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NEWS
June 23, 2013
David Hinds to perform at The Legacy of Bob Marley at The Kennedy Center in Washington, DC
March 22, 2013
Steel Pulse perform at the United Nations General Assembly Hall, NYC. WATCH >>
March 5, 2013 SteelPulse.com relaunched to help fans learn more about us, the music, and our focus on love and justice.
February 9, 2013 From Natty to Hattie: Steel Pulse's version of the Bob Dylan classic - on the 50th anniversary of her death. Listen >>
BLOG
HISTORY
In 1978, race relations in Britain were in crisis. The National Front was gathering power and immigrants lived in fear of violence.
But that year also saw the birth of a campaign - Rock Against Racism (RAR) - aimed at halting the tide of hatred with music - a grassroots movement culminating in a march across London and an open-air concert in the East End. The campaign involved groups like TheClash, Steel Pulse, Buzzcocks, X-Ray Spex, The Ruts, and others, staging concerts with an anti-racist theme, in order to discourage young people from embracing racist views.
I say the people of Handsworth, know that
One hand wash the other so they say
So let's join hands my bredren
Make the way for our children (our children, our children)
And their children (their children, their children)
Ensuring that they get life's fair share of...
Equality...
Doesn't justice stand for all
Doesn't justice stand for all
Doesn't justice stand for all mankind
We find society putting us down
Crowning us, crowning us, crowning us, crowning us
A place of Evil, OH, OH
Handsworth means us the Black People
Handsworth means us the Black People
We're taiklng now. Speaking JahJah language!
It's a long, long way we're coming from
To send this message across, across
Its been hidden, forbidden, concealed, unrevealed
Its got to come out In the open that -
BABYLON IS FALLING
BABYLON IS FALLING
It was foolish to build It on the sand
Handsworth shall stand, firm - like Jah rock
- fighting back
We once beggars are now choosers
No intention to be losers
Striving forward with ambition
And if it takes ammunition
We rebel in Handsworth revolution
Dread we are for a cause
Deprived of many things
Experienced phoney laws
Hatred Babylon brings
We know what we got to offer
We know what's going on
Don't want nofavours
Cause there is still hunger
Innocent convicted
Poor wage, hard labour
Only Babylon prospers
And humble suffer
They are my brothers in South Africa
One Black represent all, all over the world
Can't bear it no longer
Blessed wlththe power
Of Jah Creator
We will get stronger
And we will conquer
And forward ever, and backward never
Handsworth Revolution
Handsworth Revolution
Handsworth Revolution
Revo- Revo- Revolution
Revo- Revo- Revolution
Revo- Revo- Revolution
Revo- Revo- Revolution
Revo- Revo- Revolution
Dem dread seh
Dem dread seh
Dem dread seh
Dem dread seh
No matter how you bad I man badder than you
No matter how you dread I man dreader than you
No matter how you hard I man harder than you
No matter how you raw
I more-weak heart back way so
A bad man no want go back Into captivity
A bad man no want go back to slavery
Uprising from the claws of the wicked
Two bulls can't reign in one pen
Two lions can't roar in a small den
Two scorpions don't sting at the same spot
Two guns can't fire the same bullet shot so
Move right out now
Move right out now
Move right out now
Move right out now
Two kings don't wear the same crown
Two beauties don't have the same gown on
Tomorrow Is too late to leave town
If you're still here at noon,
There'll be one big, big, big showdown so
Uprising, uprising
Uprising, uprising
I give you tlil noon to go
On your way to survival,where
Your heart will beat more fonder
With life
And breath still enters your body
Repeat verse one
If you still coming me nah run
If you still coming, me ah go, drop you
If you still coming me nah run
So better stop running before I, break you
So run and hide before I, find you
Woe betide if I catch up on you
If you still coming I box you down
If you still coming I clart you down
Long time we deh under backraw...
Four hundred years (many, many years)
Slavery days...
Slavery days...
Slavery days...
Oh you've been bought
Oh you've been sold
Oh cast over me
Got strung up for nothing at all
Strange fruit...
And when soldiers came
Them say them come to make us tame
And from that day until now on
We were jeered and laughed to scorn
Things used to be ire (before the soldiers came)
Things used to be nice, so nice now
Things used to be ire
Things used to be nice, so nice
Our country them did enter, yeah
Troopstrodding left right and centre
Everywhere
One moment at peace with Nature
Now victims of a massacre
We got our spears
We got our shields
But their guns were greater
Prepare for a slaughter
Give I back I witch doctor
Give I back I Black Ruler
Me no want no dictator
Me no want no tyrant on yah
Dutallee!
Dutallee!
Dutallee!
Dutallee!
Way down in Africa
Where the backra still rules day after day
The Black Man is suffering now far more
Than when he was a slave
Is there a need for war?
No.
Peace my bredren - here them bawl
Bodies in mutilated condition
Faces scarred beyond recognition
Is this what civilization means to me?
Then without it I prefer to be
So...
