't want to be photographed,
00:13:55so anyone who's behind that line will not be shot by the cameras.
00:13:59Okay?
00:14:00Remember, Thursday night is Latin night at the Cheetah.
00:14:07What's happening, fellas?
00:14:08The food.
00:14:10The man with the food.
00:14:11That he is.
00:14:12What are you doing?
00:14:14Hey, wait, wait, wait.
00:14:16What's happening?
00:14:18What's happening?
00:14:20What took you so long?
00:14:21Hey, not them, us.
00:14:23What's happening with this dude?
00:14:24He's one of us.
00:14:26They're beating us in that commissive.
00:14:28You go over there, you think you're in ShopRite.
00:14:32Listen, if you can't see a dude that looks like a Martian,
00:14:35don't worry, it's only the camera crew.
00:14:38Oh, Joan Baez just came in.
00:14:39I just got the wire, fellas.
00:14:41Joan Baez just came in, man.
00:14:43She got her together self in here.
00:14:45She'll be here soon.
00:14:47There it is, fellas.
00:14:49Yeah?
00:14:50I don't mind y'all going down.
00:14:51There it is.
00:14:55There's the wall.
00:14:58Good God, look at that.
00:15:00Yeah, man.
00:15:01Well, anyway, I want you all to know
00:15:02that we're going to have a hip happening
00:15:03with Indio in the front.
00:15:05La cuantas palabras, Indio.
00:15:14Indio, gentlemen.
00:15:15Indio.
00:15:16Indio right here.
00:15:17Come on, let's go get a hip for Indio.
00:15:19Indio.
00:15:19Indio.
00:15:49B.B. King, part of the group for the concert today.
00:16:04B.B. King.
00:16:05Are you going inside or what?
00:16:06Yes, sir.
00:16:07I think they're having a different side there.
00:16:10Alright.
00:16:11What do you think about the show that's taking place today, man?
00:16:18Well, the damn thing haven't started yet.
00:16:21We're waiting for...is Joan Baez going to be here or what?
00:16:28Yes, sir.
00:16:29Yeah, well, I think this is going to be nice.
00:16:30And you got a whole bunch of sisters up there, too.
00:16:32Oh, yeah.
00:16:33Well, I think that's going to be beautiful.
00:16:34Alright.
00:16:35Thanks, guys.
00:16:36Appreciate it.
00:16:37Let me see what's happening here.
00:16:38Are we going to get it together?
00:16:40Alright.
00:16:41The voice is ready.
00:16:43Huh?
00:16:44The voice is ready now.
00:16:46Wow.
00:16:47Well, here they are, man.
00:16:50Uh, they're getting ready now, man.
00:16:53Is everything cool?
00:16:54I'm going to leave you now and let you have a tremendous happening.
00:16:57Solid, fellas.
00:16:58Hey.
00:16:59The voice is to be solid.
00:17:00The voice is to be solid, fellas.
00:17:02Come on, Rose.
00:17:03You heard it?
00:17:04The voice is to be solid.
00:17:05The voice is to be solid, and the voice is to be solid.
00:17:07I want to go to the dark window
00:17:34I want to go to the mountain no longer
00:17:41I want to go to the world who's gone
00:17:48I want to go to the world who's gone
00:17:51I'm flying where I'm not flying
00:17:57I want to go to the world who's gone
00:18:05I want to go to the world who's gone
00:18:07I don't want to come on me, no.
00:18:11Come on me, come on me.
00:18:14I'm gonna live until I'm dead.
00:18:18I'm dead, I'm dead.
00:18:21I'm dead, I'm dead.
00:18:24Mother, mother, save your child.
00:18:28And then we're going around.
00:18:31I won't let it be, I won't let it be.
00:18:36I won't let it be, I won't let it be.
00:18:41I don't want to come on me, no.
00:18:44I won't let it be, I won't let it be.
00:18:47And then we're going around.
00:18:51Mother, mother, mother, mother, mother, save your child.
00:18:57I won't let it be, I won't let it be.
00:19:07I won't let it be, I won't let it be.
00:19:10And now, I want to come on me.
00:19:13I don't want no slow or dead
00:19:31I want a cloud on my head
00:19:35There's no time to hear that phrase
00:19:38I don't want no slow or dead
00:19:41Oh Lord, Lord, will I be here tomorrow night?
00:19:46Yeah
00:19:48Here we're going right
00:19:52Better be free
00:19:54Going right
00:19:55Better be free
00:19:57Yeah
00:19:58Better be free
00:20:01Yeah
00:20:02Yeah
00:20:04Yeah
00:20:05Better be free
00:20:07Everybody do it now
00:20:09Oh Lord, Lord, will I be here tomorrow night?
