The Original Non-Racist Skinheads And Ska Music (YouTube Video & Comments)

Rob & Jazz Dulcemania, Jan 16, 2012

Taken from a documentary about the history of reggae in England. Yes that's The Prince Talking, also Dave B. and Romeo. You seen it yet?

I can't believe nobody had found this and put this up yet. Check my other videos. All of them.

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Edited by Azizi Powell

This pancocojams post showcases a YouTube video about the original non-racist skinheads in the United Kingdom and in other European nations.

This post also includes selected comments from the discussion thread for that YouTube video.

Thanks to the producers of that documentary and thanks to the publisher of thist video on YouTube. Thanks also to all those who are quoted in this post.
-snip-
Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2024/11/the-song-my-boy-lollipop-and-american.html for the related pancocojams post entitled "The Song "My Boy Lollipop" And The American Roots Of Jamaican Ska Music." That post includes some information about the history of Ska music.

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SELECTED COMMENTS FROM THIS VIDEO'S DISCUSSION THREAD

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b6y8SZSsQbQ

WARNING - A minimum amount of profanity is included in some of these comments. Those words are given in this post with amended spelling. 

Numbers are added for referencing purposes only.

1. @hadidphiron420, 2013
"oi. almost all these songs can be found on the soundtrack to the original 70s skinhead flick from jamaica " the Harder They come" this song in the start of this video is desmond dekker and the aces. track one disc two. are you a skinhead? if so good luck mate! und cheers!"

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2. @RobTheTrojanSkin, 2013
"Desmond Dekker - Poor Me Israelites the 2nd Dave and Ansell Collins - Double Barrel, the 3rd Upsetters - Return of Django, the 4th Max Romeo- Wet Dream"
-snip-
This commenter identifies the music from that documentary.

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3. @hadidphiron420, 2012
"desmond dekker . song title "the isrealites"

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4. @RobTheTrojanSkin, 2014
"It's from Reggae Britannia... Documentary by the BBC"

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5. @leggozombieslayin, 2014
"Ha, I didn't know skinhead had a positive connotation"

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Reply
6. @Scoring57, 2015
"Holy f-ckin* sh-t*   The media ruined or is it the racists who stole the name as entitled whites always do? There are racists using rap music for their message now. The media had nothing to do with it"
-snip-
*These words were fully spelled out in this comment.

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Reply
7. @markrichardson1657, 2019
"@Scoring57  research the national front, i'm certain you'll find your answer there."

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Reply
8. @Scoring57, 2015
" @yuhboii7862
By being nazis while calling themselves "skinheads"?"

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Reply
9. @Scoring57, 2019
" @markrichardson1657

I know about that group. And I didn't ask question, I was making a statement then. Racists took it like they do everything else"

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Reply
10. @markrichardson1657, 2019
"@Scoring57  next time refrain from using a question mark, becsuse that inturn makes a literate person believe you're posing a question."

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Reply
11. @mitzavor8468, 2019
"@Scoring57  the original Skinheads were anti racist whites who were inspired by the Jamaican Rude Boys. Some Racist Neo Nazis began adopt the skinhead subculture. The media focused on them as they were working class. This allowed the Neo Nazis to hijack the movement and rebrand it. The original skinheads were basically wiggers."

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12. @RobTheTrojanSkin, 2019
"Wikipedia skinhead. I'm a skin. I've seen thousands and thousands of skins over the decades. And maybe like 25 Nazis. I really believe true skinheads, whether reggae boys or Oi boys, outnumber white nationalist scum that AREN'T skinheads. And we are on every continent except Antarctica."

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Reply
13. @Scoring57, 2020
" Black Rose

Or it was racists who appropriated something as they typically do (with whyte supremacists and anti-sjws saying "king" now) and media simply reflected that. Art imitating life? Whyte people are going to appropriate regardless so it's not the medias fault."

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Reply
14. @TheVaim, 2021
"@Scoring57  racists didn't appropriate sh-t*. Look, the skinhead movement was a working class thing. Some neo nazis saw an opportunity to push their agenda towards (the sometimes somewhat naive) working class people with the typical "look at all those foreigners taking your jobs" narrative. Some of those people influenced, happened to be skinheads, they went to beat up an Indian or Pakistani shop owner. At first it said in the newspaper that "racist skinheads beat up a foreigner", which gradually turned into "skinheads beat up foreigners", which in turn gave the word "skinhead" a bad connotation in the mainstream/common people's heads. Racists, neo nazis and other similar scum didn't claim the "skinhead" name, they didn't take it away, it was given to them on a platter by the media and society."
-snip-
*This word is fully spelled out in this comment.

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Reply
15. @Scoring57, 2021
"@TheVaim

Well they kind of did the moment some "working class" skinheads go together with them. If you don't make clear distinctions you can't blame others when you're grouped together"

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Reply
16. @TheVaim, 2021
"@Scoring57  You really need to brush up on what Skinheads are about and their history before you start to write your comments, because they do not make one bit of sense. Skinheads have been railing against racism and made clear that they are not a racist movement. Go take a look at SHARP and co... And yes, I can perfectly blame others when they f-cked* over a whole movement by turning them into a synonym for racist while the majority of Skinheads are nothing of the sort.
-snip-
*This word is fully spelled out in this comment.

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Reply
17. @spunkospunko4800, 2022
"At last someone who actually knows how it was"

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18. @alexcorbett4364, 2015
"BOOTS AND BRACES DONT MAKE A RACIST!!!"

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Reply
19. @djbeatz37, 2016
"You know that.x"

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Reply
20. @tonytanner4863, 2017
"SALUTE THIS MAN!"

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Reply
21. @sowhat.., 2019
"What braces?"

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Reply
22. @cvl8722, 2021
"@alessandrolocci2004  well good thing proper skins dont recognize nazis as being real skins"
-snip-
Here's an article excerpt about Dr. Marten boots and United Kingdom's skinheads:
..."Initially worn by postmen and factory workers, Dr. Martens’ first few years of existence was very much that of a £2 work-wear boot, selling solid quantities to Britain’s working classes. Then something incredible started to happen..

Without any warning or intent, Dr. Martens were suddenly picked up by early multi-cultural, ska-loving skinheads – who proudly championed British working class style. Shortly after, Pete Townshend of The Who became the first high profile individual to wear them as a symbol of his own working class pride and rebellious attitude. In so doing, both first generation skinheads and Townshend altered the course of the brand’s history, changing this functional work-wear boot into a subcultural essential."...
-snip-
One meaning for "braces" in the United Kingdom is what Americans refer to as "suspenders"https://www.quora.com/British-people-say-braces-when-Americans-would-use-suspenders-Whats-the-British-word-for-braces-for-your-teeth

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23. @enriquegs4242, 2016
"the jamaican music ( ska , rocksteady/bluebeat and early reggae/skinhead reggae/ heavy reggae ) was very popular music in u.k in the late 60's and early 70's , at that time it was very fashionable between the first skinheads but this music was not the its reason for being , the skinhead culture would emerged anyway with or without jamaican music , i like this kind of music too but when someone says "skinheads could not exist without jamaica" makes me laugh , oi it's the music made by skinheads for skinheads"

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Reply
24. @enriquegs4242, 2016
"the first skinhead were jamaicans? looooooool , the rude boys was jamaicans the first skinheads was BRITISH darling"

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Reply
25. @enriquegs4242, 2016
"rude boys with boots , come on man , don't invent historys please , rude boys just used short hair not shave head and never wear boots"

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Reply
26. @enriquegs4242, 2016
"another different thing is that here in england some rude boys copy the skinhead look and some skinheads copy the rude boys look but never but there never was skinheads in jamaica"

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27. @enriquegs4242. 2016
"skinheads born in england in 60's and grew and developed in late 70's and early 80's in england and the rest of europe , jamaican music was widely accepted between the first skinheads that's all but but neither Jamaica or rude boys or jamaican music contributed in nothing besides Fun and entertainment , that's the reality so wake up , skinheads was are and will 100% european and an identity and patriotic movement"

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28. @enriquegs4242, 2016
"+Enrique Gs surely u are from usa , u don't know nothing about europe , nothing about uk , nothing about spain and off course nothing about skinheads"
-snip-
This sub-thread no longer includes any comment with the screen name "Enrique Gs".

