One On The House
Gerald Wilson And His Orchestra Lyrics
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A name, a map, the flag I see,
a cer-tain word, "De-moc - ra - cy."
What is A-mer-i-ca to me?
The house I live in, A plot of earth, a street,
The groc-er and the butch-er and the peo-ple that I meet,
The chil-dren in the play-ground, the fac-es that I see;
The place I work in, the work-er at my side
The lit-tle town or cit-y where my peo-ple lived and died
The "how-dy" and the hand-shake the air of feel-ing free
the right to speak my mind out, that's A-mer-i-ca to me.
The things I see a-bout me the big things and the small
The lit-tle cor-ner news-stand and the house a mile__tall;
The wed-ding and the church-yard, the laugh-ter and the tears,
The dream that's been a grow-in' for a hun-dred fif-ty years
The town I live in the street, the house, the room,
The pave-ment of the cit-y, or a gar-den all in bloom,
The church, the school, the club house,
The mil-lion lights I see, But es-pec-ial-ly the peo-ple,
That's A- mer - i -ca to me.
The song "One On The House" by Gerald Wilson and His Orchestra is a patriotic tribute to the United States in which the singer ponders what America means to him. The first stanza asks "What is America to me?" and the answer is a combination of symbols and concepts that are traditional to the country: the name, the map, the flag, and the word "Democracy." In the second verse, the singer describes the people he meets in daily life, and how the diversity of cultures, races, and beliefs that they represent is all part of the fabric of America. The third verse then emphasizes the freedom to speak one's mind, and the right to live and work and dream without restrictions from external forces.
The fourth and final verse is the most personal one, as the singer reflects on his own life and surroundings, and how they are all a part of America too. The specific imagery he uses includes everything from the newsstand on the corner to the million lights of the city, but it is the people he encounters that really define America to him. The line "But especially the people" emphasizes that the strength of the nation comes from the community of individuals who all call themselves Americans.
Line by Line Meaning
What is A-mer-i-ca to me?
What does America represent to me?
A name, a map, the flag I see,
America is more than just a name, map, or flag to me.
a cer-tain word, "De-moc - ra - cy."
America represents democracy to me.
The house I live in, A plot of earth, a street,
My home, my land, and my neighborhood make up a part of America for me.
The groc-er and the butch-er and the peo-ple that I meet,
The people I encounter in my daily life, including shopkeepers, are a part of America for me.
The chil-dren in the play-ground, the fac-es that I see;
The diverse faces and experiences of American children are a part of America for me.
All rac-es, all re-lig-ions, that's A-mer-i-ca to me.
America is a melting pot of all races and religions, something that is important to me.
The place I work in, the work-er at my side
My workplace and the people I work with are a part of America for me.
The lit-tle town or cit-y where my peo-ple lived and died
The city or town where my ancestors lived and died is a part of America for me.
The "how-dy" and the hand-shake the air of feel-ing free
The friendly greetings and feelings of freedom are a part of America for me.
the right to speak my mind out, that's A-mer-i-ca to me.
The freedom of speech is a core part of America for me.
The things I see a-bout me the big things and the small
The things I observe around me, whether significant or insignificant, are a part of America for me.
The lit-tle cor-ner news-stand and the house a mile__tall;
Small businesses and large developments are both a part of America for me.
The wed-ding and the church-yard, the laugh-ter and the tears,
Important life events like weddings and funerals, and emotions like joy and sorrow, are a part of America for me.
The dream that's been a growin' for a hun-dred fif-ty years
The dream of a better America has been growing for centuries and is still alive today.
The town I live in the street, the house, the room,
The specific details of where I live, including my street and house, are a part of America for me.
The pave-ment of the cit-y, or a gar-den all in bloom,
The urban environment and the natural beauty of America are both a part of America to me.
The church, the school, the club house,
Institutions like church, school, and clubs are a part of America for me.
The mil-lion lights I see, But es-pec-ial-ly the peo-ple,
The lights of the city and the people around me are both important parts of America for me.
That's A- mer - i -ca to me.
All of these things and more make up what America means to me.
Lyrics © Peermusic Publishing, Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: LEWIS ALLAN, EARL ROBINSON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@mistermister6686
Tracks:
1-1 Blues For Yna Yna 00:00
1-2 Jeri 06:52
1-3 Moody Blue 10:37
1-4 Straight Up And Down 13:45
1-5 The Wailer 18:30
1-6 You Better Believe It 25:53
1-7 Yvette 31:12
1-8 Viva Tirado 34:50
1-9 Moment Of Truth 40:34
1-10 Patterns 44:57
1-11 Teri 50:54
1-12 Nancy Jo 53:49
1-13 Milestones 56:30
1-14 Latino 01:02:05
1-15 Josefina 01:07:09
1-16 Emerge 01:11:39
Personnel: Gerald Wilson (arranger), key soloists include Carmell Jones, Bud Shank, Harold Land, Bobby Hutcherson, Roy Ayers, Richard “Groove” Holmes, Teddy Edwards, Curtis Amy, Joe Pass, Victor Feldman, Anthony Ortega, Jack Wilson, Charles Tolliver, and Mel Lewis and others…
@mistermister6686
Tracks:
1-1 Blues For Yna Yna 00:00
1-2 Jeri 06:52
1-3 Moody Blue 10:37
1-4 Straight Up And Down 13:45
1-5 The Wailer 18:30
1-6 You Better Believe It 25:53
1-7 Yvette 31:12
1-8 Viva Tirado 34:50
1-9 Moment Of Truth 40:34
1-10 Patterns 44:57
1-11 Teri 50:54
1-12 Nancy Jo 53:49
1-13 Milestones 56:30
1-14 Latino 01:02:05
1-15 Josefina 01:07:09
1-16 Emerge 01:11:39
Personnel: Gerald Wilson (arranger), key soloists include Carmell Jones, Bud Shank, Harold Land, Bobby Hutcherson, Roy Ayers, Richard “Groove” Holmes, Teddy Edwards, Curtis Amy, Joe Pass, Victor Feldman, Anthony Ortega, Jack Wilson, Charles Tolliver, and Mel Lewis and others…
@qwj68boots
Wow, all these gems from Mosaic, some not unattainable until Now!!! Gift!!! Thanks ever so much!!!
@markbridwell8972
Wonderful memories of Gerald and his band performing , almost , every Sunday at the Pilgrimage (outdoor) theatre (late 60's early 70's) & and tunin' into his
radio show weekdays at noon on KBCA . What an education .
@pierre-yvesdugua8501
The sound of the 70s. Extradordinary arranger. Fantastic swing. Great choruses. Thank you for putting it all together Mr.Mr !
@ronaldunkel2681
Mr Wilson is certainly among the top jazz arrangers. Great orchestral, and smooth sounding band. Nice upload. Toodeloo’s & Cheers!
@bojanboskovic6744
Maestro, mornin'! Jazzy dreams!
@justinbaumann
New to me!!!
Thanks SO much for sharing the love🏓
@HalethDagore
Great album! Thanks for sharing.
@chtidede
Très bel enregistrement de jazz orchestral, bien homogène avec de superbes solos orgue, trompette. Ça tourne comme un moteur de formule 1 bien réglé . Un vrai bonheur !
@beeftheheat
i just discovered G Wilson's stuff recently. i think it's Tops! With Les McCann too! Great Upload, Thanks.