Hurray for the Riff Raff
Rican Beach
Hurray for the Riff Raff is a folk-blues and Americana band from New Orleans, Louisiana.
"Rican Beach" is the first track off of Hurray for the Riff Raff's 2017 album, Navigator. Alynda Lee Segarra, the band's lead singer, dedicated the song to protestors at Standing Rock, and in Peñuelas, Puerto Rico, where coal waste has contaminated the drinking supply. In an interview with NPR, Segarra said the following of the song: "'Rican Beach' is a fictional place and the song is a cautionary tale. It tells the story of a city progressing rapidly into militarized and segregated areas. There's a lot of symbolism in the song that reflects our times, of course. I felt the water protectors at Standing Rock and the people of Peñuelas were important to reflect on while listening to the lyrics. The point of view is one of resistance, people of color claiming their space and their right to exist. It is about claiming ancestry and recognizing a history of facing systemic oppression while protecting and connecting with the land. Even though it was written about an urban space, I think it speaks to the actions of these activists who are connected with the earth."
Man built the railroad, man got a move Man put out a record, put a needle to the groove Man been up, oh man been down Now man don't want no woman around First they stole our language Then they stole our names Then they stole the things that brought us faith And they stole our neighbors And they stole our streets And they left us to die on Rican Beach Well you can take my life But don't take my home Baby it's a solid price It comes with my bones Now all the politicians They just flap their mouths They say we'll build a wall to keep them out And all the poets were dying Of a silence disease So it happened quickly and with much ease Well you can take my life But don't take my home Baby it's a solid price It comes with my bones I may never see you again I may never see you again I'll keep fighting til the end I'll keep fighting til the end I'll keep fighting til the end I'll keep fighting til the end Til the end Til the end Til the end Til the end Til the end