Roots Archives Forum

kukuman wrote:... he doesn't know roots at all, in which case I don't know why he's here...

To discuss and learn, maybe.

Spanish Harlem was a song by Aretha Franklin in which she sings about a black rose in S. H. and she is if memory serves singing about a beautiful woman growng up and maturing.
All the old singers in JA would have heard this-especially Barrington and im sure the idea has been transferred into the reggae vibe.

Love Sisaket

Right, thanks, you seem to stick with Benjamin...
Thought it was more philosophic, as there are no real "black" roses... or because roses are a symbol if purity.

But your explanation seem to be right with Barringtons lyrics... I wonder if it sticks with Natural Ites...

Guidance

Ites.

A black rose does grow naturally. It is the rose that is actually dark, dark, red. They call these black roses.

In song it symbolise the black woman and sometimes man growing through adversity and hard times in spite of adversity. "Have you ever seen a black rose in a white garden?"

Black Roses is a ghetto area of Kingston and he's more likely to be refering to this.

"black Roses" are precious and very rare type of rose. he's refering to black queens.

On The Barrington Levy Tune "Black Roses"...i was more than positive that it meant Another word for Marijuana.

not everything is an inuendo for pussy and weed you know

ruffa wrote:Black Roses is a ghetto area of Kingston and he's more likely to be refering to this.

"Black Roses" is not an area, but rather the PNP affiliated Black Roses Crew that comes from Arnette Gardens AKA Jungle, the housing scheme situated just north of Trench Town. don't know how active they still are, they were led at one point by the infamous don Willie Haggart who was killed about 10 years ago. members included dancers Bogle and Ice (both killed a few years back) who were famous dancehall icons - but, the Black Roses were definitely a violent gang no different from any of the others, wouldn't think they are any different today.

i'd say that the "black rose" of song refers to a black woman of exceptional beauty, all the more beautiful when contrasted with her surroundings.

MZZLDY wrote:"black Roses" are precious and very rare type of rose. he's refering to black queens.

Still within the context of reggae,i share the sentiment that 'Rose flower' depicts a woman.Black rose would mean black woman who are normally described as beautiful e.g "black is beauty you know! - Prince far I.So they say it is hard to find a beautiful woman (like black woman) in a white(man) community. (No offence intended).

One Love.