Roots Archives Forum

reggae songs referring to historical figures or events, in the title or the lyrics. besides Marcus Garvey and Haile Selassie. this is what i came up with so far:


Mutabaruka - Great Kings Of Africa:
> Shaka Zulu, Hannibal of Carthage and Benito Mussolini.

Culture - Chiney Man
> The Assyrians

Peter Tosh - Apartheid

Tappa Zukie - M.P.L.A
> referring to the M.P.L.A of Angola

Tappa Zukie - Tribute To Steve Biko

The Black Shadows - Brother Noah

The Inner Circle - Roman Soldiers Of Babylon

Bob Ormrod - Saladin (instr.):
> referring to Saladin of the 3rd crusade

Burning Spear - Columbus:
> Christopher Columbus

Culture - Lion Rock (both versions):
> Francis Drake

Prince Hammer - World War Part 1:
> Churchhill
Hitler
Rooseveld
Kamakazi - referring to the 'suicidal air-force' of the "Empire of Japan".
Field Marshall Montgomery - Bernard Montgomery; battle of El Alamein.
Desert Rat - referring to "the desert fox" Erwin Rommel.

Reality - Nelson Mandella:


Burning Spear - Great Men:
> Malcolm X, Martin Luther King, Paul Bogle, Nelson Mandela.

Yabby You - Walls Of Jerusalem:
> The Israelites, Christ and the crucifixion.

Yabby You - King Pharaohs Plague:
> Biblical story

Yabby You - Chant Down Babylon Kingdom:
> The Babylonians & the Twelve Tribes of Israel.

Alpha & Omega - Dub Mightier Than The Sword:
> Mahatma Gandhi, Steve Biko, Robert Mugabe, Malc.X, Martin L. King, N. Mandela.

Mutabaruka - Peoples Court Pt.2:
> Christopher Columbus, Pope and Mormons.

Peter Tosh - Here Comes The Judge:
> Christopher Columbus, Francis Drake, Vasco Da Gama, Bartolome De Las Casas, Alexander 'The Great', John Hannon, James Grant, David Livingston, John Constantine, Henry Morgan and Marco Polo.

Junior Delgado - Sons Of Slaves
> slave-trade

The Congos - Fisherman, Sodom & Gomorrah, A The Feast, Ark Of The Covenant:
> Biblical stories

"Mi God, Mi King" - Papa Levi:

Who get a bullet? No Mister Sadat...[actually, he did!]
After Reagan, public fire shot
Malcolm X dem kill 'pon de spot.
Up inna Zion de righteous a clap;
Dung inna hell de wicked a rot.
De sweetest singer a Sugar Minott
De maddest comedian a Kenny Everett...[does he qualify as a historical figure?]

the great kenny everett!! man of the century!!

btw i always thought it was:
who get a bullet now? mister sadat

Thanks jumbo! Yes, that makes a lot more sense.

There are a slew of post-'82 songs that at least make reference to the Falkland Crisis. Yellowman's "Wha Dat" is one example.

Also, Reggae 101:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/10th_Caval ... ed_States)



DB

I just stumbled over Clive Field Marshall's tune "What Happen To The Hostage" while looking for New York related tunes.
It's about the Iran hostage crisis mentioning Jimmy Carter and Ronald Regean..

not foundation, but greath lyrics:

super cat - fight fi power

Ooooh, almost forgot:

Eek-A-Mouse - Hitler

What a tune!

Morgan The pirate - Mighty Diamonds
Kiss Somebody (AH1N1) Johnny Osbourne
Judge Dread - AL capone