Wednesday, May 31, 2006
SOLD OUT TO EVERY MONK AND BEEFHEAD
I just read where Desmond Dekker died the other day.
You may not remember the name but I bet you remember his one big hit in the states,
"Israelites." It was the first big reggae hit in the US.
What was most interesting about it was that you probably couldn't understand a word of it, even though it was a song about the downtrodden poor in Jamaica at the time, just trying to make ends meet. Dekker compares himself to the Israelites of old, who were in the same boat. A very Rastafarian thing to do:
Get up in the morning, slaving for bread, sir
So that every mouth can be fed
Poor, poor me
The Israelite.
My wife and my kid, dem pack up an-a leave me
Darling she said, I was yours to receive
Poor poor me
The Israelite.
Shirt dem a tear-up, trousers a-go
I don't want to end up like Bonnie and Clyde
Poor poor me
The Israelite.
After a storm there must be a calm
You catch me on your farm you sound an alarm
Poor poor me
The Israelite.
Of course, due to Dekker's thick Jamaican patois, thousands of kids from coast to coast misheard these words for years. Some of the best misheard lyrics from this song include:
Sold out to every monk and beefhead...
Darling cheesehead, I was yards too greasy...
After a star there must be a comet...
And I'm sure you have yours. Feel free to contribute!
------
Today is my son Adam's 21st Birthday. Happy Birthday, Adam!
Have a beer! I'll buy!
TT
I just read where Desmond Dekker died the other day.
You may not remember the name but I bet you remember his one big hit in the states,
"Israelites." It was the first big reggae hit in the US.
What was most interesting about it was that you probably couldn't understand a word of it, even though it was a song about the downtrodden poor in Jamaica at the time, just trying to make ends meet. Dekker compares himself to the Israelites of old, who were in the same boat. A very Rastafarian thing to do:
Get up in the morning, slaving for bread, sir
So that every mouth can be fed
Poor, poor me
The Israelite.
My wife and my kid, dem pack up an-a leave me
Darling she said, I was yours to receive
Poor poor me
The Israelite.
Shirt dem a tear-up, trousers a-go
I don't want to end up like Bonnie and Clyde
Poor poor me
The Israelite.
After a storm there must be a calm
You catch me on your farm you sound an alarm
Poor poor me
The Israelite.
Of course, due to Dekker's thick Jamaican patois, thousands of kids from coast to coast misheard these words for years. Some of the best misheard lyrics from this song include:
Sold out to every monk and beefhead...
Darling cheesehead, I was yards too greasy...
After a star there must be a comet...
And I'm sure you have yours. Feel free to contribute!
------
Today is my son Adam's 21st Birthday. Happy Birthday, Adam!
Have a beer! I'll buy!
TT
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