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