Dread Ina Inglan Part I -
The Dub Poetry of Linton Kwesi Johnson
Inglan Is A Bitch - Linton Kwesi Johnson The studio performance of
Ingland Is a Bitch with the magnificent Dub Band headed by Dennis Bovell. Swear to jah... the Dub Band was the best live reggae band I've ever heard. I deejayed an appearence of LKJ and the Dub Band and Gil Scott Heron at a Boston club in 1984 and it was the best concert I ever attended. I've transcribed the lyrics to Inglan Is A Bitch beneath the YouTube embed.
Lyrics to Inglan Is a Bitch by LKJ
w´en mi jus´ come to Landan toun
mi use to work pan di andahgroun
but workin´ pan di andahgroun
y´u don´t get fi know your way around
Inglan is a bitch
dere´s no escapin it
Inglan is a bitch
dere´s no runnin´ whey fram it
mi get a lickle jab in a bih ´otell
an´ awftah a while, mi woz doin´ quite well
dem staat mi aaf as a dish-washah
but w´en mi tek a stack, mi noh tun clack-watchah
Inglan is a bitch
dere´s no escapin it
Inglan is a bitch
no baddah try fi hide fram it
w´en dem gi´ you di lickle wage packit
fus dem rab it wid dem big tax rackit
y´u haffi struggle fi mek en´s meet
an´ w´en y´u goh a y´u bed y´u jus´ can´t sleep
Inglan is a bitch
dere´s no escapin it
Inglan is a bitch
a noh lie mi a tell, a true
mi use to work dig ditch w´en it cowl noh bitch
mi did strang like a mule, but bwoy, mi did fool
den awftah a while mi jus´ stap dhu ovahtime
den awftah a while mi jus´ phu dung mi tool
Inglan is a bitch
dere´s no escapin it
Inglan is a bitch
y´u haffi know how fi survive in it
well mi dhu day wok an´ mi dhu nite wok
mi dhu clean wok an´ mi dhu dutty wok
dem seh dat black man is very lazy
but if y´u si how mi wok y´u woulda sey mi crazy
Inglan is a bitch
dere´s no escapin it
Inglan is a bitch
y´u bettah face up to it
dem a have a lickle facktri up inna Brackly
inna disya facktri all dem dhu is pack crackry
fi di laas fifteen years dem get mi laybah
now awftah fifteen years mi fall out a fayvah
Inglan is a bitch
dere´s no escapin it
Inglan is a bitch
dere´s no runnin´ whey fram it
mi know dem have work, work in abundant
yet still, dem mek mi redundant
now, at fifty-five mi gettin´ quite ol´
yet still, dem sen´ mi fi goh draw dole
Inglan is a bitch
dere´s no escapin it
Inglan is a bitch
is whey wi a goh dhu ´bout it?
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Mi Want Fe Goh Rave - Linton Kwesi Johnson A great live performance of Mi Want Fe Goh Rave by LKJ and the Dub Band. This video gives you a good picture of the power and precision of the Dub Band's playing. The are all expert players bringing elements of funk, jazz and blues to the reggae riddims of LKJ's dub poetry. Dennis Bovell is the bass player with the kerchief on his head.
I transcribed the lyrics to Mi Want Fe Go Rave below the YouTube embed.
Lyrics to Mi Want Fi Goh Rave by LKJ
I woz
waakin doun di road road
di addah day
when a hear a lickle yout-man say
him seh:
y´u noh si mi situation
mi don´t have noh accamadaeshan
mi haffi sign aan at di station
at six in di evenin´
mi seh mi life got no meanin´
ah jus´ livin´ widout feelin´
still
mi haffi mek a raze
kaw mi come af age
an mi want fi goh rave
I woz
waakin doun di road
annadah day
w´en ah hear annadah yout-man say
him seh:
mi naw wok fi noh pittance
mi naw draw dem assistance
mi use to run a lickle rackit
but wha, di police dem di stap it
an ah had woz to hap it
still
mi haffi mek a raze
kaw mi come af age
an mi want fi goh rave
I woz waakin doun di road
yet annadah day
w´en ah hear annadah yout-man say
him seh:
mi haffi pick a packit
tek a wallit fram a jackit
mi haffi dhu it real crabit
an´ if a lackit mi haffi pap it
an´ if a safe mi haffi crack it
ar chap it wid mi hatchit
but
mi haffi mek a raze
kaw mi come af age
an mi want fi goh rave
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Peach Dub by the Dub Band- Dennis Bovell's Dub Band backed Linton Kwesi Johnson on his first four albums and was his touring band for several European and American tours. On
Peach Dub, Bovell (aka Blackbeard) shows off his smokin' dub wise soundboard techniques.
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