Angel Dust Songtext
von Gil Scott‐Heron

You see, your principal responsibility since we are on the subject
Is to enjoy yourself
People always say, "Enjoy yourself"
Enjoy yourself, hope you enjoy yourself
Did you enjoy yourself? I hope you... I want you to enjoy yourself
Well, that′s what I want you to do
Remember, I want you to understand, that it is your only responsibility

You may not enjoy nobody else in this motherfucker, but enjoy yourselves
You need to enjoy yourself, I mean how else could you?
How else could you enjoy someone else, who is not enjoying themselves?
They have to first enjoy themselves
People don't say, "Go out this evening and enjoy everybody"
They say, "Enjoy yourself"
Because they know that′s all you can really do


You cannot enjoy anyone else
You can hope that they enjoy themselves
But you cannot really enjoy them
You can enjoy yourself
Do what you can
Set goals that you can reach
Make sure that you can reach what you are goaling for
Or make sure that you can goal what you are reaching for
"Enjoy yourself", is what I'm trying to say
It is your only responsibility
For The Rob is in charge of the Vibe-mo-sphere
And the Vibe-mo-sphere is here to help you enjoy yourself

Y'understand, when the brothers ′n′ I, we used to give parties then
From Maines on to Miami
I mean, all over and down the East Coast
We went on when these parties end
It became so well known
That every time I'd see somebody on the street, they′d say
Hey Gil, there it is, I know...

I got to be there
Well, I know, 'cause I heard, what you did
I got to be there
Havin′ fun, number one, we've just begun to talk about how-ow-ow
I got to be there
Yes, I know on time, one time, my time, your time, feels like
I got to be there


And sure enough, when things get good, everybody starts to attend
So, we had to help brother Rob make up these special invitations
And the invitations were sent out
I′m glad that each and every one of you got yours
In case there are some of you
Who just knew you were invited and did not receive your invitation, because of the mail
We'd like to tell you what it said

Say...
Brother Rob G is the man to see about the RSVP
We wanna party
Say it, well, come on

Say...
Brother Rob G is the man to see about the RSVP
We wanna party
We'll say it, say it, say it and see...

Now, I always thought personally
This is just a personal opinion
That the reason everybody had so much fun, was because it was a BYOT-affair
This meant, Bring Your Own Thing
This meant to bring, whatever you like to bring
You like to drink? Bring a drink
You like to smoke? Bring a smoke
You like ladies? Bring two or three
Whatever your thing is
We want you to enjoy yourself
There was only one thing that was not allowed at the party
It was known as AD
AD was ′verboten′
And there was a special note on the bottom hands on the right-hand side of the invitation
Which read a little something like

Say...
Brother Rob G is the man to see about the RSVP
We wanna party
With no AD
No AD, no AD, no AD

Brother Rob G is the man to see about the RSVP
We wanna party
With no AD

'Cause AD was like eh, eh
AD was like eh, eh, ehm- haha, ehm
A-, AD, AD was like, eh- ahah, aha-ha
Eh, A-, AD, AD was like, eh, ehm
AD, AD, AD was like, eh, eh, eh, ehm, aha-ha, ahah
You know, how y-, y- you-
AD was like, eh-
AD was like eh-
AD w-
A-
A-
A-

Aha-ha-ha
Aha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha
Ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha
Ah-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha
Ha-ha-ha-ha
Ha-ha-ha, ha-ha-ha, aha, oh
Aha-ha-ha
Aha-ha
AD was like that

You could not remember what wanted to forget that you should have to remember
AD was like, eh, tryin′ to remember what you're supposed to not forget
But you couldn′t remember what that was
So, you could- remember what it was you shouldn't forget
You could not remember what you should never forget
If you could just remember that
Then you would know what it was you were trying not to forget

