“Music can change the world because it can change people.”
— BonoThis quote by Bono, the lead singer of U2, encapsulates the transformative power of music in effecting personal and societal change. It underscores the idea that music’s influence on individuals can ripple outward, fostering broader social movements and cultural shifts.
River City Soul: Marching to Sunrise – Full Album (1:20:39)
The stream below is all twenty-four tracks sequenced as they were generated. It is lightly mastered: a touch of EQ, Compression, and Normalization to 0 dB.
Download (FREE) All MP3s, Images: resist.zip (304.77 MB)
With my search for genres and fusions for TATANKA’s AI Gen projects, there is little I have yet to cover, so I continue to look to subgenres, in this case, 1965 Memphis Soul. The following songs are an AI Gen combination of that, R&B, and early funk. The reason each track has two versions is Suno.com generates a pair at a time, and I liked all for different reasons, so it would be sin to “waste” any. 2Fer!
The title reflects the album’s journey from struggle to triumph, a universal theme. “Marching” symbolizes perseverance, activism, and movement, while “Sunrise” represents hope, a new day, and the promise of change. It ties into the story arc—starting in hardship, marching through adversity, and emerging into the light.
Most Americans could relate right now.
Google’s Deep Dive Podcast: The Soul of Resistance
Tracks/Lyrics
Act I: Hope & Innocence (Youthful ambition, love, and the spark of change.)
“Down by the Riverside”
A joyful opener, setting the scene in 1960s Memphis. The protagonist, a young dreamer, sings about life in the city, hanging out by the Mississippi River, where folks gather to share music, stories, and dreams of a better life.
[Verse]
Down by the riverside in Memphis town
Where dreams run big and troubles drown
Folks gather ’round
The sun dips low
In the city’s heart
Where rivers flow
[Verse 2]
Young hearts dancing under streetlamp light
Songs of hope in the southern night
Life’s a rolling river
Dreams are wide
Down by the Riverside
Where days collide
[Chorus]
Oh
Memphis skies
So wide and free
Where every soul plays harmony
Down by the water
Where stories bide
In the city’s arms
We’re side by side
[Verse 3]
A young dreamer’s heart
With eyes so bright
In the hustle and bustle of urban flight
By the Mississippi
Where time stands still
Underneath the bridge
They chase their thrill
[Bridge]
Echoes of laughter
Whispers from the past
Where memories are made to last
The city sings
Its voice our guide
An endless journey
Side by side
[Chorus]
Oh
Memphis skies
So wide and free
Where every soul plays harmony
Down by the water
Where stories bide
In the city’s arms
We’re side by side
“My Baby’s Love (Keeps Me Strong)”
A sweet, upbeat love song. The protagonist is in love and feels unstoppable, drawing strength from their partner’s devotion in a world that’s tough on them.
[Verse]
Jumpin outta bed feelin light as air
My baby’s love it’s everywhere
Faces tough times without a care
With you baby nothing can compare
[Verse 2]
Stormy nights but we ain’t scared
You and me we’re the perfect pair
Every problem just a game we dared
With you my heart it’s always repaired
[Chorus]
My baby’s love keeps me strong
In a world where things go wrong
We dance to our favorite song
With you I feel I belong
[Verse 3]
Life’s a race but we never hurry
Hand in hand we crush the worry
With every step you keep me steady
With you by my side I am ready
[Chorus]
My baby’s love keeps me strong
In a world where things go wrong
We dance to our favorite song
With you I feel I belong
[Bridge]
In the dark you are my light
Huggin me so close so tight
In this life you are my fight
With you everything feels right
A
“A Job for a Good Man”
Reality sets in. The protagonist struggles to find steady work, reflecting on the harsh truth of being Black in the segregated South. Factories, cotton mills, and the hustle of making ends meet take center stage.
[Verse]
Under southern skies I roam
Heavy heart and calloused hands
Seeking a place to lay my dreams
In these unforgiving lands
Factories hum and cotton mills spin
But there’s no break for me
The hustle keeps me movin’ on with tired eyes that can’t see
[Verse 2]
Steel-toed boots on dusty ground
Echoes of a forgotten song
The foreman’s stare
The bitter glare
Tell me where I don’t belong
Faded signs and broken lines
Promises of what might’ve been
The road ahead is hard and long
And I am restless within
[Chorus]
This is a job for a good man
But they don’t see me that way
Sweatin’ hard for bits of change
Hopin’ for a better day
Harsh truths under the sun
Reality won’t let me rest
I am just another shadow in this land of endless tests
[Bridge]
Segregation’s iron wall
It stands tall and won’t bend
Dreams deferred and hopes delayed
Where will this journey end?
