Old school music is cool!

[Citizen X]

Juluka: Scatterlings: 1982: Lyrics and Video

Attachment 3844


I remain proudly a ‘scatterling of Africa!’


Copper sun sinking low

Scatterlings and fugitives

Hooded eyes and weary brows

Seek refuge in the night



They are the scatterlings of Africa

Each uprooted one

On the road to Phelamanga

Where the world began

I love the scatterlings of Africa

Each and every one

In their hearts a burning hunger

Beneath the copper sun



Ancient bones from Olduvai

Echoes of the very first cry

"Who made me here and why

Beneath the copper sun?"

African idea

African idea

Make the future clear

Make the future clear



And we are scatterlings of Africa

Both you and I

We are on the road to Phelamanga

Beneath a copper sky

And we are scatterlings of Africa

On a journey to the stars

Far below, we leave forever

Dreams of what we were

Album cover[1]

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[1] Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scatterlings. Accessed 17 August 2013

[Citizen X]

UB40: Johnny too bad:1983: Lyrics and Video



Another Johnny?

“Walking down the road

"With a pistol in your waist
Johnny you're too bad
Walking down the road
With a ratchet in your waist
Johhny you're too bad
You're just robbin' and stabbin'
And lootin' and shootin'
You're too bad
You're too bad
One of these days
When you hear a voice say come
Where you gonna run to?
One of these days
When you hear a voice say come
Where you gonna run to?
You're just robbin' and stabbin'
And lootin' and shootin'
You're too bad
You're too bad
You're gonna run to the rock
For rescue, there'll be no rock
You're gonna run to the rock
For rescue, there'll be no rock.”

Album cover[1]

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[1] Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Labour_of_Love. Accessed 17 August 2013

[pmbguy]

Bob Marley: Johnny was: 1976: Lyrics and Video
Attachment 3843

Somebody please enlighten me, who is this ‘Johnny is Marley’s song and in many other reggae songs

“Johnny Was

(wo-o-o-o! wo-o-o-o! wooo!)
Woman hold her head and cry,
'cause her son had been shot down in the street and died
From a stray bullet.

Woman hold her head and cry;
Explaining to her was a passerby
Who saw the woman cry (cry)
Wondering how can she work it out,
Now she knows that the wages of sin is death, yeah!
Gift of jah is life. (life)
She cried: ah-um, I - I know!
"Johnny was a good man," I - I know! (never did a thing wrong)
"Johnny was a good, good, good, good, good, good, good, good,
Good, good, good man", (Johnny was good man)
She cried - she crie-ie-ie-ie-ie-ie-ie-ied!

Wo-ooh! woman hold her head and cry,
As her son had been shot down in the street and died
Just because of the system. (system)

Woman hold her head and cry;
comforting her I was passing by.
She complained, then she cry:
Oh-ooh-wo-ah, cry (ah-ah), yeah, I know now (ah-ah),
No I know, I know now: (johnny was a good man)
Said I know, mm-mm-mm-mm-mm. (never did a thing wrong)
Ah! ah! (Johnny was a good man)
Can a woman tender care, she cried, (never did a thing wrong)
Cease towards the child she bear? (Johnny was a good man)
Wo-ho-ho-ooh! woman cry, woman - (never did a thing wrong)
She cried, woo-oh! She cried, yeah! (Johnny was a good man)
Can a woman tender care
Cease towards the child she bear? (Never did a thing wrong)
Wo-now, cry! (Johnny was a good man).”
Album cover[1]

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[1] Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rastaman_Vibration. Accessed 17 August 2013

Johnny was a young gangster

This song is about a woman crying over her “good son” who was shot dead. “Why him? he was a good man”. The song challenges the mother as to whether her son was actually a good man. Mothers find it hard to believe that their own child is bad. There is a bad gang culture in Jamaica. We question whether the bullet was indeed a stray bullet or whether it was intended for Johnny. So the odds are that if Johnny was shot by a gun there is a good chance he was living by the gun.
By “system” he is referring to the political or gang system in Jamaica. Districts or barrios in Kingston were separated along political lines this eventually lead to violent criminal gangs each occupying their own territory and battling each other over turf.

Bob: “Now she knows that the wages of sin is death, yeah!” She knows why he was killed but professes he was a good man.

I think the big message is: If you live by the sword you die by the sword

[Citizen X]

Johnny was a young gangster

This song is about a woman crying over her “good son” who was shot dead. “Why him? he was a good man”. The song challenges the mother as to whether her son was actually a good man. Mothers find it hard to believe that their own child is bad. There is a bad gang culture in Jamaica. We question whether the bullet was indeed a stray bullet or whether it was intended for Johnny. So the odds are that if Johnny was shot by a gun there is a good chance he was living by the gun.
By “system” he is referring to the political or gang system in Jamaica. Districts or barrios in Kingston were separated along political lines this eventually lead to violent criminal gangs each occupying their own territory and battling each other over turf.