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Reply
29. @enriquegs4242
"introduce myself? looooool , there a skinhead movement in the whole europe since early 80's i don't need introduce nothing i'm spanish and proud to  be , proud of my history my ancestors and my culture ,skinheads born in england off course but the movement grew and developed in the whole europe since early 80's spain , italy , france , belgium , germany , netherlands , sweden ect...are countrys with a long skinhead tradition , however i live in london since 4 years ago and off course i know many old skinheads from 80's so don't pretend teach me nothing about skinheads"

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Reply
30. @blaineca, 2016
"+Enrique Gs I'll translate for you:  "I don't want to be a real skinhead, but I want to look like one.""

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31. @enriquegs4242, 2016
"americans try to teach europeans about skinheads that's the funny xd"

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32. @indy5624, 2018
"Skinheads were just a follow up to the hard Mod look, so unless you was there,which i doubt  then you know bugger all about what was happening towards the late 60s UK. the Suedehead  style was partly an influence from the Jamaican rude boy look which came into its own when Two Tone hit the streets."

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33. @RobTheTrojanSkin, 2019
"a w  skinhead came about during the volatile and racist 60s and the skinheads were generally more accepting of integration than the masses. We all know the early skins were subject to anti-immigrant intolerance. But "reggae brings unity between black and white"... And Reggae is unquestionably the original skinhead music and is better than glam, punk, oi, hxc in my opinion."

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34. @RobTheTrojanSkin, 2019
"@enriquegs4242  you a nationalist? Ya know, the US has had skins since the late 70s and has a rich history, including a bloody war which stopped the Nazi bandwagon. But we don't care about Europe, we care about our continent."

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35. @RobTheTrojanSkin, 2021
"@enriquegs4242  spoken like an oi boi nationalist. "Skinhead was an evolution of hard mod and Jamaican rudeboy culture". If skins started in the Oi movement they'd be called knobheads and have mullets. Dont believe me, look up Sharpies in Australia."

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36. @dadfisher123, 2018
"Skinhead No bonehead ! Skinhead a way of life! Oi from Sweden 😀"

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37. @pateris, 2021
"REAL Skinheads, before those feckin' fascists came in to bollocks things up ans spoil the fun…"

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38. @leshughes748, 2021
"True skins are no way racist…. Black white we all fought together. One love. 🇬🇧👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽🇬🇧🇬🇧"

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39. @jamesdriscoll2216, 2022
"Love this then and still to this day best times of my life love n unity skaaaaaa"

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40. @alexanderSydneyOz, 2022
"British love of music is color blind.  They just love great music, which, of course, includes just about everything made by african heritage people anywhere.  And how good was Double Barrel?!  Good God!"

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41. @xatoriusxVSExbhuttoriusx, 2022
"...WORD DUDE!..."

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42. @dogshumans9547, 2022
"Boneheads are not skinheads!"

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43. @ownstyle5878, 2023
"It’s one of the saddest things ever mate. A culture that brought people together, united people. Was hijacked and used as a medium to divide people based on where they come from. It truly brings a tears to my eyes thinking about 😢😢"

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44. @urareknaw, 2024
"Toots and the Maytals. True Skinhead tunes. Skinhead Oi! No politics No Racism.

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Visitor comments are welcome. 

Desmond Dekker & The Aces - "Israelites" (Official YouTube Audio for this 1968 hit Jamaican Song) Part II- YouTube Comments

Trojan Records Official,   May 9, 2014  #RockSteady #Reggae #Israelites

Official audio for Desmond Dekker & The Aces - "Israelites", released in 1968 on Trojan Records.

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Edited by Azizi Powell

This is Part II of a two part pancocojams series on Jamaican singer/composer Desmond Dekker's 1968 hit song* "Israelites".

This post showcases the YouTube official audio video of Jamaican singer Desmond Dekker's 1968 hit record "Israelites". This pancocojams post also presents some comments from the discussion thread for that video.   .     

Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2024/11/desmond-dekker-aces-israelites-part-i.html for Part I of this pancocojams series. That post showcases a 2011 YouTube video of Desmond Dekker performing "Israelites".

That pancocojams post also presents information about Desmond Dekker as well as information about his hit song "Israelites".

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

Thanks to Desmond Dekker for his musical legacy. Thanks to The Aces for their musical legacy. Thanks to all those who were associated with this song. Thanks to hare quoted in this post and thanks to the publisher of this video on YouTube.
-snip-
*There continues to be considerable debate about whether Desmond Dekker's song "Israelites" is Ska, Reggae, or Rock Steady. Some of the commenters below state their position on this subject. There are also comments about this subject in Part I of this pancocojams series. 

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SELECTED COMMENTS FROM THE DISCUSSION THREAD FOR THE YOUTUBE EXAMPLE THAT IS GIVEN ABOVE

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mxtfdH3-TQ4

These comments are given in relative chronological order except for replies. Numbers are added for referencing purposes only. 

2018

1. DEZMO NYC
"da BOMB!!!"

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2019

2. Donald Morrow
"When I first heard this song on the radio, I thought I was hearing a very good foreign language record and lumped it together in my musical understanding with "Sukiyaki" and "Volare."  Boy was I wrong when further listening revealed English with a very heavy Jamaican accent.  I bought it when it first came out in the states and played it alone in my room a lot.  Little did I know, I was buying a record that would make history even now in light of the success of Bob Marley and the Wailers.  Little did I know that I would be playing it today as if I just bought it new way back then.  Little did I know that I would trace my love of Reggae music not to Bob Marley, but to Desmond Dekker and this masterpiece.  Tomorrow, I will play this again, unlock more of its secrets and enjoy every minute of it."

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Reply
3. David Smith, 2020
"+Donald Morrow  This was the first Reggae song I ever heard, when it came out. I did not realize it was from an entire genre of music. Years later, I saw Toots and the Maytals, the same week Bob's Rastaman Vibration came out. I was in Love, like I had not been since James Brown played in my 4th grade pre Integration all white elementary school auditorium, in Augusta Ga. Love at first hearing."

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Reply
4. Seb King, 2020
"+Donald Morrow I don't want to sound rude, but I have no idea how you didn't recognize that this was English straight away."

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Reply
5. Donald Morrow, 2020
"+Seb King Quite simply, I was twelve years old at the time and knew very few Jamaicans."

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Reply
6. Seb King, 2020
"@Donald Morrow Fair enough then. Again, sorry if it came off as rude."

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7. alkh3myst, 2020
"+Donald Morrow This was also the first reggae song I ever heard. My aunts and uncles were holding out on me. I heard this record on WABC-AM in New York, and almost had a meltdown."

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8. Jorge Salazar
"Amazing song! Dekker introduced the ska and reggae music to UK, even before that Bob Marley."

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9. pat quecke
"It was perfect when they played this song at the end of the movie drugstore cowboy."

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10. Loobyloo
"So many memories of living in London! I was 13 when this came out and they would blast it at the fairgrounds in Clapton. Nostalgic as I age."

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2020

11, Jd Ck
"I loved this song when it came out. I was 10, living next to the sea and this tune seemed to be everywhere.......the tourists always had radios with them on the beach in those days (UK)"

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12, dmarcus1260
"I loved watching the cheerleaders practice their drill to the beat of this song in high school.  It was so cool!!"

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13. WedgePee
"The 269th UK #1.

Before Bob Marley was widely known in the UK, this number became the first reggae song to reach the chart summit. Goodness-knows-how-many years later, it's still better than the imitation "music" that dominates today's charts, and a lasting classic."

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14. Steve Armstrong
"Actually, "Israelites" is in the ska genre, which was a precursor to reggae."

