[piano intro] - [Announcer] "Shaped by Sound" is a co-production of PBS North Carolina and the Department of Natural and Cultural Resources.

The series is presented by Come Hear North Carolina.

- [James] I'm James Mieczkowski, and this is "Shaped by Sound."

Shirlette Ammons is a film producer, a poet, and a hip hop artist from Durham, North Carolina.

Within Shirlette's music, themes of identity and perception are put front and center, contemplating the duality of how do we see and how are we seen.

Today On "Shaped by Sound," performing with special guest Rissi Palmer, and in conversation with me, this is Shirlette Ammons.

[mellow jazz music] [upbeat blues music] ♪ Mm, hey ♪ ♪ Like when lightning strikes upon the city ♪ ♪ See the thunder from the untamed country peeling ♪ ♪ Back the layers of my own mind, warped and pretty ♪ ♪ Yet the field is empty, used to feed aplenty ♪ ♪ Bleed and breed for pennies ♪ ♪ Ever need a penny just to keep alive ♪ ♪ Your momma dream of happy endings ♪ ♪ But they're masked and pending ♪ ♪ After that, they leave me ♪ ♪ Breathing in apprehension and comin' up winded, sure ♪ ♪ Mind what your mama said ♪ ♪ Mind what your mama said ♪ ♪ But Mama, we're comin' up short ♪ ♪ Don't deny what your daddy did ♪ ♪ And daddy kept comin' up short ♪ ♪ Don't play yourself to get ahead ♪ ♪ And even though we keep comin' up short ♪ ♪ You better mind what you promised them ♪ ♪ Yeah we keep comin up, yeah we keep comin' up ♪ ♪ Comin' up from never enough ♪ ♪ Addin' plus subtractin' ♪ ♪ Fast chances, long shots ♪ ♪ Daddy playin' house again ♪ ♪ Everybody slow your role ♪ ♪ Play your role we actin' ♪ ♪ Dance for the social worker, poor country asses ♪ ♪ Struggle never buckle ♪ ♪ We can't hustle movin' backwards ♪ ♪ Daddy want a caddy ♪ ♪ Momma just want him back ♪ ♪ And somethin new to hold to ♪ ♪ The plain and simple fact is ♪ ♪ Blackness is beautiful, it's musical, it's magical just ♪ ♪ Mind what your mama said ♪ ♪ You better mind what your mama said ♪ ♪ But Mama, we're comin' up short ♪ ♪ Don't deny what your daddy did ♪ ♪ And daddy kept comin' up short ♪ ♪ Don't play yourself to get ahead ♪ ♪ And even though we keep comin' up short ♪ ♪ You better mind what you told them ♪ ♪ Oh yeah, we keep comin' up ♪ ♪ Yeah, we keep comin' up ♪ ♪ Don't deny what your mama said ♪ ♪ But Mama, we're comin' up short ♪ ♪ Don't deny what your daddy did ♪ ♪ And daddy kept comin' up short ♪ ♪ Don't you play yourself to get ahead ♪ ♪ And even though we keep comin' up short ♪ ♪ You better mind what your mama said ♪ ♪ Oh yeah, we keep comin' up ♪ ♪ Yeah, we keep comin' up ♪ ♪ Comin' up, yeah, we keep comin' up ♪ ♪ Comin' up ♪ ♪ Oh yeah, we keep comin' up ♪ ♪ Comin' up ♪ ♪ Yeah, we keep comin' up ♪ ♪ Comin' up ♪ ♪ We keep comin' up ♪ ♪ We keep comin' up ♪ ♪ Yeah, we keep comin' up ♪ ♪ Comin' up, yeah, we keep comin' up ♪ - Shirlette Ammons from Durham, North Carolina.

Is that right?

- Durham, by way of eastern North Carolina.

I've been in Durham for a while but I was born and raised in Beautancus, North Carolina, which is Duplin County.

- Okay.

- So.

- Beautancus.

- [Shirlette] I always own eastern North Carolina as my home place.

- Can you talk to us a little bit about what it was like to grow up in eastern North Carolina?

- Sure.

Well, my mom has 12 brothers and sisters, or had.