00:20:11Better be free
00:20:13Better be free
00:20:14Right on, yeah
00:20:15Right on
00:20:17Woo
00:20:18Woo
00:20:19Woo
00:20:20Woo
00:20:21Woo
00:20:22Woo
00:20:24Woo
00:20:26Woo
00:20:28Woo
00:20:30Woo
00:20:31Woo
00:20:32Woo
00:20:33Woo
00:20:34Woo
00:20:35Woo
00:20:37Woo
00:20:44I feel like they would have spoke full of them about it. It seems like nobody knows about it here.
00:20:50We have quite a few people in the institution now and we must have your cooperation, especially the ladies on the bus here.
00:20:57We are not used to this sort of thing, but we're trying to put as much protection as we can on each and every one of you.
00:21:05So you have to pay attention or you're going to get lost and you're going to be confused. See if you get lost in here, that means that we can't go home and eat Thanksgiving dinner.
00:21:15I can't go home if you don't come out if you don't come out, don't you understand?
00:21:17That's right, that's right.
00:21:18That's right.
00:21:19That's right.
00:21:20That's right.
00:21:21That's right.
00:21:22That's right.
00:21:23This is the most opportune time for one of these guys to go. Three years ago today, there was a guy that walked, two guys that hid out right down there. We couldn't go home until about 11 o'clock Thanksgiving night.
00:21:34We've been here for years. We know what's happening. We know the people that we're dealing with.
00:21:39These people in here that you're dealing with are cunning and they're shrewd.
00:21:44Freedom in the spirit, y'all. Right on.
00:22:04It's a precious dream. To be young, give them back.
00:22:16Open your heart. Open up your heart to what I'm in.
00:22:22I've been the whole world. You've got to know there's a mirroring ball.
00:22:33Boys and girls.
00:22:37Who are young, get better and black.
00:22:44And that's all black.
00:22:48Yeah, yeah.
00:22:50Who are young, get better and black.
00:22:58We must begin. We've got to begin to tell life.
00:23:06Now that there's a whole world waiting for you.
00:23:12Oh, how I long, how I long to know it's true.
00:23:20I said there are times when I look back.
00:23:26And I'm haunted, I am haunted by my youth.
00:23:36But my joy, but my joy, but my joy.
00:23:42The only day is that we can all, oh, be proud to say to me.
00:23:51Love, give them back.
00:23:55Yeah!
00:23:57Yeah!
00:23:59Yeah!
00:24:01Yeah!
00:24:31When they say Harlem, they weren't jibbing, were they fellas?
00:24:45That's sure enough, ghetto soul jumping off.
00:24:47Hey, listen.
00:24:52Hey, listen, man.
00:25:01I got Jimmy Walker, the man who'll always be at that Apollo, he's gonna do a thing for
00:25:06us.
00:25:07So, Jimmy, come on out here, man.
00:25:08He's gonna let you know about who's really happening, somebody else.
00:25:11Jimmy Walker.
00:25:12What's happening?
00:25:15Goddamn.
00:25:16I just finished a thing at the Apollo with Wilbur Moore.
00:25:21Nah, shit.
00:25:22You know, when I work with white folks, you know, if I don't do well, it don't bother me.
00:25:27But if you don't do well at the Apollo, the backstage leads into an alleyway.
00:25:35And dudes be waiting for you back there, you know.
00:25:38You wasn't funny, sucker!
00:25:43I was coming in with a BB and the boys, and we was doing a little drinking.
00:25:55And I was sitting in the bar over on 125th Street with a nigga.
00:25:58The niggas are some, ain't they?
00:26:00I'm glad I'm one.
00:26:01Shit, it's tough to be a nigga nowadays.
00:26:08All these colored people and negroes out here, it's tough to be a nigga.
00:26:11But I was sitting in the bar, and there's always an argument in the bars.
00:26:16Guy's sitting there and says, hold on, man, hold on, the woman sat next to me, man.
00:26:22No, man, the woman sat next to me, don't be bad-mouthing.
00:26:31You talking to sweet Willie Johnson.
00:26:40Pull something out, nigga!
00:26:44Pull something out!
00:26:46So you got a gun!
00:26:54Shoot me!
00:26:56Shoot me, nigga!
00:27:00What's she gonna do?
00:27:01I said, shoot me, goddammit!
00:27:16Oh, wow. I want to come on back, but right now I want to bring on a fabulous young lady who's been like an idol of mine for years, and I really dug her. And I think y'all will really enjoy what she's doing because she's really working, doing her thing in her own way. And need I say any more than Miss Joan Baez. Come on.
00:27:35It's important, important, man. Listen. One, three, five, six, two, three, and one, four, four, five, three, three. The deaf wants to see you immediately, man. Get it together, man.
00:27:49Hey, listen, man. Hey, here she is, man. Miss Joan Baez. Come on. Let's hear it for her. She's out of sight.
00:28:00Thank you. I'd like to start off by singing a song called I Shall Be Released.
00:28:17They say everything can be replaced. They say every distance is not near. Yet I remember every face of every man who put me here.
00:28:47I see my light come shining from the west down to the east. Any day now, any day now, I shall be released.
00:29:17All day long, I hear him shouting so loud. Keeps crying out of peace.
