Story Behind The Song

There were a number of motives for writing this. We thought we were onto a socially redeeming story of bad guy-turned-good in the end. We had some direct personal experience with someone caught up in the penal system. We also thought we had a great pitch to a specific rap artist at the time we wrote it. Even though it was written around 2009 originally, and it has a little levity in it, the song is still relevant, as the reactions from live performances bear out.

Song Description

The story of a brash youthful offender and his resulting time in the penal system, where he finally has an epitome about how he made mistakes.

Lyrics

THE ORANGE MAN
music & lyrics by Chris Gantry, Brenda Enderson, Kate McCoy and Sam Cooper (c)2009
jericat@yahoo.com 615-469-4067

1. I lived a life of glitter, but it's not all glamour,
I pushed it to the limit and down came the hammer.
Runnin' with the bad boys, playin' with some bad toys,
Moved a little stash just to raise a little cash.
Did my thing, made my bling,
With the brothers and the white trash.

2. Daddy used to beat me up, Momma couldn't keep me home,
I used to roam the streets like a flea-bitten dog,
Had a girl on every corner who would fornicate,
And bring me all the money they could make and all the missy
I could take.

3. I pulled an all-nighter at the Golden Gopher,
Strippers and Aerosmith songs, I'm putting twenties in their thongs.
Doin' a little biz with Southside Slim,
When the door bust open and the heat burst in,
A cop pointed at me, yelling "That's him!"

4. Handcuffs on, everything was getting' jammed,
It wasn't the first time the man wanted to put me in the slam,
They trumped up a warrant, found piece and a scale,
Judge said "You're a threat, go to jail, no bail!"

(chorus)
I'm the orange man,
See me strugglin' by the roadside,
Pickin' up the garbage, sweatin' in the summertime,
orange man,
C.O. with a shotgun, yellin' at me "Shut up!",
Makin' sure I don't run,
The orange man,
Took a plea for two fives, consecutive with a three stip,
Now I'm doin' hard time.
The orange man,
Thought I was street smart,
Ripped out my momma's heart,
Now it wasn't worth the crime.


5. Two times a week for forty five minutes,
My baby's momma stands in line to bring her for a visit.
Shorty's lookin' good and the time goes fast,
It get's hard, can't touch her through the bulletproof glass.

6. It's brain sex or no sex, ain't doin' it with my bunkie,
He's hard core a long time, he used to be a junkie.
In this cell there's no mix, I ain't into a quick fix,
I miss my T and A, I need some hay for my donkey.

(repeat chorus)

7. If I hadn't copped a plea, I'd be doin' eight and eight,
Now they pulled me out of county and they sent me to the state.
Social worker said "Kid, you better scare straight,
Or the rest of your life, you're gonna be pressin' license plates."

8. Used to be the more I was pushed, I pushed back,
In the old days I was doin' it, I'd lay you out flat.,
No room for excuses, my deuce was just a wild
card,
Lookin' over my shoulder in the exercise yard.

9. But I got my G.E.D. and they taught me carpentry,
I'll be out in a week from Monday at a quarter to three.
Stayin' clean, keepin' cool, best as I can,
Cause orange ain't no color for a libertized man.

(repeat chorus)

(outro)
Orange man,
(coughing) The dust on this highway's killin' me.
Orange man,
I'm gettin' the shakes, I need me a beer and a cigarette.
Orange man,
I think I learned my lesson, let me go home.
Orange man,
Thought I was street smart,
Ripped out my momma's heart,
Now it wasn't worth the crime.
Sorry, momma.