Some have passed on, but total 13 aunts, uncles, mama.

And we all, essentially, grew up in one house.

And so, I have a lot of cousins that are more like siblings that I grew up with.

And I have a twin sister, identical twin.

So, I grew up surrounded by literally a lot of human beings, but also just in terms of that eastern North Carolina rural aesthetic, just the quietude and how that incites so much license to just be creative and imaginative.

Grew up, you know, singin' in the church choir, and all that quintessential Black southern stuff.

So, yeah, all that, I really do credit all that for the person I am creatively.

Just the isolated, beautiful, loud solitude that is just the country.

♪ I got my own Lorraine and my own Eatonville ♪ ♪ Country store with old hens, chicken pastry, and chill ♪ ♪ Got a front porch surrounded by daffodils ♪ ♪ Hound dog mixed with some pit ♪ ♪ She a boss of a ♪ ♪ On a chain by a fence, tobacco fields ♪ ♪ White man own 'em, but he loan 'em to my uncle ♪ ♪ 'Cause he owe 'em for them years that was stole ♪ ♪ Now his body is a cantaloupe ♪ ♪ Rottin' in the sun in the summer months ♪ ♪ I got funk from my aunt's Gran Torino ♪ ♪ 8-track Teddy Pendergrass bumpin' on back row ♪ ♪ She had another love, looked like T and KO ♪ ♪ Never catch a vacay day ♪ ♪ She had just e-lo ♪ ♪ But we know how it is with the biz how it be ♪ ♪ And we don't give and turn, we just barbecue ♪ ♪ We just pool cue and call the shot eight ball ♪ ♪ About to drop our guy, Bronzeville ♪ ♪ Called it, corner pocket yet we got it ♪ ♪ Black people, we got this ♪ ♪ Eight ball about to drop ♪ ♪ I got Bronzeville, called it corner pocket ♪ ♪ Yeah, we got it ♪ ♪ Black people, we got this ♪ ♪ Eight ball about to drop ♪ ♪ I got Bronzeville, called it corner pocket ♪ ♪ Come on ♪ [mellow blues music] ♪ Yeah, we got it ♪ ♪ Yo, they say when you claim the role of instructor ♪ ♪ Your skills is bound to suffer ♪ ♪ Instead, I obsessively seek to be dumpin' 'em ♪ ♪ Singin' and instruction ♪ ♪ Do not to worry about them loud mouths ♪ ♪ 'Cause you can't tell 'em nothin' ♪ ♪ They livin' on quiet medication ♪ ♪ Be gettin' the stages of the ugly ducklin' ♪ ♪ They called the iso ♪ ♪ Through shade of every ever made ♪ ♪ But her beauty wasn't delayed ♪ ♪ She's waitin' on you to turn the page ♪ ♪ But turn the corner or turn mature ♪ ♪ I finally come to find the bottom of the river ♪ ♪ Jamaican and gay ♪ ♪ I was born in '74 but I'm circa '88 ♪ ♪ That's when the weather changed ♪ ♪ Still a baby but destined to create ♪ ♪ And now ain't the time for playin' ♪ ♪ And waitin' in the water with my tape recorder ♪ ♪ Suffocatin', press the play ♪ ♪ So it's best to say I never settle ♪ ♪ I set the stage, write a page, deliberate ♪ ♪ Write the stage, miseducatin' ♪ ♪ Now my intention is to misbehave ♪ ♪ Hey yo, I just can't play it safe ♪ ♪ Uh uh uh uh uh ♪ ♪ I got this, check it ♪ ♪ Uh, for those who deal with the rigid ♪ ♪ Curiosity's hidden ♪ ♪ And the aim is mistaken ♪ ♪ Coded and swift speak some language ♪ ♪ Take the tongue from the tiger ♪ ♪ Feel ashamed when they bite it ♪ ♪ But we ain't for the opposite ♪ ♪ Ignitin' the silence ♪ ♪ If we don't name our injustice ♪ ♪ Our generation's indicted ♪ ♪ If we do speak about it ♪ ♪ We be far from nearsighted ♪ ♪ I wrote the spear in the mirror ♪ ♪ The one I clearly invited ♪ ♪ Now I'm facin' the angels ♪ ♪ Plus the demons inside us ♪ ♪ I'm only versin' three pigeons ♪ ♪ While this country ain't Christian ♪ ♪ Plus their joggin' the forefathers ♪ ♪ Don't be forgiveness ♪ ♪ Now I'm burning them bridges ♪ ♪ Of Mr.

