From his website:
If you know reggae music, you know Clinton 'Basie' Fearon. Clinton Fearon is counted among Jamaica's most talented musicians by peers and professionals in the Reggae music industry. His infectious bass riffs, guitar licks, percussion accents and powerful vocals make Bassie a living legend amongst reggae musicians and fans.
As a youth, Bassie went to Kingston to eventually become the well-known bassist, vocalist and lyricist for The Gladiators as well as a house musician for Coxsonne Dodd’s Studio One and Lee “Scratch” Perry’s Black Ark Studio. Fearon recorded many of Perry's best known songs, including Roast Fish and Cornbread which features one of Fearon's most famous bass lines. He also composed some everlasting basslines for Yabby You, Jimmy Riley, Max Romeo, Junior Byles and many many others.
Sleepin' Lion
Clinton Fearon Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Mr. Speaker
Talk as much as you want but don't try to change us
Don't trouble trouble 'cause trouble will double trouble you
Mr. Big Man
Help us if you can but don't try to fix us
Don't play fish if you can't swim
Don't play with fire if you don't want to get burn
Life is a gamble so they say
But what what shall we win at the end of the day
Experience is the greatest teacher of all
No need for defense if we learn our lessons well
Oh oh take care of creation there's so much to gain
Woh woh woh woh we've got nothing to lose
A little bit of wisdom worth more than gold
Can't be bought can't be sold
If you spit in the sky it will fall in your eye
Once bitten and twice shy
Experience is the greatest teacher of all
No need for defense if we learn our lessons well
Oh oh take care of creation there's so much to gain
Woh woh woh woh we've got nothing to lose
Don't trouble trouble 'cause trouble will double trouble you
Even if you're tough like lion
Don't trouble trouble 'cause trouble will double trouble you
Never wake a sleeping lion
Clinton Fearon's song "Sleepin' Lion" is a cautionary tale about the consequences of not learning from experience and trying to change people. The song opens with the refrain "Don't trouble trouble 'cause trouble will double trouble you," which warns that if you mess with things that you don't understand, you will only make the situation worse. The first verse is directed at Mr. Speaker, who is told to talk as much as he wants but not to try to change people. The second verse is directed at Mr. Big Man, who is told to help if he can, but not to try to fix people.
The song's chorus emphasizes the importance of learning from experience: "Experience is the greatest teacher of all/No need for defense if we learn our lessons well." The lyrics suggest that if you pay attention to the lessons life teaches you, you won't need to defend yourself because you will be able to handle any situation that comes your way. The song also encourages us to take care of the environment: "Oh oh take care of creation there's so much to gain/Woh woh woh woh we've got nothing to lose."
In the final verse, Fearon advises against arrogance and overconfidence, using the metaphor of "spitting in the sky": "If you spit in the sky it will fall in your eye." He warns that being bitten once should be enough to make us cautious in the future: "Once bitten and twice shy." The chorus then repeats again, reinforcing the importance of learning from experience and taking care of ourselves and our environment.
Line by Line Meaning
Don't trouble trouble 'cause trouble will double trouble you
It's best to avoid problems because they can amplify quickly
Mr. Speaker Talk as much as you want but don't try to change us
People can express their opinions, but they shouldn't force others to adopt them
Mr. Big Man Help us if you can but don't try to fix us
Authority figures can be supportive, but they shouldn't try to control our lives
Don't play fish if you can't swim
Don't take risks if you're not prepared to deal with the consequences
Don't play with fire if you don't want to get burn
Avoid situations that can lead to danger or harm
Life is a gamble so they say But what what shall we win at the end of the day
We can't always control what happens in life, so we should appreciate what we have
Experience is the greatest teacher of all
We can learn the most from our own experiences
No need for defense if we learn our lessons well
If we learn from our mistakes, we don't need to be defensive or make excuses
Oh oh take care of creation there's so much to gain
We should protect the environment because it benefits us in many ways
Woh woh woh woh we've got nothing to lose
We should take risks and try new things because we have nothing to lose
A little bit of wisdom worth more than gold Can't be bought can't be sold
Valuable knowledge is more precious than material possessions
If you spit in the sky it will fall in your eye Once bitten and twice shy
Bad things can happen if you act recklessly, so be cautious and learn from past mistakes
Even if you're tough like lion
Even if you're strong or powerful, you can still face consequences for your actions
Never wake a sleeping lion
Don't provoke someone or something that is dangerous, especially if they appear peaceful at the moment
Contributed by Natalie I. Suggest a correction in the comments below.