The Corner Still Mine

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The Corner Still Mine lyrics

Artist-supplied lyric sheet, matched by title. The sheet may differ from this released performance. Production notes and alternate promotional cuts are omitted.

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Verse 1

Golden hour on the same railing I been leaning on since I was twelve Old man Ray still got that folding chair out, coffee black, no cream, no twelve Laundromat still buzzing, corner store still got the same damn bell when you walk in Ms. Gloria sweeping the stoop like she did when we was kids playing handball against the fence Smell of fried fish from the spot that closed last month still stuck in my nose somehow Kids still drawing chalk lines for hopscotch right where the new bike rack gonna go This block raised me, fed me, buried half the ones I love And now they talking “up-and-coming” like we was never here

Pre-chorus

Same corner, same cracks in the sidewalk They just painted over the names

Chorus

This corner still mine Even if they change the sign This corner still mine Even if they change the sign Sax ghosts in the back answering like they heard me This corner still mine

Verse 2

Now the fences went up overnight, orange plastic flapping in the wind like caution tape Surveyors in hard hats marking X’s on the sidewalk like they signing death certificates Flyers on every pole talking “revitalization,” “mixed-use,” “public-private” But nobody asked Ray if he wanted a wine bar where the bodega used to be Rent notice came in the mail last week, numbers I ain’t never seen in my life My cousin text me he moving up north cause the math don’t work no more They renamed the whole block “Heritage District” like we was the ones who left

Pre-chorus

Same corner, same cracks in the sidewalk They just painted over the names

Chorus

This corner still mine Even if they change the sign This corner still mine Even if they change the sign

Verse 3

Now the jazz from the bar gotta fight the drilling at 7 a.m. sharp Zoning board talking tax abatement like it’s a blessing, but it’s just a fancy way of saying “move” They got renderings up on the plywood, glass towers where the murals used to breathe Calling it “opportunity” while they erase every story we painted on these walls I seen the census numbers get twisted, the maps get redrawn overnight They talking foot traffic, they talking foot soldiers, they talking both in the same breath This ain’t progress, this is war with better fonts and better lighting

Verse 4

They tore the community center down yesterday, right in front of my eyes The one where we used to play ball till the streetlights came on Now it’s just a hole in the ground and a sign that say “future luxury condos” I stood there with my hands in my pockets wondering if I should pack up too Part of me wanna fight, part of me wanna run before they erase the last piece of me But where the hell I’m supposed to go when this the only place that ever knew my name?

Bridge

I ain’t mad at progress… I’m mad they called it progress while they kicked us out the door

Verse 5

Nighttime now and the block look like a stranger wearing my old clothes New lights too bright, new faces too quick to smile at nothing But the bodega still open, same cat still sleeping on the counter Sax player still hitting that same note from the alley like he refusing to leave Kids still out here with the chalk, drawing lines like the lines ain’t moving I lean on the railing one more time, same spot, same weight on my shoulders They can change the name, they can change the price But this corner still remember who I am And I still remember who it was

Chorus

This corner still mine Even if they change the sign This corner still mine Even if they change the sign

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01 / The opening