The sound of wheels on gravel
The whistle of the train
Carry memories of a life
Etched in sorrow and in pain
[Verse 3]
Hands of dust and shoulders bent
Beneath a sky so vast
Pickin’ cotton
Breakin’ stones
Tears fallin’ on the past
Fields stretch wide and dreams confined
Freedom whispers low
The struggle never seems to end
And my heartbeat’s slow
[Chorus]
This is a job for a good man
But they don’t see me that way
Sweatin’ hard for bits of change
Hopin’ for a better day
Harsh truths under the sun
Reality won’t let me rest
I am just another shadow in this land of endless tests
“Whispers of Change”
Civil rights movements are in the air. The protagonist overhears conversations in barber shops and churches about marches, sit-ins, and standing up for what’s right. They feel something big coming but aren’t sure if they’re ready to join the fight.
[Verse]
In a barber shop at dawn they talk so loud it bites
Snipping truth with clippers sharp standing up for rights
Old men mumble in low tones but their eyes are fire
Feel the beat of justice drums dragging through the mire
[Chorus]
Whispers of change echo down these hallowed walls
In the pews and corner stores like a clarion calls
Hear the voice within the crowd march in boots so worn
Rising up through whispered dreams a movement is born
[Verse 2]
In the church on Tuesday night they bow heads in prayer
Hopes of freedom floating high lifting hearts from despair
The preacher’s words like a river flow pure and strong
Every verse of courage sung righting every wrong
[Chorus]
Whispers of change echo down these hallowed walls
In the pews and corner stores like a clarion calls
Hear the voice within the crowd march in boots so worn
Rising up through whispered dreams a movement is born
[Bridge]
On the streets they gather close ready for the fight
With placards of resolve they’ll turn wrong to right
Every footstep shakes the ground every voice a gem
In the silence hear the roar freedom’s rising hymn
[Chorus]
Whispers of change echo down these hallowed walls
In the pews and corner stores like a clarion calls
Hear the voice within the crowd march in boots so worn
Rising up through whispered dreams a movement is born
Act II: The Struggle & The Fire (Challenges arise—love is tested, oppression tightens its grip, and the protagonist faces a crossroads.)
“Ain’t Gonna Back Down”
An empowering, foot-stomping anthem of defiance. The protagonist witnesses injustice firsthand and finally decides to take a stand, marching for freedom despite the risks.
[Chorus]
They’ve been chewin’ me up
They’ve been spittin’ me out
Tried to bury me deep in the cold
Cold ground
I been tested and torn
I been called the clown
That’s alright
Ain’t gonna back down
[Verse]
You can beat me with your power and preach with your pride
And you can build an institution
Take me for a ride
And you can stumble my feet as I’m walkin’ around
But I told ya
I said this ain’t gonna back down
[Verse 2]
Oh
I was just a boy on the side of the road
I was searchin’ for a feeling of why this life grows
Then I saw men in black coats
Said
“Come with me
Child”
I said
“Sure” ’cause I was a boy in a crowd
[Chorus]
They’ve been chewin’ me up
They’ve been spittin’ me out
Tried to bury me deep in the cold
Cold ground
I been tested and torn
I been called the clown
That’s alright
Ain’t gonna back down
[Bridge]
Now I’m marchin’ up to Seven Heaven Gates
I’m marchin’ now ’cause I won’t hesitate
Now we’re singin’
Bringin’ kingdoms to the ground
To the ground
They said
“Baby
Don’t look down”
[Chorus]
They’ve been chewin’ me up
They’ve been spittin’ me out
Tried to bury me deep in the cold
Cold ground
I been tested and torn
I been called the clown
That’s alright
Ain’t gonna back down
“Tears on Beale Street”
After a protest turns violent, the protagonist grieves a lost friend. The song is drenched in sorrow and anger, as Beale Street, the heart of Memphis music, becomes a symbol of both resilience and loss.
[Verse 1]
Standing on Beale Street
See the crowd all come tumbling down
Heated from the cold shoulder of the law
These are folks I’ve known some thirty years
Family who never gave up
The ties that bind
[Verse 2]
The night was bleeding
And then he was shot
Gawking at murder’s deceitful smile
He with hands made of prayer
He with his daddy’s gentle green
Protecting sister caught in crossfire
A blow to the head
Wrapped in family and strangers shouting
But still clear as anything
Standing barefoot on broken glass
His cold peaceful laugh
Blood on my apron
Ice in my gut
[Chorus]
Oh my god
Oh
My God!
