WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:02.370 align:middle line:84% Thanks, Lois, for inviting me here. 00:00:02.370 --> 00:00:07.860 align:middle line:84% And I know now that there's more than one type of cactus. 00:00:07.860 --> 00:00:11.840 align:middle line:90% 00:00:11.840 --> 00:00:14.900 align:middle line:84% I was glad to hear at least one variety is good for food supply 00:00:14.900 --> 00:00:16.843 align:middle line:84% and [INAUDIBLE] like green beans. 00:00:16.843 --> 00:00:18.260 align:middle line:84% I'll tell all the folks in Oakland 00:00:18.260 --> 00:00:21.620 align:middle line:90% when I go back tomorrow. 00:00:21.620 --> 00:00:25.760 align:middle line:84% I thought I'd start out with a song and end with a song. 00:00:25.760 --> 00:00:34.005 align:middle line:84% And I wrote a blues piece entitled "Betty's Ball Blues." 00:00:34.005 --> 00:00:39.170 align:middle line:90% 00:00:39.170 --> 00:00:45.060 align:middle line:84% Betty took the ring from her fabled jelly roll. 00:00:45.060 --> 00:00:48.380 align:middle line:84% Betty took the ring from her fabled jelly roll. 00:00:48.380 --> 00:00:53.870 align:middle line:84% She gave it all to Dupree, and eased it on his soul. 00:00:53.870 --> 00:00:59.900 align:middle line:84% She climbed his ancient redwood and sang out from his peak. 00:00:59.900 --> 00:01:05.720 align:middle line:84% She climbed his ancient redwood and sang out from his peak. 00:01:05.720 --> 00:01:11.180 align:middle line:84% She drilled his natural forest and made his demon creep. 00:01:11.180 --> 00:01:15.320 align:middle line:84% She shook the constellations and dazzled them across his eyes. 00:01:15.320 --> 00:01:20.120 align:middle line:84% She shook the constellations and dazzle them across his eyes. 00:01:20.120 --> 00:01:23.420 align:middle line:84% She showered his head with quasars 00:01:23.420 --> 00:01:25.910 align:middle line:90% and made his Taurus cry. 00:01:25.910 --> 00:01:29.000 align:middle line:84% China, china, china, come blow my china horn. 00:01:29.000 --> 00:01:32.240 align:middle line:84% China, china, china, come blow my china horn. 00:01:32.240 --> 00:01:37.890 align:middle line:84% Telegraph my indigo sky ship and make its voyage long. 00:01:37.890 --> 00:01:42.710 align:middle line:84% Betty touched his organ, made his cathedral rock. 00:01:42.710 --> 00:01:46.160 align:middle line:84% Betty touched his organ, made his cathedral rock. 00:01:46.160 --> 00:01:47.630 align:middle line:84% His worshippers moaned and shouted, 00:01:47.630 --> 00:01:50.930 align:middle line:84% his stained glass windows cracked. 00:01:50.930 --> 00:01:53.420 align:middle line:84% One night she dressed in scarlet and threw her man a ball. 00:01:53.420 --> 00:01:58.550 align:middle line:84% One night she dressed in scarlet and threw her man a ball. 00:01:58.550 --> 00:02:01.190 align:middle line:90% The butlers came as zombies. 00:02:01.190 --> 00:02:05.420 align:middle line:84% The guests walked through the walls. 00:02:05.420 --> 00:02:07.820 align:middle line:90% Dupree, he shot the jeweler. 00:02:07.820 --> 00:02:09.800 align:middle line:90% She had him under a spell. 00:02:09.800 --> 00:02:12.050 align:middle line:90% Dupree, he shot the jeweler. 00:02:12.050 --> 00:02:14.630 align:middle line:90% She had him under a spell. 00:02:14.630 --> 00:02:19.580 align:middle line:84% The calmest man in Sing Sing is happy in his cell. 00:02:19.580 --> 00:02:22.400 align:middle line:90% And Taj Mahal sings a song. 00:02:22.400 --> 00:02:24.040 align:middle line:84% He set it to music and he sings it. 00:02:24.040 --> 00:02:26.500 align:middle line:90% I want to play his version. 00:02:26.500 --> 00:02:28.104 align:middle line:90% Much better [INAUDIBLE]. 00:02:28.104 --> 00:02:45.020 align:middle line:90% 00:02:45.020 --> 00:02:49.250 align:middle line:84% Betty took the ring from her fabled jelly roll. 00:02:49.250 --> 00:02:52.490 align:middle line:90% 00:02:52.490 --> 00:02:56.630 align:middle line:84% Betty took the ring from her fabled jelly roll. 00:02:56.630 --> 00:02:59.650 align:middle line:90% 00:02:59.650 --> 00:03:04.030 align:middle line:84% She gave it to Dupree, eased it on his soul. 00:03:04.030 --> 00:03:07.120 align:middle line:90% 00:03:07.120 --> 00:03:11.520 align:middle line:84% She climbed his ancient redwood and sang out from his peak. 00:03:11.520 --> 00:03:14.470 align:middle line:90% 00:03:14.470 --> 00:03:18.620 align:middle line:84% She climbed his ancient redwood and sang out from his peak. 00:03:18.620 --> 00:03:21.730 align:middle line:90% 00:03:21.730 --> 00:03:25.745 align:middle line:84% She drilled his natural forest and made his demon creep. 