I used to know
Ten of you, I used to know
I used to know
I used to know, no, no
No-no-no, no-no-no
No, no-no, no, no, no, no, no-no
No-no, no-no, no-no, no-no
No, no
I couldn′t have known
That it'd be so crazy
That on a some time, every time
I could tell you
I could tell you how to tie the thing
I used to know
I used to know
Yeah
I used to know
I used to
I used to
I used to
I used to
I used to
I used to
I used to
I used to
I used to
I used to
I used to
I used to
I used to
I used to know

Cracks in the sidewalk seem to expand
I can't get over
It must be Dust
Hey, yeah
I was on the one beat but changed in size and color
Oh brother
It must be Dust
My back against the wall
I know there′s no one there at-a all
But I′m a-lookin'
Lookin′
Lookin'
Lookin′
Conversations between me
And me
And me
And me
And me
And me

Whazzup, just what's that thing there?
Hey
Yes?
Hey
Hey
Hey
Hey
Hey
Brother Robert Gordon is going to introduce you to the melody of this song
That we′d like to have you help us with. It's is called 'Angel Dust′
Fooled ya, didn′t I?

Robert Gordon
Just let me tell you, I'm gonna tame this with the Vibe-mo-sphere, you see
Song goes...

Angel Dust
I′d like everybody to join in and help us sing this song there and there
Take your time with it too, brother
One...
Two...
One, two

Angel Dust
Come on, we know got some singin' inhere, now come on, take it ahead
Angel Dust
It′s not hard. Here's it goin′ for ya
Do the harmonies then
Angel Dust
One more time, come on here
(Angel Dust)
There you go, we're gonna be alright

'Cause he was groovin′
And that was when he could′ve sworn
The world was movin'
Hey, but that was only in his mind
And he was sailin′
He'd never really seem to notice
Vision′s failin', man
Hey, but that was all part of the high
Sweat was pourin′
And he couldn't take it
The room was exploding
He might not make it, sing...

Angel Dust
Yes...
Somebody say, that's just Angel Dust
It don′t mean nobody no good, yeah
They call it Dust
It might seem like I just need one more good time
But down some dead-end street
There ain′t no turnin' back
Ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh, ooh-ooh-ooh, ooh-ooh-ooh, ooh-ooh-ooh
Yes
But sometimes it comes sneakin′ up on us
To seek, Dust

They were standin'
Well, everybody in a circle
The whole family
Yes
And listenin′ to the preacher's words
Sis was cryin′
And she alone knew the secret about his dyin'
You see her tears falling to earth
It may be her fault
As he was so trusting
God only knew why
They were dustin' it

Hey, it′s Dust
Yes
Somebody′s smokin' Angel Dust
It don′t mean nobody no good, nowhere
They call it Dust
It might seem like I just need one more good time
But now, on some dead-end street
There ain't no turnin′ back
To back, to back, away...
Hey
Away-hey
Away-hey, away-hey, away-hey
Band, take it away-hey

Put 'em down now
Put ′em down now
Pa-da-dub-a-dum down
Pa-da-dub-a-dum down
Pa-da-dum da-dum
Pa-da-dum da-dum
Pa-da-dum da-da-dum
Pa-da-dum da-da-dum
Pa-da-dum, da-da-dum
Pa-da-dum-ba-dum-dum
Pa-da-dum-ba-dum-dum
Pa-da-dum-ba-dum-dum
Pa-da-dum-ba-dum-dum
Pa-da-dum-ba-dum-dum
Pa-da-dum-ba-dum-dum
Pa-da-dum-ba-dum-dum
Say...

