Annotated Bibliographies of Reggae Lyrics

Corevel Cova

Annotated Bibliography

Prof. Jewelle

Due Date: 11/1/2019

 

Annotated Bibliography of Reggae Music Lyrics

 

Burrell, Orville Richard aka Shaggy. “ Mr. Boombastic”, Boombastic.1995

Shaggy made a feel-good song that inspires confidence in men and sets this ideal of what a man should be for his female audience. His lyrics are smooth, “Well you a d bun and me a di cheese…and if you be a rice then me a di peas” and speaks to a natural synergy between him and the girl he speaks about. He is proclaiming that the girls call him Mr. Boombastic, which is a word he created himself about himself, alludes to his sexual prowess in bed. This entire song talks about how great he is as a “lover” and is what women now expect their men to possess. He speaks to the male population by working both ethos and pathos as the men can both look up to him as sexual goal and a road map of how to become “Mr. Lover Lovers” themselves.“ Boombastic ” is a song released by Jamaican-American musical artist Shaggy from his third studio album, Boombastic. Released in June 1995, the single achieved commercial success in many countries, including Ireland, UK, Sweden, New Zealand, and Australia, where it topped the singles charts. This is an important point of note because even though he uses Jamaican patois, the message of the lyrics is understood across all barriers because the song speaks to the very essence of human interaction. This human interaction is the need to find a significant other and shaggy talks about being the best lover, which in an era of heightened sexuality and awakening was well received.

 

 

Hammond, Hugh Beresford aka Beres Hammond. “She loves me now”,Vinyl single. 1986

Beres Hammond is relaying the story of the woman who he fell in love with but more importantly, he is asking his listeners to live fully and go with your gut instinct. One can take the story of how the woman called him out of the blue and told him how she left her relationship just on the feeling she felt from their one dance but this is a story from the lovers perspective. Hammond ascribes to the pathos of humanity that there exists love so strong that you just know it is the only thing that makes sense. It gives listeners a dream to look forward to if they haven’t found their “one” and it plays on the forgiveness of those already in love as they cannot see beyond their own feelings. Beres made a ballad that idolizes this perfect love story and created a song that had a fairytale ending while reinforcing woman empowerment because she made the call that made the entire relationship happen. This song was made in a time when women were still supposed to be seen and not heard in Caribbean culture and she was bold in her assertive decision to follow her heart. The singer wants his female audience to feel empowered to get the love they think they deserve and overall for people to be brave enough to live in their truth and thereby live their happiest lives.

 

 

 

 

Marley, Robert Nesta, aka Bob Marley. “One Love”, Exodus. Bob Marley and the Wailers. 1977.

Bob Marley’s “one love” is rooted in faith, forgiveness and unity. He is imploring his audience to see beyond themselves as individuals and consider their role in society. He effectively uses the children in his chorus to appeal to the innate emotions most adults who bear children acquire. “Hear the children cryin’… Sayin’: let’s get together and feel all right” is the repeated twice within the chorus and the chorus resonates within the listener several times. By repetition of these phrases, he appeals to the pathos of the listener. Bob is trying to convey our individual need to unite and do better for our community before “Holy Armageddon” or the end of all times. He chose to elaborate on these concepts of faith within his verses but kept his reference only to “Lord” in the chorus. This allows for greater connection across religions because a lot more people believe in some version of a higher being rather than limiting his audience to those of Christianity.

 

 

Mcintosh, Winston Hubert, aka Peter Tosh. “Legalize It”, Legalize It. 1976.

Peter Tosh seeks to rally the public to legalize marijuana. He makes his lyrics relatable and by discussing the different professions, he speaks to each of his audience on a personal level to have both tolerance for those who do and to His song uses logos by emphasizing the already rampant presence and use by people across different walks of life. In its second verse, it categorically speaks to the health benefits of using the substance abuse and subsequently in the third paragraph, he elaborates upon its natural origins and how animals use it as well. In this catchy song, Peter Tosh, who had just left his singing group “The Wailers” , he has identified every argument that the naysayers use to continue the ban on weed usage. The stigma that only homeless or purposeless people engage with this substance is counteracted and the idea of it being a natural substance and thereby more deserving of legal status than the manmade substances such as alcohol and cigarettes was reinforced. His chorus reinforces his main ideal and in its catchy nature attempts to normalize the concept. He also uses ethos because as a user himself, and creator of the music, he shows the world that one can be creative and successful while using it. It even begs to the thought of if this increases performance.

 

McNaughton, Jamal Roland aka Chronixx. “Skankin’ Sweet”, Chronology. 2017.

In Skankin Sweet, Chronixx seeks to inspire and motivate his audience through his feel-good music and motivational words. He understands that there are difficulties that we are all facing in this path of life but everything in the song is centered around not giving up but to rally on and find the “upful vibes in his music. He presents relatable situations and gives instructions of how to deal with them. “Under the pressures of life and it tough… Nuh stay down mama, time fi get up… When the bills dem, the rent and the mortgage due..When your best friends are gone and its only you” are all situations that everyone has gone through growing up. His audience’s pathos I severely affected because this music becomes their own life story. The chorus encourages you to put your struggles aside and in that moment, completely enjoy the “skankin’ sweet” music. His chorus are instructions to feel”irie” or good by forgetting one’s troubles and rocking with him for this song. He said to never give up and these pieces of evidence all support the position that Chronixx has taken. This song is intended for both a distraction and instruction of how to get past difficult times in your life and he is effective in appealing to his audience which is anyone going through a rough time in their life. His tone is welcoming and casual and he is offering a solution to the real stresses of life through music and religion.

 

 

Simpson, Mikayla, aka Koffee. “Toast”, Rapture EP. 2019

Koffee makes an ode to “Jah” and is giving thanks for all that has happened to her life. This so ng was written after her instant fame and is a praise to who she believes to be the creator and only reasons for everything. In so doing, Koffee inspires the public and aims to make her audience not only remember all that Jah has already done for them but to remember with such a mighty person in your corner, anything is possible. “And say me fi tell you me story (Yeah)…Jah shower blessings upon me” illustrates how she not only believes that Jah wants to use her as a prophet and example but that her success is deeply rooted in her faith. This is another song about how faith can have a positive effect on your life if one lives within that moment how Jah preaches. She promotes gratitude and all successes in your life are blessings and should be treated as such. She feeds the ethos of her audience because not only does she motivate with her own blessings but she gives evidence to those who are already deeply rooted in their faith of the existence of a higher being. She transcends cultures, languages and color as her music speaks to success and things of a higher nature.