nona hendryx & material, “bustin out”
from: single 1981
“I’ve had enough
As much as I can take
I almost lost my courage to create
If I leave here alive
I leave nothing behind
Now I wanna let you know
Here’s where I draw the line
I’m bustin’ out
I’m bustin’ out
I’ve learned limitations
Through my life and times
But now I’m reaching
Just to hold my head up high
If I leave here alive
I leave nothing behind
Now I wanna let you know
Here’s where I draw the line
I’m bustin’ out
I’m bustin’ out
I’m, I’m bustin’ out, bustin’ out
I’m bustin’ out
Gonna move on
Gonna hold on
Gonna move on
I’ve got this cell door
Without a hand to hold
I’m gonna move on
Been so many years
I’ve been inside of here
Now I’m bustin’ out
There will be no more tears
If I leave here alive
I leave nothing behind
Now I wanna let you know
Here’s where I draw the line
’Cause I’m bustin’ out …”
The late Ronny Drayton was a New York City guitarist who came up at the same time as his friend, Living Colour’s Vernon Reid (I remember a 1980s feature article about the pair in the great, long-gone Musician magazine). He was a solid branch on the Hendrix family tree (along with Eddie Hazel and Ernie Isley). In fact, when I saw Ronny in Nona’s band at The Living Room in Providence, ca. 1983, he was playing an old Stratocaster through a Marshall Plexi amp — the classic Jimi rig.
“Bustin’ Out” is Nona’s great statement of pride, confidence, and even defiance. For the song’s second half, Nona passes the torch to Ronny, who answers her vocal with his own assertive, uplifting guitar solo.
-Charlie Blaum-
