Jamaican Songs About The River Jordan (Part II)

Edited by Azizi Powell

This post is Part II of a two part series that presents some information about, and a very small sample of Jamaican songs about the river Jordan. These posts also include transcriptions of those song lyrics when those lyrics aren't found online, or links to those song lyrics if those lyrics are already found online.

Part II features four sound files of Jamaican songs about the river Jordan. The featured songs, posted in no particular order are Clancy Eccles with Hersang -"River Jordan", Burning Spear- "Jordan River", The Itals - Roll River Jordan", and Linval Thompson - "Roll river Jordan".

Click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2013/02/jamaican-songs-about-river-jordan-part-i.html for the first post in this series.

Part I of this series features Laurel Aitken - "Roll Jordan Roll", Wingless Angels -"Roll River Jordan", and a Zion Sacred Heart Sabbath church (Jamaica) congregational rendition of "Roll Jordan Roll".

That post also provides some information about the religious and folkloric significance of the Jordan river, as well as some information about the much older African American Spiritual "Roll River Roll".

DISCLAIMER:
I am not Jamaican. Nor am I an expert of or highly knowledgeable about Jamaican music.

The primary purpose of this Pancocojams blog-and my Cocojams and Jambalayah websites-is to raise awareness of various examples of African American, African, and other African Diaspora music & dance forms. Particularly on Pancocojams, I feature an eclectic mix of music & dance forms from the USA and from other parts of the world.

In addition to raising awareness of those specific music/dance examples and their music genres, if known, my goal for Pancocojams & those websites is to encourage persons who are experts and are very knowledgeable about those examples & genres to add online information (including correct lyrics), sound files and/or videos.

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

All copyrights remain with their owners.

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PART II - JAMAICAN SONGS ABOUT THE RIVER JORDAN

FEATURED SOUND FILES

Example #1: Clancy Eccles with Hersang/River Jordan



Soberphobe, Uploaded on Feb 7, 2007
-snip-
I believe that this song is an example of Jamaican Ska music.

[Update 2/25/2013 - I've received a comment that this song isn't Ska music.

I remain interested in comments from those who can identify this music genre and the music genres of the other songs that are featured on this Jamaican River Jordan posts and/or the songs that are featured on Part I of this series.]
-snip-
Here's an excerpt from the Wikipedia page about Ska music http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ska
"Ska (pron.: /ˈskɑː/, Jamaican [skjæ]) is a music genre that originated in Jamaica in the late 1950s, and was the precursor to rocksteady and reggae.[1] Ska combined elements of Caribbean mento and calypso with American jazz and rhythm and blues. It is characterized by a walking bass line accented with rhythms on the upbeat. In the early 1960s, ska was the dominant music genre of Jamaica and was popular with British mods. Later it became popular with many skinheads.[2][3][4]"
-snip-
According to an allmusic.com review of The Itals' "Roll River Jordan" record that was quoted in the first post of this series, this record which was released in 1961 was the first of many Jamaican songs that focused on the river Jordan.
-snip-
LYRICS: RIVER JORDAN
(Clancy Eccles)

Lead Singer-Roll river Jordan, roll
Other singer/s – Roll river Jordan
Lead -Roll river Jordan, roll
Other singer/s – Roll river Jordan
Lead-Roll river Jordan, roll
Other singer/s – Roll river Jordan
Lead- Roll River Jordan
[overlapping Leader and Other singer/s]
Lead- Roll river Jordan
Roll river Jordan
[Other singer/s repeatedly sings “Ah ha”]
[Lead and Other singer/s sing together]
Roll river Jordan roll
Lead: It’s better we fit to pray
Other singer/s – Roll river Jordan
Lead-Because it will be a terrible day
Other singer/s – Roll river Jordan
Lead- When my God shall past through this land, to redeem
[The words “to redeem” and the Other singer/s ‘ part overlaps].
Other singer/s – Roll river Jordan
Lead - His people by His hand
Other singer/s – Roll river Jordan
[overlapping Lead and Other singer/s’ voice]
Lead- Roll river Jordan
Roll river Jordan
[Other singer/s - repeatedly sing/s “Ah ha”]
[Lead and Other singer/s sing together]
Roll river Jordan roll
Lead: Sinners better repent and pray*
Other singer/s – Roll river Jordan
Lead-Because it will be a terrible day
Other singer/s – Roll river Jordan
Lead- Remember Noah build a ark, an' they mock him*
[The words “an'....” and the Other singer/s’ part overlaps].
Other singer/s – Roll river Jordan
Lead - Even doubt the storm*
Other singer/s – Roll river Jordan
[overlapping Lead and Other singer/s voice]
Lead- Roll river Jordan
Roll river Jordan
Other singer/s - [repeatedly sings “Ah ha”]
[Lead and Other singer/s sing together]
Roll river Jordan roll

[instrumental]

Lead -Roll river Jordan, roll
Other singer/s- Roll river Jordan
Lead-Roll river Jordan, roll
Other singer/s – Roll river Jordan
Lead-Roll river Jordan, roll
Other singer/s – Roll river Jordan
Lead- Roll River Jordan, roll
[overlapping Lead and Other singer/s ]
Leader- Roll river Jordan
Roll river Jordan
Other singer/s - [repeatedly sings “Ah ha”]
[Lead and Other singer/s sing together]
Roll river Jordan roll
Lead- Roll river Jordan
Roll, river Jordan
Roll river Jordan roll.
-snip-
Transcription by Azizi Powell. The words in italic mean I guessed about that transcription. Additions and corrections are very welcome.