Sweet lands of synesthesia!
Cause it flared up
And now he’s gone
Tears on Beale Street
Tears in their grandstand
Tears on Beale Street
[Verse 3]
It hit home (Tears)
It hit mind
It hit heart
Son of America
The flames chilled
This young life blown out
As the police dance on the ruins of a child
Still
Nothing done
[Verse 4]
She’s not adrenalized
She’s broken
Brother-in-law
Compounding
Compressing
These actions unsung
For open-air remembrance
Then the police bust it up
On their dearest love
I wish it was too damned awful to be true
I got no time
[Chorus]
It was a drive-by
Right by the court
And beloved
He never stopped laughing
Giggling through the blood
Through the tears on Beale Street
Through the tears in my hands
“Chain Gang Blues”
The protagonist is arrested during a demonstration and spends time in jail. The song is a raw, bluesy reflection on imprisonment, injustice, and the weight of systemic oppression.
[Verse 1]
Protesters all outside protestin’
Stickin’ it to the man
Tellin’ the cops
“Fuck 12”
Then sight of the crowd start arrestin’
I didn’t see it happen
But I got put in the cell
Had a court in the mornin’
Nah
Fuck it
I’ll stroll
Gets caught in the warning ‘fore I could run for the hills
Now I’m stuck at the intersection for a confession
Mr. Officer said
“Son
Whatchu know?”
And I said (Both makin ’em blue)
[Chorus]
Come on
I didn’t do it though
I
I didn’t
Your Honor
I think they know
[Verse 2]
Now I’m in the back of a truck
SSSSH of the slammer door so SCREECH
All of my friends are in jail
Systemic oppression and HTTTT
And now I’m lost
Lost in the dungeons of my cell
Long
Lost (Lost) in the company of hell
Chain gang
[Verse 3]
It’s the hardest workin’ folk the banks have robbed and raped
All our profits to the lords of property
Plowin’ fields like the Hebrews builtin’ temples for the king
Singin’
[Chorus]
Singin’
Savannah
Mississippi
Alabama
Georgia
Alabama
Lousiana
Goddamn
Florida
Down in Georgia
[Verse 4]
They put the weight on our shoulders
And the weight of our makin’
I know you all won’t believe this anyway
“Send My Love to Memphis”
A letter-from-jail song, where the protagonist writes to their love, fearing they won’t see them again. Themes of longing, regret, and faith in brighter days carry the melody.
[Verse]
I remember ridin’ down Old Decatur Road
In the last row
Singin’ every song wrong
Mmh
Can’t forget the day I found out I was goin’ away
You wouldn’t let me say goodbye
But
[Chorus]
My airs and graces left me in a jail cell
I put my faith in miracles
These days
Only time will tell
And if God sees fit
I’ll walk through those green hills again
My love
He’ll see us someday
[Bridge]
Mmm
Mmm
Oh-oh
Mmm
[Verse 2]
And I can’t shift the pain that I know you’re feelin’
I must apologise
But it’s out of my hands
And if I don’t get to see you again
Just do me one final favour
Baby
[Chorus]
Send my love to Memphis
Send my love to Memphis
My baby thinks he’ll see me there again
But I won’t let him down and
[Verse 3]
I’ll walk back through those green hills again
So in the meantime
You
[Outro]
Man
I’ll be home before you know it
If not
I’ll see you on the other side
But I feel like I’m gonna see you sooner than that
But if not
Send my love to Memphis
Act III: Redemption & Triumph (Love and community bring the protagonist back from despair, and they emerge stronger.)
“Preacherman Said”
A gospel-tinged song about finding strength in faith. A local preacher reminds the protagonist that struggle is temporary, and the future is shaped by those willing to stand up for justice.
[Verse]
Preacherman said there’s power in pain
Every storm passes and so does the rain
Hold on tight to the hope you hold dear
You’ll find your way when the skies clear
[Verse 2]
In the darkest night keep your flame bright
The light within you is your guiding sight
Each step you take brings you closer to gold
Strength’s in the stories you bravely unfold
[Chorus]
Preacherman said every struggle won’t last
Strength comes from scars and wisdom from past
Rise up with courage and stand firm in faith
The future’s for those who won’t run from the race
[Bridge]
When doubts creep in and shadows grow long
Remember his words press on to be strong
You’ll find victory in the heart of your fight
Faith is your armor your beacon of light
[Verse 3]
In the crowded days filled with life’s roar
Listen close to the preacher’s lore
Paths may be winding but clarity will come
Trust in your journey and all you’ll become
[Chorus]
Preacherman said every struggle won’t last
Strength comes from scars and wisdom from past
Rise up with courage and stand firm in faith
The future’s for those who won’t run from the race
“I Got to Keep Moving”
A driving, funky groove about resilience. The protagonist is free but knows they can’t stop fighting for change. The song reflects on how far they’ve come and what’s left to do.