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15. Casey Cahill
"It really is brilliant.  I heard it for the first time during a movie "Drugstore Cowboy."  It's so unique, and stays in your head!  Great, great song from extraordinary people - Jamaicans."

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16. Edwin kiarie
"The flash Season 2 Episode 19 brought me here!  :P"

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17. Dan Renwick
"Totally Righteous.

The original eh.

Huge hit here in Toronto, way back in the day. Not until the 70's did we get more."

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18. Alan Fox
"I heard it on an episode of the flash right at the beginning tonight"

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19. william Cooper
"Anyone else come here from the book 'Skinheads'?"

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2021

20, Jatsi
"Such a wonderful song!

My first contact with ska was the Specials' "Ghost Town" and after hearing that, I was hooked. :)

I think this song is both ska and reggae and it works very well.

Thank you, mr. Dekker! :)"

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21. Baflar
"Unfortunately, this is NOT the sound of the original single that famously reached No.1 in the UK charts.  The original was on the Pyramid label [PYR 6058 A]: the version here appears to be the original take but with an added echo, which spoils the 'close' intensity of Desmond Dekker's voice.  It seems that rights to the song were acquired by Trojan at some point."

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22. Mikey BBB
"Possibly one of the best intros to a song ever, pleasingly the rest of it is ace. The best tune to wake up to"

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23. phil giles
"1st real reggae song on the UK main stream radio. still magic"

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2022

24. PetertheChanter
"Thinking about the great Windrush generation."

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25. Chris Hind
"Big tuune!"

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26. skiny81
"A skins anthems ! D. Dekkers is "the rude boy ska" ✊"

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27. Dan Bernstein
"This song perfectly illustrates the transformation of ska into reggae. And still fresh after 49! years"

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Reply
28. chuckemeade, 2024
"This is actually a Rocksteady tune Reggae came after Rocksteady.  The backing band is Lyn Taitt and The Jets."

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29. And Rob
"It was so cool for the time, there was nothing on the airways like it at the time. Super cool then, and now! 😍"

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2023

30. Millie Lillyton
"Hello fellow Jamaicans"

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31. Kyle Butler
"Marc (TV series) brought me here!"

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32. smart451cab
"This was one of the first 45s I bought.  Might have been THE first, can't say for certain though.  I'd have been 14-years old and was buying my first music with my own money.  I don't remember what 45s cost back then, but I made my spending money mainly from collecting & selling deposit soda bottles.  Back then, in my town, about the only place to buy records was at Sears.

Lyrics and interpretation can be found here:

https://songmeanings.com/songs/view/3530822107858619305/ "

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33. john e Lawler
"arguably the song that put reggae on the international map"

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34. TOM WAGNER
"Heard this song as a 6 year old  in the late 60s and it stuck in my mind and then heard it again on a BBC news cast about the history of Trojan record company...glad I found it!"

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2024

35. JOHN ODEH
"Lovely song; it took me right back to the days of my childhood when my mom and her brothers used to play sweet reggae records with songs like Israelites. I practically grew up on these kind of songs! Love em to pieces I did back then, and still do."

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36. Innoje Anas
"Conscious vibe. Jah bless the artiste"

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37. Herb Burnswell
"Loved this song for years. Jumped straight out of my seat when it started bumping on episode 3 of Watchmen!"

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38. John Desalvo
"This is SKA..in the transitional phase to Rocksteady. While Mento was a "main ingredient" mixed in with American Jazz, Rhythm and Blues, and a touch of early rock and Roll. Mento in its PURE Calypso form was considered passe at this point...Tourist area bars exceptions."

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39. Marsh Duncanson
"I would like to see the official correct lyrics. I have seen various inconsistent versions."

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Reply
40. Marsh Duncanson
"I'd also like to know what the devil they mean!"

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Reply
41. Annmarie busu
"Marsh Duncanson it’s posted in various comments pretty correctly. He wakes up every morning working hard to feed himself, woman and kids. The stress of the poor Israelite ie black people. He talks about not wanting to end up like Bonnie and Clyde ( I think he wants a honest living and not hunted down and killed) and how poor he is and his relationship struggles. 😄"

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42. Claudia Allen
"Watchmen thanks for using my country song 🇯🇲🥰"

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43. Joao LEAL JR
"Also from Watchmen, but thia song remembers me the black jews rescue from Uganda by israeli special forces"

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44. ana paula Cameron
"I heard this melody in a UK margarine ad in the 90s and was immediately hooked, ( Oh, oh, oh, Vitalite) but it took me ages to find out the name of the song so I could go to Tower Records and get a copy."

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45. gil.gosseyn
"The first reggae song I ever heard, and STILL one of the best.  I first heard it when I was 16, in late '68 or early '69, on Atlanta's first Progressive radio station, WPLO-FM."

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46. Harry S. Anchan
"1969 all over again! I LOVE it! Released on June 3, 1969 reaching #9 on June 28."

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47. @colingehrman7078
"Still listening at 66 danced to this when a was 11 😊 great days  😅😅"

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48, @ru9204
"Oooh ohhh my ears are alight! What a great song 👌"

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49. @nakisharogers4555
"Look how some of our WOKE people was giving us clues before we were Born!!!"

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50. @philipdennis-rh7uj
"The struggle is real"

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51. @christine899
"I remember this song was used in an advert for a sunflower margarin, way back , always loved this song so cheerful and made you want to dance."

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52. @irwinashby-im9ft
"Ya all remember this.  London town. Watch dem white girls n boys dance. Lawwdd  joyous me tell ya. Memories by the score."

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53. @SotR59
"I've loved this song since it came out when I was a little kid. Never had any idea what he was saying and "Israelites" never even crossed my mind. I'm sure I thought something over the years but it's been a long time since I heard it till just now and as soon as I saw the title whatever I might have thought went out of my memory."

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54. @algiemcneal2014
"I like this song, the music is so catchy 😊"

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55. @markdurrant4174
"A fantastic song,reminds me of the days of working in Brixton when you heard old school ska,and this was a absolute classic 👌"

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56. @sandragriffiths9692
"This reminds me f all night dancing at The E Partido in Lewisham London in the mid 60's. What a time to alive!"

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57. @2tone753
"German from Berlin, 62 Years old, non-racist Skinhead since 1979. This is our music, not the plagiarism."

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58. @danilaird
"Spirit of 69 SKinheads! This is our music!!! Skins unite worldwide! Rudeboys and Skins!! Oi! Rocksteady, 2 Tone, Oi! music"

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59. @paulkenneally789
"Desmond Dekker did more improve race relations in Britain than anyone at the time or any of today’s shabby politicians."

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60. @lesleycarney8868
"I can't drive anywhere without my Trojan discs playing here in Southern Spain. The best thing about being a teenager in the 70's in the UK was the music."

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61.@delroyday8925
"I find this song to be as fascinating as when it was released in 1968. I was ten years old then, and I'm still listening to it, to this day. October 2, 2023.❤"

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62. @JohnWatson-ey4bh
"This song was played a great deal out of an AM station out of Charleston SC. I would get excited when my parents would drive south towards the signal. Knew I would hear this."

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63. @delroyday8925
"I am still listening to this classic song ❤"

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64. @jonathanvernot762
"Ska-lite

Is a de-lite"

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65.@TheSleightDoctor

2 months ago

This song had a profound effect on me as a teenager. It's message still stands today.

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66.@lindacarroll-so6sr

2 months ago

2024 here! First ska song I ever heard at age five! Fast forward to the English Beat, The Selector,  Madness, The Specials! That beat never gets old. 😀🎵

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Reply
67. @patriciasmith1128

2 months ago

Me too, 2024. Ska was an experience of a naive little white girl in Toronto, Canada, part of the British Commonwealth. in the 1960s. More Ska! More Reggae! More Rock Steady!

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68.@lindacarroll-so6sr
"@patriciasmith1128  Ska was great for another little white girl (me!) growing up in a small town in northeast USA. When the DJ started playing all the ska songs, you couldn't get my friends or me off the dance floor. Sometimes lasted for an hour! Great times and memories. Glad you had fun,too! Rankin full stop goes on!"

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69.@joancayenne9293
"I had loved it, but didn't  understand what it was all about, when it was banned I wondered why until between 2017/2018 I learnt that the negroes were the Israelites.   They didn't want us to know."

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70. @stephenhess9680
"Fun song from my 13th year. Used to sing it with my boyhood buds. Of course we got most of the words wrong 😂"

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71.@ameliyaholiviyah6189
"😮Just realised this day what this song is about. They made it an advert for a drink. un-learn and re-learn. ❤"

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72.@rudymartinez6242
"The first time I heard this was on Bob McCallister’s WONDERAMA show. My older cousins called LA radio stations to play it and were told, “Oh, thats an old song, it never charted”, but I guess a lot more Wonderama fans called in because within a month, it was a big hit, a few years after it was released. I’m going to have the DJ play this on our 45th Wedding Anniversary. Great song!!!!"

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73.@lawrencenjawe9875
"This all-time Reggae Classic gave me the shivers everytime I spun the record on my turntable back in the days...No doubt one of the defining tracks in the development of Jamaican music as much as the Wailers' Get up Stand Up and the Abyssinians' Satta Massagana.."

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74.@scottburton9701
"The first reggae song to crack the U.S.charts-Reached the top 10 in the spring of 1969."

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75. @jesavino1255
"Always loved this song."

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Reply
76. @RasJabal
"Thank you for the education family"

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Reply
77. @JohnGreen-y3w
"Yes!  Reached #9 on the Billboard Top 40 and was the first reggae song to get lots of airplay on mainstream pop radio here in the States"

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Reply
78. @erisdiscordia5429
"This isn't reggae though.  This is ska.  This is good ska.  This is reggae's daddy."

**
79.@stevengrundy4720
"2024 and eternal  RASTAFERI❤"

**
80. @derekstynes9631
"Beloved Anthem of the Rude Boys and Real Skinheads everywhere !"

****
This concludes Part II of this two part pancocojams series.

Thanks for visiting pancocojams.

Visitor comments are welcome.

Desmond Dekker & The Aces - "Israelites" (Part I - 1968 hit Jamaican Record: Video, Information, & lyrics)

shenery, February 21, 2011

****
Edited by Azizi Powell

This is Part I of a two part pancocojams series on Jamaican singer/composer Desmond Dekker's 1968 hit song* "Israelites".

This post showcases a 2011 YouTube video of Desmond Dekker performing "Israelites".

This pancocojams post also presents information about Desmond Dekker as well as information about his hit song "Israelites".

Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2024/11/desmond-dekker-aces-israelites-official.html for Part II of this pancocojam series. That post showcases the YouTube official audio video of Jamaican singer Desmond Dekker's 1968 hit record "Israelites". That post also presents some comments from the discussion thread for that video.    

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

Thanks to Desmond Dekker for his musical legacy. Thanks to The Aces for their musical legacy. Thanks to all those who were associated with this song. Thanks to hare quoted in this post and thanks to the publisher of this video on YouTube.
-snip-
*There continues to be considerable debate about whether Desmond Dekker's song "Israelites" is Ska, Reggae, or Rock Steady. Read "Information About Desmond Dekker's Israelite Song" below for some comments about that subject. Additional comments are found in Part II of this pancocojams series.

****
INFORMATION ABOUT DESMOND DEKKER
From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Desmond_Dekker
"Desmond Dekker (16 July 1941 – 25 May 2006)[1] was a Jamaican ska, rocksteady and reggae singer-songwriter and musician. Together with his backing group the Aces (consisting of Wilson James and Easton Barrington Howard), he had one of the earliest international reggae hits with "Israelites" (1968). Other hits include "007 (Shanty Town)" (1967), "It Mek" (1969) and "You Can Get It If You Really Want" (1970).

Early life

Desmond Adolphus Dacres was born in Saint Andrew Parish (Greater Kingston), Jamaica, on 16 July 1941. Dekker spent his formative years in Kingston. From a young age he regularly attended the local church with his grandmother and aunt. This early religious upbringing, as well as Dekker's enjoyment of singing hymns, led to a lifelong religious commitment. Following his mother's death, he moved to the parish of St. Mary and later to St. Thomas.[2] While at St. Thomas, Dekker embarked on an apprenticeship as a tailor before returning to Kingston, where he became a welder. His workplace singing had drawn the attention of his co-workers, who encouraged him to pursue a career in music.[3]

In 1961 he auditioned for Coxsone Dodd (Studio One) and Duke Reid (Treasure Isle), though neither audition was successful. The unsigned vocalist then auditioned for Leslie Kong's Beverley's record label and was awarded his first recording contract.[3]

Career

Despite achieving a record deal, it was two years before Dekker saw his first record released. Meanwhile, Dekker spotted the talent of Bob Marley, a fellow welder, and brought the youth to Kong's attention. In 1962 "Judge Not" and "One Cup Of Coffee" became the first recorded efforts of Marley, who retained gratitude, respect and admiration for Dekker for the rest of his life. Eventually in 1963 Kong chose "Honour Your Mother and Father" (written by Dekker and the song that Dekker had sung in his Kong audition two years earlier), which became a Jamaican hit and established Dekker's musical career. This was followed by the release of the tracks "Sinners, Prepare"[4] and "Labour for Learning". It was during this period that Desmond Dacres adopted the stage-name of Desmond Dekker. His fourth hit, "King of Ska" (backing vocals by The Cherrypies, also known as the Maytals), made him into one of the island's biggest stars. Dekker then recruited four brothers, Carl, Patrick, Clive and Barry Howard, as his permanent backing vocalists to perform with him under the name Desmond Dekker and the Aces.[3]

The new group recorded a number of Jamaican hits, including "Parents", "Get Up Edina", "This Woman" and "Mount Zion". The themes of Dekker's songs during the first four years of his career dealt with the moral, cultural and social issues of mainstream Jamaican culture: respect for one's parents ("Honour Your Mother and Father"), religious morality ("Sinners, Prepare") and education ("Labour for Learning"). In 1967 he appeared on Derrick Morgan's "Tougher Than Tough", which helped begin a trend of popular songs commenting on the rude boy subculture which was rooted in Jamaican ghetto life where opportunities for advancement were limited and life was economically difficult. Dekker's own songs did not go to the extremes of many other popular rude boy songs, which reflected the violence and social problems associated with ghetto life, though he did introduce lyrics that resonated with the rude boys, starting with one of his best-known songs, "007 (Shanty Town)". The song established Dekker as a rude boy icon in Jamaica and also became a favourite dance track for the young working-class men and women of the United Kingdom's mod scene.[5] "007 (Shanty Town)" was a top 15 hit in the UK and his UK concerts were attended by a large following of mods wherever he played.[3]

Dekker continued to release rude boy songs such as "Rude Boy Train" and "Rudie Got Soul", as well as mainstream cultural songs like "It's a Shame", "Wise Man", "Hey Grandma", "Unity", "If It Pays", "Mother's Young Girl", "Sabotage" and "Pretty Africa".[6] Many of the hits from this era came from his debut album, 007 (Shanty Town).[3]

In 1968 Dekker's "Israelites" was released, eventually topping the UK Singles Chart in April 1969 and peaking in the top ten of the US Billboard Hot 100 in June 1969. Dekker was the first Jamaican artist to have a hit record in the US with Jamaican-style music. Ironically although he went to worldwide fame his former welding colleague Marley never had a UK number one. That same year saw the release of "Beautiful and Dangerous", "Writing on the Wall", "Music Like Dirt (Intensified '68)" (which won the 1968 Jamaica Independence Festival Song Contest), "Bongo Girl" and "Shing a Ling".[3] 1969 saw the release of "It Mek", which became a hit both in Jamaica and the UK.[7] Dekker also released "Problems" and "Pickney Gal", both of which were popular in Jamaica, although only "Pickney Gal" managed to chart in the UK top 50.[3]

1970s

In 1970 Dekker released "You Can Get It If You Really Want", written by Jimmy Cliff, which reached No. 2 in the UK charts. Dekker was initially reluctant to record the track but was eventually persuaded to do so by Leslie Kong.[3] Dekker's version uses the same backing track as Cliff's original. Kong, whose music production skills had been a crucial part of both Dekker's and Cliff's careers, died in 1971, affecting the careers of both artists for a short period of time.[3] In 1972 the rude boy film The Harder They Come was released and Dekker's "007 (Shanty Town)" was featured on the soundtrack along with Cliff's version of "You Can Get It If You Really Want", as well as other Jamaican artists' hits, giving reggae more international exposure and preparing the way for Bob Marley.