00:29:19Peace.
00:29:21Peace.
00:29:23Well, yonder stands a man in this lonely crowd. A man who swears he's not to blame. All day long, I hear him shouting so loud.
00:29:45God keeps crying out that he was praying. I see my light come shining from the west down to the east. Any day now, any day now,
00:30:13every day now, we shall be relieved.
00:30:27I'd like to thank you very much for letting us in this place. I know you're not crazy about being here, but I'm really glad that... I mean, some prisons don't let us in even, you know?
00:30:51And the most thing that we could hope for today is that everybody have a good time.
00:31:05Okay, this is my sister Mimi Farina.
00:31:09What?
00:31:11What?
00:31:13In the queue to hear or know you relate to me, Mimi Farina.
00:31:15Never言, hope we're okay.
00:31:18You're coming far away.
00:31:19I have little people.
00:31:21Listen to me.
00:31:22Hey.
00:31:23You're coming.
00:31:24This is the song.
00:31:26Viva mi patria Bolivia, una gran nación, yo te adoro a mi vida, como la quiero yo.
00:31:38Yo te adoro a mi vida, como la quiero yo.
00:31:48Eso es mi canta, mi canta de amor.
00:31:53Viva mi patria Bolivia, una gran nación, yo te adoro a mi vida, como la quiero yo.
00:32:23Viva mi patria Bolivia, una gran nación, yo te adoro a mi vida, como la quiero yo.
00:32:40Yo te adoro a mi vida, como la quiero yo.
00:32:45Y te adoro a mi vida, como la quiero yo.
00:32:48I came from Puerto Rico around 1950.
00:33:07I've been had a pretty rough life.
00:33:11My first bus was in 1956.
00:33:14After that, I've been coming in and out of prison.
00:33:16I tried to stay out a few times, but I couldn't get myself together outside.
00:33:22And I've been spending this 14 out of the past 17 years in and out of prisons, county jails, doing all kinds of bits.
00:33:32This is my cat, Pinto.
00:33:35I had him since he was a little baby. Be cool. Relax.
00:33:40A little scared.
00:33:41I built a house there for him.
00:33:42And at lunchtime, when I have time, I go in the mess hall, pick up some leftovers from the inmates and the plates, bring it down to him.
00:33:56How do you feel about that cat?
00:33:57I like him, because I got him since he was a little baby.
00:34:00And every time I call him or anything, he just comes running to me.
00:34:04Like I said, Pinto, Pinto, two or three times, comes running.
00:34:07He starts mowing.
00:34:08That means he wants food.
00:34:10So I gave him the food and everything straight.
00:34:14But I'm going to take him home when I get out.
00:34:16Right, Pinto?
00:34:18Come on, don't be scared.
00:34:19Go ahead and run.
00:34:20Go ahead.
00:34:22Go ahead.
00:34:23It's a beautiful cat.
00:34:26We're going to bring some right from the organization on, do their thing.
00:34:31A little quickie, a little quickie.
00:34:33And a little quickie.
00:34:37I want you all to bring on, because they have a message to deliver.
00:34:41I want you all to dig the message and dig where they're coming from.
00:34:44Let's check out our own workshop, the drama workshop.
00:34:47Come on, let's head for them.
00:34:48Come on, let's head for them.
00:35:18Come on, let's head for them.
00:35:48Come on.
00:35:49Come on, let's head for them.
00:35:50Go ahead.
00:35:51Come on, let's head for them.
00:35:52Come on, let's head for them.
00:35:53Come on, let's head for them.
00:35:54Come on, let's head for them.
00:35:55Hey, what happened?
00:35:56Hey, what happened?
00:35:57Hey, go on it.
00:35:58I'll take you to get there.
00:35:59Hey, you!
00:36:00You under arrest all after all.
00:36:02You got a car.
00:36:03I didn't go here.
00:36:04I didn't do it! I didn't do it! I didn't do it!
00:36:08I didn't do it! I didn't do it!
00:36:16Alright, son. Now sing sing, Prince. Do as we tell you to our help.
00:36:20I didn't do it!
00:36:24Good morning. I am the Prince of Psychiatry. I'm here to determine your sanity. Did you commit the crime?
00:36:28I didn't do it! I didn't do it!
00:36:32I didn't do it! Good-bye!
00:36:36I was a parole book. Here's to determine your medical census.
00:36:40Did you commit this crime? I didn't do it! Did you do it?
00:36:44I didn't do it! I didn't do it!
00:36:48I didn't do it!
00:36:50Boy, as your employer, I checked your background out. You didn't tell if you had a wreck. You didn't do fine.
00:36:56I didn't do it! Oh, my God!
00:37:00I didn't do it!
00:37:02I didn't do it!
00:37:04Get out of my house!
00:37:06Get out!
00:37:08Get out!
00:37:11You're going back for provisional!
00:37:18Five!
00:37:19What do you want to do?
00:37:21One, two, two.
00:37:22One, two, three, one!
00:37:24One, two, three!
00:37:26One, two, three!
00:37:27Twenty!
00:37:29One, three, four!
00:37:32Hey, did you hear me call on the line?
00:37:50What's your number?
00:37:52Deep lock, solitary confinement, go home!
00:37:55I love you, give me alone! Give me alone, give me alone!
00:38:01Give me alone, all right, all right, I did it, I did it!
00:38:05I did it! Damn it, I did it!
00:38:07Listen to me, I did it! I did it, I did it!
00:38:11Goddamn it! I did it!
00:38:13Next case, the federal government, they want to get rid of all this, what they call crime
00:38:30on the street, they should take the ex-con, right, and have jobs prepared for the man
00:38:39out there, a job that not only can pay $40 or $50 a week, because that ain't gonna make
00:38:46it, $40 or $50 a week, man, I can get a gun and buy me a gun for $40 and I make me $200
00:38:52or $300 a day.
00:38:53Like, they have the alleviation of going to them streets, man, and going to their wives
00:38:58and their kids, and having a little bit of love, that's what they have, that's what they
00:39:02want to consider it, you know, having a little bit of love out there, man, we don't have none
00:39:06of this, man, we gotta wait for visits, we have to wait for mail, we have, we have to
00:39:12go through all the changes, we have to go to the service unit, everything, man, it's dependent
00:39:15upon them.
00:39:16We don't have no self-reliant thing, except our minds, and few of us know how to use it,
00:39:21because it's, you know, it's conditioned already, man, to react to four walls.
00:39:25I rapped to a guy, I was in Auburn, and I talked to a guy that did like 38 years, you know, and
00:39:32he, 38 years behind the wall, I tried, I got stabbed in the joint, you know, and that
00:39:39was a hell of an experience for me, man, and like, this guy was like telling me, like,
00:39:42that ain't nothing, kid, it was an old guy, and he's telling me, like, 38 years in here,
00:39:47man, and don't worry, you know, you get over it, you know, and finally, I remember when
00:39:52he was going home, and this guy was like 70-something years old, he was acting like a young boy,
00:39:57man, you know, hey, kid, they're letting me go, you know, they're letting me go, kid,
00:40:01you know, that's it, right, doc, we used to call him doc, he wasn't a doctor, he just
00:40:04was the cook, man, in the hospital.
00:40:07For this next little song, it's just like three stories, and I don't know whether you
00:40:12guys have the patience to listen all the way through, but it would be nice, okay, and
00:40:17they're all true.
00:40:23Billy Rose was a low rider, Billy Rose was a night fighter, Billy Rose knew trouble like
00:40:30the sound of his own name, busted on a drunken charge, driving someone else's car, the local
00:40:40midnight sheriffs claimed to fame.
00:40:44In an Arizona jail, there is some who tell the tale, how Billy fought the sergeant for some
00:40:52of the milk that he demanded, knowing he would pay the cost, knowing they'd remain the boss, they saw he was
00:41:01severely reprimanded.
00:41:04in the blackest cell on a block, he hanged himself at dawn, with a note stuck to the bunk head, don't
00:41:22with me, just take me home, come and lay, help us lay, young Billy down.
00:41:34Billy Rose was a Mexican, the law calls an alien, for coming past the border with a baby and a wife.
00:41:46While the clothes upon his back were wet, still he thought that he could get some money and things
00:41:54to start a lie.
00:41:56Well it hadn't been too long, when it seemed like everything went wrong, didn't even have
00:42:03the time to find themselves a home, when this foreigner brown skin male, thrown inside a Texas jail, left the wife and baby quite alone.
00:42:18He's the pain inside him, with a needle in his arm, but the dope just crucified him, and he died to no one's great alarm.
00:42:39Come and lay, come and lay, help us lay, poor Luna down.
00:42:48And then we'll raise, raise the prisons to the ground.
00:42:58Miller White was an aging con of 65 who stood a chance to stay alive and leave the joint and walk the streets again.
00:43:09At the time he was to go too near, he suffered all the joy and fear of leaving 35 years in the pen.
00:43:18Then on the day of his release, he was approached by the police, who took him to the warden, walking slowly by his side.
00:43:30The warden said, you won't remain here, but it seems the state retainer claims another ten years of your life.
00:43:42He stepped up in the Texas sunlight, and the cops all stood around, whole keel of water and fifty yards, then threw himself down on the ground.
00:44:01They might as well, just to lay that old man down.
00:44:11And we're gonna raise, raise the prisons to the ground.
00:44:21Help us raise, raise the prisons to the ground.
00:44:36Fire!
00:44:41Listen, 135-623-164-4533, the devil's still looking for you. When he find you, hug him.
00:44:49Can I ask you, what's your name?
00:44:51Jerry Oster.
00:44:52What are you here for? What count?
00:44:53I'm a reporter for the New York Daily News.
00:44:55What do you think about the concert today?
00:44:57Well, I think it's a remarkable event.