[Verse]
Woke up this morning
Sun shinin’ bright (oo-yeah!)
Gonna keep on movin’
Through day and night (oo-yeah!)
Ain’t no stoppin’ me
Gotta fight
Gotta fight (oo-yeah!)
Keepin’ on groovin’
Gotta hold on tight
[Chorus]
I got to keep movin’
Can’t slow down (woah!)
Fightin’ for change in every town (woah!)
Road behind me
Paved with gold (woah!)
But the future’s bright
Gotta be bold (woah!)
[Verse 2]
From the pit to the peak
I made my stand (uh-huh!)
Left my mark on this big ol’ land (uh-huh!)
The journey ain’t over
Got miles to go (uh-huh!)
Fightin’ for tomorrow
In the rhythm and flow (uh-huh!)
[Chorus]
I got to keep movin’
Can’t slow down (woah!)
Fightin’ for change in every town (woah!)
Road behind me
Paved with gold (woah!)
But the future’s bright
Gotta be bold (woah!)
[Bridge]
Through the highs and the lows
I stand tall (ooh-hoo!)
With every step forward
I’m givin’ my all (ooh-hoo!)
Can’t let the struggle bring me down (ooh-hoo!)
Gonna keep pushin’
Till the freedom sound (ooh-hoo!)
[Chorus]
I got to keep movin’
Can’t slow down (woah!)
Fightin’ for change in every town (woah!)
Road behind me
Paved with gold (woah!)
But the future’s bright
Gotta be bold (woah!)
“Hold On to Love”
A powerful love ballad. The protagonist reunites with their partner, realizing that through all the hardships, love has been their anchor. It’s a song of healing and devotion.
[Verse]
We walked through the stormy nights
Heartbeats lost in lonely fights
Tears fell like the morning dew
But my heart always knew
[Chorus]
Hold on to love
Hold on tight
Through the darkness
Find the light
In your arms
I find my way
Love’s our anchor every day
[Verse 2]
We built bridges from our scars
Counted wishes with the stars
Time couldn’t break what we’d found
Love keeps spinning us around
[Chorus]
Hold on to love
Hold on tight
Through the darkness
Find the light
In your arms
I find my way
Love’s our anchor every day
[Bridge]
Through the shadows
Through the night
Two hearts beating
Pure delight
In this dance we call our own
Love’s the place we both call home
[Chorus]
Hold on to love
Hold on tight
Through the darkness
Find the light
In your arms
I find my way
Love’s our anchor every day
“Soulsville Forever”
A celebratory, full-band finale with horns blazing. The protagonist stands proudly in a changing Memphis, knowing their story is part of something bigger. The spirit of soul music and activism will live on.
[Verse]
Walked down Beale Street the other day
I didn’t know a single person now (Oh no)
I thought how things must’ve changed
When time went and tore these buildings down
Excuse me
Could you state my name? (Onest, onest, onest, onest, onest)
For I am just a man
So say it when you can (Onest)
[Chorus]
But souls can’t fall
No
No
Stay alive
Souls are forever
Mm
Soulsville forever
[Verse]
I shall be released from my mortal chains
Will I see Otis smiling down?
Oh
It’ll be so nice
Hey hey
Oh
It’ll be so nice
We think paradise
It’s in our own backyard (Backyard, backyard, backyard)
Get up off your ass and bite
[Chorus]
‘Cause souls can’t fall
No
No
Stay alive
Souls are forever
Oh Soulsville forever
Mm Soulsville forever
Mm Soulsville forever
[Bridge]
(Mm)
But in the end I know
I am broken
Mm
[Chorus]
But souls can’t fall (Souls)
No
No
Stay alive
Did you know your favorite Martian’s come alive? (Oh, Soulsville forever)
Souls are forever
(Souls can’t fall, no, no)
I said souls can’t fall (Stay alive)
Soul never stops
All wow
(Souls are forever, Soulsville forever)
Wo-oh
Wo-oh-oh
Woo
Yeah
Soulsville forever
Soulsville forever