In 1975 "Israelites" was re-released and became a UK top 10 hit for a second time. Dekker had also begun working on new material with the production duo Bruce Anthony in 1974. In 1975 this collaboration resulted in the release of "Sing a Little Song", which charted in the UK top twenty; this was to be his last UK hit.[7]"...

****
INFORMATION ABOUT DESMOND DEKKER'S SONG "ISRAELITES"

Online Source #1
From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Israelites_(song)
" "Israelites" is a song written by Desmond Dekker and Leslie Kong that became a hit for Dekker's group, Desmond Dekker & the Aces,[2] reaching the top of the charts in numerous countries in 1969. Sung in Jamaican Patois, some of the song's lyrics were not readily understood by many British and American listeners at the time of its release.[3] Despite this, the single was the first UK reggae #1 and among the first to reach the US top ten (peaking at #9).[4] It combined the Rastafarian religion with rude boy concerns,[5] to make what has been described by Allmusic as a "timeless masterpiece that knew no boundaries".[6]

Song Origin and lyrics

Originally issued in Jamaica as "Poor Me Israelites",[7] it remains the best known Jamaican reggae hit to reach the United States Hot 100's top 10,[5] and was written almost two years after Dekker first made his mark with the rude boy song "007 (Shanty Town)".[2] Dekker composed the song after overhearing an argument: "I was walking in the park, eating popcorn. I heard a couple arguing about money. She was saying she needs money and he was saying the work he was doing was not giving him enough. I related to those things and began to sing a little song: 'You get up in the morning and you're slaving for bread.' By the time I got home, it was complete."[8] The title has been the source of speculation,[9] but most settle on the Rastafarian Movement's association with the Twelve Tribes of Israel. In the 1960s, Jamaican Rastafarians were largely marginalized as "cultish" and ostracized from the larger society, including by the more conservative Christian church in Kingston. Destitute ("slaving for bread") and unkempt ("Shirt dem a-tear up, trousers a-gone"), some Rastafarians were tempted to a life of crime ("I don't want to end up like Bonnie and Clyde"). The song is a lament of this condition.

Musical structure

The vocal melody is syncopated and centred on the tone of B flat. The chords of the guitar accompaniment are played on the offbeat and move through the tonic chord [B flat], the subdominant [E flat], the dominant [F], and the occasional [D flat],[5] viz, [B flat] - [E flat] - [F] - [B flat] - [D flat]. It was one of the first reggae songs to become an international hit, despite Dekker's strong Jamaican accent which made his lyrics difficult for many listeners to understand outside of Jamaica.[10]

Impact

Despite "Israelites" being recorded and released in 1968, the Uni 45 discography shows its copyright as 1969.[11] In June 1969, the record reached the Top Ten in the United States, peaking at #9 on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart. "Israelites" hit #1 in the United Kingdom,[12] the Netherlands, Jamaica and West Germany.

[...]

Appearance in other media

The song has appeared in numerous movies and television programs,[14] including the soundtracks of the 1989 American film Drugstore Cowboy and the 2010 British film Made in Dagenham.

On November 3, 2019, "Israelites" was prominently featured in the third episode of HBO's Watchmen. Potentially because of this usage, the song charted again, entering the Billboard Digital Reggae Song Sales Chart at #2.[15]

****
Online Source #2
From https://genius.com/Desmond-dekker-israelites-lyrics
"Actually performed by Desmond Decker and the Aces, it was the first Reggae No. 1 in the UK and the second to make the top 10 in the US.

Musically, “Israelites” is all about Jamacian syncopation. A guitar and organ provide opening chords and counterpoints, but it’s the Jamaican reggae rhythm expressed by that jittery drummer, combined with those terrific vocals that defines the song.

The song is rooted in the ideas of the Rastafarian religion, which borrows the idea of the twelve Tribes from Judaism: the “Israelites”. Rastafarians see Ethipoia as the home of the Falasha or Beta Israel; the home of the “Lost Tribes” of Israel, and they see themselves as their descendants. This loosely organized religion became popular in the 1960s among poor Jamaicans."

****
Online Source #3
From Desmond Dekker & The Aces – Israelites (Official Lyrics Video), published by Trojan Records Official, May 7, 2019
"Between 1967 and 1975, Desmond Dekker, Jamaica’s first recording superstar, graced the UK pop charts on no less than 7 occasions.

His ground-breaking hit, ‘Israelites’, was the first Jamaican-produced song to top the UK chart in April 1969.

Its popularity led to a reggae explosion that took the genre into the mainstream and opened the way for the likes of Bob Marley, Jimmy Cliff, and Toots & The Maytals to follow.

Consequently, despite his tragic death over decade ago this year, he remains one of a handful of reggae artists who are readily identified with the genre.

And now, over half a century since 'Israelites' forever changed the sound of popular music, it is celebrated once more with a brand new lyrics video."...

****
Online Source #4
From https://www.reddit.com/r/Music/comments/oe4gr2/desmond_dekker_the_aces_israelites_classic_reggae/ "Desmond Dekker & The Aces "Israelites (Classic Reggae)

[Numbers added for referencing purposes only.]

1. wifespissed, 2021
"And the debate continues. Is this reggae, or is this ska?"

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Reply
2. SavageHenry592, 2021
“Rocksteady”

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Reply
3. [deleted], 2021
“Ska I think, it's not about tempo, a drummer friend told me ska is a straight beat and reggae has a swing to it”

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Reply
 4. radio reddit, 2021
"I’d say this defo swings."

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Reply
5. [deleted], 2021
"I listened again and I agree, it does"

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6. eggsssssssss, 2021
"I usually see this song referred to as reggae. The band made music variously labeled ska, rocksteady, and reggae, and there’s a TON of overlap between genres in 20th century Jamaican pop music. So it’s not really all that important.

For that matter, when I see “Trojan Records” the first genre I think of is actually dub. Seriously, so many great strains of music came out of jamaica in the 1960s & ‘70s."

**
7. superfleh, 2021
"This isn't raggae it is 1st wave ska"

****
LYRICS - ISRAELITES

(Desmond Dekker and Leslie Kong)

[Verse 1]

Get up in the morning, slaving for bread, sir

So that every mouth can be fed

Poor, poor me, Israelites (Ah-ah)

Get up in the morning, slaving for bread, sir

So that every mouth can be fed

Poor, poor me, Israelites, sir

 

[Verse 2]

My wife and my kids, they pack up and a-leave me

Darling, she said, "I was yours to receive"

Poor, poor me, Israelites, hey

Shirt, them a-tear up, trousers are gone

I don't want to end up like Bonnie and—

(Poor) Bonnie and Clyde, poor me, Israelites, hey

 

[Verse 3]

After a storm, there must be a calm

They catch me in the farm

You sound your alarm

Poor, poor me, Israelites, hey

Source: https://genius.com/Desmond-dekker-israelites-lyrics

****
This concludes Part I of this two part pancocojams series.

Thanks for visiting pancocojams

Visitor comments are welcome.

