I'm Still Here

Left my home in North Augusta at the age of three
My mother, big brothers, two sisters and me
She brought us to New York City to set herself free
From all the fightin', screamin' and misery, yeah
But New York in 1960, no peace to be found
Segregration, drugs and violence was all around

But I'm still here, yeah
But I'm still here

All the things I've been through just to sing this song
All the people I've seen come and go as I kept pushin' on
I had to work as a prison guard telling men to do what they were told
'Cos some record label told me I was too fat, too short, black and old
I had to direct the choir to let my voice out
That was the only place I could sing and be proud

But I'm still here, yeah
I said I'm still here

From the ghetto to The Garden, from the ballrooms to The Bow
From Down Under to Great Britain I played so many drinkin' holes
Then the big sea crashed down on me
Tried to take it all away
And I didn't know if I would live
Live to see another day

But I'm still here, yeah
I said I'm still here
I'm still here

I'm still here, I'm still here, I'm still here
I'm still here, I'm still here, I'm still here
I'm still here, I'm still here, I'm still here
I didn't let nothin' get me down
Sometimes you got to let those little things go