Lyrics
Southbound 280 I travel towards Race St.
Traveling on Southbound 280 towards Race St.
Traffic keeps me from the church
Traffic prevents the speaker from reaching the church.
Where I plan to play games with others
Planning to engage in games with others at the church.
Whose names I can't follow,
Unable to remember the names of the others involved.
But faces stick to me
Faces of others are memorable, more so than names.
Stronger then rice does that mom made when I was in school.
Faces stick to the speaker strongly, akin to memories of rice made by their mom in school.
Back to the church that is sitting on Race St.
Returning to the church on Race St.
I wait to play games with 9 others
Waiting to play games with nine others at the church.
A game that we learned as young children
Playing a game learned in childhood.
But products have taught us that winning is better then fun as young children
Modern influences prioritize winning over the enjoyment of the game.
And scuffling wins in the end
Conflict (scuffling) prevails in the end.
Play nice
A call to play nice.
The teacher in school gave us instructions
Instructions from a school teacher to play nice.
But children in school grow up to be cowboys
Children grow up to adopt aggressive behaviors, like cowboys enjoying cruel entertainment.
Who like to watch cattle be tortured for fun entertainment
Reference to the disturbing entertainment involving cattle.
On this day a game turns to fighting a black man
A game takes a dark turn involving physical violence against a black man.
Landing on my upper lip formed from some tissue
Personal injury, a lump on the upper lip, from the altercation.
I still feel a lump from where fist turns to a weapon
Reflecting on the impact of physical violence.
On this day I wonder how fighting wins over a peace train
Questioning how fighting can prevail over promoting peace.
A song with a vision much stronger than my will could ask for
Contrasting the power of a peace-promoting song with personal will.
Lying here useless on this day where skies are much bluer than oceans
Feeling useless in the face of a day with vibrant skies and close mountains.
And mountains are closer than most things
Choosing comfort (blanket and screen) over engaging with the external world.
But I choose a blanket of warmth and a screen
Struggling with thoughts that the chosen comforts cannot fend off.
That could never fight back my thoughts are
Thoughts include the church on Race St., emphasizing its presence in the speaker's mind.
Including the church that is sitting on Race St. today
Reiterating the continued existence of the church on Race St. in the speaker's thoughts.
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