Chaka Demus & Pliers' Jamaican Dancehall Song "Murder She Wrote" (Part I: YouTube comments published in 2016--2024)

culturaroots, Nov 2, 2007
-snip-
Total statistics as of Feb.12, 2024 at 12:43 PM
Totl # of views - 67,652,325

Total # of comments - 14,179

****
Edited by Azizi Powell

This is Part I of a two part pancocojams series about Chaka Demus & Pliers' 1992 Jamaican Dancehall song "Murder She Wrote". 

This post presents showcases a YouTube video of Chaka Demus & Pliers' 1992 Jamaican Dancehall song "Murder She Wrote". This post also presents a brief excerpt from this song's Wikipedia page.

This pancocojams post also provides a compilation of some comments from that video's discussion thread in which the commenters mention the name of their country or are replies to those comments. These comments were published in 2016-2024 (as of the date of the publication of this pancocojams post)*.
 
*After uploading numerous pages of comments from this video's discussion thread, my computer wouldn't upload any additional pages. It's likely that numerous comments that fit this sub-set of comments are featured in those pages that I wasn't able to upload. 

Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2024/02/why-some-kenyans-some-other-africans.html for Part II of this pancocojams series.That post showcases the same YouTube video of Chaka Demus & Pleirs' 1992 Jamaican Dancehall song "Murder She Wrote". That post also provides a definition of the linguistic term "folk processing" as an explanation for why some Kenyans and some other Africans refer to the Jamaican Dancehall song "Murder She Wrote" as "Mama Shiro" or other similar titles

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

These comments document that many people throughout the world have been aware of and have had an appreciation for Chaka Demus & Pliers' Dancehall song "Murder She Wrote" since that record's was first released.

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks to Chaka Demus & Pleirs for their musical legacy. Thanks to Sly & Robbie for creating the bam bam riddem (beat) of this song that was/is also used for some other Dancehall songs. Thanks to all those who are quoted in this post and thanks to the publishers of this video on YouTube.

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE JAMAICAN DANCEHALL SONG "MURDER SHE WROTE"

From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Murder_She_Wrote_(song)
""Murder She Wrote" is a song by Jamaican reggae duo Chaka Demus & Pliers, from their 1993 album Tease Me. It was first released as a single in 1992 and again in late 1993, reaching number 27 on the UK Singles Chart in early 1994,[3] and number 57 on the US Billboard Hot 100, spending 17 weeks there. The song was certified gold in the UK in 2022.[4] The music to the song is based on the Maytals' 1966 song "Bam Bam", while the lyrics discuss abortion (as revealed in the third verse).[5]"

The song became a staple for weddings, BBQs, and clubs[2] and has been called one of the best and most important dancehall tracks of all time.[6][7] The tag team effort of call and response verses with melodic choruses introduced a new format of toasting from Jamaica, influencing pan-Caribbean culture[8] and crossing over globally. It went on to impact other stars of the genre like Shaggy[9] and Sean 'YoungPow' Diedrick.[10]

Sampling wise, the song was included in Billboard's list of the "Best Song Interpolations of the 21st Century", having been interpolated in Omarion's "Post to Be",[11] and in XXL's list of "20 of the Most Iconic Reggae Samples in Hip-Hop", being sampled in French Montana's "Freaks".[12] The song was also interpolated in Pitbull's "El Taxi",[13] in Jason Derulo's "Too Hot",[2] and in the remix version of Black Eyed Peas' "Ritmo" featuring Jaden Smith, as well as having been sampled and interpolated in many other songs.[14]

Writing and composition

The song is about abortion, as revealed in the third verse.[5] Pliers wrote the song reflecting on being the age of 19. At the time, he was dating a girl named Maxine who told him she was pregnant, but after 6 months there was no sign of the pregnancy,[15] waiting until 9 months and 10 months without any result of a child. The song title came from the detective series Murder, She Wrote which was a TV show Pliers used to watch and was a fan of.

[...]

The production duo Sly & Robbie had mainly been in the analog sphere of reggae, recording live instruments in more relaxed dub stylings, and entering dancehall music had them offer a digitized and energized sound with their final version of the song[2] having been produced over a simple four-bar loop known as the "Bam Bam" riddim.[18]

[...]

Two music videos were made, one with Dancehall Queen Carlene Smith, and one without...

Actress Angela Lansbury (who starred in the TV series of which the song was named after), after hearing the song finally in 2019 at the age of 93 commented "Oh, reggae! Oh, I'm thrilled to be part of reggae. Of course."...
-snip-
Click https://genius.com/Chaka-demus-and-pliers-murder-she-wrote-lyrics for the complete lyrics for Chaka Demus & Pleirs' song "Murder She Wrote"

****
SELECTED COMMENTS FROM THIS VIDEO'S DISCUSSION THREAD
This compilation presents some of the examples of comments that were published from 2016 through 2024 by people throughout much of the world. A few other comments about this song that were published as replies to these comments are also included in this post.

Examples of some comments from 2016 -2024 about the custom of Kenyans and some other Africans calling "Murder She Wrote" by the folk processed name "Mama Shiro" are given in Part II of this pancocojams series.

Numbers have been added for referencing purposes only. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-av7F1JBmj4

2016

1. @iluvmyboba
"I remember back in '92 when I was living in Far Rock, Queens I went to school with Jamaican girls that dressed just like this.  We'd be sitting right in 6th period math and when the bell rung these chicks looked like they were way their way to Chaka Demus & Pliers video shoot.  I said all of that to say.  I'm still upset that I could never wine by body like they could.  Respect."

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2. @cnsummers4086
"Lol yes, respect - Yaardie girls we have the wine pon lock."

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Reply
3. @hereisayana820, 2018
"Yep they used to dress like that in the Bronx too, uptown... remember when they put all of the glitter  designs on the skippy shoes ?  (keds)"

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4. @davidmcfarlane9185
"I feel so old right now... Chaka Demus and Pliers and the Original dance hall Queen Carlene 🙌🏾🇯🇲"

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5. @jottaz144
"+soniakiwi This song is played at clubs too, at least here in costa rica everybody knows murder she wrote"

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6. @tanny786, 2022
"this is still played in clubs in the UK"

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2017

7. @tyroneosborne2091
"This song is played in almost every part of the world where there is Music !

This is more than Reggae, it is a king of anthem !"

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8. @rukshanunambuwa1336
"you are correct my friend, greetings from Sri lanka and love this , they have got the tunes and riddim"

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9. @keshanmootoo197
"this is a big track in Jamaica still"

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10. @charj1108
"Wanda N same artist Chaka demus and plies called bam bam...i had the album"

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11. @mrsmoovable
"Reggae always uses the same instrumental over and over. They just call them "Riddims". This one is the "Bam Bam Riddim". This riddim is also what birthed reggaeton. Reggae/dancehall is founded on recycling riddims. It's not considered stealing in that genre."

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2018

12. @araujocamposdias7516
"I am from Angola, a country in African Continent, it was colonized by Portuguese people so I speak portugues and I can speak english as well because I am studying in South Africa since 2011 and they were colonized by English people, I grew up listening to this music in Angola but I never thought that it was in english because that time I could only speak portugues and also I never knew the title of the song to look for that, but today accidentally I watched a video, a girl dancing and I could understand this song and I came right now on YouTube search for that and fortunately I could find it , murder she wrote, every Angolan guy dance while listening to this music, nice one from Jamaica, in Angola the people consume many Jamaican song because we know that we are only one people separated by an ocean but we are sure that one day we are gonna be together and united as Bob Marley had said already, and also people from South America, North America, Center America, Latino America as well. the nice part but is that I can communicate with Jamaican and North American people in english and Puerto Rican, Dominican Republic, Venezuelan, Costa Rican, Hondurian and so on latino people in portugues once it is similar to spanish and portugues to brasilian people because they also speak portugues....One love for everybody/ Um abraço a todos'

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13. @sam693691, 2019
"One love from 🇯🇲. Beautiful said "We are one people separated by an Ocean""

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14. @ceofounder
"1992 the best year of Reggae!  This song ruled the summer of 1992!  Growing up in Crown Heights and Flatbush!  Franklin Ave and Lincoln Place, Jamaican Dons!  Flatbush, Parkside Court Jamaican Dons!  Stone Love/Addies dances in Biltmore Ballroom, Tilden Ballroom, Starlite Ballroom, Stone House on Rogers Ave!  Real Jamaican Dons in the "90"s and Rutland Rd,  Nostrand Ave and Martense!  Lenox rd and Flatbush!  Patio Gardens, Ebbets Fields, Tivoli Towers!  Big up your chest!"

