As naturalised children of immigrants from the Caribbean, part of the aftermath of World War II, the children were moved to London. They attended a local high school near Ladbroke Grove, and various junior schools as Tan Tan children of immigrants from the Caribbean around West London in 1975. Vocalist Brinsley Forde had a brief career on television on the British children's television series "Here Come the Double Deckers" in 1970-71.
The original members of Aswad were Brinsley Forde, George Oban, Drummie Zeb, and Donald Griffiths. Courtney Hemmings was a frequent contributor in the 1970s, including as part of the backing band on Burning Spear's 1979 Live album, recorded at the Rainbow Theatre in London.
They became one the U.K.'s top reggae bands with songs, typical of the time, about the oppression of black youth, such as "Three Babylon" and "It's Not Our Wish", and the powerful jazz-influenced instrumental "Warrior Charge".
The band gained a wider audience with the New Chapter album (1981). "Fire", the opening track gained wide recognition when it was used as the backing rhythm for Dennis Brown's "Promised Land."
Among Aswad's catalogue of hits is "Don't Turn Around", a pop hit in 1988. This track was originally a B-side to Tina Turner's hit "Typical Male", which was later covered by Ace of Base; and a reggae flavoured rendition of "Best of My Love", first popularised and written by The Eagles. Their next hit, Shine, was released in 1994. Another track was the upbeat 1998 remake of The Police's "Invisible Sun", performed with Sting.
The band also hold the distinction of having played with each one of the ex-Wailers.
Band members
* Martin Augustine aka "Tatta" - Lead guitar
* Brinsley Forde aka "Dan" (born 16 October 1952, Guyana) - Vocals, Rhythm guitar
* Drummie Zeb aka Angus Gaye (born 1959, London, United Kingdom) - Vocals, Drums
* Donald Griffiths (born 1954, Jamaica)
* Jimmy Haynes aka "Senyah" - Lead guitar, Acoustic guitar
* Clifton Morrison aka "Bigga" - Vocals, Keyboards, Melodica
* George Oban - Left in 1980 - Bass guitar
* Tony Gad - real name Dennis Anthony Robinson, born 11 November 1957, London. Joined in 1980 - Vocals, Bass guitar
Discography
* 1976: Aswad - Mango Records
* 1978: Hulet - Mango Records
* 1981: New Chapter - Columbia Records
* 1981: Showcase - Mango Records
* 1982: A New Chapter of Dub - Mango Records
* 1982: Not Satisfied - Columbia Records
* 1983: Live and Direct - Mango Records
* 1984: Rebel Souls - Mango Records
* 1986: To the Top - Simba
* 1988: Jah Shaka Meets Aswad in Addis Ababa Studio - Jah Shaka
* 1988: Distant Thunder - Mango Records
* 1988: Renaissance - 20 Crucial Tracks - Stylus
* 1989: Aswad: Crucial Tracks
* 1990: Next to You - Alex
* 1990: Too Wicked - Mango Records
* 1993: Firesticks - Alex
* 1994: Rise and Shine - Rhino Entertainment
* 1995: Rise and Shine Again! - Mesa
* 1995: Dub: The Next Frontier - Mesa
* 1997: Big Up - Atlantic Records
* 1999: Roots Revival - Ark 21
* 2002: Cool Summer Reggae
Dub Fire
Aswad Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Where there's no night, there's only day
Look into the book of life, and you will see
That there's a land, far far away
That there's a land, far far away
The King of Kings and the Lord of Lords
Sit upon His throne and He rules us all
Look into the book of life, and you will see
That He rules us all
That He rules us all
The King of Kings and the Lord of Lords
Sit upon His throne and He rules us all
Look into the book of life, and you will see
That He rules us all
That He rules us all
There is a land, far far away
Where there's no night, there's only day
Look into the book of life, and you will see
That there's a land, far far away
That there's a land, far far away
Satta Massagana
Ahamlack, Ulaghize
Satta Massagana
Ahamlack, Ulaghize
Ulaghize, Ulaghize
The song "Fire" by Aswad has a strong religious connotation with a message of hope and longing for a better place. The lyrics suggest that there is a land far away where there is no night, only day. This can be interpreted as a metaphor for eternal life or paradise. The book of life is also mentioned, which could be a reference to the Bible or other religious texts, emphasizing the religious theme of the song. The line "The King of Kings and the Lord of Lords, sit upon his throne and he rules us all," is a direct reference to Jesus Christ, who is considered the King of Kings and Lord of Lords in Christianity.
The repetition of the lyrics, "Look into the book of life, and you will see, that He rules us all," further enforces the religious connotation and emphasizes the idea of an all-powerful God. The final words of the song, "Satta Massagana, Ahamlack, Ulaghize" are in Amharic, which is an Ethiopian language. The phrase translates to "give thanks" or "praise be to God," which further emphasizes the theme of religion and gratitude.
Line by Line Meaning
There is a land, far far away
There exists a faraway place without any darkness.
Where there's no night, there's only day
In this place, there is no night, only daylight shines.
Look into the book of life, and you will see
If you take a close look at the book of life, you will find something incredible.
That there's a land, far far away
You will find out about existence of this place where there is only light all around.
That there's a land, far far away
You will discover that this bright place really exists.
The King of Kings and the Lord of Lords
The supreme king who rules over everything and everyone in every possible way.
Sit upon His throne and He rules us all
This omnipotent being holds all the power and authority over everything and everyone.
Look into the book of life, and you will see
The book of life reveals the truth about the ruler of the land beyond our understanding.
That He rules us all
You will see that this omnipresent king has the power to control every aspect of our lives.
That He rules us all
Every human being is subject to the control and influence of this ruler.
There is a land, far far away
This place with constant light exists and is distant from our knowledge.
Where there's no night, there's only day
This faraway land has no darkness, only light is present.
Look into the book of life, and you will see
With the guide of the book of life, one can see into this otherwise invisible realm.
That there's a land, far far away
This amazing, radiant place is not a fantasy or fiction, it truly exists.
That there's a land, far far away
This land, where only daylight is seen, is not a product of imagination, but rather is reality
Satta Massagana
Praise and prayer to the holy trinity.
Ahamlack, Ulaghize
Together with God, our king and ruler.
Satta Massagana
Praise and prayer to the holy trinity.
Ahamlack, Ulaghize
Together with God, our king and ruler.
Ulaghize, Ulaghize
God our King and ruler, forever and ever.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: DENNIS BIDDY, BRINSLEY FORDE, ANGUS GAYE, TONY ROBINSON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Mohamed A. Turay
on Old Fire Stick
WICKED TRUTH! JUST FOR YOU!