Edited by Azizi Powell
This post showcases four YouTube examples of Kiddus I singing "Graduation In Zion". My transcription of two versions of that song are included in this post.
Information about Kiddus I is given in the summary statement for the sound file given as Example #2 below.
Definition for some Rastafarian words and phrases that are found in "Graduation In Zion" are also included in this post.
The contents of this post are presented for cultural, entertainment, inspirational, and aesthetic purposes.
All copyrights remain with their owners.
Thanks to Kiddus I for his musical legacy. Thanks also to the publishers of these examples on YouTube.
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FEATURED EXAMPLES
With the excerption of the 1978 Rockers movie, these examples are presented in chronological order based on their publishing date on YouTube with the oldest video given next.
Example #1: Rockers - Graduation In Zion
MVDEntertainmentGrp Published on May 16, 2012
This Reggae film DVD features music by Burning Spear, Bunny Wailer, Third World, Peter Tosh, Jacob Miller, Gregory Isaacs, Kiddus I, Junior Mervin, Inner Circle, Heptones, & Abyssinians. It stars Leroy Horsemouth Wallace & Richard Dirty Harry Hall with appearances by Jacob Miller, Gregory Isaacs, Burning Spear, Kiddus I, Robbie Shakespeare, Leroy Smart, Big Youth, & Dillinger. Bonus features include 7 previously unreleased bonus audio tracks, a glossary of Rasta Patois, extensive information about the artists and actors, and bonus photographs taken
-snip-
Click http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rockers_(1978_film) for information about the 1978 Jamaican film "Rockers" by Theodoros Bafaloukos.
Excerpt: "The film includes Kiddus I's recording of "Graduation In Zion" at the studio, which he happened to be recording when Bafaloukos visited the studio."
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LYRICS: GRADUATION IN ZION (Rockers movie version)
(Kiddus I)
No it won't be too long now
No it won't be too long
Till all of the sufferings
And wrongs soon will be right
Oh yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
Keep the faith, my brothers and sisters.
It's the cross that you bear.
And fear not saying Jah Law
“Whatsoever, ever man soweth
They all will reap,
the fruits Of their labors, yes they will,
in the end”
Oh yeah, yeah, oh yeah
So, seek ye good and not evil
Ooohh I beg you, my brethren
And cheer up, cheer up, cheer up
Cheer up, cheer up
Yes.
Now all folly workers now beware
Heed my cry.
Less the wrath you call down on yourselves
Be too dread for even you, to bear,
Oh, oh, yeah. yeah.
Cause the wages of the denial is death with Babylon
And the gift of Jah is eternal life in Zion
Oh yeah, yeah, yeah
Oh yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
[My transcription from that recording. Additions and corrections are welcome.]
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Example #2: KIDDUS I - GRADUATION IN ZION.wmv
MrMICKEYT123 Uploaded on Feb 20, 2012
Kiddus I (born Frank Dowding in Saint Mary Parish, Jamaica, December 1944) is a reggae singer and musician, best known for his appearance in the film Rockers. Dowding was born in 1944, his mother a potter and his father a bookkeeper. He adopted the stage name Kiddus, which is Amharic for "blessed one", after becoming a Rastafarian. In 1971, he set up a Rastafarian commune and craft centre located between uptown and downtown Kingston, which became a unique feature of a city generally divided by social class. Dowding was a member of Ras Michael's Sons Of Negus from 1971 to 1978, singing and playing funde drums. He recorded several self-productions in 1972 with Aston Barrett at Joe Gibbs' studio, but these were not released due to lack of funds.
Rockers director Theodoros Bafaloukos had seen Kiddus recording "Graduation In Zion" in 1976, two years before the film was made, and decided to film Kiddus recording the track as part of the movie. Kiddus had by then released a few singles on his own Shepherd label, including "Security In The Streets" which was recorded with Lee Perry at his Black Ark studio. Dowding was a prominent member of the Peace Movement, and "Security in the Streets" was one of the first of several songs recorded in appreciation of the Peace Treaty of 1978 between rival political gang-leaders Claudie Massop and Bucky Marshall.
