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about
I will be donating all money earned from streams and purchases of this track for the rest of 2020 to two organizations, one national (Color Of Change) and one local (North Star Fund). I wanted to support both because I see their work in action and believe that their causes can help bring a voice to those who need it most in today's society. I encourage you to check out and support both, they're great!
The song came to me during a march while wondering how many times I, alongside thousands of my neighbors, would have to chant "I can't breathe" in the streets to protest the unfair treatment of Black people in America.
This track was written, recorded, and mixed in a 3 day whirlwind of anger and sadness following the death of George Floyd. I recorded all the instruments in my home studio in Brooklyn, with Dave Scalia helping out replaying the drums remotely from his space down the road and Dan Goodwin mastering it up in Woodstock NY. My hope is that this track will contribute to the forces of change we are seeing right now and further the momentum and hard work towards never having to witness our fellow black American citizens being oppressed again.
Though I think my lyrics speak for themselves (and are available on this page below), I would also like to add that I do not personally know or claim to know the Black experience. I wanted to express my feelings on it and contribute to the cause as an ally in a way I feel most capable, with song.
If you'd like to help out, please stream and/or share the song as much as possible.
I have a lot more music coming this year for my debut as a solo artist. I hope to be able to play a show sometime soon too, so please follow my social media pages for more details as they happen.
Thanks for listening and helping a good cause I sincerely believe in.
Emanuel
I live my life of attention
In the suspension of my thumb above a screen
And I dream, but only what I let myself
To curate everything that I can see.
But then..
I dreamed last night I saw my nieces and my nephews graduate
and found that I was crying because I was just so proud of them, oh
But then I woke up in a pool of sweat,
To news of the environment, of money monster lobbyists that sent us to the streets again.
We’re raising up our fists again,
We’re raising up our kids in this!
Wondering how many times
We’ll have to shout it back to them that
I can’t breathe again.
I can’t breathe again.
||: I watched a man kill another man on camera. :||
There can be no justice
When we can’t look our family in the eyes,
When we can’t see beyond the color of our skin and the color of our gods
And how it’s held us down together throughout culture over time.
Though many’ve moved beyond the devil’s knee there pressed behind,
No individual is free
With any one of us denied
and shouting,
I
I watched a man kill another man on camera.
can’t breathe again.
I
I watched again as another man on camera shouted, I
can’t breathe again.
I can’t breathe again.
credits
released June 19, 2020
All Music was written and performed by Emanuel Ayvas, except for the drums which were played by Dave Scalia.
Music recorded by Emanuel Ayvas and Dave Scalia in Brooklyn NY.
Mixed by Emanuel Ayvas.
Mastered by D. James Goodwin at Isokon in Woodstock NY.
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