00:44:59I've never seen anything quite like it, where the audience and the performers and the people on stage are all kind of part of a big happening.
00:45:09It's really a happening more than anything else.
00:45:11Here he is! Tommy Bernthard.
00:45:13Your Bernthard brother?
00:45:15Yeah, this is a little poem I hooked up. It's called The Game in the Apple.
00:45:24Game in the Apple. Dig it?
00:45:28In the players' game, you need no fame. Around town, uptown, or downtown. Morning, noon, and evening, too. You've been in that scuffle, too. Smoking bush, dealing stuff,
00:45:45mopping pills, curing ills, rubbing thighs, checking buys, and getting high. Mr. Big Stuff, pushing tough, that angel dust, stuffing the scene with plenty green. Your brother man extending his hand to give you the muscle to put in your hustle.
00:46:04Got beat, blew that cash, got the crash, got no stash, can't lay it low today. You name it, they gave it. Making plays to cop those trades.
00:46:15Morphine, opium, codeine, methadrine, procaine, cocaine, DMT, STP, LSD, E, A, T, H, black, yellow, and brown, not black, red, and green.
00:46:32Popping out of hell, sporting gear so well. Popping out of hell, giving suckers hell. Popping out of hell, sending chicks to hell.
00:46:42Yeah, I saw you niggas, old niggas, young niggas, little niggas, big niggas, slow niggas, fast niggas, afro niggas, and moringua niggas.
00:46:52Yeah, black, yellow, and brown niggas, war niggas niggas. What a time you had, nodding off that gag.
00:47:01How you dig that gag, nodding off that code. If that's the life you dig, don't call that man a pig. Can you dig it?
00:47:14I'm reading Ralph Ellison, The Invisible Man. I saw it around, man, but I never picked it up.
00:47:23I've been through the Marxist theory, man. The communist theory and so on.
00:47:30I have over here, help with all psychoanalysis. To me, this is what's happening, man. This is how I want to fight this battle.
00:47:43Because now I have really dug into myself. I'm not saying I have found myself, but I know where I'm going.
00:47:51I know what I want to do. Ain't nobody that can stop me. To stop me is going to have to take what I stand for.
00:47:57And that right there is my life.
00:48:00One, three, five, six, two, three. One, four, four, five, three, three. The death watcher. Watch out.
00:48:08One, four, seven, nine, six, six, man. Impossible furlough check. Get out there. That's one, four, seven, nine, six, six. Jimmy.
00:48:16All right. Nine, seven, seven, six, four, five, seven, fifteen, ninety-five. Yeah.
00:48:32You know what I'm waiting for? I'm waiting for the first black president. I could have manned the cat now.
00:48:39Walks out on the knob real day and says, uh, uh, thank you very much for electing me, uh, uh, president of the United States.
00:48:46And, uh, really thank you for electing me the first black president of the United States.
00:48:50Uh, right now I'd like to give you the State of the Union address. But first, the number for today...
00:49:01Seven, five, four. Anybody, seven, five, four? Huh? Oh, y'all, y'all ready? Yeah.
00:49:08They're ready. All right, then. Damn. I'm used to warming people up. You see, that's my job.
00:49:13I just warm the crowd up. And after they're at their peak of ecstasy, I'll bring the big one on.
00:49:20That's my job. See, I'm not the conventional type of comic. I'm what they call in the business a jazz comic.
00:49:27You see that last five minutes? That was a riff.
00:49:31But anyway, I want to bring on the big one. And I guess y'all know who it is. Y'all all set up. They getting that thing together.
00:49:46Because you're going to be setting up. I want y'all to make them feel at home.
00:49:49Because the man's been traveling and he's kind of tired. But I want y'all to make them really feel at home.
00:49:53Let's hand for him. Come on now. Mr. B.B. King. Come on.
00:49:56Come on.
00:50:09Reese? At the apartment. He's ballin' right now. While they're getting it together, I was told that some of you dudes don't know anything about blues.
00:50:23That's what they told me. So, I want to say this to you. I came to swap some with you.
00:50:31I imagine that quite a few of you dudes have the blues already.
00:50:36But today...
00:50:39That's my signal to shut up.
00:50:42Today being Thanksgiving...
00:50:46This is Thanksgiving, right?
00:50:48Thanksgiving?
00:50:51All right.
00:50:53Well, let me say this to you.
00:50:55It seemed like a lot of things had been happening today.
00:50:59And when I came in, I had to sign in.
00:51:07And I noticed...
00:51:08I noticed one of the members of my group, you seem to know very well.
00:51:12How'd it make me feel?
00:51:16Make me feel good because he works with me.
00:51:18Because he works with me.
00:51:37We got your alliances.
00:51:42.
00:54:35snack.
00:54:37Yes, you live in my pit talks.
00:54:40You said
00:54:41it was just a shack.
00:54:44I get
00:54:46you seven children
00:54:47and now
00:54:49you want to give them back.
00:54:51Oh, there's nothing but the blues.
