When we asked Cornelius Eady about Black History Month, he responded by sending us a cycle of songs / poems. Eight in all, Eady named the cycle “History Rhymes,” after the famous Mark Twain quote, “History never repeats itself, but it rhymes.”
Performed by the Cornelius Eady Trio, this cycle commemorates the injustices and wrongful deaths of many Black Americans. We have been sharing two a week the entire month of February. This, our third installment, begins with a song dedicated to the memory of Sandra Bland; the second recalls the “scary,” but transformational year of 2020 in America.
“In addition to being a major poet, Eady is among the most prolific and important contemporary American songwriters. Whether he is working with his eponymous trio, featuring top-rate guitarists Charlie Rauh and Lisa Liu, or accompanying himself on guitar or dulcimer, Eady is incessantly writing memorable songs that are tailored to our troubling times.” — John Freeman, The Museum of Americana.
Cornelius Eady TRIO
National Book Award-winner and Pulitzer Prize-nominated poet Cornelius Eady has set his poetry to song with the Cornelius Eady Trio. Eady’s songs tell the story of passing time, the Black-American experience and the Blues in the style of Folk & Americana music. Guitarists Charlie Rauh and Lisa Liu join Eady to create layered and graceful arrangements to bolster Eady’s adept craftsmanship as a songwriter, lyricist, and poet. Cornelius Eady Trio has performed at Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery, AWP Conference, Peabody Essex Museum, and Hill-Stead Museum and recorded at Sun Studio in Memphis, TN.
Cornelius Eady so well captures the spirit of RIFF–and especially the topic of “Jam Session”–taking us beyond poetry, beyond music, and into that hallowed place of meaning.
“(Eady’s music is) in the vein of Taj Mahal when he’s at his metaphysical best, Keb’ Mo’ when he’s most squarely located at the crossroads of tradition and innovation, or Eric Bibb when he’s at his most soulfully transcendent.” — Joe Francis Doerr
Says Cornelius Eady:
“[Haint is] A re-recording of a single first recorded with Rough Magic. Sandra Bland, a black woman, was stopped for a broken tail light in Texas. She died three days later, hanged in her cell. She was arrested for asking ‘Why should I?’ when the cop ordered her to put out her cigarette while still sitting in her car. Another cop, commenting on the story on a cable news show, said while the story was sad, her arrest was justified, since talking back to the cop proved she was arrogant.”
Learn more about Sandra Bland here.
“Walt Whitman was lying on his sick bed in Camden, NJ, and a biographer, about to leave, and noticing this hoped he’d be feeling better soon. Whitman replied, ‘It is clouded now, hopefully, it’ll pass by.’ A good way, I think, to wind up 2020, a very scary year.”
Haint (TRIO VERSION)
Words and Music: Cornelius Eady
I got this ache in my heart
The state of Texas is my host
I got this hole in my soul
The State of Texas made me a ghost
And my ghost howls
Woe
Now I’m a wandering spirit
My body swings in my cell
When they cut this poor gal down
Who’ll know how I got here?
And my ghost howls
Woe
Maybe I died by my own hand
Maybe I died by hands unknown
Maybe I was dead
The moment I talked back
Maybe I was dead
‘fore I was born
And my ghost howls
Woe
Damn the cop
Who damned my black skin
Damn the judge
Who agreed with him
My name’s Sandra Bland
I should be alive
Sass back in Texas
You commit “suicide”
And my ghost howls
Woe.
Listen to “Haint” here.
It’ll Pass By
Words and Music: Cornelius Eady
“It is clouded now, possibly, it’ll pass by”
-Walt Whitman’s last words
To biographer Sadakichi Hartmann
It’s clouded now, but it’ll pass by
All those years
All that blood and tears
It’s clouded now, but it’ll pass by
You think you’re down
You’re tougher than the dirt
You think you’re out
You’re stronger than the hurt.
You think you’re lost
But your feet’s on the ground
That fog they taught you
Won’t stick around
Tried to shoot you down
The buckshot missed your wing
They ain’t got nothing
Can stop the song you sing
Hey, America
We’re waiting on you
Say, America
What you gonna do?
All those years
All that blood and tears.
Listen to “It’ll Pass by” here.
Cornelius Eady Trio
Cornelius Eady: Vocal;
Charlie Rauh: Acoustic Guitar, Electric Bass, Drums, & Percussion;
Lisa Liu: Electric Piano, Electric Organ, Elect & Acoustic Guitar;
Concetta Abbate: Violin.
Arranged by Rauh & Liu.
“Haint” mixed by Charlie Rauh and Lisa Liu.
Concetta Abbate, String Arrangement.
“It’ll Pass By” mixed by Lisa Liu.
Words and Music: Cornelius Eady
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