Edited by Azizi Powell
This pancocojams post showcases South African Reggae superstar Lucky Dube's song "The Hand That Giveth".
Information about Lucky Dube is included in this post along with the lyrics for . Selected comments from this YouTube video's discussion thread are also included in this post.
The content of this post is presented for cultural, entertainment, and aesthetic purposes.
All copyrights remain with their owners.
Thanks to Lucky Dube for his musical legacy. Thanks to all those who are featured in this video and all those who are quoted in this post. Thanks also to the publisher of this video on YouTube.
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INFORMATION ABOUT LUCKY DUBE
From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lucky_Dube
"Lucky Philip Dube (pronounced duu-beh;[1] 3 August 1964 – 18 October 2007) was a South African reggae musician and Rastafarian. He recorded 22 albums in Zulu, English and Afrikaans in a 25-year period and was South Africa's biggest-selling reggae artist.[2][3] Dube was murdered in the Johannesburg suburb of Rosettenville on the evening of 18 October 2007.[3][4][5]
Biography
Early life
Lucky Dube was born in Ermelo, formerly of the Eastern Transvaal, now of Mpumalanga, on 3 August 1964. His parents separated before his birth and he was raised by his mother who named him Lucky because she considered his birth fortunate after a number of failed pregnancies.[6] Along with his two siblings, Thandi and Patrick, Dube spent much of his childhood with his grandmother, Sarah, while his mother relocated to work. In a 1999 interview, he described his grandmother as "his greatest love" who "multiplied many things to bring up this responsible individual that I am today."[7][8]
Beginning of his musical career
As a child Dube worked as a gardener but, as he matured, realizing that he wasn't earning enough to feed his family, he began to attend school. There he joined a choir and with some friends, formed his first musical ensemble, called The Skyway Band.[8] While at school he discovered the Rastafari movement. At the age of 18 Dube joined his cousin's band, The Love Brothers, playing Zulu pop music known as mbaqanga whilst funding his lifestyle by working for Hole and Cooke as a security guard at the car auctions in Midrand. The band signed with Teal Record Company, under Richard Siluma (Teal was later incorporated into Gallo Record Company). Though Dube was still at school, the band recorded material in Johannesburg during his school holidays. The resultant album was released under the name Lucky Dube and the Supersoul. The second album was released soon afterwards, and this time Dube wrote some of the lyrics in addition to singing. It was around this same time when he began to learn English.[8]
Moving into reggae
On the release of his fifth album, Dave Segal (who became Dube's sound engineer) encouraged him to drop the "Supersoul" element of the name. All subsequent albums were recorded as Lucky Dube. At this time Dube began to note fans were responding positively to some reggae songs he played during live concerts. Drawing inspiration from Jimmy Cliff[9] and Peter Tosh,[7] he felt the socio-political messages associated with Jamaican reggae were relevant to a South African audience in an institutionally racist society.[9]
He decided to try the new musical genre and in 1984, released the mini album Rastas Never Die. The record sold poorly – around 4000 units – in comparison to the 30,000 units his mbaqanga records would sell. Keen to suppress anti-apartheid activism, the apartheid regime banned the album in 1985, because of its critical lyrics, for instance in the song "War and Crime".[10] However, he was not discouraged and continued to perform the reggae tracks live and wrote and produced a second reggae album. Think About The Children (1985). It achieved platinum sales status and established Dube as a popular reggae artist in South Africa, in addition to attracting attention outside his homeland.[8]
Commercial and critical success
Dube continued to release commercially successful albums. In 1989 he won four OKTV Awards for Prisoner, won another for Captured Live the following year and yet another two for House of Exile the year after.[11] His 1993 album, Victims sold over one million copies worldwide.[2] In 1995 he earned a worldwide recording contract with Motown. His album Trinity was the first release on Tabu Records after Motown's acquisition of the label.[11]
In 1996 he released a compilation album, Serious Reggae Business, which led to him being named the "Best Selling African Recording Artist" at the World Music Awards and the "International Artist of the Year" at the Ghana Music Awards. His next three albums each won South African Music Awards.[11] His most recent album, Respect, earned a European release through a deal with Warner Music.[2] Dube toured internationally, sharing stages with artists such as Sinéad O'Connor, Peter Gabriel and Sting.[9] He appeared at the 1991 Reggae Sunsplash (uniquely that year, was invited back on stage for a 25-minute-long encore) and the 2005 Live 8 event in Johannesburg.[9]
In addition to performing music Dube was a sometime actor, appearing in the feature films Voice in the Dark, Getting Lucky and Lucky Strikes Back.[12]
Lucky Dube is considered to be especially remarkable as a Dub Artist due to his lack of a diasporic cultural base. This was particularly due to the nature of Reggae and Dub being a platform for expression of displacement from the homeland. In Prisoner, the South African artist makes the genre his own by applying themes of apartheid and internal displacement.[13] In the song and music video, he is found disturbing the bounds of the genre by highlighting the toils of his own homeland. He was revolutionary in so far as he introduced a competing version to Reggae's constant tendency of romanticizing the utopian homeland of Africa.