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15. @blessed6252
"This is good but Reggae music was at its best in 70's and 80's."

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16. @chaleslim
"From Kenya... One Love.

So many memories growing up.

RIP to the friends we grew up with bouncing to this jam
#MlangoKubwa"

**
17. @Oceanemp
"I want to be a Jamaican when I heard this song 🇯🇲  

From France 🇫🇷❤️"

**
18. @molongombolongo3161
"I'm from DRC this song was the number one and till to day you can hear it to my country SHAKA DEMUS AND SHABBA RANKS forever they are legend like Bob marley"
-snip-
"DRC"= Democratic Republic Of The Congo

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2019 

19. @angelsalwayswithme1
"This song was played on every African party back in the day!"

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20. @dvintsh9080, 2020
"Yes!!"

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21, @everydayapps7225, 2020
"Even today!"

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Reply
22. @lachitimon726, 2020
"In Cuba 🇨🇺 too 👌"

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23. @tomatopaste1936, 2020
"Especially nigeria 😂"

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24. @juliareano9417
"One of my favorites, i love this song from New York to Peru and the whole world."

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25. @gemelogarro2505
"Love this music, from COSTA RICA 😎"

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26. @medmans3667
"Am here repping west Africa right.... tunes that can't die... Thumbs up Jamaica 👌👍👊"

 ****

2020

27. @ecalder77
"Dominican Republic here. I love Jamaica!!! 🇯🇲 ♥"

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28. @876mostvaluabletreasure2
"Love from Jamaica to you guys"

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29. @shenelledmund7382
"I love being part of the Caribbean  we have  different  styles of music culture ❤❤❤ we unique"

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30. @towerakabars.5202, 2021
"Me too,✌🏼❤👑🔥🔥🔥🔥💯👌🏼"

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31. @doobernow
"I have a Lammie cd from the Cayman's love the music!!"

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32. @YudithFriederike
"No entiendo esta música pero me gusta y la repito un millón de veces"

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Reply
Google translate from Spanish to English
"I don't understand this music but I like it and I repeat it a million times"

**
33.@katlehomahadika7114
"Pumping the heart 🇿🇦🇿🇦🇿🇦"
-snip-
Za= [the nation of]South Africa


34. @estebantorregroza857
"God bless Jamaica 🇯🇲"

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35. @andrewrukundokyakabale9754
"Uganda loves you. We danced to this through the 1990s"

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2021

36. @kibalamajulius7776
"2021 anyone? Here havin' some HS nostalgia 😂"
-snip-
"HS" = high school

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37. @nataliecorbin567
"Meeeee.....Barbados in the house"

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38. @kibalamajulius7776
"Natalie corbin  Caribbean I got you 😂"

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39. @missjojohuia3366
"Yep!!! 🤩🤩👍👍 Australia ova heaaaa! 🇦🇺🇦🇺 love to you all! 💕💕💕💕"

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40. @melissamontgomery1586
"2021 still ❤ this song"

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41. @kibalamajulius7776
" Melissha Montgomery  For the Culture ♥"

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42. @missqali7124
"😄😄😆"

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43. @galarthenry1450
"More like elementary school"

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44. @theawhitter-c2640
"Straight 🔥🔥🔥🔥 (the music industry, several genres have used many parts of this song; that’s how you know a BIG chune)🇯🇲🇯🇲🇯🇲🇯🇲"

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45. @DanimaldAnimal85
"Just popped into my head had to hear it 👊👊"

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46. @RodrigoSantos-up8eo
"BRAZIL YES"

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47. @boondockbwoy14
"Right here bless up in the 2021 big vibes taking me through dem rough times here dis tune is legend Chaka Demus & Pliers murder she wrote LOVE it bam bam riddim bubble riddim 💛🖤💚"

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48. @nellymarlenewatkinss.9443
"I’m here in Covid lockdown... REGGAE ROCKS 😆"

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49. @esperancemumararungu7420
"Kigali/Rwanda watching it now @ 12:34 on 11th.06.2021,

I started to enjoy it since 1992 up to now."

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50. @allmoneyinaccess7839
"That’s me and my cousins in the video in the old building we call it open land our play ground"

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51.@TitusRec1
"highschool??? this was like 2nd grade for me im 23 now.. Stay safe everyone"

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52. @katrinaarchibald3607
"just joined the party"

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53. @richardochola6382
"...and we corrupted it in 254 as "mama ciru"*
-snip-
*254 = Kenya
-snip-
Part III of this pancocojams series has more comments about singing this song with the folk processed words "mother shiro". 

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Reply
54. @paulettegrunwald8348
"Yessss I was around 18 in Flatbush Brooklyn 🥰"

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55. @godsfavchildkenyetta1976
"Yes East Orange High NJ all the way Jamaican,Hatian  Guyanese , Trinidad . Talent shows"

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56. @koulatsega6901
"Now and always.my love from Greece"

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57. @frankdunphy4595
"100 per cent rockin to this tune , brings back great memories mad times, best wishes from Irishman living in London."

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58. @zandran1453
"Lol, my Mexican mom sings “where does she go”, 😂"

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59. @Mabrrrr
"🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣💯❤️👌"

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60. @duncanotema
"Where does she go with her bad character 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣"

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61.@briankelley5124
"Bruh.... LMAO!!! 🇲🇽"

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62. @wilfredstober4665
"Now that’s hilarious"

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63. @jamaicashields9565
"Lmfao.... Im bout to start saying that lol"

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64. @carloslemus2550
"Facts 🤣🇲🇽"

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65. @jaxw8765
"Duncan Otema  😂😂 and 'her pretty face'😂"
-snip-
This is an example of folk processing lyrics by people who don't understand
the language that the song is sung in.  Read Part II of this pancocojams series for
more folk processed examples of the Jamaican Dancehall song "Murder She Wrote". 

**
66. @Rachelslays
"It’s 2021 and I’m here still jamming to this all the way from Nigeria"

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67. @dashfernando8982
"i love jamaican people,their culture and their music

so much love from sri lanka."

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68. @calumbasilva868
"Greetings from Angolans 🇦🇴"

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69. @secundario5286
"Yoo desde españa!"
-snip-
Google translate from Spanish to English -"Yo" [Hey*] I’m from Spain!"
-snip-
I added that standard English translation for the African American Vernacular English word "Yo".

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70. @NancyLopez-hs8bt
"Dancing this in my car right now! 😁 💃🏽 Puerto Rico, when I was in high school 💪🏽"

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71. @adebayoadeniran832
"I am. Feeling nostalgic of December, 1993 when I first heard the song and it became a bit regularly played song in my country Nigeria then"

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72. @hourglas39
"Yes, dancing to this song at Bob Marley Day Festival at the Long Beach Arena back in the day, major flashbacks, good times. 💖😁👍🏼"

****

2022

74. @michael_saleh
"Here in Kenya. There was omega and vibrators discos across all ask shows. Then in 1997 the duo visited. Golden era."

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75. @haaji99
"The most famous beat in the world  the 90's was the best era thats why we love jamaica and it's artist."

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76. @raenaldo
"Reminds me of being in Panama. 🇵🇦 🦅 🇺🇸"

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77. @docaries9106
"Legends!! Love from Samoa 🇼🇸"

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78. @joaquinjiren4264
"im dominican and this is an anthem in my country"

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79. @dawn5056
"2022, was in my early 20's ..LA Cali luv"

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Reply
80. @mikelugo8983
"@mikelugo8983

Cheesus Christ85  Me tooo Bronx Love 183. you already know. lol"

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81. @ramon3960
"This one was BIG in my native 🇵🇷, and it was part of my youth."

