This sounds fantastic! Really beautiful song. 

Just came to jam this for the second time this week. 

This is a song about our government's failure to take steps to address systemic racism, which is so deeply ingrained in our institutions. There's particular focus in this song on our justice system as that is an area I'm familiar with.

This is a WIP home recording. It's a rough mix. There are no backing vocals recorded yet or any sort of compression. I may include a short guitar solo in the bridge right before the vocals come in. 

Lyrics:

Verse 1: 
Prejudice tainted your judgment again
You acted on colour of skin
Don't use tired tactics to hide and dismiss 
Don't try, don't you lie and you best not deny,
That your bias exists 

Pre-Chorus:
You lead and you say the magic words
"I hear you, I feel you, your problems are heard"
Then you appoint those who follow old ways
And you give marching orders to challenge all change

Chorus:
You wonder why the streets burn 
You question “what have we learned”
Without it they wouldn't be heard 
You'd tell them their views absurd 

It's time to admit it's real
The pain and the hurt they feel
It’s not just overt hate
It's what our world perpetuates

Verse 2:
On paper, the words and the codes of law
Are neutral, blind justice we saw
But on the ground enforcement is flawed 
More arrest, and more deaths, more pain, and more regret 
The truth is so raw 

[Pre-Chorus]
[Chorus]

Bridge:
More aggression from police 
Harsher sentences unleashed 
Your policies demotivate
Cut funding then incarcerate 

To those who lead, this stops now 
Hear their voice, don't tell them how 
Show your words have dedication 
Not moves for polling stations

[Chorus x2]

The Streets Burn

The Streets Burn - Kelly Gates - WIP - 2021 - 08 - 15

Riding The Pickup - I’m Never Going Back To Abilene
Words and music by William Dean Watson

Rob Fenton: lapsteel guitar
Charles James: upright bass
Darryl Poulsen: electric and acoustic guitar
Nate Smith: fiddle
Adam Warner: snare
William Dean Watson: electric and tenor guitar, vocal
Alan Zemaitis: piano
 
Arranged and produced by William Dean Watson and Rob Fenton
Mixed and mastered by William Dean Watson

Riding The Pickup - I'm Never Going Back To Abilene

Riding The Pickup - Traitor!
Words and music by William Dean Watson

Rob Fenton: lapsteel guitar
Charles James: upright bass
Darryl Poulsen: electric and acoustic guitar
Nate Smith: fiddle
Adam Warner: snare
William Dean Watson: electric and tenor guitar, vocal
Alan Zemaitis: piano
 
Arranged and produced by William Dean Watson and Rob Fenton
Mixed and mastered by William Dean Watson

Riding The Pickup - Traitor!

Country’s Cajun Cousin - Sweet Cherie
Words and music by William Dean Watson

Rob Fenton: dobro
Charles James: upright bass
Graham Mansfield: mandolin
Darryl Poulsen: guitar
Nate Smith: fiddle
William Dean Watson: guitar, vocal
John Williams: Cajun accordion
 
Arranged and produced by William Dean Watson and Rob Fenton
Mixed and mastered by William Dean Watson

Country's Cajun Cousin - Sweet Cherie

Country’s Cajun Cousin - Run On Home
Words and music by William Dean Watson

Rob Fenton: dobro
Kelly Gates: vocal
Charles James: upright bass
Graham Mansfield: mandolin
Darryl Poulsen: guitar
Nate Smith: fiddle
William Dean Watson: guitar
John Williams: Cajun accordion
 
Arranged and produced by William Dean Watson and Rob Fenton
Mixed and mastered by William Dean Watson

Country's Cajun Cousin - Run On Home

Drinking, Crying, Dancing, Dying - Why Now?
Words and music by William Dean Watson

Rob Fenton: dobro
Kelly Gates: vocal
Charles James: upright bass
Will Meadows: mandolin
Scott Metcalfe: piano
Ben Plotnik: fiddle
Darryl Poulsen: guitar
William Dean Watson: guitar, vocal
 
Arranged and produced by William Dean Watson and Rob Fenton
Mixed and mastered by William Dean Watson

Drinking, Crying, Dancing, Dying - Why Now?

Drinking, Crying, Dancing, Dying - Let’s Hit The Town (One Last Time)
Words and music by William Dean Watson

Rob Fenton: dobro, vocal
Charles James: upright bass
Graham Mansfield: mandolin, vocal
Darryl Poulsen: guitar, vocal
Nate Smith: fiddle, vocal
William Dean Watson: guitar, vocal
Alan Zemaitis: piano
 
Arranged and produced by William Dean Watson and Rob Fenton
Mixed and mastered by William Dean Watson

Drinking, Crying, Dancing, Dying - Let's Hit The Town (One Last Time)

Shades Of Western Pop - The First Day Of Summer 
Words and music by William Dean Watson

Rob Fenton: dobro
Charles James: upright bass
Mike Mezzatesta: mandolin
Ben Plotnik: fiddle
Darryl Poulsen: guitar
William Dean Watson: concertina, guitar, Spanish guitar, vocal
 
Arranged and produced by William Dean Watson and Rob Fenton
Mixed and mastered by William Dean Watson

Shades Of Western Pop - The First Day Of Summer

Shades Of Western Pop - West From North
Words and music by William Dean Watson

Rob Fenton: dobro, vocal
Kelly Gates: vocal
Charles James: upright bass
Will Meadows: mandolin, vocal
Ben Plotnik: fiddle
Darryl Poulsen: guitar
William Dean Watson: concertina, guitar, vocal
Thanks to Nate Smith for a little last-minute fiddle overdub
 
Arranged and produced by William Dean Watson and Rob Fenton
Mixed and mastered by William Dean Watson

Shades Of Western Pop - West From North

Straight Ahead Bluegrass - Travelin’ Blue
Words and music by William Dean Watson

Frank Evans: banjo
Rob Fenton: dobro
Charles James: upright bass
Mike Mezzatesta: mandolin
Ben Plotnik: fiddle
Darryl Poulsen: guitar
William Dean Watson: guitar, vocal

Arranged and produced by William Dean Watson and Rob Fenton
Mixed and mastered by William Dean Watson

Straight Ahead Bluegrass - Travelin' Blue

Straight Ahead Bluegrass - Still Diggin’
Music by William Dean Watson

Frank Evans: banjo
Rob Fenton: dobro
Charles James: upright bass
Graham Mansfield: mandolin
Darryl Poulsen: guitar
Nate Smith: fiddle
William Dean Watson: guitar
 
Arranged and produced by William Dean Watson and Rob Fenton
Mixed and mastered by William Dean Watson

The Streets Burn - Kelly Gates - WIP - 2021 - 08 - 15

Kelly Gates

Recent comments

Therockyverse

Therockyverse

User 421890585

Kelly Gates

Related tracks