Death
On 18 October 2007, Lucky Dube was killed in the Johannesburg suburb of Rosettenville shortly after dropping two of his seven children off at their uncle's house.[14] Dube was driving his Chrysler 300C, which the assailants were after. Police reports suggest he was shot dead by carjackers who did not recognize him and believed that he was Nigerian.[15] Five men were arrested in connection with the murder;[16] three were tried and found guilty on 31 March 2009. Two of the men attempted to escape and were caught.[17] The men were sentenced to life in prison.[18]
Legacy
On 21 October 2008, Rykodisc released a compilation album entitled Retrospective, which featured many of Dube's most influential songs as well as previously unreleased tracks in the United States. The album celebrated Dube's music and honored the contributions he made to South Africa.[19] The Roots Reggae Library has taken steps to store digital versions of the Mbaqange albums made in the 80's. Five of the six albums have been retrieved. Ngikwethembe Na has yet to be found.[20]
As one of the first artists to bring African reggae to the mainstream, Dube bridged cultural gaps within the African diaspora. What Lucky Dubé's music did was "[present] a praxis of cross-culturality and visionary possibility"[21] that the diaspora at large tends to erase. Dube gave Africa a voice and put its culture on the global stage by joining the global reggae community. Through taking Jamaican roots music back to its roots, he recontextualized the oppression and political struggles that reggae seeps itself in, bringing the basis of the diaspora back in conversation with the diaspora at large to allow for a more pan-African form of cultural expression. Dubé's roots reggae brought African people to the table in terms of conversation about the black diaspora by mimicking Caribbean artists’ assertions of African authenticity or racial utopia.[21] Lucky Dubé ultimately shows how Africans have to find their way into the conversations of the Black Diaspora by mimicking their assertions of African authenticity or racial utopia. Dubé catalyzed roots reggae’s appearance as a popular form of protest song.[21] This helped “legitimize and strengthen the oppositional gesture in popular African music and culture, particularly for those generations born after decolonization.[21]"...
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LYRICS- THE HAND THAT GIVETH
(Lucky Dube)
Verse 1:
What type of a rich man are you
Who doesn't care about the poor people
What type of a rich man are you
Who doesn't care for the helpless people. (2x)
Chorus:
They're reading the bible and understand what it says
It says;
Blessed is the hand that giveth
Than the one that taketh. (3x)
Verse 2:
Are you feeling (the) pain
When you see another man starving
Are you feeling (their grief)
When you see another man with no food
Does it make you feel pain, baby
To see another man without, baby
Chorus till fade
Source: https://genius.com/Lucky-dube-the-hand-that-giveth-lyrics
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SHOWCASE VIDEO: Lucky Dube - The Hand That Giveth, 1990
Reggae Strong TV, Published on Oct 17, 2012
The perfect description of the world's biggest dilemma - GREED. Too many have become rich and powerful through taking...blessed are the givers. 5 years later, Lucky's lyrics are as relevant as ever...and we miss his voice and presence. This concert was videotaped at Bay Street, Sag Harbor NY, on July 8, 1990, by Step Lively Video. Portions of this concert appeared on the television series, Reggae Strong. (steplivelyvideo.com/reggaestrongtv.com)
-snip-
Selected comments from this video's discussion thread (with numbers added for referencing purposes only)
1. jackson migiro, 2013
"very sweet hit.RIP"
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2. talibé yéssou krista, 2014
"rasta never die R I P god bless you"
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3. Thuch Akol, 2015
"Lucky Dube, the guy whose his voice and his reggae will never be forget by many people, his songs touch human life specially in Africa and the entire humankind, Miss you, you are a true hero of Reggae."
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4. Gideon Malik, 2015
"Is a man of vission African legend"
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5. Babini Ntombana, 2015
"Reggar music iz dat best music evr. Lord plz blec the brathr mans."
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6. henok adhanom, 2015
"Rasta never die big respect"
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7. LEGAL MUSIC GANG, 2015
"Words fails to describe your impact ...rip dube"
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8.Johannes Hamutenya, 2016
"He is my hero, jah bless him."
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9. Reggae Strong, 2016
"Lucky Dube O Melhor"
-snip-
Google translate from Portuguese to English = "Lucky Dube The Best"
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10. James Earnest, 2016
"I love the dance too"
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11. Sejerian Lioness, 2016
"Jaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah Rastafari Jah bless"
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12. ALEX MUSAU, 2017
"like de man himself(lucky dube),blessed are the givers."
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13. Fillow Ngipandulwa, 2017
"This was and still true African powerful lion of all!"
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14. Robert Marema,2017
"The legend indeed, may ur soul rest in peace. Jah guide"
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15. bodyarchitect82, 2017
"please :ask if it was sister phumi one of three backing vocals???????????????"
