Olu Dara - Rainshower, Nas & Olu Dara - Bridging The Gap

Edited by Azizi Powell

This post showcases a sound file of Olu Dara's recording "Rainshower" and a transcription of the lyrics for that song. This post also showcases a video of and lyrics for Nas & Olu recording "Bridging The Gap".

The content of this post is presented for historical, inspirational, entertainment, and aesthetic purposes.

All copyrights remain with their owners.

INFORMATION ABOUT OLU DARA
From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Olu_Dara

Olu Dara Jones (born Charles Jones III; January 12, 1941) is an American cornetist, guitarist and singer. He is the father of rapper Nas.

Olu Dara first became known as a jazz musician, playing alongside avant-garde musicians such as David Murray, Henry Threadgill, Charles Brackeen, and Art Blakey.

His first album under his own name, 1998's In the World: From Natchez to New York, revealed another aspect of his musical personality: the leader and singer of a band immersed in African-American tradition, playing an eclectic mix of blues, jazz, and storytelling, with tinges of funk, African popular music and reggae. His second album Neighborhoods, with guest appearances by Dr John and Cassandra Wilson, followed in a similar vein...

Rapper Nas (Nasir Jones) is Dara's son. He encouraged his father to record the music he was playing with his band, and guested on "Jungle Jay" from In the World..

He was given the name "Olu Dara," which literally translated means "God is good," by a Yoruba priest when he returned to America. Dara has traveled throughout Africa and Europe.

Dara is also an accomplished playwright and actor, staging Blues Rooms to strong acclaim in New York City and Fairfax, Virginia during the 1990s.

-snip-
Information about Nas is including in this pancocojams post: http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2013/02/nas-i-know-i-can-video-lyrics.html

FEATURED RECORDINGS
Example #1: Olu Dara - Rainshower



brsrkr77,Uploaded on Dec 1, 2010
-snip-
LYRICS - RAINSHOWER
(Olu Dara)

Rain shower
Rain shower
Done stirred, stirred up the blood
In the Mississippi mud.
Rain shower
Un hun
There’s flowers
There’s flowers
Washed up in the mud
Upside a tree
Right here next to me.
The road’s so slippery
I just can’t get home, baby.
But I’m gonna be slidin home in the mud
to you.
Slidin home in the mud
to you.

Rain shower
Rain shower
Rain shower shower
Got no umbrella.
Ain’t got no car.
I’m out here just too far, baby.
What the dumb done talk to me.
And told me I can see my way home to you,
baby.
Cause I’m gonna be slidin home in the mud
to you.
Slidin home, home in the mud
to you.

[instrumental solo]

[female singers repeat]
Rain shower, rain shower
[Olu Dara] Rain flower
Spreading suds
In the mud.
There’s flowers
Washed in the mud
Upsides a-
Right here next to me.
Got no umbrella
Got no car
I’m out here too far.
Gonna slide on home in the mud to you.
Rain shower.
Bringin flowers.
-snip-
Transcription by Azizi Powell from the sound file. Corrections and additions are very welcome.

****

Example #2: NaS and Olu Dara - Bridging The Gap (complete with lyrics)



philbo67, Uploaded on Jan 16, 2008

[Intro: Olu Dara singing]
See I come from Mississippi
I was young and runnin' wild
Ended up in New York City, where I had my first child
I named the boy Nasir, all the boys call him Nas
I told him as a youngster, he'll be the greatest man alive

[Verse 1: Nas]
Let's go!... Hey-Hey-Hey-Hey --
Tribrary of these rap skits, styles I mastered
Many brothers snatched it up and tried to match it
But I'm still number one, everyday real
Speak what I want, I don't care what y'all feel
'Cause I'm my own master, my Pop told me be your own boss
Keep integrity at every cost, and his home was Natchez Mississippi
Did it like Miles and Dizzy, now we gettin' busy
Bridging The Gap from the blues, to jazz, to rap
The history of music on this track
Born in the game, discovered my father's music
Like Prince searchin' through boxes of Purple Rain
But my Minneapolis was The Bridge, home of the Superkids
Some are well-known, some doin' bids
I mighta ended up on the wrong side of the tracks
If Pops wouldn't've pulled me back an said yo
[Olu Dara singing]
Greatest man alive (Nas: Yeah, turn it up!)
Gre-Gre-Gre-Gre-Greatest man alive!

[Verse 2: Nas]
The blues came from gospel, gospel from blues
Slaves are harmonizin' them ah's and ooh's
Old school, new school, know school rules
All these years I been voicin' my blues
I'm a artist from the start, Hip-Hop guided my heart
Graffiti on the wall, coulda ended in Spoffard, juvenile delinquent
But Pops gave me the right type'a tools to think with
Books to read, like X and stuff
'Cause the schools said the kids had dyslexia
In art class I was a compulsive sketcher of
Teachers in my homeroom, I drew pix to mess them up
'Cause none'a them would like my style
Read more books than the curriculum profile
Said, "Mr. Jones please come get your child
'Cause he's writin' mad poems and his verses are wild"
[Olu Dara singing]
Greatest man -- The great-greatest man alive

[Verse 3: Nas]
Hey-Hey-Hey -- My Poppa was not a Rollin' Stone
He been around the world blowin' his horn, still he came home
Then he got grown, changed his name to Olu
Come on, tell 'em 'bout the places you gone to
[Olu Dara singing]
I been to Saudi Arabia, Mozambique
Madagascar, Paris, Greece
The Middle Africa is where we lived
Better known as Queenbridge
[Nas]
Nas, Nas you don't stop
Olu Dara in the house, you don't stop
Muddy Waters' Howling Wolf you don't stop
From the Blues to Street Hop you don't stop
Tell 'em Pop

[Outro: Olu Dara singing / Nas adlibbing]
See I come from Mississippi (Let 'em know)
I was young and runnin' wild (Runnin' wild)
Ended up in New York City (Yeah!)
Where I had my first child (That's me)
I named the boy Nasir (Yeah, Daddy!)
All the boys call him Nas (Luh ya, boy)
I told him as a youngster
He'll be the greatest man alive (You the greatest, Pop)
Greatest man alive (You the greatest, Pop)Gre-Gre-Gre-Gre-Greatest man alive!
Rest In Peace Ray Charles

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT AND THANKS
Thanks to Olu Dara and Nas for their musical legacy. Thanks to the all those involved in the production of this sound file and this video. Thanks also to the author of the article that is quoted in this post. My thanks also to the uploader of this sound file and this video.

Thank you for visiting pancocojams.

Viewer comments are welcome.