After releasing a handful of further singles, and recording an album that was not released due to the master tapes getting lost, little was heard of Kiddus I until French label Makasound issued Inna De Yard in 2005, one of a series of albums recorded acoustically by vintage reggae artists in Jamaica. Japanese label Dub Store Records then reissued some of the 1970s singles, followed by the anthology Graduation In Zion: 1978-1980 in 2007. In June 2009, Kiddus I released Green Fa Life (Naya Records), remarkably his first full length electric instrumentation album of his 30+ year career. Green Fa Life sees Kiddus I team up with roots reggae legends Earl "Chinna" Smith and Leroy 'Horsemouth' Wallace, although that is naming just a few of the very respected heavy weight artists who also play on the album. Kiddus I also appears on the first two "Grass Yard Productions" albums [Naya Records] released 2009 with the tracks "Merry Chase" and "Shine Your Light". Both Grass Yard Productions: Vol1 & Vol2 has Kiddus I sharing studio time with other stella Jamaican musicians such as Ken Bob, Johnny "Dizzy" Moore, Jamel, Don I, Ken Boothe, Israel Voice, Jahmali and Michh "Shemaiah" Abrahams.
In 2007, a copy of his album tapes from 1981 were discovered, and his debut album was finally released in 2009 as Rocking Rebel Volumes 1&2.
-snip-
This summary was reformatted for this post to enhance its readability.
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Example #3: KIDDUS I - GRADUATION IN ZION (LOOTAYARD RECUT)
LOOTA YARD Uploaded on Mar 22, 2009
Kiddus I recording live inna Lootayard
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Example #4: Kiddus I - Graduation In Zion (Cheer Up) - (Shepherd / Dub Store Records - DSR-KI12-02)
Dub Store Records, Published on Oct 16, 2012
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LYRICS: GRADUATION IN ZION (extended version, 6:42]
(Kiddus I]
Spoken: Yes, let it be the Holy One’s will
Not the will of I and I
So let it be.
Give thanks.
Sung: No it won't be too long now
No it won't be too long
Till all of the sufferings
And wrongs soon will be right
Oh yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
Keep the faith, my brothers and sisters.
It's the cross that you bear.
And fear not saying Jah Law
“Whatsoever, ever man soweth
They all will reap, the fruits
Of their labors, yes they will,
in the end.”
Oh yeah, yeah, oh yeah
Oh yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah yeah
So, seek ye good and not evil
Ooohh I beg you, my brethren
And cheer up, cheer up, cheer up
Cheer up, cheer up
Now all folly workers now beware
Heed my cry.
Less the wrath you call down on yourselves
Be too dread for even you, to bear, bear, bear bear, bear
Oh yeah, yeah, oh yeah, yeah
Cause the wages of the denial is death with Babylon
But the gift of Jah is eternal life in Zion
Oh yeah, yeah, yeah
Oh yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
Cheer up
Cheer up
Cheer up
Everyones cheer up
Cheer up
Now all you brothers out there
You are gamblers of one sort or another.
Yeah I know you know
You gambling on the many gambling tables
or horses, wine, women, and song.
But the dreadest gambling of all
Is to gamble with your lifes
Oh yeah, oh yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
Oh yeah, oh yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
And you know after all
that the race is not for the swift
But for the sure.
Ah so endures, endure, dure dure dure dure, endure
People endures.
Again I beg you my brethrens
No don’t you back the losers
When you know graduation in Mt. Zion
Oh yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
Again I beg you my brethrens
Now don’t you back the losers
When you know graduation in Mt. Zion
Oh yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah,
Oh yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
So, seek ye good and not evil
I beg you, my brethrens
And don’t you back the losers
When you know graduation in Mt. Zion.
You know graduation in Mt. Zion.
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
[instrumental]
Just let Jah Jah be in your life
Oh yeah
[Instrumental]
[My transcription from that recording. This transcription doesn't include the words sung by the background singers. Additions and corrections are welcome.]
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DEFINITIONS FOR SOME RASTAFARIAN WORDS AND PHRASES THAT ARE FOUND IN "GRADUATION IN ZION"
"Babylon" "1. the corrupt establishment, the "system," Church and State 2. the police, a policeman (1)" http://niceup.com/patois.html [hereafter given as
"Rasta/Patois Dictionary"
"Jah"- "God; possibly derived as a shortened form of Jahweh or Jehovah (1) Jah Ras Tafari, Haille Selassie, King of Kings, Lord of Lords, conquering Lion of Judah; rastas revere Haile Selassie as the personification of the Almighty (2) [Rasta/Patois Dictionary]
"folly workers" - workers who do folly [wrong]
"be too dread"= be too dreadful
"Zion" "Ethiopia, Africa, the Rastafarian holy land (1)" [Rasta/Patois Dictionary]
-snip-
In this song "graduation" means the ones who win [in the battle between the forces of good (Zion) uand evil (Babylon)
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