Bob: “Now she knows that the wages of sin is death, yeah!” She knows why he was killed but professes he was a good man.

I think the big message is: If you live by the sword you die by the sword

Does music history inform us who the actual Johnny in 'Johnny was a good man(Bob Marley),' and "Johnny too bad(UB40)." was

[Dave A]

I suspect it's a representative colloquialism like the Aussies' Bruce and Shelia (man and woman).

[pmbguy]

Does music history inform us who the actual Johnny in 'Johnny was a good man(Bob Marley),' and "Johnny too bad(UB40)." was

I don’t suspect there is a true Historical Johnny, even though Johhny is everywhere. I can't find anything online, just allot of Johhny songs and artists in the saga.
The only way to know for sure is to consult a Rasta church and find out. All signs show to a Johnny origin, but no real evidence has come to table. Johnny is a mystery to all.

[Citizen X]

I don’t suspect there is a true Historical Johnny, even though Johhny is everywhere. I can't find anything online, just allot of Johhny songs and artists in the saga.
The only way to know for sure is to consult a Rasta church and find out. All signs show to a Johnny origin, but no real evidence has come to table. Johnny is a mystery to all.

This intrigues me even more! A quest for Marley’s Johnny..

[Citizen X]

Bob Marley: Satisfy my soul: Album: Kaya: 1977: Lyrics and Video






This live rendition can be reconciled to the original polished roots reggae version. A master-piece of a song.


“Oh, please don't you rock my boat (don't rock my boat)
'Cause I don't want my boat to be rockin' (don't rock my boat)
Oh, please don't you rock my boat (don't rock my boat)
'Cause I don't want my boat to be rockin' (don't rock my boat)
I'm telling you that, oh, oh-ooh, wo-o-wo!
I like it - like it this (I like it like this, I like it like this) -
So keep it steady, like this. (I like it like this)
And you should know - you should know by now:
I like it (I like it like this), I like it like this
(I like it like this, I like it like this),
I like it like this, ooh yeah! (I like it like this)
(Satisfy my soul) You satisfy my soul (satisfy my soul);
You satisfy my soul (satisfy my soul).
Every little action (satisfy my soul),
there's a reaction (satisfy my soul).
Oh, can't you see what you've done for me, oh, yeah!
I am happy inside all - all of the time. Wo-oo-o-oo!When we (bend) bend a new corner,
I feel like a (sweep) sweepstake winner.
When I meet you around the corner (round the corner),
You make me feel like a sweepstake winner (a sweep - a sweepstake winner).
Whoa, child! Can't you see? You must believe me!
Oh darling, darling, I'm calling, calling:
Can't you see? Why won't you believe me?
Oh, darling, darling, I'm calling, calling
(calling, calling, calling, calling)
When I meet you around the corner,
Oh, I said, "Baby, never let me be a loner",
And then you hold me tight, you make me feel all right.
Yes, when you hold me tight, you made me feel all right.
Whoa, honey, can't you see? Don't you believe me?
Oh, darling, darling, I'm callin', callin':
Can't you see? Why won't you believe me?
Oh, darling, darling, I'm callin', callin'
(calling, calling, calling, calling).
Satisfy my soul - satisfy my soul - satisfy my soul - satisfy my soul:
That's all I want you to do, that's all I'll take from you:
Satisfy my soul, satisfy my soul.”


Album cover[1]

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[1] Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kaya_(album). Accessed 19 August 2013

[Blurock]

This intrigues me even more! A quest for Marley’s Johnny..

Johhny B Goode...?

[pmbguy]

Fear No More

Fear no more the heat o' the sun;
Nor the furious winter's rages,
Thou thy worldly task hast done,
Home art gone, and ta'en thy wages;
Golden lads and girls all must,
As chimney sweepers come to dust.

Fear no more the frown of the great,
Thou art past the tyrant's stroke:
Care no more to clothe and eat;
To thee the reed is as the oak:
The sceptre, learning, physic, must
All follow this, and come to dust.

Fear no more the lightning-flash,
Nor the all-dread thunder-stone;
Fear not slander, censure rash;
Thou hast finished joy and moan;
All lovers young, all lovers must
Consign to thee, and come to dust.

No exorciser harm thee!
Nor no witchcraft charm thee!
Ghost unlaid forbear thee!
Nothing ill come near thee!
Quiet consummation have;
And renowned be thy grave!
William Shakespeare