00:55:10Oh, there's nothing but the blues.
00:55:12Oh, there's nothing but the blues.
00:55:16Oh, there's nothing but the blues.
00:55:46We would like to do a tune for you
00:55:48since today is Thanksgiving.
00:55:50And as John said a while ago,
00:55:52a lot of people
00:55:53do care.
00:55:56And this is our little contribution to you.
00:56:00The title of it
00:56:01you'll hear in the song.
00:56:02Someone
00:56:04really loves you
00:56:08Guess who
00:56:12Someone
00:56:19really cares
00:56:24Guess who
00:56:29So
00:56:33Open
00:56:34Your heart
00:56:37Oh,
00:56:40Then surely
00:56:42You'll see
00:56:45Oh,
00:56:47Not the someone
00:56:49Who
00:56:51Really
00:56:51Cares
00:56:55Just
00:56:56Me
00:56:56Tom
00:57:02You
00:57:06Know
00:57:06And
00:57:06You
00:57:08You
00:57:09Hey
00:57:09And
00:57:10You
00:57:12You
00:58:12Oh, once you're alive, oh, so desperately
00:58:19Open your heart, oh, so surely you'll see
00:58:35Oh, doctor, someone
00:58:38Who really cares
00:58:42Who really cares is me
00:59:29And your love is growing cold
00:59:49I say all of your affection is gone, babe
01:00:01And your love is growing cold
01:00:14Hey, but I've got a new story to tell you this evening, babe
01:00:19One that ain't never been told
01:00:24I went to work the other day
01:00:31But I thought that I'd double back
01:00:34And that car I saw sitting in the front of my door
01:00:40It looked like a brand new candle
01:00:43I think you're cheating on me, babe
01:00:54I think you're not for me, babe
01:00:58I believe in my soul, babe
01:01:04And you're giving me some outside help
01:01:08That I don't think I really need
01:01:11The Iceman came by this morning
01:01:16And you know he didn't leave no ice
01:01:20The Postman came by later, babe
01:01:24And he didn't even ring quiet
01:01:29I think you're cheating on me, babe
01:01:39I think you're running out, baby
01:01:43I believe in my soul, babe
01:01:49That you're giving me some outside help
01:01:52That I don't think I really need
01:01:56Now I want you to tell the Iceman
01:02:00The next time he better leave some ice
01:02:05And I want you to tell the Postman
01:02:08He better ring more than twice
01:02:12And when I come home from work in the morning
01:02:16There better still be some groceries on the shelf
01:02:20And I want you to tell that slick insurance man
01:02:24That he better ride some insurance on the shelf
01:02:29I don't believe in my soul
01:02:44There'll never be some help
01:02:49Some help
01:02:50Thank you, listen
01:03:13I was just told
01:03:16Just told by my man there
01:03:19That is going to take a little break
01:03:22I think he can tell you a little better than I can
01:03:24I don't know
01:03:24Come on over here with me
01:03:28I know I don't look like Joan Baez
01:03:31And I ain't going to kiss you
01:03:32But go ahead and tell the people
01:03:33What I got to tell them
01:03:34Hey, listen, man
01:03:35Remember that God said
01:03:38Bye-ya with Mikey
01:03:38And B.B. King is saying
01:03:40Soul with himself, Jack
01:03:41Here it is
01:03:43We're having a boss time, man
01:03:45I wish we had more time
01:03:46You don't want to leave
01:03:47We're going to have a 15-minute break
01:03:49And they're going to see you
01:03:50Catch them sandwiches
01:03:51They've been promising you
01:03:52Then we're going to do it again
01:03:54We ain't going nowhere
01:03:55We're going to stay
01:03:57No way
01:03:58Thank you
01:04:01We're going to stay
01:05:05Lieutenant, we have a problem of time.
01:05:11Please cooperate because we have a deadline.
01:05:15The more we can get in, the less we have to cut out.
01:05:19Now, is this understood?
01:05:21How long have you been driving the bus?
01:05:26Three years.
01:05:27Is that a choice job in here?
01:05:29Yep, I picked it.
01:05:31I've been riding this bus for a long time.
01:05:33And, uh, you seem to know a lot about the prison here.
01:05:38I mean, how do you feel about this place?
01:05:41I like it.
01:05:43Fine.
01:05:44Got no problem.
01:05:46You think it's a strange job being inside a prison?
01:05:50No.
01:05:52Prison's in the mine.
01:05:57What happens if you don't act tough to the inmates?
01:06:00I mean, what happens if you try and be a nice guy?
01:06:02I don't act tough.
01:06:03Nice is to be me.
01:06:04But, I mean, if a guy's too nice to these people, what happens?
01:06:10Take him for a ride.
01:06:11A bad ride.
01:06:13Like a fool out of him.
01:06:15You think this place is, uh, giving some of these guys a chance to get their, get themselves back together?
01:06:23It is, if they'd think right.
01:06:26They'd sit down and look at themselves first.
01:06:31They'd look at themselves, and that's what this, uh, that's what time does.