Focused and Brilliant ♪ ♪ Watch some barriers burst ♪ ♪ Like I was scalin' a building ♪ ♪ Nothin's ever that simple ♪ ♪ Set my word in my pencil ♪ ♪ In 24 hour diners ♪ ♪ Breakin' from makin' a livin' to jail ♪ ♪ So when I finish the sentences ♪ ♪ Sweepin' distance with sentence ♪ ♪ Let's never finish the sentence, okay ♪ ♪ So when I finish the sentence ♪ ♪ The sweepin' distance was sentenced ♪ ♪ Let's never finish the sentence, okay ♪ ♪ So when I finish the sentences ♪ ♪ The sweepin' distance was sentenced ♪ ♪ Let's never finish, uh uh ♪ I started writing, you know, songs and like just makin' up little diddies and rhymes as a kid.

And then got into the spoken word scene in my early 20s and really just found comfort and belonging in that.

And also I was just startin' to come into myself also in terms of my sexual identity and orientation.

So, just so, that language I was learning was kind of helpin' me work through the things that were otherwise hard to talk about.

So, poetry gave me a language at times, a coded language, to speak about my truth that I was comin' into.

- [James] Yeah.

- And it was really supportive.

You know, it was predominantly like just the black weirdos, which I completely belonged.

Go figure.

[laughing] And so just like that little environment just nurtured and cultivated and gave, helped me hone my voice.

And then I learned how to incorporate what I consider the unique language of my people in eastern North Carolina where I come from.