Give I back I witch doctor
Give I back I Black Ruler
Me no want no dictator
Me no want no tyrant on yah
If anything should mash up my head Sah
Play the music me can't dead
Jah in music prolongs gives me life to
Praise Jah
In motion with music getting what we want
Getting what we need
In motion with music getting what we want
Getting what we need
Rock little children, rock
Rock little children, rock
Rock little children, rock
Rock little children, rock
Dancing, stepping in a ridim fashion
Dancing, go deh, go deh
Dancing, let the music rock me
Dancing away
I love Jah, I praise Jah
Forget me not, no
I love Jah, I praise Jah
Forget me not, no
I love Jah, I praise Jah
Forget me not, no
I love Jah, I praise Jah
Forget me not, no
No burdens to haunt me
No pressures to taunt me
Cos Zion is
Cos Zion I
Cos Zion is
Cos Zion I
Destiny yeh
A children rock (like so)
A children skank (like so)
A children rock (like so)
A children skank (like so)
I love Jah, I praise Jah
Forget me not, no
I love Jah, I praise Jah
Forget me not, no
I love Jah, I praise Jah
Forget me not, no
I love Jah, I praise Jah
Forget me not, no
No burdens to haunt me
No pressures to taunt me
Cos Zion is
Cos Zion I
Cos Zion is
Cos Zion I
Destiny yeh
Rock little children, rock
Rock little children, rock
Rock little children, rock
Rock little children, rock
A children rock (little children rock)
A children roll (little children roll)
A children rock (little children rock)
A children roll (little children roll)
A children rock me can't dead
Play the music me can't dead
Play the music me can't dead
Play the music me can't dead
I love Jah, praise Jah
I love Jah, praise Jah
I love Jah, praise Jah
I love Jah, praise Jah
Motion with music
Motion with music
In motion with music...
Woy! Desperation has return
Sodom and Gomorrah no deh yah so!
Woy desperation has return over yonder
Sodom and Gomorrah no deh yah so!
Wild one, you are like the Prodigal Son yeah
And if you're the Prodigal Son, my friend
Then you're the one, you
Left taking your only possession
Your culture
To enter a world known for hacklings
In abundance, yeah
The hustlers of life
Have hooked and drained you from the man
Form the man that you used to be, turn your back on us
Return Rastaman where you came from
The land of your forefathers
Reaching the gates with your two long hands
Searching out for clean water
Wild one...
Prodigal come forth and rejoice with your voice
To the heavens
Chant some song, chant some song
Prodigal come forth and repent
Rastafari sins forgiven
Woy! Desperation has return...
One has returned without one's soul
And has squandered all his possessions
Let us cleanse your body now
From your service to the swine, because
You've been dead and now to anoint your head
With wisdom, knowledge and overstanding
A lesson has been taught unto you my friend
Time for a feast and rejoicing
Wild one...
Chorus
Woy! Desperation has return
Prodigal has returned to his culture
Prodigal has returned give him water
Prodigal has returned, has returned...
Walking along just kicking stones
Minding my own business
I come face to face, with my foe
Disguised In violence from head to toe.
I holla and I bawl (Ku Klux Klan)
But dem naw let me go now
To let me go was not dem intention
Dem seh one nigger the less
The better for the show
Stand strong black skin and take your blow
It's the Ku, the Ku Klux Klan
Here to stamp out blackman yah
The Ku, the Ku Klux Klan heh!
To be taught a lesson not to walk alone
I was waiting for the Good Samaritan
But waiting was hopeless
It was all in vain
The Ku Klux Klan back again
I holla and I bawl (Ku Klux Klan)
Dem naw let me go now
Dem seh one nigger the less
The better the show
Stand strong blackskin and take your blow
The Ku, Ku Klux Klan
Rape, lynch, kill and maim
Things can't remain the same yah no!
Blackman do unto the Klan
AS they would do to you
In this case hate they neighbour
Those cowards only kill who they fear
That's why they hide behind
The hoods and cloaks they wear
I holla and I bawl, Ku Klux Klan
Dem naw let me go no, Ku Klux Klan
Oh no, oh no...
Here to stamp out black man yah
Rape, lynch, kill and maim
Things can't remain the same yah
No, no, no, no.
Prediction, prediction foretold
Prediction, yeh, from the days of old
Prediction, yeh, from way back when
The years Jah send, years Jah send
Prediction a long, long time ago
Selassie was neglected, tell me when?
Like the tales of the Messiah, yah
All over again
Garvey was rejected tell me when?
Unlike the Baptist he has kept his head
I said vank!
William Gordon and Paul Bogle led
A rebellion cause they used their heads
But had their necks in a noose
Martyrs of freedom, freedom condemned
But Jah Jah cut them loose. Hen heh
Prophesised that, we would suffer by
Those who think themselves superior to
Our colour, yes sah
Descendants of Naiman the Leper
Ask Elisha
Offsprings of Naiman the Leper
Ask Elisha
If a lie, ask Elisha, ask Elisha
If a lie, ask Elisha, ask Elisha
If a lie, ask Elisha, ask Elisha
If a lie, ask Elisha, ask Elisha
If a lie, ask Elisha, ask Elisha
If a lie, ask Elisha, ask Elisha
Tomorrow's what we're on about
Tomorrow's what we're on about
Not yesterday
It's up to man to understand
To have success upon this land
He better have some faith
Have
Some
Faith
Repeat
Have, some, have some, faith!
Have, some, have some, faith!
The impossible have a habit of happening
If you think a lie I atell ask Elisha
Ask Elisha ... ask Ellsha...
Hi
I just feel blockup on you
Hey bum bu
Hey Jah stab
Hey size nine
Hey grey seed
Is like seh grizzly ah folly
Him smoke off the collie
So, ma it, grizzly
Mash It!!!
Mister collie, collie collie man
Me want some herbs to smoke tonight
Mister collie, collie collie man
Me want some herbs to smoke tonight
Feeling high, high high
Feeling down, down down
Feeling high, high high
Feeling down, down down
Feeling high, high high
Feeling down, down down
Mister collie, collie collie man
Me want some herbs to smoke tonight
Mister collie, collie collie man
Marijuana smoke tonight
Mister collie man
Want some herbs to smoke tonight
Mister collie man
Ganja smoke tonight
Feeling high ... (chorus)
Mister collie man, plant of Jah Jah
Smoke tonight
Feeling high (chorus)
