What Good Is A Castle
Joe Bataan Lyrics
What good is a castle
Way high upon a hill
If you're chained down and you're crippled
And you're six stories high
What good is a playground
Full of lovers beneath your window pane
If every time you watch them
It starts to rain
Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa
What good is the sound
Of a child of the world without a girl
What good is a heart
After it's torn apart
What good is a judge
Or a jury without a trial
What good is a daddy
Or a mommy without a child
Hey, hey, hey, hey
Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa
Something inside of me
Keeps repeating
You better hang on, boy
Whoa, whoa, whoa
Something inside of me
Begs me to hang on, whoa, whoa
How can I continue
Or move a step at all
My days are all numbered
So I'll take my fall
What good is a castle
Way high upon a hill
If you're chained down and you're crippled
And you're six stories high
What good is a playground
Full of lovers beneath your window pane
If every time you watch them
It starts to rain
Hey, hey, hey, hey
Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa
Hey, hey, hey, hey
Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa
Hey, hey, hey, hey
Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa
What good is a castle
Way high on a hill
If you're chained down and you're crippled
And you're six stories high
What good is a playground
Full of lovers beneath your window pane
If every time you watch them
It starts to feeling that it'll pour down rain
Hey, hey, hey
Whoa, whoa, whoa
What good is the sound
Of a child of the world without a girl
What good is a heart
After it's torn apart
What good is a judge
Or a jury without a trial
What good is a daddy
Or a mommy without a child
Hey, hey, hey
Whoa, whoa, whoa
Something inside of me
Keeps repeating
You better hang on, boy
Whoa
Something inside of me
Begs me to hang on, whoa
How can I continue
Or move a step at all
My days are all numbered
So I'll take my fall
What good is a castle
Way high on a hill
If you're chained down and you're crippled
And you're six stories high
What good is a playground
Full of lovers beneath your window pane
If every time you watch them
It starts to feeling that it'll pour down rain
Hey, hey, hey
Whoa, whoa, whoa
Hey, hey, hey
Whoa, whoa, whoa
Hey, hey, hey
Whoa, whoa, whoa
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: JOE BATAAN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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No recording artist has more impeccable street credentials than Joe Bataan, the originator of the New York Latin Soul style that paralleled Latin boogaloo and anticipated disco. His musical experience began with street corner doo-wop in the 1950s, and came to include one of the first rap records to hit the charts, 1979's "Rap-O, Clap-O". In between these milestones, he recorded classic albums like St. Latin's Day Massacre, a perennial favorite in the salsa market Read Full BioNo recording artist has more impeccable street credentials than Joe Bataan, the originator of the New York Latin Soul style that paralleled Latin boogaloo and anticipated disco. His musical experience began with street corner doo-wop in the 1950s, and came to include one of the first rap records to hit the charts, 1979's "Rap-O, Clap-O". In between these milestones, he recorded classic albums like St. Latin's Day Massacre, a perennial favorite in the salsa market, Salsoul, which gave the record label its name and helped spark the national explosion of urban dance music, and Afrofilipino, which included one of the very earliest New York disco hits, an instrumental version of Gil Scott Heron's "The Bottle".
Born Peter Nitollano, of African-American/Filipino parents, Joe Bataan grew up in Spanish Harlem, where he ran with Puerto Rican gangs and absorbed R&B, Afro-Cuban and Afro-Rican musical influences. His music career followed a pair of stints in Coxsackie State Prison. Self taught on the piano, he organized his first band in 1965 and scored his first recording success in 1967 with "Gypsy Woman" on Fania Records, . The tune was a hit with the New York Latin market despite the English lyrics sung by Joe, and exemplified the nascent Latin Soul sound. In early anticipation of the disco formula, "Gypsy Woman" created dance energy by alternating what was fundamentally a pop-soul tune with a break featuring double timed hand claps, . Joe would take this tendency even further on his influential Salsoul, which fused funk and latin influences in slick yet soulful orchestrations. Salsoul remains influential as a rare groove cult item, but pointed to the future at the time of its release. The LP embodied the artist's highly deliberate and culturally aware musical concept. Bataan theorized the '70s next big thing as a hybrid: an Afro Cuban rhythm section playing Brazilian influenced patterns over orchestral funk. In many ways, his vision was on the money, though most of the money would go to others, and mainstream stardom would elude him. He did, however, get in on the ground floor of the new trend as an early hit maker. His biggest commercial move was a Salsoul production released under the Epic umbrella, and promoted to the new disco market as Afrofilipino, which included 1975's "The Bottle", a much anthologized classic that drives an R&B horn arrangment with a relentless piano montuno.
