Riker's Island

Story Behind The Song

Joey Semz was one of the leading street graffiti artists in the lower Manhattan scene. He was a sensitive and troubled artist and poet. He was loved by many and battled bi-polar disorder along with drugs and alcohol. His involvement with the street graffi

Song Description

This song displays one shade of Joey Semz's edgy acoustic or acoustic punk style. His songs all tell the story of life in the lower Manhattan street art scene. He is a poet with a guitar. His style is a cross between Bob Dylan, Beck, Sublime, and Johny Ca

Song Length 4:27 Genre Folk - Alternative, Rock - Indie/Low-Fi
Tempo Medium Slow (91 - 110) Lead Vocal Male Vocal
Mood Distressed, Moving Subject Prison, Existence
Similar Artists Bob Dylan, Sublime Language English
Era 2000 and later

Lyrics


Cigarettes and drinks they share
Psychiatric ward relations
Police, prisons, and the fame
Like I said I feel the same
All this time spent alone
Lying waiting to go home
This prison cell is holding cold
The fading truth of bad ass souls

I walk into the bathroom, there?s blood on the floor
So I stare at the walls trying to ignore it
Go back to bed, I wake up at night
Staring at the ceiling, I look to my right
It?s 3 in the morning, my buddy?s smoking crack
He blows it out the window, where?d you get that?

Didn?t you know, the guards got that.
Hey man, don?t you know, this is Riker?s Island
A lawless town, trying to get by, just like the old western, another sideshow

I wanna go home I wanna go home
I wanna go home I wanna go home
I wanna go home I wanna go home

Wait until the lights go out
Cause you can bet your life you won?t sleep tonite

Latin Kings they?ve stole your watch
I have all but forgotten the meaning of time
Medication lines they form yet
Trade your phone call for one lousy cigarette

The shit is withdrawn from yourself so get used to reading of the areo

Lyrics Joey Semz Music Joey Semz
Producer Joey Semz, Ron Hill, Chris Dillon Publisher Joey Semz
Performance DAVE SELLITTO, ROB CAREY, RON HILL Label ANYthing Records

Other Songs By Joey Semz

Song
Actions
Simple Things
Folk - Alternative
Plays: 52
God On My Side
Folk - Alternative
Plays: 43
John and The Man
Folk - Alternative
Plays: 47
Hey Hey
Folk - Alternative
Plays: 150
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Clean Clean

Clean Clean

Artist Name
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