"Strikin' Back"
Written by James McCauley and Ron Sansone
Verse 1 Rap:
(James "Mario T. Maggot" McCauley): From
the distant Galaxies to your own back yard,
(Mitch Cason):
We've been throwing down hard,
(James): Searching for the beat that can pass
the test,
Yeah, looking for the grove
that makes the party people sweat!
(James): It's
been a never ending quest seems like we've been through it all,
(Mitch ): And
yet we haven't changed directions, we just keep standing tall,
(James): There's
not a soul alive that can throw us off track,
(Mitch and the Auxiliary Vocal
Squad): Yeah, we're the Empyre and
we'll keep striking back, Strike Back!
Verse 2 Rap:
(James ): To the airwave world we've
been staying in tune,
(Mitch Cason):
Checking this and checking that while
laying down the groove,
(James): Keeping the power of the funk close
within our hands,
(Mitch and the Auxiliary Vocal Squad): And
letting it out when the people want to dance!
(James): So
if you're a skeptic whose been talking heavy smack,
(Mitch ): You'd
better run for cover cause we're striking back, strike back!
(James): There's
not a soul alive that can throw us off track,
(Mitch and the Auxiliary Vocal
Squad): Yeah, we're the Empyre and
we'll keep striking back, Strike Back!
Verse 3 Rap:
(James ): With the nation of sweat as
our guiding course,
(Mitch Cason):
We set the dance floor world on a
brand new course,
(James): Mixing the rock and the funk we found
the perfect beat,
(Mitch and the Auxiliary Vocal Squad): The
one that keeps the party moving and evacuates the seats,
(James): We
have the groove as our guide to keep it all in tact,
(Mitch ): Yeah,
we're the Empyre and we'll keep Striking Back, Strike Back!
(James): There's
not a soul alive that can throw us off track,
(Mitch and the Auxiliary Vocal
Squad): Yeah, we're the Empyre and
we'll keep striking back, Strike Back!
Verse 4 Rap:
(James ): We've got every corner
covered while chase the funk
(Mitch Cason):
Because to keep the party moving,
you've got to keep it pumped!
(James): Red, Yellow, Black, White, Purple,
Green and Brown,
(Mitch and the Auxiliary Vocal Squad): We
keep the whole world dancing to our universal sound!
(James): It's
not a fantasy it's just a cold hard fact,
(Mitch and the Auxiliary Vocal Squad): Yeah,
we're the Empyre and we'll keep Striking Back, Strike Back!
Chorus/Chants: We have the groove as our
guide to keep it all in tact,
(Auxiliary Vocal Squad ): Yeah,
we're the Empyre and we'll keep Striking Back!
(James): There's
not a soul alive that can throw us off track,
(Auxiliary Vocal Squad): Yeah,
we're the Empyre and we'll keep striking back!
(Mitch): It's
not a fantasy it's just a cold hard fact,
(Auxiliary Vocal Squad): Yeah,
we're the Empyre and we'll keep Striking Back, Strike Back!
"Strikin' Back"
- By The Empyre.
Written and Produced by James McCauley and Ron Sansone.
Roland Juno 106 Keyboard, Yamaha TX81Z, Yamaha D50 and EMU Emulator : Ron
Sansone
Oberheim DX drum machine and Roland Juno 106 Bass parts: James
"Dimitrius" McCauley
Guitar: Jose Martin.
Auxiliary Vocal Squad: Gary Cooper and Jerry McCormick of Silver Platinum.
Meshawn Waldon and Willie Warren.
Recorded and engineered by Jamie Swartz and Mike Grosso at Spectrum Recording
Studios, Deerfield Beach, Florida. 24 Track Analog
Mixed by Ron and James, August 1985.
Mastered at Criteria by Mike Fuller.
Invisoclam's guide to
''Strikin' Back" by the Empyre.
Ah yes, The Empyre co-opts another movie title,
(this time from the Star Wars trilogy), and lyrically and musically throws down
on all of the skeptics out there running their mouths. For the first time DXJ opens his mouth
to trade raps with Mitch over Ron's keyboard antics
and Jose's guitar noodling. Helping out with background vocals are two members
from the group "Silver Platinum" who in 1981 had a top 40 R-N-B
hit "One More Chance", Gary and Jerry go way back with DXJ coming from
the same hometown in Hallandale Florida. Gary and Jerry also were members
of "The Florida Players" and put out a few singles in the late
1970's!
On The Empyre's previous effort " Raiders of the Lost
Groove" things were kept short and sweet lyrically, but not on this one,
they blather on about distant Galaxies and the Universality of their sound
and cold hard facts. Of note too, is that this is the first Jamron title
recorded in a 24 track studio.
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