Gospel in the Gutter

(Batiste shouts over the band warming up)

All right, now! We gon’ take it back to the block —

where the Word wear sneakers and the horn say Amen!

(Trumpet fanfare cuts in, drums drop tight groove.)

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Church ain’t open, but the block still praisin’,

Every bassline feel like raisin’.

Hands in the air like a traffic stop,

Holy Ghost jump when the snare pop-pop.

Mama read Psalms by the streetlight’s hum,

Daddy said God in the bottle — still some.

But I seen grace in a doorman’s grin,

Faith walk dirty, but it don’t walk thin.

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We got gospel in the gutter, hallelujah swing,

Every sinner got a solo, let the trumpet sing!

Ain’t no roof, but the spirit stay covered,

Joy got rhythm when the pain discovered.

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I talk to angels through 808s,

They reply in harmonies and bass.

Every verse a sermon, I don’t fake —

Even my flaws make heaven shake.

Concrete choir, barefoot band,

Tambourines made of broken plans.

They said, “You ain’t righteous,” I said, “Cool,

God love rebels too — that’s Sunday school.”

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La rue est sainte, écoute-la chanter,

(The street is holy, listen to her sing.)

La foi danse où le cœur est blessé,

(Faith dances where the heart’s been hurt.)

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(Wayne ad-libs under it: “Yeah, dance on that hurt… we turnin’ pain into percussion.”)

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We got gospel in the gutter, faith on beat,

Mercy wear Jordans, grace in the street!

Every crack a story, every shout a prayer,

The church been here — right here.

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See, the gutter ain’t shame — it’s survival.

Every scar a psalm, every tear revival.

I don’t need no steeple, no priest, no suit —

just a band, a beat, and the truth.

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Turn my losses into choirs singin’,

Turn my storms into horns still ringin’.

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Gospel in the gutter, where we find the light,

Dance through struggle, shout through night!

We don’t ask — we testify,

Even broken voices qualify.

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(Choir repeats “Even broken voices qualify” as brass jam outro.)

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They say gospel belong in the church.

I say gospel belong wherever somebody still breathin’.

And baby… New Orleans still breathin’.

(Drums fade, horns echo one last hallelujah riff.)