Shirlette Ammons: “Short”
Clip: 4/3/2025 | 2m 53sVideo has Closed Captions
Shirlette Ammons performs her song “Short,” which examines her relationship with her father.
In the song “Short,” Shirlette Ammons draws inspiration from traditional blues songs and explores her complex relationship with her biological father. The work, which delves into her desire to impress a person who had been absent from her life, also features vocals by Raleigh-based singer-songwriter Rissi Palmer.
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Shaped by Sound is a local public television program presented by PBS NC
Made possible through support from Come Hear NC, a program of the N.C. Music Office within the N.C. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources.
Shirlette Ammons: “Short”
Clip: 4/3/2025 | 2m 53sVideo has Closed Captions
In the song “Short,” Shirlette Ammons draws inspiration from traditional blues songs and explores her complex relationship with her biological father. The work, which delves into her desire to impress a person who had been absent from her life, also features vocals by Raleigh-based singer-songwriter Rissi Palmer.
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Learn Moreabout PBS online sponsorship[upbeat music] ♪ Like when lightning strikes upon the city ♪ ♪ See the thunder from the untamed country ♪ ♪ Peeling like the layers of my own mind, warped and pretty ♪ ♪ Yet the field is empty ♪ ♪ Used to feed a plenty, bleed and breed for pennies ♪ ♪ Never need a penny ♪ ♪ Just thank people, love your mama ♪ ♪ Dream of happy endings, but they masked and pending ♪ ♪ After that they leave me breathing in apprehension ♪ ♪ And coming up win and show ♪ ♪ Mind what your mama said ♪ [upbeat music continues] ♪ Mind what your mama said ♪ ♪ But mama would come up short ♪ ♪ Mind what your daddy did ♪ ♪ And daddy kept coming up short ♪ ♪ Listen to get ahead ♪ ♪ And even though we keep coming up short ♪ ♪ Mind what your mama told you ♪ ♪ Yeah, we keep coming up, yeah we keep coming up ♪ ♪ Coming up from never nough ♪ ♪ Adding plus subtracting fast chances, long shot ♪ ♪ Daddy playing out to get everybody slow your roll ♪ ♪ Play your role, we had to dance for the social worker ♪ ♪ Poor country asses ♪ ♪ Trouble never vote we can't help but moving backwards ♪ ♪ Daddy wanna a caddy ♪ ♪ Mama just want him back ♪ ♪ Something new to the plain and simple fact ♪ ♪ This blackness is beautiful ♪ ♪ It's physical, it's magical just ♪ ♪ Mind what your mama said ♪ ♪ Mind what your mama said ♪ ♪ But mama was coming up short ♪ ♪ Mind what your daddy did ♪ ♪ And daddy kept coming up short ♪ ♪ Listen to get ahead ♪ ♪ And even though we keep coming up short ♪ ♪ Mind what your daddy did ♪ ♪ Oh, yeah we keep coming up ♪ ♪ Yeah we keep coming up ♪ ♪ Mind what your mama said ♪ ♪ Don't matter what your daddy did ♪ ♪ And daddy kept coming up short ♪ ♪ Don't you play yourself to get ahead ♪ ♪ And even though we keep coming up short ♪ ♪ You better mind what you promised them ♪ ♪ Oh, yeah we keep coming up ♪ ♪ Yeah, we keep coming up ♪ ♪ Coming up, yeah we keep coming up ♪ ♪ Oh, yeah we keep coming up ♪ ♪ Coming up ♪ ♪ Coming up, yeah, we keep coming up ♪ ♪ Coming up, yeah we coming up ♪
Video has Closed Captions
Preview: 4/3/2025 | 30s | Hip-hop artist Shirlette Ammons blends her eastern NC roots with her love for her local community. (30s)
Shirlette Ammons: “Battalions”
Video has Closed Captions
Clip: 4/3/2025 | 6m 17s | Shirlette Ammons’ song “Battalions” calls for the protection of civil rights. (6m 17s)
Shirlette Ammons: “Corner Pocket”
Video has Closed Captions
Clip: 4/3/2025 | 3m 40s | Shirlette Ammons performs “Corner Pocket,” a touching story of family, friends and camaraderie. (3m 40s)
Shirlette Ammons: “Lyfted/Earth Segue”
Video has Closed Captions
Clip: 4/3/2025 | 4m 40s | For this performance, Shirlette Ammons seamlessly combines two songs, “Lyfted” and “Earth.” (4m 40s)
Shirlette Ammons: “Spectacles”
Video has Closed Captions
Clip: 4/3/2025 | 3m 27s | In the song “Spectacles,” Shirlette Ammons explores how we see, what we see and how we’re seen. (3m 27s)
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Shaped by Sound is a local public television program presented by PBS NC
Made possible through support from Come Hear NC, a program of the N.C. Music Office within the N.C. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources.