Origin: By Isaye Barnwell. On Sweet Honey in the Rock’s album by the same name. Melissa did a workshop with Isaye Barnwell where she said “If you’re going to sing my songs, you better not change them.”
Listen more often to things than to beings
Listen more often to things than to beings
‘Tis the ancestors’ breath when the fire’s voice is heard
‘Tis the ancestors’ breath in the voice of the waters
Zah, whsshh, aahh, whsshh
Those who have died have never never left
The dead are not under the Earth
They are in the rustling trees
They are in the groaning woods
They are in the crying grass
They are in the moaning rocks
The dead are not under the Earth so
Listen more often to things than to beings
Listen more often to things than to beings
‘Tis the ancestors’ breath when the fire’s voice is heard
‘Tis the ancestors’ breath in the voice of the waters
Zah, whsshh, aahh, whsshh
Those who have died have never never left
The dead have a pact with the living
They are in the woman’s breast
They are in the wailing child
They are with us in our homes
They are with us in this crowd
The dead have a pact with the living
Listen more often to things than to beings
Listen more often to things than to beings
‘Tis the ancestors’ breath when the fire’s voice is heard
‘Tis the ancestors’ breath in the voice of the waters
Zah, whsshh, aahh, whsshh