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REPLY
16. DJ HOUR, 2017
"bodyarchitect82 yes it is. Shes the short one next to lucky dube . She was just with Lucky Dube band for a while mostly helping lucky for his US Tour then she left to create her own SOLO."
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REPLY
17. bodyarchitect82, 2017
"thanks a lot !!!! lucky was a great artist & still even today!!! if somebody know where to get the jamaican sunsplash 1991 & 1992 !!!! when sunsplash was realy sunsplash"
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REPLY
18. Hudson Garryson Achille, 2018
"bodyarchitect82 yes the shortest one is phumi maduna"
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19. godfrey king, 2017
"Feeling so bless pure love clean hand pure heart rip brother irie"
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20. Dhieu Ayuen, 2017
"what type of rich man who doesn't care about poor people is the heart of lucky dube populism. this song is ageless"
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21. Maria do rosario Cardoso, 2017
"Meu grande! LUCKY DUBE 👏👏👏👏💜❤💖💖🌟🌟🌟
-snip-
Google translate from Portuguese to English= My big
Suggested translation to standard American English = My favorite [?]
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22. Fb Eye, 2017
"You cannot change the whole world but you can change some. Lucky Dube changed a lot of people through his everlasting music and his passion for the people of the world and his relentless fight against oppression of the people/poor."
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REPLY
23. Fotu Vatuvei, 2017
"Alecks Justice yess so true so sad that he died he will always be remembered"
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24. Jonglei Nascimento, 2017
"Luke Dube faz parte de minha infância"
-snip-
Google translate from Portuguese to English:
"Luke Dube is part of my childhood"
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25. Fausto Mourao, 2018
"I MISS YOU KING
JAH LIVE IN US"
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26. sarah k jane, 2018
"wow.good music.greedy has ruled many people."
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27. Alex Cortez Vargas, 2018
"Dios bendiga siempre al alma pura del reggae"
-snip-
Google translate from Spanish to English: "God always bless the pure soul of reggae"
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28. Chrisy Mooketsi, 2018
"Wow!!!!! The sad voice of Phumi Maduna. My sister, I used to watch you on stage in Phikwe Area One. I miss your guy Doug-more Madoda."
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29. Nelson Otuma, 2018
"Blessed is the hand that goveth than the one that taketh ...Heroes don't die they Rest. You left legacy in Africa Hearts."
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30. Jairus Ondoro, 2018
"Great teachings and entertainment,,,,RIP LUCKY DUBE"
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31. Jansuk Chaplain, 2018
"no one can put on his shoe.Dube was a great person of his own class"
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32. Olobo Denis, 2018
"the legend lucky dube will always be remembered for his great contribution towards freedom"
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33. MYWILLIAM WHYMN, 2018
"What kind of wicket rich man are you, who doesn't care about poor people? After all, we all will died and leave all behind.. Why can you share with your neighbor?"
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34. Nelson Mandela junior, 2018
"R.I.P lucky dube your music and messages still live on we will forever love you and who so ever is listening to your music in 2018 make like and comment jah love truth shall prevail and lies perish"
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35. adingbu james, 2018
"the world needs this song now more than ever"
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36. Kenedy Munene, 2018
"how do you fill all politicians in the world wide when you see children in street without shelter? how do you fell when you see another human being suffering? RIP Lucky"
-snip-
fill/fell= feel
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37. Emmanuel Ahisakiye, 2018
"wawoo,what song!!!!!"
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38. Sodiq Ismail, 2018
"Lucky Dube quand je l'écoute vraiment je me dit automatiquement voici les talents d'Afrique"
-snip-
Google translate from French to English: "Lucky Dube when I really listen to it I automatically tell myself here are the talents of Africa"
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39. Vah Marcel, 2018
"Lucky est monument. C'est une bibliothèque africaine qui vient de s'en aller chez le tout puissant. Sue celui ci le loge dans un bon endroits."
-snip-
Google translate from French to English: "Lucky is monument. It's an African library that has just gone to the all-powerful. Sue this one lodges it in a good place."
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40. Lucas Mpfuni, 2018
"Reggae king will always be remembered # Lucky Dube. No one is supposed to take someone's life, only Jah the creator can take someone's life."
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41. Josephine Kamau, 2018
"All time legend till the end of the world!! we will still dance to your tunes in heaven if there's one. I love you Lucky Dube 💗💗💗💗💗"
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42. Simon Sowu, 2018
"Lucky, you did all that you could to use the music to preach the Goodness to mankind for a better and useful society RIP"
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43. Kwaku Awortwe, 2018
"this man is my inspiration"
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44. Henry Kihika, 2018
"such a captivating message amidst a melodic voice."
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45. Linah Lekgeu, 2018
""YES" REGGAE STRONG"
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46. Jane Wangui Wamuyu, 2018
"You're still touching many soul JAH BLESS"
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47. Kudzanai Zindonda, 2018
"Lucky you will be missed your music and message to live forever"
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48. Goodlucky Martin, 2018
"One of the artists in the world ur the best regae man talented r. I. P"
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