00:03:25.745 --> 00:03:28.990 align:middle line:90% 00:03:28.990 --> 00:03:33.535 align:middle line:84% She shook the constellations and dazzled them across his eyes. 00:03:33.535 --> 00:03:36.490 align:middle line:90% 00:03:36.490 --> 00:03:40.745 align:middle line:84% She shook the constellations and dazzled them across his eyes. 00:03:40.745 --> 00:03:43.650 align:middle line:90% 00:03:43.650 --> 00:03:45.995 align:middle line:84% She showered his head with quasars 00:03:45.995 --> 00:03:48.990 align:middle line:90% and made his Taurus cry. 00:03:48.990 --> 00:03:51.270 align:middle line:90% Oh, get down. 00:03:51.270 --> 00:03:55.245 align:middle line:84% China, china, china, come blow my china horn. 00:03:55.245 --> 00:03:58.650 align:middle line:90% 00:03:58.650 --> 00:04:02.840 align:middle line:84% China, china, china, come blow my china horn. 00:04:02.840 --> 00:04:05.590 align:middle line:90% 00:04:05.590 --> 00:04:11.020 align:middle line:84% Telegraph my indigo starship, make its voyage long. 00:04:11.020 --> 00:04:11.980 align:middle line:90% Oh, get down. 00:04:11.980 --> 00:04:34.950 align:middle line:90% 00:04:34.950 --> 00:04:38.545 align:middle line:84% Betty touched his organ, made his cathedral rock. 00:04:38.545 --> 00:04:42.060 align:middle line:90% 00:04:42.060 --> 00:04:45.805 align:middle line:84% Betty touched his organ, made his cathedral rock. 00:04:45.805 --> 00:04:48.930 align:middle line:90% 00:04:48.930 --> 00:04:52.080 align:middle line:84% His worshippers moaned and shouted, had his stained glass 00:04:52.080 --> 00:04:53.095 align:middle line:90% windows cracked. 00:04:53.095 --> 00:04:56.380 align:middle line:90% 00:04:56.380 --> 00:05:00.670 align:middle line:84% One night she dressed in scarlet, threw her man a ball. 00:05:00.670 --> 00:05:03.480 align:middle line:90% 00:05:03.480 --> 00:05:08.054 align:middle line:84% One night she dressed in scarlet, there her man a ball. 00:05:08.054 --> 00:05:10.840 align:middle line:90% 00:05:10.840 --> 00:05:12.855 align:middle line:90% The butlers came as zombies. 00:05:12.855 --> 00:05:14.820 align:middle line:84% The guests walked through the walls. 00:05:14.820 --> 00:05:17.900 align:middle line:90% 00:05:17.900 --> 00:05:21.950 align:middle line:84% Oh, Dupree, he shot the jeweler, she had him under a spell. 00:05:21.950 --> 00:05:25.580 align:middle line:90% 00:05:25.580 --> 00:05:29.375 align:middle line:84% Dupree, he shot the jeweler, she had him under a spell. 00:05:29.375 --> 00:05:32.640 align:middle line:90% 00:05:32.640 --> 00:05:36.750 align:middle line:84% The calmest man in Sing Sing is happy in his cell. 00:05:36.750 --> 00:05:38.229 align:middle line:90% Oh, get down. 00:05:38.229 --> 00:06:13.760 align:middle line:90% 00:06:13.760 --> 00:06:15.680 align:middle line:84% That's from an album entitled Conjure One-- 00:06:15.680 --> 00:06:18.140 align:middle line:84% Music for the Texts of Ishmael Reed, me. 00:06:18.140 --> 00:06:21.230 align:middle line:84% And I was very pleased that these composers 00:06:21.230 --> 00:06:23.420 align:middle line:84% take my tacky stuff and set it to music. 00:06:23.420 --> 00:06:27.920 align:middle line:84% And this album was recently rereleased by Sting's company 00:06:27.920 --> 00:06:28.440 align:middle line:90% Pangaea. 00:06:28.440 --> 00:06:30.140 align:middle line:90% So I think it's in stores. 00:06:30.140 --> 00:06:34.010 align:middle line:84% The last song I'll play at the end of my reading 00:06:34.010 --> 00:06:36.170 align:middle line:84% will be a new album entitled Conjure One-- 00:06:36.170 --> 00:06:38.160 align:middle line:84% Cab Calloway Stands in for the Moon. 00:06:38.160 --> 00:06:39.680 align:middle line:90% It's just released in Germany. 00:06:39.680 --> 00:06:45.190 align:middle line:84% And Bobby Womack sings some of the lyrics that I wrote.