♪ Studyin' and watchin' the time ♪ ♪ From my watchtower ♪ ♪ Don't nobody ask me the time ♪ ♪ 'Cause I ain't got it ♪ ♪ No, I said be over for supper ♪ ♪ But yo, my chauffer took a second shift to get over ♪ ♪ Now he is a Uber driver ♪ ♪ I ain't trying to scare the members of Biden's America ♪ ♪ I don't write the ironies ♪ ♪ I just make you aware of 'em ♪ ♪ I was watchin' Kamala promise us no more drama ♪ ♪ Somethin' like she was the Mary J. Blige, mass hysteria ♪ ♪ We be betrayin' all we be sayin' ♪ ♪ When we be fakin' for five star ratings ♪ ♪ Abetting, aiding, or we be chasin' ♪ ♪ What will you be fakin' for five stars ♪ ♪ Statistics, how many wanna get Lyfted ♪ ♪ Two, three, four, five, statistics ♪ ♪ How many trying to stay Lyfted ♪ ♪ Here's where your Uber ride ♪ ♪ Yo, I've been tryin' to make my way down ♪ ♪ From my watchtower ♪ ♪ Honestly, I'm shocked and surprised ♪ ♪ That this view is ours ♪ ♪ Not that it's just beautiful, decadent, ♪ ♪ And obstructed too ♪ ♪ No wonder that my personal driver ♪ ♪ Couldn't maneuver through ♪ ♪ We be betrayin' all we be sayin' ♪ ♪ Will we be fakin' for five star ratings ♪ ♪ Abetting, aiding, all we be sayin' ♪ ♪ Will we be fakin' for five star ratings ♪ ♪ We be betrayin' uh all we be sayin' ♪ ♪ Will we be fakin' for five star ratings ♪ ♪ Abetting, aiding or we be chasin' ♪ ♪ Will we be fakin' for five stars ♪ ♪ Yo, statistics ♪ ♪ How many wanna get Lyfted ♪ ♪ Two, three, four, five statistics ♪ ♪ How many tryin' to stay Lyfted ♪ ♪ Cancel your Uber ride ♪ ♪ Yo, statistics ♪ ♪ How many wanna get Lyfted ♪ ♪ Two, three, four, five, statistics ♪ ♪ Somebody tryin' to stay Lyfted ♪ ♪ Anybody wanna ride, yo ♪ [mellow rock music] ♪ Some say life is a ♪ ♪ I think that it's a fever ♪ ♪ They say we askin' for it ♪ ♪ As if they know our story ♪ ♪ I say we graspin' at it, gaspin' at it, pass the magic ♪ ♪ They say we're lookin' for it ♪ ♪ They call us savage at it ♪ ♪ But they can't see the forest ♪ ♪ Or it's that they suck at mathematics ♪ ♪ They think we gamin', playin' psycho babble Scrabble ♪ ♪ I say we Jonesin' for it, lungin' for it atlas hazards ♪ ♪ They say we savage for it ♪ ♪ Sort of borderless, foreign nomads who lack a core ♪ ♪ Refusin' to use this human story ♪ ♪ 'Cause the matter is with the fact ♪ ♪ That we ain't asking for much, for much ♪ ♪ And the matter is with the fact ♪ ♪ That they be takin' too much from us ♪ ♪ And the matter is with the fact ♪ ♪ That we ain't askin' for much, for much ♪ ♪ And the matter is ♪ ♪ Hey, yo, the matter is ♪ ♪ This is a fact ♪ ♪ Yeah, the matter is ♪ ♪ Hey, yo, the matter is ♪ ♪ This is the fact ♪ ♪ Yeah, the matter is ♪ ♪ It's with the facts, with the facts, yo ♪ ♪ Relax for a minute, look around while you're spinnin' ♪ ♪ It's like in any instance ♪ ♪ Sayin' and anticipate how friends are feelin' ♪ ♪ Get in the middle of it ♪ ♪ Love it like you livin' with it ♪ ♪ And leave that shuckin' and duckin' ♪ ♪ To the privileged and sinning ♪ ♪ And fold with pennies ♪ ♪ And those who settle, finish ♪ ♪ And never sell our vision ♪ ♪ Somethin' that's unappealin' ♪ ♪ I see you ask for it ♪ ♪ Graspin' at it, bound to have it, louder passionate ♪ ♪ Faster asked it, not accurate ♪ ♪ 'Cause the matter is with the fact ♪ ♪ That we ain't askin' for much, for much ♪ ♪ And the matter is ♪ ♪ With the fact that they be takin' too much from us ♪ ♪ And the matter is with the fact ♪ ♪ That we ain't askin' for much, for much ♪ ♪ And the matter is ♪ ♪ Hey, yo, the matter is ♪ ♪ It's a fact ♪ ♪ Yeah, the matter is ♪ ♪ Hey, yo, the matter is ♪ ♪ It's with the fact ♪ ♪ Yeah, the matter is ♪ ♪ Hey, yo, the matter is ♪ ♪ It's the fact ♪ ♪ Yeah, the matter is ♪ ♪ Hey, yo, the matter is ♪ ♪ It's with the fact ♪ ♪ Yeah, the matter is ♪ ♪ It's with the facts, with the facts, yo ♪ - For some of these songs that seem really personal, what's it like to put that out there in front of a group of people that you don't know?

- Well I think the goal is that everybody's applying it to themselves personally.

Hopefully the more personal I am, the more likely it is that somebody can hear and feel like, oh I had an aunt like that, or I had a that time where you know my cousin did this, or when's the last time I played ball with my cousins or went fishin' or you know.

Like if I'm droppin' nuggets like that, then hopefully people can relate it to their own experiences as opposed to if I'm being like aloof and dismissive.

I think people can feel that in the writing, and that's to me, and that's maybe a personal preference.

The writing I most adore is writing that like kind of pierces and makes me have to deal or reckon in some kinda way.

