Desmond Dekker & The Aces: Israelites

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Desmond Dekker & The Aces: Israelites

Sun Jan 27th 2019 by abagond

Remarks:

This was the first reggae song to reach #1 on the British pop chart. It also reached #1 in Dekker’s native Jamaica as well as South Africa, West Germany, the Netherlands, Sweden, and Canada. It went to #9 in the US, the first hit by a Jamaican artist singing in a Jamaican style of music.

“Israelites” refers to the Rastafarian belief that Black Jamaicans are descendants of the Israelites in the Bible, a belief that comes from Black Israelites in the US.

Thanks to Joe for reminding me of this song.

See also:

Lyrics:

Get up in the morning, slaving for bread, sir
So that every mouth can be fed
Poor, poor me, Israelites. Aah

Get up in the morning, slaving for bread, sir
So that every mouth can be fed
Poor me, the Israelite

My wife and my kids, they packed up and leave me
Darling, she said, “I was yours to be seen”
Poor me, the Israelite

Shirt them a-tear up, trousers are gone
I don’t want to end up like Bonnie and Clyde
Poor me, the Israelite

After a storm there must be a calm
They catch me in the farm
You sound your alarm
Poor a-poor a-poor me, the Israelite

[Instrumental]

I said I get up in the morning, slaving for bread, sir
So that every mouth can be fed
Poor me, Israelite. Aah

I said my wife and my kids, they are packed up and leave me
Darling, she said, I was yours to be seen
Poor me, Israelites. Aah

Look Me shirts them a-tear up, trousers are gone
I don’t want to end up like Bonnie and Clyde
A-poor a-poor me, Israelites. Aah

After a storm there must be a calm
They catch me in the farm
You sound your alarm
Poor me, Israelite
A-poor a-poor a-poor me, Israelites. Aah
Poor me, Israelite
Poor me, Israelite

Source: Genius Lyrics.

Posted in stuff | 6 Comments

6 Responses

on Sun Jan 27th 2019 at 23:04:14 dorisjean23

Wow, the things you can learn about reading this blog. I came across this little gem while checking out the Israelites video on YouTube:
Mungo Jerry (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wvUQcnfwUUM)

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on Sun Jan 27th 2019 at 23:39:17 Paige

Jamaica has produced an amazing amount of great music for an island smaller than Connecticut!

My favorite Jamaican song is “Many Rivers to Cross” by Jimmy Cliff. He wrote the song himself. Mr. Cliff sounds great live, too:

(https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=TegLTsuvzXQ)

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on Mon Jan 28th 2019 at 01:55:04 gro jo

I wonder if Mungo Jerry’s tune reached #1 in his native England.

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on Mon Jan 28th 2019 at 03:05:02 TeddyBearDaddy

Things get complicated with “Rastafarianism”. They are not quite like the “BHI” because many still tought the red green and black Pan-Africanism. I’m open to any discussion.

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on Mon Jan 28th 2019 at 22:52:07 Mary Burrell

I was going to bypass this but I am on the commuter train getting home and I decided to click on this. I actually like it.

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on Sat Feb 16th 2019 at 21:25:56 Dus'khor Dechen

This one is one of my favorites, so thanks a lot. Used to listen to it a lot back in 200s when working for a company with strict office hours and early morning wake-ups I hate.

And then I’ve discovered this one, but it’s another story.

(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5qeWqYNrS8U)

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