01:06:36It gives you a chance to look yourself over and find out what you are.
01:06:42Everybody shows the sad side.
01:06:43There's a hell of a lot of humor in it, too.
01:06:47Now, tell us something of the funny things you've seen.
01:06:49Huh?
01:06:50Tell me something funny that you've seen.
01:06:51Well, I've seen a guy in here the day everybody put down as a kook.
01:06:55He used to work for me in the brush shop.
01:06:59He used to work for me in the shop.
01:07:02He'd laugh in the morning, laugh at night.
01:07:04He did his time the best he could.
01:07:06A lot of guys despised him because he couldn't find humor in the place.
01:07:10I got a little story.
01:07:11The other day I had about four or five apples in my hands, and Officer Swinney was coming down, and he says,
01:07:19Tony, what you doing with all the apples?
01:07:21So I said, well, here, I threw him an apple.
01:07:24Like this.
01:07:25Right?
01:07:26And two days later, he saw me, and he says to me, well, how many, what happened to the apple?
01:07:37Four worms.
01:07:38You have four worms.
01:07:39So ever since then, he calls me apples.
01:07:44Isn't that right, Officer Swinney?
01:07:45Applehead.
01:07:46Applehead.
01:07:46Right?
01:07:47And who made that man?
01:07:50An inmate made that.
01:07:51He laid on the floor, and he traced himself.
01:07:53He painted his likeness on it for me.
01:07:56And then he copied the stripes out of a book.
01:07:59Do you have that personal relationship with the inmates?
01:08:02Some of them?
01:08:04Oh, yes.
01:08:04I have inmates I've known in some cases all my life.
01:08:08I know some inmates better than I know my own family.
01:08:13They pass the time of day.
01:08:15I know not long ago I met an inmate that he was in almost every institution I was in,
01:08:22and we used to sit and talk about the good old days.
01:08:26It's not like this or not like that.
01:08:30They realize prison as it is.
01:08:33Sing Sing is a very corrupt, foul, stinking, so-called correctional facility.
01:08:46It is one of the lowest, dirty concentration camps New York State has devised
01:08:55to incarcerate young men of goodwill and integrity.
01:09:00Yeah, get that right.
01:09:01I want to get that right.
01:09:02Yeah.
01:09:03I like to scream all of them.
01:09:05All right.
01:09:09All right.
01:09:09Jimmy Walker.
01:09:14All right.
01:09:15Now we're going to have our finale, the dynamite part of our show.
01:09:18Y'all have been waiting for it.
01:09:20Come on.
01:09:21Let's really hear it for them.
01:09:22You know who it is.
01:09:22Let's welcome back the fabulous voices of East College.
01:09:25Come on.
01:09:25Let's welcome back the oscillest, I guess.
01:09:30Come on.
01:09:32Let's-
01:09:41Let's go.
01:09:44Go there.
01:09:44Let's go.
01:09:45Go there.
01:09:45Let's go.
01:09:46Let's go.
01:09:46All right, everybody, put their hands together, come on!
01:10:12Come on!
01:10:16Come on!
01:10:46Come on!
01:10:47Come on!
01:10:48Come on!
01:10:49Come on!
01:10:53Come on!
01:10:54Come on!
01:10:56Come on!
01:10:57Come on!
01:10:58Come on!
01:10:59Come on!
01:11:00Come on!
01:11:01Come on!
01:11:02Come on!
01:11:03Come on!
01:11:04Come on!
01:11:05Come on!
01:11:06Come on!
01:11:07Come on!
01:11:08Come on!
01:11:09Come on!
01:11:10Come on!
01:11:11Come on!
01:11:12Come on!
01:11:13Come on!
01:11:14Come on!
01:11:15Come on!
01:11:16Come on!
01:11:17Come on!
01:11:18Come on!
01:11:19Come on!
01:11:20Come on!
01:11:21Come on!
01:11:22Come on!
01:11:23Come on!
01:11:24Come on!
01:11:25Come on!
01:11:26Come on!
01:11:27Come on!
01:11:28Come on!
01:11:29Come on!
01:11:30Come on!
01:11:31Come on!
01:11:32Come on!
01:11:33Come on!
01:11:34Come on!
01:11:35Come on!
01:11:36Come on!
01:11:38Move it!
01:11:39Come on!
01:11:40Come on!
01:11:41Call me!
01:11:42Game on!
01:11:43I will be there with you
01:11:45Oh yeah, oh yeah, oh yeah, oh yeah, oh yeah, oh yeah, oh yeah
01:12:03Run, seek a light, run, seek a light
01:12:08Do you feel good?
01:12:10Do you feel good?
01:12:20Run your hand, run your hand
01:12:23Do you feel good?
