He was born in St. Andrew, Jamaica and learned to play the organ in Kingston College School. It was at that point an unnamed girl lent him the melodica. Fascinated by the instrument, Pablo rarely put it down. He also met Herman Chin Loy; the Chin family owned an influential record store in Kingston. Swaby recorded “Iggy Iggy” in Clive’s father’s studio, Aquarius Records. He took the name Augustus Pablo for this recording.
After releasing a few more singles, Pablo came out with “East of the River Nile”, a unique blend of East Asian and Jamaican sounds, and the song became a moderate hit. Augustus Pablo popularized the use of the melodica (an instrument used primarily to teach children music in the Jamaican public schools) in reggae music. He soon joined Now Generation (Mikey Chung’s band) and played the keyboard with them while his friend, Clive, began his own career as a record producer. Pablo and Chin recorded “Java” (1972) together, as soon as Pablo quit Now Generation and Clive was able to get the studio time, the instrumental was a massive hit, and launched Pablo’s solo career. He recorded with Chin and various others, including Leonard Chin, his uncle, and Lee Perry. He scored another smash hit with “My Desire” (John Holt).
Pablo formed labels Hot Stuff, Message and Rockers (named after his brother’s soundsystem, Rockers), and released a steady stream of well-received instrumentals, mostly versions of older hits from Studio One. In spite of his success with Rockers, Pablo’s seminal 1974 album, This Is Augustus Pablo was recorded with Clive and Pat Chin. This was followed by a collaboration with the legendary reggae engineer King Tubby to great acclaim, releasing 1975’s Ital Dub.
In the later 1970s, Pablo produced a steady stream of hits, including the hit “Black Star Liner” (Fred Locks). He also worked with Dillinger, Norris Reid, I-Roy, Jacob Miller, Te -Track, The Immortals, Paul Blackman, Earl Sixteen, Roman Stewart, Lacksley Castell, The Heptones, Ricky Grant, Delroy Williams,Junior Delgado, Horace Andy and Freddy McKay. This period was eventually commemorated with critically acclaimed LP’s including King Tubby Meets Rockers Uptown (1976) and Hugh Mundell’s classic Africa Must be Free by 1983. This was followed by East of the River Nile (1978, Original Rockers 1979 and Rockers Meets King Tubbys In A Firehouse, another acclaimed hit album.
In the 1980s, Pablo’s career slowed significantly. He had begun to establish an American audience, and released Rising Sun in 1986 to good reviews and sales. Pablo also produced memorable hits, including “Ragamuffin Year” (Junior Delgado), “Humble Yourself” (Asher & Tremble) and “Far Far Away” (Ricky Grant). In addition, Pablo toured extensively throughout the world, making a memorable live album in Tokyo in 1987. That same year, Rockers Come East re-established his career, and he began to release a series of critically acclaimed though somewhat inaccessible albums in the 1990s, including Blowing With the Wind and also producing several, such as Night & Day (Dawn Penn) and Jah Made Them All (Yami Bolo).
Pablo died as a result of a collapsed lung on May 18, 1999. He had been suffering for some time from the nerve disorder Myasthenia gravis.
He was known for his spiritual Rastafarian beliefs.
King Tubby Meets Rockers Uptown
Augustus Pablo Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Baby I
That love
Tudululu
Baby I
Baby I love you so
And I
Ahah ah ah
Be slaving every
Night and day
Aah
I love you so
The lyrics of Augustus Pablo's song "King Tubby Meets Rockers Uptown" are not very complex, as the majority of the song consists of instrumental music. The lyrics that are present serve as a simple love song. The chorus of the song declares "Baby I love you so, and I be slaving every night and day." This line emphasizes the singer's unwavering love for their significant other and their willingness to work hard to show their love. The rest of the lyrics consist of a series of "oohs" and "aahs" that convey the passion and intensity of this love.
While the lyrics are simple, the instrumental music that the song is known for is far more complex. "King Tubby Meets Rockers Uptown" is a classic instrumental reggae track that features a variety of instruments including a melodica, organ, and horn section. The song is notable for its distinctive echo and delay effects that were created by producer and engineer King Tubby, who is widely credited as a pioneer of dub music. The combination of Pablo's melodica and King Tubby's production techniques resulted in a signature sound that is still recognizable to this day.
Overall, "King Tubby Meets Rockers Uptown" is a beloved piece of reggae history that stands out for its unique instrumental sound and masterful production. It is a testament to the enduring power of both simple love songs and complex instrumental arrangements.
Line by Line Meaning
Ooh ooh
Expressing a feeling of excitement and joy
Baby I
Addressing a loved one
That love
Referring to a profound affection and attachment
Tudululu
Onomatopoeic sound representing a melodious tune
Baby I
Addressing a loved one
Baby I love you so
Expressing the depth of affection towards a loved one
And I
Indicating the continuation of the expression of love
Ahah ah ah
Onomatopoeic sound representing a joyful hum
Be slaving every
Working tirelessly and relentlessly
Night and day
Persistently, without stopping
Aah
Exclamation of relief or satisfaction
I love you so
Reiterating the strength of affection towards a loved one
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: VINCENT GORDON, JOSEPH HILL, ERROL THOMPSON, ROY DAYES, ALBERT WALKER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind