but [Eduardo Diaz of the Smithsonian] said, “You were a bridge to all these cultures.” And what was ironic was the event was only supposed to be for the Latin community, but Diaz said,“The Asian community called and said, ‘Wait a minute, he’s part-Filipino. We would like to honor him, too.’” And then, after that, the [National Museum of African American History and Culture] said, “Wait a minute, this guy is African-American, too. We want to be a part of this event also.” So that was exciting, to have three different cultures wanting to honor me at the same time. It brought me back to when I was writing these songs and thinking,“Who the hell am I, Joe Bataan, that this would happen fifty years later?” I started to realize, well, maybe I have made an impact in my career without me knowing the extent of it. I’ve been called to sing [1971’s] “The Prayer” at people’s funerals, which has become one of my most popular songs. After that first heart attack, that was my promise. Wherever I play, I open up my show with “The Prayer.” It’s done wonders. I don’t know if the Big Boss has [his] hands on me, but He realizes that I’m trying to reinvent myself.
Meanwhile, you’re working to reclaim ownership for many of those songs?
I’ve researched copyright laws, and I got eight of my songs back, and I’m in the process this year of getting twenty-four more songs from my catalog. I have over 110 songs, so that’s my next thing that I want to do.
Remarkable! What’s an example of a song you’ve recently gotten back control over?
“Rap-O Clap-O.” That was one of my biggest hits. I got some other songs that, in 2026, I get them all back: “My Cloud.” “Ordinary Guy.”“Subway Joe.”
OK, so what’s left for you at this point?
I’m trying to be as humble as I can. Everything else is vanity, which I found out.You can’t take it with you and load it on a U-Haul truck. It’s gone. So, my perspective on life is very different, and maybe that’s why I don’t have the fear that I had before of losing everything. I pray to God. He keeps me going every day. He gives me strength in my weakness, and this is no lie: when I look at it in retrospect, c’mon man, I should have been under the grave already, you know? And each day I wake up, I’m really thankful.This year, a lot of things are being finalized. I’m in the process of getting all my songs back, which is a tremendous achievement. And besides that, I’ll end up paying off the mortgage on my house. [ laughs ] That’s a big thing.This is a bonanza year. If I could just maintain and take care of myself and do what I have to do.
Stay tuned to Waxpoetics.com for details on Joe Bataan’s Wax Poetics Collection.
( opening spread ) Joe Bataan in London in 2025. Photo by Sergio Lopez Borja. ( opposite and above ) Photos by Erin Smith, courtesy of Vampi Soul.
132 WaxPoetics
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