Songs with Ralph Baker
Ralph was an untrained african-american singer born in the mid-1920's and raised in the South. As a young adult he sang on a local radio station broadcasting from an upscale hotel near his rural hometown. Even though he enjoyed some success in the community with his singing he still had to enter the hotel through the back door because of racial segregation. He had a life-long love for opera but lacked the schooling and opportunities to pursue it seriously. After military service he moved to the SF Bay Area and worked in a factory for many years. I met him at a senior center in Berkeley shortly after he retired. We became friends as part of my performing arts workshop. He had a larger than life presence -- especially when performing -- a charismatic man who finally got to express and explore his innate talents in the final years of his life. Although his vocal abilities were more attuned to arias than popular songs, for the most part he was able to bridge that informal versus formal singing style which characterizes and separates popular from classical. We put together a cross-section of songs from the performing arts workshop and offered a series of solo recitals featuring Ralph. These are the selected songs he performed, recorded in an Emeryville studio in 1993. Ralph died in 2005.
Ralph was an untrained african-american singer born in the mid-1920's and raised in the South. As a young adult he sang on a local radio station broadcasting from an upscale hotel near his rural hometown. Even though he enjoyed some success in the community with his singing he still had to enter the hotel through the back door because of racial segregation. He had a life-long love for opera but lacked the schooling and opportunities to pursue it seriously. After military service he moved to the SF Bay Area and worked in a factory for many years. I met him at a senior center in Berkeley shortly after he retired. We became friends as part of my performing arts workshop. He had a larger than life presence -- especially when performing -- a charismatic man who finally got to express and explore his innate talents in the final years of his life. Although his vocal abilities were more attuned to arias than popular songs, for the most part he was able to bridge that informal versus formal singing style which characterizes and separates popular from classical. We put together a cross-section of songs from the performing arts workshop and offered a series of solo recitals featuring Ralph. These are the selected songs he performed, recorded in an Emeryville studio in 1993. Ralph died in 2005.
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We follow our heart, we fight off the scars,
we do what we can to reach, we carve out a mark, get part of a part, we do all we can to reach. ... trying to be someone to love, someone you might understand, trying to be the best of what I am. Something new, something new is what I need. Trying to get through, let me through to your reason, some reasoning. Take a chance to go farther, but don't be a martyr, we do what we can to succeed. See love erased, seized and misplaced, we see all we dare to see... trying to find someone to love, someone who might understand, trying to be the best of what I am. The best of what I am, the very best of what I am, The best of what I am. Have you ever been abandoned, nowhere to go?
Have you never been landed down in a hole? Well to be real candid, maybe you know that ol’ crow. Misery’s arriving, watch it unfold. Temperature’s a divin’, out in the cold, Well speakin’ of survivin', do you know that ol’ crow... ... fly, fly, fly, don’t look back. bye, bye, bye, baby that’s that. Have you ever been stranded out on a rope? Have you never been branded without any hope? Ever been back-handed, maybe you know that ol’ crow... look out for that crow, remember Van Gogh, look out for them crows, watch out for those crows I've turned a lot and I’ve learned I'm not,
all that I wanted to be. It’s that famous plot, I just plain forgot, I've all that I ever will need... It's only make believe, it’s only make believe, it’s only make believe. When the curtain drops, there's a certain spot, you’ll find me down on my knees. It’s too absurd to top, and the words won’t stop, you can go but you never can leave... It's only make believe, it’s only make believe, it’s only make believe. (instr.) It’s only make believe, it’s only make believe, it’s only make believe... make believe, make believe, make believe… I've turned a lot and I've learned a lot, I've all that I ever will need. Man on the moon, heading for mars,
the mystery’s going out of the stars. Poetry’s gone, music’s obscure, one can’t even plot a reason for words. Nobody writes anymore, open then close the door. What are you waiting for, does love take to long? You say you’ve reformed with your marathon plans, and your knack for rapport with your instant demands. So where have you gone, are you done here, you went much too far and took your career. Nobody writes anymore, open then close the door. What are you waiting for, does love take too long to hold? Does your love take too long to hold? |
Who put the devil on my angel face,
who took my halo and my little white lace, who clipped my wings, who flipped the swing, who put the devil on my angel face? Who put the rebel in this reveling race, who took the twinkle and put wrinkles in place, who thought it wise to compromise, who put the devil on my angel face? What makes the sand go shift shift shift, what makes the land go drift drift drift, what makes the hand go grip grip grip, what makes the clock tic-toc, tic? Who put the devil on my angel face, who took the blessing and put guessing in place, who can divine a coffin pine, who put the devil on my angel face? What makes the sand go shift shift shift, what makes the land go drift drift drift, what makes the hand go grip grip grip, what makes the clock tic-toc, doc? Who put the devil on my angel face, (why should we live if we're just gonna die?), who thought it fine this dumb design, who put the devil on my angel face, who put the devil on my angel face, who put the devil on my angel face, oh, who the hell put the devil on this angelic face? It's a quite sight, on the porch at night,
thinking of time we once had, thinking of words left unsaid. I'd remind you, I find you, everywhere I go. See you in the chair, silent as a prayer, see a love that won't die away, see your views clearer today, I'd remind you, I find you, everywhere I go... ... and I finally found what really matters, taking you where I go ever after. I keep your love, your pain, your laughter, everywhere I go, everywhere I go. (instr.) I'd remind you, I find you, everywhere I go... I finally found what really matters, taking you down the road ever after. I keep your love, your pain, your laughter, your laughter… See the chair, silent as a prayer, see love that won't die away. You're everywhere I go, everywhere I'll go, everywhere. I almost fit, almost fit, from time to time I must admit,
though I try and try, I still miss a ride. Don't let the world pass by. There's always love, always love, I guess I do not have enough, learned to hope inside, learned to hold the line, don't let the world pass by… ... some days you'll find me on my feet, some days we'll have a chance to meet, some days I'm really quite unique, some days the world just rolls right up to my door. And I always dream, always dream, just make a wish and chase the dream, if I lose a stride, if I fall aside, don't let the world pass by... I almost fit, almost fit, from time to time I must admit, though I try and try, I still miss a ride. Don't let the world pass by. if I lose a stride, if I fall aside, I won't let the world pass me by, no, I won't let the world pass me by. Don't pass me by |