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82. @jerome3028
"Toute mon adolescence ça fait plaisir de récouté"
-snip-
Google translate from French to English:
"Throughout my adolescence it was a pleasure to listen to again"

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83. @lunalea1250
"My friend "Maxi" me,  "Wire Waist", used to "Boogle" to this masterpiece  all over NYC, great memories, still dancing!🥳💥"
-snip-
"Boogle" (correct spelling "bogle") refers to a specifi Jamaican Dancehall dance movement or one of a number of dance movements that were created by Dancehall dancer/choreographer Gerald Levy who was known as "Mr. Bogle".  Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2022/05/jamaican-dancer-latonya-styles.html  for the 2022 pancocojams post entitled "Jamaican Dancer Latonya Styles Demonstrates 22 Authentic Dancehall Steps That Were Created By Mr Bogle".

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84. @jamaljons2294
"2022 from Somalia mate

One💓"

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85. @donelbetu129
"I heard this song when I watched this movie were they were in a club whining their waist to this song and I was like I wanna learn how to whine like dat . Lucky I'm Congolese so I didn't struggle 😅

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86. @jennifernyambura2620
"At my age 43, almost broke into a dance in supermarket. This is my teenage hood jam🤸"

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87. @thatssomonchel
"Don’t fight it! Wine them hips!!"

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88. @Cosmicmorales
"I'm dancing in my room rn as we speak"

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89. @AMJ_Miller
"This song is about his disapproval of a woman’s character because she has a lot of sex & has gotten abortions. He also talks about how she’s no good because she’s not the type who will cook & clean for him. So many people are just like “wow what a fun song” but…  not really lol. Guy sounds like jerkoff."

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90. @emeraldkaysgarden
"​ @amandamiller8283 this song ain't for you. Go sit down somewhere."

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91. @canadian1700
"your my age, good times sister, i'm a white guy from canada, bbq dance music, boom"

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92. @WATP1872LR-G
"I wish you had started dancing!   I can't be the only one that dances in the freezer aisle!!!"

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93. @FBH6O, 2024
"Im 63, Here in Barbados 4th January 2024 at work. Had  2 run in d rest room wid my fone, so I cud dance and sing 2 dis without getting fired 😂. ❤🇧🇧"

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94. @grahamtauni3532
"In 2022 and this song still slap😍 much love from 🇰🇪🇰🇪"
-snip-
"Ke" = Kenya

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95. @jumahamis227
"Even in Tanzania it’s still played everyday 😆"

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96. @boobs4790
"Yeeaah we in turkey olso"

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97. @AromaBlue
"Europe too🤣👍🤝"

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98. @andrewsgreatoutdooradventu612, 2023
"In Canada I’ve been listening to this since it came out and it never gets old."

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99. @myramartinez8289, 2023
"They still play it here in Belize too😂"

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100. @feonor26, 2024
"Play it at my local bar in Norway all the time too😂"

****
2023

101, @lindanavarro1674
"LAWD HAVE MERCY. ME CUBAN. CUBANA. BUT ME LOVE JAMAICA SOOOOO MUCH. WE SISTER ISLANDS/COUNTRIES. LONG LIVE JAMAICA & THE WHOLE CARIBBEAN. LONG LIVE REGGAE!!!! THIS SOOOOO GOOD & CLASSIC. 🇨🇺🇨🇺🇨🇺🇨🇺🇨🇺🇨🇺.  🇯🇲🇯🇲🇯🇲🇯🇲🇯🇲🇯🇲🇯🇲🇯🇲🇯🇲🇯🇲🇯🇲"

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102. @benardarcher6323
"Good music never die, it takes me back  90s ..... Much love❤ from Ghana 🇬🇭🇬🇭🇬🇭"

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103, @michaelkarimi2483
"Never grows old.By then I couldn't afford a radio it was on KBC station....How we loved and danced this.... It's nostalgic....Long live"
-snip-
KBC= Kenyan Broadcasting Corporation

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104. @truthhurts3305
"Growing up in the UK they used to play this at every African party 😂"

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105. @Dandelion180
"I remeber i was 4 and my family was having a kickback were from Spanish town Jamaica and my mom and her sisters were having the time of their life so me and my twin brother and cousins joined and we learned the lyrics like this and the nostalgia is so amazing"

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106. @p.d6923
"I'm out my back garden cutting the grass in Belfast thinking I'm in Jamaica swinging about like a empty tracksuit hahaha"

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107. @sonybravia74
"Fam I was in 11th grade I think. Hitting the Maryland College Park parties and

Maryland Eastern Shore parties."

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108. @rodriguenankeng4794
"2023 depuis le Cameroun 🇨🇲, qui est là ??????????"
-snip-
Google translate from French to English: [I'm] from Cameroon 🇨🇲, who [else] is [from] there????"
-snip-
I added the words that are in brackets to conform with standard English.  As of the date and time that this pancocojams post was published, no one from the Cameroons had replied to that comment.

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109. @handsomemw
"2023 we still on it, 🔥greetings from south Africa ✊"

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110. @iamkevingbtw
"Am the only Hispanic in here who still bumps this banger 🕺🏻🔥"

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111. @fatjeezussouthtexasoutdoor5244
"Nope  👍👍"

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112. @sharonchristie7579
"🙏💝💜💖🇯🇲 GREETNS WORLD, EVERY BLOODY DAY WE HERE DIS CLASSIC, STAND STILL!"

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113. @SauteKing8760
"Heard this n jamaica on the beach party couldn’t stop dancing what a tune never will forget Jamaica got married over there went back 14 years later which our son all dancing on the beach to this classic lol gone so fast."

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114. @wanguirhods265
"I am a Kenyan lady and I was 10yrs old but I would stop to dance this song every time  heard it from my neighbor's speakers"

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115. @scarboroughboy3960
"Olivia Chow's Campaign in Toronto rocking this tune last night at her Victory Celebration.....Big up Jamaica...."
-snip-
From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Olivia_Chow
""Olivia Chow (born March 24, 1957) is a Canadian politician who has been the 66th mayor of Toronto since July 12, 2023"...

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116. @yaymaravillaverde3947
"Por la cercanía geográfica en el oriente cubano hay mucha influencia de estos ritmos jamaiquinos (reggae,  raggamuffi, dancehall, dembow)...especialmente en las provincias Guantánamo y Santiago, por su cultura y tradiciones las más caribeñas de la Isla🎼🎧👌"
-snip-
Google translate from Spanish to English:
"Due to the geographical proximity in eastern Cuba, there is a lot of influence of these Jamaican rhythms (reggae, raggamuffi, dancehall, dembow)...especially in the Guantánamo and Santiago provinces, due to their culture and traditions, the most Caribbean on the Island🎼🎧👌"

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117. @takesomemolly1660
"We sure danced to this song in Nigeria like crazy at every party..."

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118. @mrbdx
"1992. Summertime in VA! This sh!t was ROCKING! The girls used to Bogle and do nasty dances. 😆"
-snip-
This is the way that this comment was written in this  discussion thread.

****

2024 

119. @yolaeddie9830
"I was 15 years old when they released  this song the first time in a party. It was during a party in my town : Man, part of the west region of Ivory Coast my country"

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120. @georgelrodriguez9756
"Sierra Madre CA 2024❤"

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121. @damianbutterworth2434
"My mum and dad from the UK went to Jamaica for a holiday in the 1990`s and I ask them to bring me some Reggie music back from local bands and they brought this tape back with their album on. Great. :)"

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122.@JamesMiles-ew8ff
"1992, I was living in Flatbush section of Brooklyn.  This was the anthem, and I never got tired of it.  I came here in Feb 2024 because I  just heard it on the radio on Philly and had all kinds of flashbacks!"

****
This concludes Part I of this two part pancocojams series.

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