Josh's Rap

Josh

Only got 30 cents so far
Won’t buy us anything from the store
Mama will wail, baby will roar
Can’t go home ‘til I get some more
v                  v

Lunchtime nearly over, it’s almost two,
Soon everyone will be at work, what can I do?
Pull a long face. Clothes a disgrace
Dusty bare feet, in the street
v                  v

There’s Mr Grey! Jump in his way!
“Boss, Hello Boss. How are you?
v                  How is Madame?”
(Be polite, - right!)

Skip along.  Dodge the throng.
Keep in step.   v  Don’t trip.
v                        He’s walking, faster and faster,
v                        not looking at you!

“Boss I’m hungry!” “Not again, today“, he says
“I gave you something only, yesterday”
“Last week, Mr Grey.” “Josh, I’m late. I can’t stay”
v                  v

Give up the chase. Back to your place
Empty street; nothing to eat
v                  Just little Precious trying to
Sell her brooms                  v
And old Obadiah, outside Meikles,
asleep in his wheelchair      v
With his stumps all awry     v
v                  v

There’s a backpacker. She’s looking at me!
Smile at her! She’s smiling back
v                  She’s coming my way.
v                  Will this be my day?

She says "I say, can you tell me the way?
Need a room for the night. Something alright
Nothing too swell – not a hotel
So long as it’s clean. Know what I mean?

"Yes, the backpacker’s hostel, in 12th Avenue
Down Josiah Tongogara, past City Hall . . . ."
"Can you show me the way? Come with me? I’ll pay,
So you don’t lose money while you’re away.
Here’s 10 dollars. Will that do?
and you can have these sandals too
They rub here, see?"  "Yes! Come with me
It’s not far, I say. I’ll show you the way."

v                       "Ten dollars?"
v                       "That’s right!"
v                       "I’ll take you!
What a meal I can make tonight!
v                  v
v                  v
v                  v
v                  v
What a meal I can make tonight!
v                  v

Run all the way home to get there first;
Out to the tap to quench my thirst;
Round to old Abe for some chopped beef leg,
Onions, tomatoes and a 5 KG bag
Make up a fire; put the beef in the pot
Get the sadza boiling and keep it hot
Fry the onion and tomato in plenty of oil
Add the choumolya, cook it slow not to spoil
v                  v

Suddenly there’s laughter and soft running feet
They can smell my cooking right down the street
They burst in to the house and we sing and dance
Mama calls out like she’s in a trance
“Little Josh is my man and I don’t need another
The Lord helps him care for his old blind mother!”
v                 v
v                  v


Click here to play an extract of the music.

Click here to download a pdf of the sheet music.