[mellow blues music] ♪ Spectacles, you think we wearin' dance shoes ♪ ♪ The way they clockin' every move ♪ ♪ Their eyes spell binded by the groove ♪ ♪ It's obvious ♪ ♪ Hey ♪ ♪ They can't stop watchin' ♪ ♪ Hey ♪ ♪ They can't stop watchin' ♪ ♪ Spectacles, you think we're wearin' dance shoes ♪ ♪ The way they're clockin' every move ♪ ♪ They are spell binded by the groove ♪ ♪ It's obvious ♪ ♪ Hey ♪ ♪ They can't stop watchin' ♪ ♪ Can't look away ♪ ♪ It's so positively obvious it's common sense ♪ ♪ They're duplicates, copycats, counterfeits ♪ ♪ We alley cats, battle cats, please ♪ ♪ We on the grind 'til feeding time, lick and leave, hey ♪ ♪ In case you missed me, I'm out of bully city ♪ ♪ Dodging its underbelly ♪ ♪ Five points like piccadilly ♪ ♪ Its fondness for three-ring circuses ♪ ♪ Martyrs be dyin' to see me ♪ ♪ But I'm movin' like double dutch ♪ ♪ Point guard of my own avante garde ♪ ♪ Spectacles, you think we're wearin' dance shoes ♪ ♪ The way they're clockin' every move ♪ ♪ Eyes spell binded by the groove ♪ ♪ It's obvious ♪ ♪ Hey ♪ ♪ They can't stop watchin' ♪ ♪ Hey ♪ ♪ They can't stop watching ♪ ♪ Spectacles, you think we're wearin' dance shoes ♪ ♪ The way they're clockin' every move ♪ ♪ They are spell binded by the groove ♪ ♪ It's obvious ♪ ♪ Hey ♪ ♪ They can't stop watchin' ♪ ♪ Can't look away ♪ ♪ Can't stop watchin' ♪ ♪ They can't stop watchin' ♪ ♪ They can't stop watchin' ♪ ♪ They can't stop watchin' ♪ ♪ Can't stop, won't stop watchin' ♪ ♪ They can't stop watchin' ♪ ♪ Can't look away ♪ ♪ They can't stop watchin' ♪ ♪ They can't stop watchin' ♪ ♪ They can't stop watchin' ♪ ♪ They can't stop watchin' ♪ ♪ Can't stop, won't stop watchin' ♪ ♪ They won't stop watchin' ♪ ♪ Can't look away ♪ ♪ Yo, it's so obvious we're targeted ♪ ♪ We've known it since ♪ ♪ This dance began we're contraband and branded misfits ♪ ♪ We live with this ♪ ♪ That's why we dance the electric slide ♪ ♪ And we own the floor tonight ♪ ♪ Guess what, and we own a copyright ♪ ♪ Question, can you dance with such delight ♪ ♪ Nothin's gonna kill the vibe tonight ♪ ♪ Crazy masquerade so they ♪ ♪ Can't look away, hey ♪ ♪ Don't look away ♪ ♪ Spectacles, you think we're wearin' dance shoes ♪ ♪ The way they're clockin' every move ♪ ♪ They are spell binded by the groove ♪ ♪ It's obvious ♪ ♪ Hey ♪ ♪ They can't stop watchin' ♪ ♪ Hey ♪ ♪ They can't stop watchin' ♪ ♪ Spectacles, you think we're wearin' dance shoes ♪ ♪ They way they're clockin' every move ♪ ♪ They are spell binded by the groove ♪ ♪ It's obvious ♪ ♪ Hey ♪ ♪ They can't stop watchin' ♪ ♪ Can't look away ♪ ♪ Spectacles, you think we're wearin' dance shoes ♪ ♪ They way they clockin' every move ♪ ♪ They are spell binded by the groove ♪ ♪ It's obvious ♪ ♪ They can't stop watchin' ♪ ♪ They can't stop watchin' ♪ ♪ Spectacles, you think we're wearin' dance shoes ♪ ♪ They way they clockin' every move ♪ ♪ They are spell binded by the groove ♪ ♪ It's obvious ♪ ♪ They can't stop watchin' ♪ ♪ Can't look away ♪ - So "Spectacles" came out in April of 2024.

- Right.

- What were some of the themes that you were thinking about for that record specifically?

- I talk about this a lot, this idea of wealth at the core of "Spectacle."

This is the word spectacular somewhere in there.

And so at the of both sides of the record, there's a lot of really smart black people that I called on to ask them, what does it mean to be a spectacle?

Some black chef, black MacArthur genius, black queer performance poet, my sister, my niece, black drag queen, black scholars.

