"The last of the flock" and "C.R.E.A.M." by Wu-Tang Clan
(Money rules all)
"THE LAST OF THE FLOCK"
I IN distant countries have I been, And yet I have not often seen A healthy man, a man full grown, Weep in the public roads, alone. But such a one, on English ground, And in the broad highway, I met; Along the broad highway he came, His cheeks with tears were wet: Sturdy he seemed, though he was sad; And in his arms a Lamb he had. II He saw me, and he turned aside, As if he wished himself to hide: And with his coat did then essay To wipe those briny tears away. I followed him, and said, "My friend, What ails you? wherefore weep you so?" --"Shame on me, Sir! this lusty Lamb, He makes my tears to flow. To-day I fetched him from the rock; He is the last of all my flock, III "When I was young, a single man, And after youthful follies ran, Though little given to care and thought, Yet, so it was, an ewe I bought; And other sheep from her I raised, As healthy sheep as you might see; And then I married, and was rich As I could wish to be; Of sheep I numbered a full score, And every year increased my store. IV "Year after year my stock it grew; And from this one, this single ewe, Full fifty comely sheep I raised, As fine a flock as ever grazed! Upon the Quantock hills they fed; They throve, and we at home did thrive: --This lusty Lamb of all my store Is all that is alive; And now I care not if we die, And perish all of poverty. V "Six Children, Sir! had I to feed; Hard labour in a time of need! My pride was tamed, and in our grief I of the Parish asked relief. They said, I was a wealthy man; My sheep upon the uplands fed, And it was fit that thence I took Whereof to buy us bread. 'Do this: how can we give to you,' They cried, 'what to the poor is due?' VI "I sold a sheep, as they had said, And bought my little children bread, And they were healthy with their food For me--it never did me good. A woeful time it was for me, To see the end of all my gains, The pretty flock which I had reared With all my care and pains, To see it melt like snow away-- For me it was a woeful day. VII "Another still! and still another! A little lamb, and then its mother! It was a vein that never stopped-- Like blood-drops from my heart they dropped. 'Till thirty were not left alive They dwindled, dwindled, one by one And I may say, that many a time I wished they all were gone-- Reckless of what might come at last Were but the bitter struggle past. VIII "To wicked deeds I was inclined, And wicked fancies crossed my mind; And every man I chanced to see, I thought he knew some ill of me: No peace, no comfort could I find, No ease, within doors or without; And, crazily and wearily I went my work about; And oft was moved to flee from home, And hide my head where wild beasts roam. IX "Sir! 'twas a precious flock to me, As dear as my own children be; For daily with my growing store I loved my children more and more. Alas! it was an evil time; God cursed me in my sore distress; I prayed, yet every day I thought I loved my children less; And every week, and every day, My flock it seemed to melt away. X "They dwindled, Sir, sad sight to see! From ten to five, from five to three, A lamb, a wether, and a ewe;-- And then at last from three to two; And, of my fifty, yesterday I had but only one: And here it lies upon my arm, Alas! and I have none;-- To-day I fetched it from the rock; It is the last of all my flock." |
"C.R.E.A.M."
(Cash Rules Everything Around Me C.R.E.A.M. get...) Yeah, check this ol fly shit out Word up (Cash Rules Everything Around Me) Take you on a natural joint (C.R.E.A.M. get the money) Here we here we go (dolla dolla bill y'all) Check this shit, yo! [Verse One: Raekwon the Chef] I grew up on the crime side, the New York Times side Staying alive was no jive Had second hands, moms bounced on old man So then we moved to Shaolin land A young youth, yo rockin the gold tooth, 'Lo goose Only way, I begin to G' off was drug loot And let's start it like this son, rollin with this one And that one, pullin out gats for fun But it was just a dream for the teen, who was a fiend Started smokin woolies at sixteen And running up in gates, and doing hits for high stakes Making my way on fire escapes No question I would speed, for cracks and weed The combination made my eyes bleed No question I would flow off, and try to get the dough off Sticking up white boys in ball courts My life got no better, same damn 'Lo sweater Times is rough and tough like leather Figured out I went the wrong route So I got with a sick tight clique and went all out Catchin keys from across seas Rollin in MPV's, every week we made forty G's Yo brothas respect mine, or anger the tech nine Ch-POW! Move from the gate now [Chorus (2X): Method Man] Cash Rules Everything Around Me C.R.E.A.M. Get the money Dollar, dollar bill y'all [Verse Two: Inspectah Deck] It's been 22 long hard years and still strugglin Survival got me buggin, but I'm alive on arrival I peep at the shape of the streets And stay awake to the ways of the world cause shit is deep A man with a dream with plans to make C.R.E.A.M. Which failed; I went to jail at the age of 15 A young buck sellin drugs and such who never had much Trying to get a clutch at what I could not touch The court played me short, now I face incarceration Pacin', going up state's my destination Handcuffed in back of a bus, 40 of us Life as a shorty shouldn't be so rough But as the world turns I learned life is Hell Living in the world, no different from a cell Everyday I escape from Jakes givin chase, sellin base Smokin bones in the staircase Though I don't know why I chose to smoke sess I guess that's the time when I'm not depressed But I'm still depressed, and I ask what's it worth? Ready to give up so I seek the Old Earth Who explained working hard may help you maintain to learn to overcome the heartaches and pain We got stickup kids, corrupt cops, and crack rocks and stray shots, all on the block that stays hot Leave it up to me while I be living proof To kick the truth to the young black youth But shorty's running wild, smokin sess, drinkin beer And ain't trying to hear what I'm kickin in his ear Neglected for now, but yo, it gots to be accepted That what? That life is hected [Chorus - 3X] Cash Rules Everything Around Me C.R.E.A.M. get the money Dolla dolla bill y'aauhhhaaaauhhhhahhhauhhhhll, YEAH |
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The Parallels:
The concepts here presented might seem rather simple, but the connection here is formed well, and it's important that it be done so. Being economically oppressed is a core theme of the lives of the rural poor in England, and the urban poor in America. This poem and this song both highlight the ways in which the people groups of both cultures suffered due to the necessity, but lack of, money. The lines from "Last of the Flock," "To wicked deeds I was inclined, And wicked fancies crossed my mind," are important to note. This touches on the idea that being desperate encourages one to do things that they ordinarily wouldn't do in order that they may survive. This parallels to the black communities resorting to selling drugs, an act which is often strongly condemned by society. There is the idea that if they wouldn't sell the drugs, then a better life would be waiting for them. This motivation to commit crimes is promted by the fact that "Cash Rules Everything Around Me." When the options are either to sell drugs or starve, the choice is made for you. They don't have what is considered a legitimate means, or a flock, in order to provide for themselves or their families due to systemic oppression.
The concepts here presented might seem rather simple, but the connection here is formed well, and it's important that it be done so. Being economically oppressed is a core theme of the lives of the rural poor in England, and the urban poor in America. This poem and this song both highlight the ways in which the people groups of both cultures suffered due to the necessity, but lack of, money. The lines from "Last of the Flock," "To wicked deeds I was inclined, And wicked fancies crossed my mind," are important to note. This touches on the idea that being desperate encourages one to do things that they ordinarily wouldn't do in order that they may survive. This parallels to the black communities resorting to selling drugs, an act which is often strongly condemned by society. There is the idea that if they wouldn't sell the drugs, then a better life would be waiting for them. This motivation to commit crimes is promted by the fact that "Cash Rules Everything Around Me." When the options are either to sell drugs or starve, the choice is made for you. They don't have what is considered a legitimate means, or a flock, in order to provide for themselves or their families due to systemic oppression.