Roots Archives Forum

Does someone know what this tune about please?

cant help you with the exact meaning ( i dont know who Matilda is) but it is a traditional jamaican folk song.
Versioned many times: besides a dozen or so mento renditions, for instance, there is a Nyabinghi version by Count Ossie & the MRR on the 'From the Grass Roots Of Jamaica' album, and a great early reggae version by Winston Shand & the Hippy Boys

"wheel o matilda" - turn around matilda
"leggo them bwoy, rub dis ya one ya" - let go of that man, come and give ME some action!
"rasta lover of my sound" - rasta loves my sound (heh)

simple tings!

except that those are not the lyrics..

go on then, enlighten me...spent many a red moment working them out and i'm always open to suggestions

rasta lover of my soul
all vampire haffi go inna dem hole
rasta lover of my soul
all vatican it haffi go go

we love we love we love matilda
leggo dem gal mek dem rock dis ya one, hiyaa
oh jah hiyaah
no objection at all

we love we love we love matilda
leggo dem boy mek dem rub dis ya one, hiyaa
oh jah, me seh hiyaa

the rootsman knocking on my door
give him more, give him more
the gal dem a rocking on the dancefloor
give dem more, give dem more

still, dont understand the meaning. it seems to me like a inprovised wordplay around the old folksong 'We Love Matilda', mixing Rastafarian themes with a dance song

I always thought (andbased on the lyrics provided above) that it refered to dancing to reggae(rasta) music; meaning a girl (Matilda) who was popular at this dance, was dancing (wheeling/winding her hips), and they were (knocking) wanting more. Never really sure exactly.


JUMBO: Never heard of a folksong called "We love Matilda". Do you refer to the Australian Bush-ballad "Waltzing Matilda"? (which has nothing to do with dancing, nor a girl)

Jumbo wrote: still, dont understand the meaning. it seems to me like a inprovised wordplay around the old folksong 'We Love Matilda', mixing Rastafarian themes with a dance song

Either way, it is a dope song and a hard dance riddim!
Adam

no it's not Waltzing Matilda..
It's an old Anansi song, used many times in Jamaican muisc:
check prince Buster (Ska Lip Soul album), Count Ossie and the Mystic Revelelation of Rastafari (From the Gras Roots Of Jamaica album ), Winston Shand (Spade 7 INCH: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vfoPzoCEpIQ )

also check mentomusic.com, there it is mentioned more that a few time (unfortunately without soundsamples)

and there is a next mento song about a Matilda, that goes Matilda, Matilda, she took my money and run venezuela (also performed by Harry belafonte)

so it seems that there was a notorious Matilda back in the days, that had power over men.