Roots Archives Forum

Greetings everyone. What a great site this is. Been waiting for something like this for years. First Post...

Anyone help clarify the lyrics on this track and for an additional 10 points what on earth was he on about?

Here's my first shot, riddled with amusing errors no doubt!

"If you think you know every leaflet, about festivity
Please dont use time for your concience?, come singing it merrily

Oh just a tumble down, we got to build a new one
Oh just a tumble down, we got to build a new one

Got to sing it out, sing it all about
Got to sing it out

Everyday you keep saying your gonna tell it out?
but ya nuh have big pots? Fi go buy no bell or goat?
and ya no have blue boots, fi go climb up eleven step
For you no wan no old house come tumble down by now?

But, if it tumble down, we got to build a new one
if it tumble down, flat, we got to build a new one

Got to sing it out, sing it all about

Everyday you keep saying your gonna tell it out
but ya nuh have big pots? Fi go buy no bell or goat
and ya no have blue boots, fi go climb up eleven step
For you no wan no old house come tumble down by now?

But, if it tumble down, we got to build a new one
if it tumble down, flat, we got to build a new one

But, yes ya tumble down, we got to build a new one
But, yes ya tumble down, flat, we got to build a new one"

(AT LEAST I THINK THAT'S WHAT HE SAID - SHOULD HAVE BOUGHT MAXELL TAPES!)

the correct verse should say,every day you keep saying , you coulda turn it out, but you no have big pot,fi go boil no bella gut, not bell or goat. that's a old time saying.

crystal wrote:the correct verse should say,every day you keep saying , you coulda turn it out, but you no have big pot,fi go boil no bella gut, not bell or goat. that's a old time saying.

if yuh don't think yuh know every leaflet about festivity
please don't you stifle your conscience from singing it merrily
oh, jus' a tumble down
we got to build a new one

if you are not normally the most fun-loving of people, don't let it stop you from being festive (or singing, or doing whatever to celebrate Festival time)



an' yuh no have big pot
fi go boil no bella gut (which is cow tripe, cow guts)

means you do not have the tools for the job, you're not up to the task at hand.

and yuh no have blue boots (your best clothes, i.e. church)
fe go climb eleven steps (courthouses traditionally had eleven steps,
Jamaicans would wear their very best clothes to
court back then, probably unlike nowadays)

for yuh nuh waan no ol' house come tumble down 'pon you

the song's message essentially is: though you're poor, and you have many
challenges, you endure and don't get yourself down (especially at
Festival time!). and if some calamity comes along, you will overcome and rebuild even within your limited means.

i think it might also be a subtle reference to the changing of the guard politically at that time, or at least the hope of it. the song was actually written and recorded the year before in 1971 for the Festival Competition (but "Cherry Oh Baby" was released first), when the election campaigns were well underway - the "old house" would be the Shearer government in power at the time, and Manley was the up and coming young guy (a cousin of Shearer, though.... typical JA plantocracy).

lots of tunes in '71-72 referenced the political goings-on, and not in such an over-the-top Clancy Eccles way.

Thanks for the reply. I've been waiting 3 1/2 years for that! Nice explanation. Quite an insight into what was going on.