Pa-da-dum da-dum-dum
Pa-da-du-dum-dum
And pa-da-du-dum-dum
Pa-da-du-dum-dum
Pa-da-dum down
Pa-da-du-dum-dum
Pa-da-du-dum-dum
Pa-da-du-dum-dum
Pa-da-du-dum-dum
Pa-da-du-dum-dum
Pa-da-dum down
Puttin' that stuff down
Puttin' it down, puttin′ it down, puttin′ it down
Puttin' it down, puttin′ it down, puttin' it down
Puttin′ it down, puttin' it down
Puttin′ it down, but it feels good
Puttin' it down, pa-da-du-dum-dum
Puttin' it down, puttin′ it down
Puttin′ it down
Hey-ey, yeah, yeah yeah
Pa-da-du dum-dum
Pa-da-dum down
Down, down, down
Pa-da-du-dum-dum
Pa-da-du down
Doo-doo-dup down, doo-doo-dup down, doo-doo-dup down
Pa-da-doop dum-dum
Ta-da-doop down, to-doop down, to-doop down, to-doop down, to-doop down, now
Ta-da-do dum-dum
Ta-da-doop down, to-doop down, to-doop down, to-doop down, to-doop down, now
Ta-da-do dum-dum, da-da-do down
Doop down
Ta-do-doop down, ta-da-doop down
Ta-do-doop down, ta-da-doop down
Ta-da-doop down
Yeay, yeay, yaah
So crowd in
Yeay- So crowd in
Yeay- So crowd in
Yeay- So crowd in
Yeah, I can be there
I used to know, I can be there
I used to know, I can be there
Pa-da-dum da-dum
I used to know
I used to know
I used to know
I used to know
I used to
I used to know
Yeay, yeay, yeay, yeay, yeay
Say it, say it, say it, say...
I used to know and I've got to say...

I, I, I, I...
I used to
I used to
I used to know
I used to know
I used to, I used to
I used to know, know, know, know, know, know
No-no-no, no-no-no
No-no-no, no-no-no
No-no-no, no-no-no, no-no-no
No-no no-no no-no, no-no no-no no-no
Yeay
I used to know
I used to know
I, I, I, I, I...

Everything′s gonna be alright
Everything's gonna be alright
Everything′s gonna be alright
Everybody's gonna go try that feelin′
Everything's gonna be alright
Everything's gonna be alright
Come on down
Come on down
Everything′s gonna be alright
Everything′s gonna be alright
Everything's gonna fucking be alright
Everything′s gonna be alright
Everything's gonna be alright
Everything
Everything
Everything
Everything
Everything
Everything
Everything′s gonna be alright, everything's gonna be alright
All right, all right, all right, all right, all right
Everything′s gonna be alright, everything's gonna be alright, all right, all right
Everything's gonna be alright
Everything′s gonna be alright
Be alright, be alright, be alright
Yeah, somebody say
Everything, everything′s gonna be alright
Everything, everything- be alright

John Holloway, on the tenor saxophone

Everything's gonna be alright
Everything′s gonna be alright
Everything's gonna be alright, I wanna hear somebody say
Everything′s gonna be alright
It's alright
It′s alright
It's alright
It's alright
It′s alright
It′s alright
Everything's gonna be alright
Say...

He was groovin′
And that was when he could have sworn
The room was a-moo-du-du-du was a-movin'
Ooh, he was sailin′
Yeah, 'cause that was all part of the high
And sweat was pouring
And he couldn′t take it
The room was exploding
Might not make it, sing...

Yeah, that's Dust
Yes, somebody's been smokin′, smokin′ Dust
It don't mean nobody no good, nowhere
They call it Dust
It might seem like I just need one more good time
But down some dead-end street
There ain′t no turnin' back, to back, to back away...

Dust
It might seem like I just need one more good time
But down some dead-end street
There ain′t no turnin' back

Thank you
Since we have been here
And on several occasions that we have been here
We have been approached by younger groups
By groups of commune- community people and com- concerned citizens
About nuclear power and nuclear weapons
For a long time now, we have done songs like South Carolina, like We Almost Lost Detroit
Indicating our fear and our concern for everyone′s safety as related to nuclear power
We would like to do a song for you from the album 1980
About nuclear power plants and nuclear weapons
The song is called Shut 'm Down