Always in touch with the street, Joe Bataan picked up on rap very early in the game. His minor rap hit, "Rap-O, Clap-O" was a bit more successful in Europe than in the States, and is remembered as rap's debut in the European market. Nevertheless, his legacy remains his gritty and realistic Latin soul lyrics, his self identification as an "Ordinary Guy", and his highly personal and prophetic merger of Latin and soul influences.
Born Peter Nitollano, of African-American/Filipino parents, Joe Bataan grew up in Spanish Harlem, where he ran with Puerto Rican gangs and absorbed R&B, Afro-Cuban and Afro-Rican musical influences. His music career followed a pair of stints in Coxsackie State Prison. Self taught on the piano, he organized his first band in 1965 and scored his first recording success in 1967 with "Gypsy Woman" on Fania Records, . The tune was a hit with the New York Latin market despite the English lyrics sung by Joe, and exemplified the nascent Latin Soul sound. In early anticipation of the disco formula, "Gypsy Woman" created dance energy by alternating what was fundamentally a pop-soul tune with a break featuring double timed hand claps, . Joe would take this tendency even further on his influential Salsoul, which fused funk and latin influences in slick yet soulful orchestrations. Salsoul remains influential as a rare groove cult item, but pointed to the future at the time of its release. The LP embodied the artist's highly deliberate and culturally aware musical concept. Bataan theorized the '70s next big thing as a hybrid: an Afro Cuban rhythm section playing Brazilian influenced patterns over orchestral funk. In many ways, his vision was on the money, though most of the money would go to others, and mainstream stardom would elude him. He did, however, get in on the ground floor of the new trend as an early hit maker. His biggest commercial move was a Salsoul production released under the Epic umbrella, and promoted to the new disco market as Afrofilipino, which included 1975's "The Bottle", a much anthologized classic that drives an R&B horn arrangment with a relentless piano montuno.
Always in touch with the street, Joe Bataan picked up on rap very early in the game. His minor rap hit, "Rap-O, Clap-O" was a bit more successful in Europe than in the States, and is remembered as rap's debut in the European market. Nevertheless, his legacy remains his gritty and realistic Latin soul lyrics, his self identification as an "Ordinary Guy", and his highly personal and prophetic merger of Latin and soul influences.
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Keith Hunt
I remember practicing the horn parts to this classic. This one of Joe's best.
rodney jerome
Played this song so many times in the Joe B band...can never forget how much fun it was and how much I learned
Milagros Latorre
Every time I hear this song it takes me to a place that seems so far away right now . My brothers favorite song has been gone so long now but he sang it so well I can hear him now god is good we always remember those we love. Especially thru song and music ❤️👏
Roz C
The truth!
Joseph Patrick Alaby
I LOVE THIS SONG! I FEEL IF I'M LIVING SUMMER ON THE STREET IN NEW YORK.
sugardeb
Any one growing up on the streets of New York City during a certain time period can relate to every word Joe sings. You can hear the heartache, and yet, his songs are filled with beauty and such soul. My Cloud is my favorite song of all time. I wish the guy would give a concert!
Raul Martinez
When I listen to Joe's songs, It takes me back to an innocent time in Brooklyn, NY.
It always brings me to silent tears to think of the music treasures we once had & lost.
Robert Velez
Joe Bataan had many hits like Gypsy Woman, Ordinary Guy, My Cloud etc: yet What's good is a castle is my all time favorite for its haunting melody has never left me from a child to an old man which I am now!
RedHen TV
Makes me wish I grew up back then
Mackenzie McAlpin
i am totally freaking in love joe bataan, this guy is my favorite singer of all time!