Roots Archives Forum

From another discussion about Mix Up, Mix Up

"What is sung on a song and what lyrics are printed are often times different (as ICE is finding out as he goes through every Island song). There are several reasons for this. 1) Lyrics get submitted to the record label before the final vocals are recorded, at which time the singer will change the lyrics. Sometimes on the fly and sometimes pre-changed. 2) Somebody besides the person who wrote the lyrics transcribes them and they transcribe them wrong-such as in this case we think. 3) Laziness, such as in the case of my own band. I have lyrics on my website. I just used my original lyric sheet to type the lyrics even though I know some of the lyrics are different than what we sang on the final mix, but they are so minor I really didn't care.


to elaborate a little bit more: right now, as I am just about finished, I can say that NOT ONE song is transcribed 100% correctly on the official releases...usually it's only minor differences but A LOT OF TIMES there are lines that are just plain wrong...and I assume once a native speaker with great ears like Joe will double-check my findings, we'll find more mistakes"

"to elaborate a little bit more: right now, as I am just about finished, I can say that NOT ONE song is transcribed 100% correctly on the official releases...

yes, for example: the printed lyrics of jamming are full of mistakes

and also rebel music:
"why can't we road..."
or
"why can't we roam..."?

and waiting in vain
"I placed my eyes on you"
or
"I bless my eyes on you"?

and so on"

The full thread is available here
http://www.bobmarleymagazine.com/forum_ ... 37722.html

I agree with what everyone said about it not being a big deal in JA at that time. And there was also the artist Nigger Kojak.

Another one

Toyan - Back to Jamdown

Even when me right dutty nigga say me wrong
Even when me weak dutty nigga say me strong

Another one, from http://www.roots-archives.com/release/471

Leroy 'Horsemouth" Wallace & The New Establishment - Far Beyond

Where I and I belong?
>Check it out I
West?
>Seen I ah
But I and I no Indian
>Nor I
Then which culture I and I belong?
>Check it out I?
Watcha, I will choose I original place
>Seen
Try and find who I and I is all about
In the meantime
Mobility(?)
And lots of music for I
>Irie
Sounds called meditation
I man searching for I origination
>Seen I
Sounds of meditation
>Irie


I man coming from the East
>Seen
That I know
>Real clean
But in the East there is no Negro
>No I
Nigar
That I can figure
West Indian
>Yes I ah
(?)
And lots of more music
>Irie

Then which culture I and I belong?
>Check it out I
Wait
I man from I land
Where man you sock like man(?)
Them used to call I and I
Ethopian
>Yes I ah
Real clean
>Irie
True they I

Sounds of meditation
Schoolyard
>Irie irie
I man are the African
>Yes I ah

I'm posting the whole lyrics just for context etc.

There is another song where the "N" word is used, but I can't seem to find it now. The speaker basically says something along these lines:
"So don't call me Nigger, or Negro, I'm just black"
I thought it was I-Roy black is my colour, but it's not. It's something similar to that though.

"Don't call me nigger, whitie - don't call me whitie, nigger"

Sly Dunbar's 'Nigger White'. I just remembered that one...

Which is from Sly & Family Stone ( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vn27lIzAHV4 )

kalcidis wrote:Which is from Sly & Family Stone ( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vn27lIzAHV4 )

Ah, okay - thanks. Didn't realize...

Funk has never been my thing.

Edit: except for my username on here, lol.

prince jazzbo - every nigger is a winner is from '75

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gUYa1dJaXqg

Iron_Spire wrote:Another one, from http://www.roots-archives.com/release/471

Leroy 'Horsemouth" Wallace & The New Establishment - Far Beyond

I'm posting the whole lyrics just for context etc.

There is another song where the "N" word is used, but I can't seem to find it now. The speaker basically says something along these lines:
"So don't call me Nigger, or Negro, I'm just black"
I thought it was I-Roy black is my colour, but it's not. It's something similar to that though.

With which artist is this song? Mutabaruka?

Survival wrote:With which artist is this song? Mutabaruka?

I am not familiar with Mutabaruka, so unlikely. It's somewhere in my collection I am sure, but that is currently topping 2000 songs. I will update if and when I stumble on it, but I know it exists somewhere. The song itself is otherwise fairly unremarkable from what I remember.