*Thanks to Gibb Sahib for these amended transcription suggestions [2/25/2013]

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Example #2: The Itals - Roll River Jordan



MrJahrichie, Uploaded on Sep 22, 2010
-snip-
This record was released in 1983.
From http://www.smithsonianeducation.org/migrations/rasta/terms.html
"Ital The Rastafari term for a saltless and vegetarian diet. Although not all Rastafari adhere strictly to such a diet, it serves as a model for idealized lifeways of practitioners. During Nyabinghi ceremonies (which last for up to a week), an Ital diet is part of the ritual protocol observed by communicants."
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Click http://www.sing365.com/music/lyric.nsf/Roll-River-Jordan-lyrics-The-Itals/C117176B1400BCF248256CC7000FBF55 for the lyrics to this song.

Partial lyrics:
"Jordan River's gonna roll
Roll River Jordan roll
Meet me at the bank of the beautiful river
Meet me at the bank of the beautiful river"

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Example #3: Burning Spear - Jordan River [Live] [Prevlousily Unrelaesed] [#]



RastaChaka, Uploaded on May 30, 2009

Mixed at Island Studios,Hammersmith U.K. .Godwin Logie & Terry Barham - Engineers
Produced by Denise Mills . Track 17 - from the album - "Live" released 1978
Track 18 - previously unreleased
-snip-
Click http://www.jah-lyrics.com/index.php?songid=1135 for the lyrics to this song.

Partial lyrics:
"Jordan River go roll, a go roll.
Jordan River a go roll, a go roll.
Jordan River a go roll, a go roll.
Roll, Jordan River!
Roll, Jordan River!
Roll, Jordan River!
Let it roll, let it roll, let it roll,
Roll, roll, roll."

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Example #4: Linval Thompson - Roll river Jordan (Happy Faces) 7"



Jahstariddim, Uploaded on Nov 22, 2011

1976 Very strong tune made by Linval in New York and released in Jamaica.Hard-hitting lyrics like :

'If the rich man don't try to help the poor man, blood gonna roll like river Jordan..'
-snip-
Click http://www.reggae-vibes.com/concert/linthompson/linthompson2.htm for an interview with Linval Thompson about this song. In that Inteview Linval said that “It start (sings): 'Roooll river Jordan...' ”
-snip-
LYRICS: ROLL RIVER JORDAN
(Linval Thompson)

Roll River Jordan
Roll River Jordan
If the rich man don't try to help the poor man,
blood gonna roll like river Jordan..
Roll, River Jordan
Roll, River Jordan
If the rich woman don't try to help the poor man,
Blood gonna roll like river Jordan.
Roll, River Jordan, Roll
Ah, I can read
For so long I read it in the Bible
That blood gonna roll like river Jordan..
Roll, River Jordan, Roll.
The poor man need a helping hand.
Roll, River Jordan, Roll.

The poor woman need help.
The rich man have everything
And the poor man can’t obtain nothing.
Roll, River Jordan, Roll.
The poor man need help.
Roll, River Jordan, Roll.

The poor woman need help.

Aha,I feel so lost
Aha, I feel so lost
Aha, lalalalalalala
lalalalala

Aha, I can read
For so long I read it in the Bible
I read it in the Bible
That blood gonna roll like river Jordan..
Roll, River Jordan, Roll
Roll, River Jordan, Roll.

If the rich man don't try to help the poor man,
They gonna find out something.
Blood gonna roll like River Jordan.
Roll, River Jordan, Roll

Ro-ll, River Jordan, Roll.
Ro-ll, River Jordan, Roll.
The poor man need help.
The poor woman need help.

The poor man need help
And the rich man have everything, ah hun

Roll, River Jordan, Roll.
Roll, River Jordan.
Blood gonna roll like River Jordan.
-snip-
Transcription by Azizi Powell from the sound file. Additions and corrections are very welcome.

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENT AND THANKS
Thanks to the featured artists and groups for their musical legacy. My thanks to the quoted transcribers for their transcriptions. Thanks also to the authors of the articles that are quoted in this post, and to the uploaders of these featured sound file and video.

Thank you for visiting pancocojams.

Viewer comments are welcome.