The Charms (Jamaican Ska) - Hill And Gully Rider (lyrics, sound file, comments)

Edited by Azizi Powell

This is Part III of a three part series on the Jamaican song "Hill And Gully Rider (also given as "Hill 'N Gully Rider"). This post showcases a sound file of and lyrics for The Charms' Ska version of "Hill 'N Gully Ride". Selected comments from that YouTube sound file's viewer comment thread are also included in this post.

Click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2013/12/hill-and-gully-rider-general.html for Part I of this series.

Part I presents general information about Jamaican music, with special emphasis on Mento and Ska music. Part I also includes general comments about Mento music and three examples of folk lyrics for "Hill And Gully Rider".

Click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2013/12/lord-composer-hill-n-gully-ride-sound.html for Part II of this post.

Part II showcases a sound file of and lyrics for Lord Composer's Mento version of "Hill 'N Gully Ride". Information & comments about that song are also included in this post.

The content of this post is presented for folkloric, entertainment, and aesthetic purposes.

All copyrights remain with their owners.

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GENERAL COMMENT ABOUT THIS EXAMPLE
From the editors of Mango Spice - 44 Caribbean Songs
"Hill an gully is a call and response work song which used to be sung by workmen constructing new roads. In its topical way it refers to the uneven and hazardous terrain through which the new road had to be cut. folk song which was sung as a work song (a digging song that was sung while building roads)"
-snip-
Multiple Mento and Ska versions of "Hill And Gully [Rider"} have been sung and recorded for social dancing. It appears to me that many if not all Mento and Ska versions of "Hill And Gully Rider" are dance instruction songs (songs whose lyrics for the most part or entirely consist of directions for dance moves.) Several comments about dancing are found in YouTube video viewer comment thread of The Charm's 1964 version of "Hill 'N Gully Rider". I believe that those same comments could apply to most if not all other Ska & Mento versions of that song. In contrast, the Dancehall Reggae versions of that song (by King Yellowman and Ini Kamoze, for example) are dance songs, but not dance instruction songs.

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SHOWCASE EXAMPLE: The Charms - Hill And Gully



lardsah, Uploaded on Feb 9, 2009
Tune! All time classic and one that brings back sweet memories whenever I hear it. Island label – 1964

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LYRICS FOR "HILL 'N GULLY RIDER"
(The Charms, 1964)

Hill an' gully rider
(Hill an' gully)
Hill an' gully rider
(Hill an' gully)
Be careful how you go
(Hill an' gully)
Mind your back and fo’
(Hill an' gully)

Bend down low
(Hill an' gully)
No style large**
Back to back ***
(Hill an' gully)
Belly to belly ***
(Hill an' gully)
Feel up feel up
(Hill an' gully)
Feel up feel up
(Hill an' gully)

Hill an' gully rider
(Hill an' gully)
Hill an' gully rider
(Hill an' gully)

[instrumental]

[repeat entire song , ends with same instrumental]
-snip-
Transcription by Azizi Powell from that recording. Italics mean that I'm not sure about my transcription of those words. Additions and corrections are welcome.

*back and fo' = back and forth

** "no style large" = [if that transcription is correct it may mean] don't be flamboyant in your dance movements, keep them smooth and simple (uncomplicated).

*** back to back/belly to belly" are words that are lifted from the Calypso song "Jumbie Jamboree" (also given as Jumbie Jamberee". Click http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jumbie_Jamberee for information about that song.

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SELECTED COMMENTS ABOUT DANCING TO "HILL AND GULLY RIDER" FROM THIS SOUND FILE'S VIEWER COMMENT THREAD
2009
mi777ke777
"nice......These tracks make you move! classic"

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enigma664599
"WHOOOOOA!!!! I can see my dad dropping some moves to this....lol Love it!"

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sallou100
"this is a bad tune i remember my dad and his family dancing to this at partys a real 7inch KILLA"

**
2013
northernsean1
"An awesome track , flip side is Carry, Go Bring Come by The Charms ( aka Justin Hines & The Dominoes ) ...music just don' get better than this !!!!!"

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This completes Part III of this series.

Thanks to The Charms for their musical legacy. Thanks also to all those who are quoted in this post and thanks to the publisher of this sound file on YouTube.

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Visitor comments are welcome.