Perry began his career in the late 1950s working with Clement Coxsone Dodd's sound system. He eventually performed a variety of important tasks at Studio One as well as recording about thirty songs, but the pair eventually stopped working together due to personality and financial conflicts.
Working with Joe Gibbs, Perry continued his recording career, but once again, financial problems caused conflict. Perry broke ranks with Gibbs and formed his own label, Upsetter, in 1968. His first single "People Funny Boy", which was an insult directed at Gibbs, sold very well. It is notable for its innovative use of a sample (a crying baby) as well as a fast, chugging beat that would soon become identifiable as "reggae" (the new sound did not really have a name at this time). During the 1970s, Perry released numerous recordings on a variety of record labels that he controlled, and many of his songs were popular in both Jamaica and the U.K. He soon became known for his innovative production techniques as well as his eccentric character.
In the early 1970s, Perry was one of the producers whose mixing board experiments resulted in the creation of dub. In 1973, Perry built a studio in his back yard, The Black Ark, to have more control over his productions and continued to produce notable musicians such as Bob Marley & the Wailers, Junior Byles, The Heptones, and Max Romeo. With his own studio at his disposal, Perry's productions became more lavish, as the energetic producer was able to spend as much time as he wanted on the music he produced. It is important to note that virtually everything Perry recorded in The Black Ark was done using rather basic recording equipment; through sonic sleight-of-hand, Perry made it sound completely unique. Perry remained behind the mixing desk for many years, producing songs and albums that stand out as a high point in reggae history. By 1978, stress and unwanted outside influences began to take their toll: both Perry and The Black Ark quickly fell into a state of disrepair. Eventually, the studio burned to the ground. Perry has constantly insisted that he burned the Black Ark himself in a fit of rage, but it was most likely an accident caused by faulty wiring. After the demise of the Black Ark in the early 1980s, Perry spent time in England and the United States, performing live and making erratic records with a variety of collaborators. It was not until the late 1980s that Perry's career began to get back on solid ground again, after working with British producers Adrian Sherwood and Neil Fraser, better known as Mad Professor.
Perry lived in Switzerland for a while with his wife Mireille Campbell-Rüegg and two children. He continued to record and perform to enthusiastic audiences in Europe and North America late into his life. His later music is a far cry from his reggae days in Jamaica; many saw this part of Perry's career as more of a performance artist in several respects. In 2003, Perry won a Grammy for Best Reggae Album with the album Jamaican ET. He teamed up with a group of Swiss musicians and perform under the name Lee Perry and the White Belly Rats. in 2015, Perry’s recording studio in Switzerland was damaged by a fire that destroyed various unreleased recordings and some of his stage gear. In 2020 Perry moved with his wife to Jamaica, where he died on 29 August 2021.
The Upsetter
Lee "Scratch" Perry Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Yee-heey
Why you so covetus?
Yee-hey
Everything you want for yourself
But you think of no one else
Why you so red-eyed?
Why can't you satisfy?
You take people for fool
Yee-hey
And use them as a tool
Yee-hey
But I am the avenger
You'll never get away from me
I am the upsetter
Suffer, you're born to suffer
I told you once to run
Yee-hey
But you take it all for fun
Yee-hey
Now it will be rough
For you it will be tough
I promise you the right and the left
But not with the uppercut
I am the avenger
This is the upsetter!
Suffer, you're born to suffer
You'll never get away from me
I am the avenger
You'll never get away from me
The lyrics in Lee "Scratch" Perry's song The Upsetter express Perry's frustration with someone who is consumed by greed and lacks empathy for others. He questions why this person is so "gravelicious" (insatiable for material wealth) and "covetus" (greedy), taking everything for themselves and not considering others. Perry sees through this person's facade and calls them out for being "red-eyed" (envious), unable to satisfy their lust for more. The person is taking advantage of others, using them as a means to an end, and Perry vows to be their avenger, the Upsetter.
Perry warns that the person will never get away from him, implying that he will confront them and hold them accountable for their actions. The Upsetter promises to deliver justice with "the left and the right" (a reference to boxing techniques) but not with the "uppercut" (a dangerous and potentially fatal move). He states that this person is "born to suffer" and that they will face the consequences of their actions. The person had a chance to run and avoid this fate, but they chose to continue their behavior, making it tough for them going forward.
Overall, the lyrics of The Upsetter convey a message of standing up to greed, selfishness, and exploitation, reminding us that actions have consequences and that justice will eventually prevail.
Line by Line Meaning
Why you so gravelicious?
Why are you so greedy?
Why you so covetus?
Why are you so covetous?
Everything you want for yourself
But you think of no one else
You only think of yourself and don't care about others.
Why you so red-eyed?
Why can't you satisfy?
Why are you so angry and unable to be content?
You take people for fool
And use them as a tool
You deceive and manipulate people for your own benefit.
But I am the avenger
You'll never get away from me
I am the upsetter
I will seek justice for your wrongdoings and you can't escape my retribution.
Suffer, you're born to suffer
You deserve to suffer for your actions.
I told you once to run
But you take it all for fun
I warned you before, but you didn't take me seriously and treated it as a joke.
Now it will be rough
For you it will be tough
You will face difficulties and challenges.
I promise you the right and the left
But not with the uppercut
I will give you what you deserve, but it won't be a physical attack.
This is the upsetter!
Suffer, you're born to suffer
You'll never get away from me
I am the avenger
You'll never get away from me
I am the one who will cause you pain and you can't escape my vengeance.
Contributed by Lincoln S. Suggest a correction in the comments below.