01:12:32We love you
01:12:37Channel 2
01:12:39Like his song
01:12:49To me
01:12:55I feel good
01:12:59I feel good
01:13:03I feel good
01:13:05Oh
01:13:35Oh
01:14:05Oh
01:14:35Oh
01:15:05Thanks a lot, a many thanks to John Byers
01:15:09John Byers
01:15:11Come on John Byers
01:15:13You're the same, you're the same
01:15:15You're the same
01:15:17The voices of each other
01:15:19Here we are
01:15:21I can't hear you
01:15:23Let's go
01:15:25For all of you ladies, everybody
01:15:27For everybody
01:15:29For everybody
01:15:31Here you go
01:15:33Come on man
01:15:35Come on
01:15:39Diva Moniqua
01:15:41So I thought I'm waiting
01:15:43Hey listen, that's about it fellas
01:15:45I'll get that for you
01:15:51Hey fellas, you gotta go on right now
01:15:53Like it's all over
01:15:55Could you take it?
01:15:57Hey, something's gotta end
01:15:59You know
01:16:01So, right, later
01:16:02See you at Cha
01:16:03And all that type of thing
01:16:05You know
01:16:06On the lock in
01:16:07Back in
01:16:08Yeah
01:16:09Tomorrow, same old thing
01:16:11Yeah
01:16:12From Sun
01:16:13To Sun
01:16:14By you
01:16:15Hey listen
01:16:17Hey
01:16:18You cats mad
01:16:19Tremendous jab
01:16:21Hey listen
01:16:22Sunny
01:16:23From the voices of each other
01:16:24She's back there
01:16:26At Sydney, huh
01:16:28And you want the autograph
01:16:29From Sydney
01:16:30You're in love with Sydney
01:16:31You're the one
01:16:32We know
01:16:33We know
01:16:34Solid
01:16:35We'll tell Sydney
01:16:36My man got 28 days
01:16:38He want me to let Sydney
01:16:39Know what's happening
01:16:40Hey Sydney
01:16:41You got 28 days left to me
01:16:43And it's all over
01:16:44You know
01:16:45Society will say
01:16:46He's no longer guilty
01:16:47He paid his debt to society
01:16:49Power to the people man
01:16:51Right
01:16:52Yeah
01:16:53People
01:16:55Outside
01:16:56Have a negative attitude
01:16:57They say
01:16:58Well
01:16:59They're animals
01:17:00And they
01:17:01They should be
01:17:02In a cage
01:17:03We are in a cage
01:17:04Man
01:17:05We are in a cage
01:17:06I know what it is
01:17:07Man
01:17:08To be in a place like this
01:17:09With nothing
01:17:10Wife
01:17:11Kids
01:17:12Family
01:17:13No one to contact
01:17:14Man
01:17:15Man
01:17:16All we ask man
01:17:17Is to be treated
01:17:18Like human beings
01:17:19Don't treat us like an animal
01:17:21Because we are not animals
01:17:22The fact that we're in a cage
01:17:24Don't make us an animal
01:17:26We have feelings
01:17:27We have emotions
01:17:29And we can relate to you
01:17:31If you relate to us
01:17:32As a matter of fact
01:17:34We want to relate to you
01:17:35Do you want to relate to us?
01:17:37Give me a hand
01:17:39Show me
01:17:40That
01:17:41Because I have a record
01:17:44You're not going to fire me
01:17:46That because I have a record
01:17:48You're not going to deny me
01:17:50The right to work in a bar
01:17:52Or own an automobile
01:17:53Or own a house
01:17:54Or go into business
01:17:55Go into contracts
01:17:56Help me
01:17:58That's what I'm asking for
01:18:00Give me a hand
01:18:02And lead me
01:18:03The right way
01:18:04So I don't have to come back again
01:18:06Because as long as you keep your back to me
01:18:09I'm going to keep on coming to prison
01:18:12Not only me
01:18:15But other inmates
01:18:17Any more questions?
01:18:19That was it
01:18:36Sing, sing
01:18:48Arsening
01:18:49What a thing to be
01:19:02A thousand men
01:19:04Locking that pen
01:19:06On a winter's day
01:19:08With a sky so gray
01:19:10That the heavens froze
01:19:12That the heavens froze
01:19:13The front gate closed
01:19:14On the river outside
01:19:15Of the walls so high
01:19:17And the stones so cold
01:19:19But the men so bold
01:19:21That when the tears rose to my eyes
01:19:23I broke right down and cried
01:19:36For I know full well
01:19:49In those cells
01:19:51When dreary hells go by
01:19:55They're serving time
01:19:57For you and I
01:19:59So when we walk by
01:20:01Suspicious eyes
01:20:03That will not cry
01:20:05Might ask us why
01:20:07We love them not
01:20:10At all
01:20:12Sing, sing
01:20:23B.B. King
01:20:25The voices of East Harlem
01:20:29A thousand men
01:20:31Rose from their chairs
01:20:33Fist in the air
01:20:35While the music blared
01:20:37And the visitors shared
01:20:39The joy that bared
01:20:41As emotions flared
01:20:43And freedom's airs
01:20:45Turned to declare
01:20:47You can't keep men
01:20:50In cages
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