Roots Archives Forum

Whats with the frequent use of the same lines such as "my mother sent me out to buy X, me make a mistake and buy Y"?

Why is this used so often? Does it have some kind of hidden meaning? Sorry i cant tell you a song which uses it off to top of my head.. Other people must have noticed this?

I know there is alot of reusing of popular rhymes, but thats quite specfic and seems unusual to me like it should have some kind of greater meaning. Who first used it?

Only one that comes to my mind is "Collie Weed" by Barrington Levy.

The deeper meaning might be that a struggling family doesn't have money to waste on incorrect purchases. I mean, if mama needs cod liver oil, and you mistakenly buy coconut oil, she's probably going to give it to you in a hard time stylee. Or if you buy vaseline instead of heineken, she'll probably rub out the black from your skin.

That's just speculation, of course.



DB

Yes Don and it's a catchy and funny phrase so other DJs are gonna use it.
The only thing I can't understand is why someone would buy Vaso instead of Heineken
I would have done the opposite. Heh heh heh !!

selecta bing wrote:...it's a catchy and funny phrase so other DJs are gonna use it.

Yeah, I guess it's kinda like the many variations of, "throw your hands in the air, and wave em like you just don't care" in hip-hop.



DB

DonBanyan wrote: Yeah, I guess it's kinda like the many variations of, "throw your hands in the air, and wave em like you just don't care" in hip-hop.



DB

and pple actually obey them!

DonBanyan wrote:The deeper meaning might be that a struggling family doesn't have money to waste on incorrect purchases. I mean, if mama needs cod liver oil, and you mistakenly buy coconut oil, she's probably going to give it to you in a hard time stylee.

DB

i guess your right. in one version i remember the guy saying his mama beat him with a broken chair

When I was a youth I used to live a nine mile
My mamma send me shop a fi go buy cod liver oil
I mek a mistake, buy coconut oil
She go fi kill me inna hard time style

-Pablo Gad

You might be right, but it sounds like the re-use of a childrens song to me. I think the "throw your hands in the air" is different though: that's directed to the audience