And the way they talk about what that word means is really about, at its core, about black wealth to me, about the ways we have defined wealth in order to survive.

So I think at that's the thing I want people to know.

Like this work, like all my work, is a survival mechanism.

It's the way I navigate my route in this world that ain't always, you know, comfortable or easy.

You know, it's, that's why it's work.

It's not easy, and it perpetuates.

I'm choosing how I'm surviving by choosing to do this, and I'm proud of that, yeah.

- Yeah, do you feel like you've found your black wealth within the creation of that record?

- I'm findin' it every single day, every single day.

And when I revisit it and just hear nuggets of it that I can still like be like, nailed it.

That's cool.

Some days I hear it, I'm like, oh, but so that's the beauty.

That's why it's about that pursuit and that journey and not necessarily the arrival.

- Thank you again for being on our show, Shirlette.

- But I'm honored.

This has been tons of fun, and I can't wait for the music.

♪ Here lately ♪ ♪ I find myself laughin' at my own punchlines ♪ ♪ Callin' into my lifelines ♪ ♪ Lookin' down like ain't no sunshine ♪ ♪ As sun up get done up to go nowhere fancy ♪ ♪ Playin' like my plan A's a pandemic away from my plan B ♪ ♪ My girl planted rhododendrons ♪ ♪ She tended to 'em like a mother-lovin' plant physician ♪ ♪ She grew a green thumb, pinky, ring, index, and middle ♪ ♪ She adores the blooms ♪ ♪ While I just noticed how they ♪ ♪ Cover up the livin' room window ♪ ♪ I better cut them witches back to zero ♪ ♪ She say leave them blossoms be ♪ ♪ Their beauty's not the issue ♪ ♪ No matter if you cut 'em back ♪ ♪ They're growin' gonna continue ♪ ♪ And even when the window is closed ♪ ♪ It's always see through ♪ ♪ I see you.

♪ [mellow blues music] ♪ Yo, you better watch out ♪ ♪ Here come the battalions ♪ ♪ It may take a boombox cassette tape ♪ ♪ Shot, hop scotch game or horse against the uncle ♪ ♪ Who never make the team ♪ ♪ But got a arch that arcs like a crescent ♪ ♪ Swish like Sam Perkins ♪ ♪ It may take a grandbaby ♪ ♪ Who graved the grandmother to lay the foundation ♪ ♪ And recall the see all we call the good old days ♪ ♪ But it don't take battalions to bum rush a border ♪ ♪ Run blood baths and build bombs to order ♪ ♪ Belate the aftermath ♪ ♪ Better rally the followers ♪ ♪ What will it take to bring our memories back ♪ ♪ No, not battalions ♪ ♪ That's how the West keeps rollin' out ♪ ♪ May take a rebellion ♪ ♪ That's just how resistance stands ♪ ♪ See, on our own, we just some pawns ♪ ♪ Who cornered by our good intentions on our own ♪ ♪ Alone ♪ ♪ Now it don't take acts today you regret tomorrow ♪ ♪ To elevate your God called Allah, the Destroyer ♪ ♪ Of what the brown brother named to punish the punisher ♪ ♪ Mask of terror, mask your own mass destruction ♪ ♪ See eight Simons request request like the transatlantic ♪ ♪ Our present is senseless ♪ ♪ It's schizophrenia, media rhetoric ♪ ♪ Irrelevant catchphrase raised at that level ♪ ♪ To change the code ♪ ♪ Control your mind state, refuse to vaccinate ♪ ♪ Maybe patriotism needs an exorcism ♪ ♪ It's bullish, chauvinistic, borderin' on ballistic ♪ ♪ In fact, what will it take to bring our memories back ♪ ♪ No, not battalions ♪ ♪ That's how the West keeps rollin' out ♪ ♪ May take a rebellion ♪ ♪ That's just how resistance stands ♪ ♪ See, on our own, we simply some pawns ♪ ♪ Who cornered by our good intentions on our own ♪ Branden Williams, y'all.

[mellow blues music] [keyboard solo music] That's my brother Branden.

