Chaka Demus - Jump Up (Workie Workie) sound file & lyrics (Jamaica)

Edited by Azizi Powell

This post showcases a sound file and my attempted transcription of the lyrics for of Chaka Demus' 1990 Dancehall Reggae hit "Jump Up (Workie Workie)". Additions and corrections are welcome.

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

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks to Chaka Demus for his musical legacy. Thanks also to the publisher of this sound file on YouTube.

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SHOWCASE EXAMPLE: Chaka Demus - Jump Up (Workie Workie)



browningbbw, Uploaded on Aug 27, 2008

Chaka Demus - Jump Up (Workie Workie)

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LYRICS
Spoken:
All people
I wanna all of you feel happy
Ah sweetness come down
As long as Chaka Demus is about
Hear this!

Jump around say you know say you ready
Workie Workie Workie Workie
Watch me now
Every posse come listen me now
Watch out!
Pick up your foot
Say you know say you sexy.
Workie Workie Workie Workie
Don’t worry
Cause everything’s down
and everything’s irie
Hear the DJ in a dancehall party
Watch out the young girl and back her up steady
And bob her on the left
And bob her on the right
And listen Chaka Demus
So you to dynamite
Me no wan another fuss
Me no wan another fight
Every posse come and dance
And listen me tonight, tonight tonight tonight

Jump around
Say you know say you ready
Workie Workie Workie Workie
Watch me now
Every posse come listen me now
Watch out!
Pick up your foot
Say you know say you sexy.
Workie Workie Workie Workie

Hear me now tell the world that me name is Chaka
Hear me now jump around cause you love the Chaka
See how me rub her into the corner
Hear me now cause it’s the true Imma a master blaster

Put up your hand if you know say you sexy
Workie Workie Workie Workie
And your posse now
Jump around cause you know say you sexy
Workie Workie Workie Workie
Hear me now
So if you rub it and you love it
Clap your hand
If you rub it and you love it
Clap your hand
If you rub it and you love it
Than you really want to shove it
If you rub it and you love it-
Hear me now!

So if you rub it and you love it
Stomp your feet
If you rub it and you love it
Stomp your feet
If you rub it and you love it
Than you really want to shove it
If you rub it and you love it-
Watch me now

Don’t worry
Cause everything’s down
and everything’s irie
Hear the DJ in a dancehall party
Watch out the young girl and back her up steady
And bob her on the left
And bob her on the right
And listen Chaka Demus
So you too dynamite
Me no wanna fuss
Me no wanna fight
Every posse come and dance
Get a young girl and get her down and turn out the light
and bob her real tighta tighta tighta
-snip-
Transcription by Azizi Powell from the sound file. Italics mean that I'm not certain about my transcription of those words. Additions and corrections are very welcome

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Editorial Comments About Several Words In The Song:
The word "workie" is a form of the English word "work". This Dancehall Reggae song uses the African American Vernacular English meaning of the word "work" = "to do something (such as dance) very well".

posse - a Hip Hop term for "close friends, people you "hang around with".

If the transcription "So you to dynamite" is correct, I think it means "so you to can be dynamite"(very good).

"master blaster" - a referent from the early Hip-Hop days meaning "a very good DJ"

The verse toward the end of Chaka Demus' "Jump Around" that includes the line "clap your hand" and the verse of that song that includes the line "stomp your feet" are modeled after the children's movement song "If You're Happy And You Know It".

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