Reggae and slavery

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Reggae and slavery

Reggae's influence and popularity both within and outside Jamaica reflects its 'third-world origins'. In particular, reggae's roots are embedded in the historical conditions of Jamaican slavery and colonialism.Barry T. Bays, P. Renée Foster, Stephen A. King; Reggae, Rastafari and the Rhetoric of Social Control; 2002

In a sense, Jamaican people were born into a world of suffering because of slavery, and the vitality of music as a healing, uplifting part of life was born with them. The emotional effects that slavery has had on Jamaicans was heard in the music of that time and is still heard in the music of today.Andy Tower, The Painful Path of Music - Slavery and Suffering in Jamaica and their effects on Jamaican Music, 1998

Now I think of reggae music as a form of verbal history. I pay attention to the lyrics of the songs because I now know that the artists are trying to tell me something. When I listen to reggae music, I feel strong. I use reggae music as a way to feel empowered. If the slaves of Jamaica overcame all that they did, I can do anything. That, I believe, is the message of reggae music.Sarah Novick, The Effects of Slavery on Reggae Music

Reggae songs are often commentaries on social conditions, particularly in Jamaica.

Steel Pulse

Since the majority of Jamaicans are the descendants of enslaved Africans it's unsurprising that a number of reggae lyrics deal with the historical and social upheaval of slavery.

Some songs look back at past brutality and exploitation, some sing of the lost homeland in Africa and of hopes for repatriation.

Other songs celebrate Marcus Garvey and his philosophy of the return to Africa, while others deal with the political implications of that philosophy and of slavery for the present day.

The examples below are only some of the many reggae lyrics based on slavery. British reggae bands included in this list are Aswad, from London, and Steel Pulse from Birmingham.

Slavery came and took its toll
In the name of John Bull Dog
Said we turned our backs on God
Lost the powers that we had
As our back's agains' the wall
Ask ourselves about the fall
Rise Rise Rise
Hold onto your culture Steel Pulse, Not King James Version

And when slave master beat I with the whip
And he made I jump and twist
We use that music to cool us down I say
You couldn't give up now
You know you couldn't give up now
Couldn't give up nowAswad, Drum and Bass Line

Today they say that we are free
Only to be chained in poverty
Ev'ry time I hear a crack of the whip
My blood runs cold
I remember on the slave ship
How they brutalised our very soulsBob Marley, Slave Driver, from the album Catch a Fire

Old pirates, yes, they rob I;
Sold I to the merchant ships,
Minutes after they took I
From the bottomless pit.
But my hand was made strong
By the 'and of the Almighty.
We forward in this generation
Triumphantly.
Won't you help to sing
These songs of freedom? -
'Cause all I ever have:
Redemption songs;
Redemption songs.Bob Marley, Redemption Song, from the album Legend

By the rivers of Babylon
Where we sat down
And there we wept
When we remembered Zion
But the wicked carried us away in captivity
Required from us a song
How can we sing King Alfa song
In a strange land
Cause the wicked carried us away in captivity
Required from us a song
How can we sing King Alfa song
In a strange landMelodians, Rivers of Babylon (B. Dowe, F. McHaughton, adapted from Psalm 137)

Look, oh Lord, they brought us down here
Have us in bondage, right through these years
Fussing and fighting, among ourselves
Nothing to achieve this way, it's worser than hell, I say

Get up and fight for your rights my brothers
Get up and fight for your rights my sisters

Took us away from civilization
Brought us to slave in this big plantation
Fussing and fighting, among ourselves
Nothing to achieve this way, it's worser than hell, I sayAbyssinians, Declaration of Rights (Bernard Collins), from the album Satta Massagana

Mr. Bigman
When will this payday be?
When will this payday be?
For these retired slaves (Ya a listen me?)
My forefather worked down here
On this great plantation
True he didn't get no pay
For all their wasted days
Tell us now!
When will this payday be?
Mr. SlavedriverCulture, Payday, from the album Payday

They took us away from our homeland
They took us away from our homeland
And we are slaving down here in Babylon
And we are slaving down here in Babylon
They are waiting on an opportunity
They are waiting on an opportunity
For the Black Starliner which is to comeCulture, Black Starliner, from the album Two Sevens Clash

Do you remember the days of slav'ry? (Do you remember the days of slav'ry?)
And they beat us (Do you remember the days of slav'ry?)
And they worked us so hard (Do you remember the days of slav'ry?)
And they used us (Do you remember the days of slav'ry?)
Till they refuse us (Do you remember the days of slav'ry?)
Do you remember the days of slav'ry? (Do you remember the days of slav'ry?)Burning Spear, Slavery Days (Winston Rodney), from the album Marcus Garvey (1975)

Out of Africa they took us
And they sold us as slaves for money
Who they could not sell
Dem kill dem, kill dem, kill demCapital Letters, Out of Africa, from the album Headline News

They tricked us with trinkets and beads
And tricked us right into slavery
Traditional customs
Crafts and arts
They put away in the museums
Oh, people, don't you see the plot... Yeh
To take all we've got.
Got to save Black music
Fight to save sweet music now
God to save Black music now
Let the music flow, oh LordSteel Pulse, Save Black Music, from the album Babylon the Bandit

Every time I hear the music and I make a dip, a dip
Slave master comes around and spank I with his whip, the whip
But if I don't get my desire
Then I'll set the plantations in fire
My temperature is getting much higher
Got to get what I requireGregory Isaacs, Slave Master, from the album The Essential Gregory Isaacs