♪ Yo, Ma I'm comin' over ♪ ♪ 'Cause there's somethin' I gotta told ya ♪ ♪ Nah, I ain't complainin' ♪ ♪ But I think it's gonna rain any minute now ♪ ♪ If I had my strings I would probably pick 'em now ♪ ♪ But sharp is holdin' me down ♪ ♪ Contrary to the powerful dollar ♪ ♪ Is a phone holdin' down my blue collar ♪ ♪ Clock out after 40 plus hours ♪ ♪ All I'm left is quite gross ♪ ♪ Still got a light bill overdue ♪ ♪ Stuck on the dope, but that's all right ♪ ♪ 'Cause tonight my mind is blank ♪ ♪ As a blank check when the rent due ♪ ♪ And a gross be overdosin' my neck ♪ ♪ Seein' this industry forgot about me ♪ ♪ Talks about stackin' cheddar when I don't eat cheese ♪ ♪ I don't eat beef ♪ ♪ But I got this sweet tooth that be fiendin' for this ♪ ♪ Uh uh up in my take that ♪ ♪ Dead to radio 'cause baby it's all right ♪ ♪ Press rewind on the cassette ♪ ♪ 'Cause baby it's all right ♪ ♪ Talk the funk ♪ ♪ Gonna keep it crump ♪ ♪ The bass, the body rock ♪ ♪ All seven chakras was to you ♪ ♪ Don't stop, and that's all right ♪ ♪ That's all love ♪ ♪ That's all night ♪ ♪ Take it back to the basement eight tracks and wide stacks ♪ ♪ Shake your green onion 'til the brang tears to look ♪ ♪ The way you do your thing ♪ ♪ God, I mean, you put me to work ♪ ♪ Make every dime you've taken in this system of crooks ♪ ♪ To this change, no, it don't take ♪ ♪ No battalions ♪ ♪ That's how the West keeps rollin' out ♪ ♪ May take a rebellion ♪ ♪ That's just how resistance stands ♪ ♪ See, on our own we simply some pawns ♪ ♪ Who's cornered by our good intentions ♪ ♪ On our own, all alone ♪ ♪ So tell me just how you stand uh ♪ ♪ Now, how you stand ♪ ♪ How you stand ♪ ♪ What you stand for ♪ ♪ How you stand ♪ ♪ How you stand ♪ ♪ How you stand ♪ ♪ What you stand for ♪ ♪ How you stand ♪ ♪ Do you stand to help somebody ♪ ♪ Do you stand just to watch 'em fall ♪ ♪ Tell me how you stand ♪ [mellow music] - [James] Thanks for joining us on "Shaped by Sound."

If you'd like to hear the songs we discussed today, you can find them over on our website at pbsnc.org/shapedbysound.

Or you can find 'em on YouTube.

♪ Thank you, ladies and gentlemen ♪ ♪ Your time and attention ♪ ♪ Presence is of the essence ♪ ♪ This experience expensive ♪ ♪ Thank you, ladies and gentlemen ♪ ♪ Your time and attention ♪ ♪ Uh ♪ ♪ We lay it back now ♪ ♪ Somebody overreact now ♪ ♪ Lay you back ♪ ♪ It ain't what you pay ♪ ♪ It's how you overact now ♪ ♪ Every seizure of the speaker is a payment to my people ♪ ♪ Every lyric I descended the record and the needle ♪ ♪ For the stage's preparation on paper ♪ ♪ Forget the people unrehearsed ♪ ♪ Artistry is my carpentry ♪ ♪ You lay your back ♪ ♪ Oh, somebody overreact now ♪ ♪ Play it back ♪ ♪ It ain't what you pay ♪ ♪ It's how you overreact now ♪ ♪ Uh, thank you, ladies and gentlemen ♪ ♪ Your time and attention ♪ ♪ Presence is of the essence ♪ ♪ This experience exclusive ♪ ♪ Thank you, ladies and gentlemen ♪ ♪ Your time and attention ♪ ♪ Thank you, ladies and gentlemen ♪ - [Announcer] "Shaped By Sound" is a co-production of PBS North Carolina and the Department of Natural and Cultural Resources.

The series is presented by Come Hear North Carolina.

[gentle music]