Tag: school

Song Lyric Sunday – School

This week, Jim Adams has challenged us with School/Books/Learning for his Spring Break Song Lyric Sunday prompt. I hope you like my choice of Paul Simon’s “Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard”. The song was written by Simon and recorded in 1972. He made a video for this song in 1988 that showed him playing basketball with some school kids on a playground. The video has a rap intro by Biz Markie and Big Daddy Kane, and a cameo by baseball legend Mickey Mantle, who lip-synchs the chorus. At the end of the video, NFL Hall-of-Famer John Madden is shown giving tips to the young players. Paul Simon is a big Yankees fan.

Enjoy your Sunday!





Lyrics

Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard

The mama pajama rolled out of bed
And she ran to the police station
When the papa found out he began to shout
And he started the investigation
 
It's against the law
It was against the law
What the mama saw
It was against the law
 
The mama looked down and spit on the ground
Every time my name gets mentioned
The papa said, "oy, if I get that boy
I'm gonna stick him in the house of detention"
 
Well I'm on my way
I don't know where I'm going
I'm on my way
I'm taking my time
But I don't know where
Goodbye to Rosie, the queen of Corona
 
Seein' me and Julio
Down by the schoolyard
Seein' me and Julio
Down by the schoolyard
 
Whoa, in a couple days they come and take me away
But the press let the story leak
And when the radical priest
Come to get me released
We was all on the cover of Newsweek
 
And I'm on my way
I don't know where I'm going
I'm on my way
I'm taking my time
But I don't know where
Goodbye to Rosie, the queen of Corona
 
Seein' me and Julio
Down by the schoolyard
Seein' me and Julio
Down by the schoolyard
Seein' me and Julio
Down by the schoolyard
 
Songwriters: Paul Simon

Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard lyrics
© Universal Music Publishing Group

Banjo

Banjo

It was early in the day
The market street was busy
An average sized crowd had gathered
He played sitting on a high stool
Banjo boy why are you not in school

The music was amazing
His talent evident
He looked thirteen years of age
Certainly nobody’s fool
Banjo boy why are you not in school

There was cash thrown into his case
His audience was enthralled
By the artistry he displayed
Mesmerized by his stringed tool
Banjo boy why are you not in school

His jeans were raggedy
Shoes worn and soiled
Hair unwashed and straggly
But still he was pretty cool
Banjo boy why are you not in school?

On closer look
There was sadness in his eyes
He looked a little malnourished
Under that sweater of wool
Banjo boy why are you not in school

Likely homeless or a peddler
Making money with his gift
Impressing all with his music
His situation seeming cruel
Banjo boy why are you not in school

His flair for performance
Was evident in his ease
The dirty street was his oasis
Convenient and free was the rule
Banjo boy why are you not in school

I stared at him through a prism
Seeing his potential multiplied
Wishing him the success he needed
To extricate himself from this cesspool
Banjo boy why are you not in school

 

Christine Bolton – Poetry for Healing ©

Word Prompts:

Average

Convenient

Oasis

Peddler

Prism

Photo by Matheus Ferrero on Unsplash

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