Aṣa (pronounced Aasha) means "little hawk". She was born in Paris to Nigerian parents, but after two years she moved with her parents to Nigeria and grew up in the capital of Lagos. Her music is thus linked to her time in Western Africa. Asa grew up under the influence of her father's record collection, which included legendary artists such as Marvin Gaye, Fela Kuti, Bob Marley, and Aretha Franklin.
At the age of twelve years, her mother gave her the opportunity to attend one of the best music schools in the country. Aṣa not only developed her voice and her technique, over time she also discovered more about the musicians who fascinated her. When she came home, she discovered Erykah Badu, D'Angelo, Raphael Saadiq, Lauryn Hill, Femi Kuti, and Angélique Kidjo, in whose footprints she dreamed of following.
At the age of 18 she secretly signed up for the Peter King’s School of Music and learnt to play the guitar in six months. In 2004 Aṣa met her manager and friend, Janet, who introduced her to Cobhams Emmanuel Asuquo, who in turn became her musical partner and producer. He enabled Aṣa, the free spirit, to find her bearings. She wrote songs in both English and Yoruba, with the music falling somewhere between pop and soul, inspired by her musical heritage. Particular care was paid to the melodies reflecting the feeling she puts into it.
Her texts talk about her country, the things in life, the things in her life, all delivered with feigned naïveté and real irony. She states "I like writing or thinking about my texts on the bus, or the molué, as we call it. 49 seats, 99 passengers standing up, as Fela described it. Everyone’s squashed up together and mini-dramas break out all the time. And, at the end of the day, we still manage to laugh, that’s where our strength lies..."
It was at this stage of her life that Aṣa finally returned to Paris. This was her chance to test out her talent on the French musical scene, playing with artists such as the Nubians, Manu Dibango, Doctor L and Tony Allen. In the meantime, back in Nigeria, her first single, Eyé Adaba, then Jailer, were beginning to get airtime. MTV chose her as the ambassador for South Africa. Her popularity became big, that when she came back to Nigeria she opened for Akon, John Legend, Beyoncé and Snoop Dogg amongst others.
Aṣa soon signed to the 'Naïve label'. Partnered by Cobhams, and with the new involvement of Christophe Dupouy, she produced a magnificent debut album, ASA a 12 track album with chartstopping tracks. R&b rubs up against pop, with reggae also making an appearance on 'Fire On The Mountain', the first track released from the album, an impertinent and barely-disguised metaphor for an ignorant and indifferent world. "Jailer", another highlight of the album, reinterprets the old adage “you reap what you sow”. This emblematic song with its irresistible refrain opens the album by denouncing modern slavery in all its forms.
Jailer
Aṣa Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
No, no, no, no
Oh yeah
I'm in chains, you're in chains too
I wear uniforms and you wear uniforms too
I'm a prisoner
You're a prisoner too, Mr. Jailer
I have fears, you have fears too
I will die, but yourself will die too
Life is beautiful
Don't you think so too, Mr. Jailer?
I'm talking to you jailer!
Stop calling me a prisoner
Let he who is without sin be the first to cast the stone
Mr. Jailer
Mr. Jailer man
You suppress all my strategies
You oppress whoa whoa every part of me
What you don't know
You're a victim too, Mr. Jailer
Oh!
You don't care about my point of view
If I die another will work for you
So you treat me like a modern slave, Mr. Jailer
I'm talking to you jailer!
Stop calling me a prisoner
Let he who is without sin be the first to cast the stone
Mr. Jailer
Mr. Jailer man
You see
If you walking in a market place
Don't throw stones
Even if you do, you just might hit one of your own
Life is not about your policies
All the time
So you better rearrange your philosophies
And be good to your fellow man, Jailer!
Stop calling me a prisoner
Let he who is without sin be the first to cast the stone
Mr. Jailer
Oh, I'm talking to you jailer!
Stop calling me a prisoner
Let he who is without sin be the first to cast the stone
Mr. Jailer
Mr. Jailer
I hear my baby say
I wanna be president
I want your money
From my government
What he don't know, what he would know, what he can know
(Jailer) Jailer (Jailer) Jailer
Oh be good whoa, be good whoa, be good woah
Somebody be good whoa, be good whoa, be good
Oh oh be good whoa, be good whoa, be good whoa (Jailer, Jailer)
The song "Jailer" by Asa speaks to the power dynamic between a prisoner and a jailer and how it expands to encompass societal power dynamics. Asa begins the song by acknowledging that both the prisoner and the jailer are bound by chains, are subject to authorities that keep them in uniform, and are prisoners to something. As she sings, "I have fears, you have fears too, I will die, but yourself will die too. Life is beautiful, don't you think so too, Mr. Jailer?" she chides the jailer for treating the prisoners brutally. She implores the jailer to see the error of his ways and to rearrange his philosophy to be good to his fellow man.
Asa accuses the jailer of being oppressive and not caring about her point of view in the lyrics "You suppress all my strategies, you oppress every part of me. What you don't know, you're a victim too, Mr. Jailer". In the song, she highlights how society is set up to accommodate people like the jailer and oppress the prisoners. Interestingly, while the song's words speak about a universal truth, the video reinforces the societal power dynamic that the song addresses, as it depicts two men in uniform abusing prisoners.
Line by Line Meaning
Mmm
An expression of uncertainty or contemplation.
No, no, no, no
Refusal or disapproval to something.
Oh yeah
An exclamation to emphasize agreement or confirmation.
I'm in chains, you're in chains too
We are all bound by something, whether it is physical or mental.
I wear uniforms and you wear uniforms too
We all represent something, and our actions reflect on that representation.
I'm a prisoner
I am trapped in a situation that I cannot control.
You're a prisoner too, Mr. Jailer
You also cannot escape the consequences of your actions.
Oh
Expression of sadness or pain.
I have fears, you have fears too
We are all human and experience fear and vulnerability.
I will die, but yourself will die too
Death is inevitable for all.
Life is beautiful
Life is precious and should be appreciated.
Don't you think so too, Mr. Jailer?
Even those who hold authority should appreciate life's beauty.
I'm talking to you jailer!
Direct address to the person in power.
Stop calling me a prisoner
Do not define me by the label you have given me, but by my actions and character.
Let he who is without sin be the first to cast the stone
Do not judge others before examining your own faults and mistakes.
Mr. Jailer
Title given to the person in charge.
Mr. Jailer man
A colloquial way of addressing the person in power.
You suppress all my strategies
You do not allow me to express myself or achieve my goals.
You oppress whoa whoa every part of me
You control every aspect of my life, leaving me with no autonomy.
What you don't know
The person in power is oblivious to the struggles of those without power.
You're a victim too, Mr. Jailer
Even those who hold power can be victimized by others or by circumstances.
Oh!
Expression of surprise or shock.
You don't care about my point of view
Despite my perspective, you disregard my opinion and treat me unjustly.
If I die another will work for you
The person in power is replaceable, and someone else will take their place when they are gone.
So you treat me like a modern slave, Mr. Jailer
I am controlled and stripped of my autonomy, much like how slaves were treated in the past.
You see
Attention-getting statement directed towards the person in power.
If you walking in a market place
When you encounter people from different backgrounds and experiences.
Don't throw stones
Do not criticize or condemn others.
Even if you do, you just might hit one of your own
The consequences of your actions may impact someone close to you.
Life is not about your policies
Life is not solely dictated by the rules and regulations that the person in power enforces.
All the time
At all times, constantly.
So you better rearrange your philosophies
You should reevaluate your mindset and beliefs.
And be good to your fellow man, Jailer!
Treat others with kindness and respect, regardless of status or position.
I hear my baby say
Another speaker is introduced, likely a child.
I wanna be president
The child has aspirations for leadership or influence.
I want your money
The child recognizes the value and influence of money.
From my government
The child looks to the government as the source of funds or support.
What he don't know, what he would know, what he can know
The child is still learning and growing, with potential to learn more in the future.
(Jailer) Jailer (Jailer) Jailer
Calling attention to the person who holds power.
Oh be good whoa, be good whoa, be good woah
Encouragement towards positive behavior and mindset.
Somebody be good whoa, be good whoa, be good
Encouraging more people to act with kindness and consideration towards others.
Oh oh be good whoa, be good whoa, be good whoa (Jailer, Jailer)
Reiterating the message towards both the person in power and others.
Lyrics © DOMINO PUBLISHING COMPANY, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Bukola Elemide, Cobhams Emmanuel Asuquo
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@FranQ00
🎤Am in chains you’re in chains too
I wear uniforms, you wear uniforms too
Am a prisoner
You’re a prisoner too Mr Jailer
I have fears you have fears too
I will die, you sef go die too
Life is beautiful
Don’t you think so too Mr Jailer
Am talking to you jailer
Stop calling me a prisoner
Let he who is without sin -
Be the first to cast the stone Mr Jailer
You suppress all my strategy
You oppress every part of me
What you don’t know
You’re a victim too Mr Jailer
You don’t care about my point of view
If I die another will work for you
So you threat me like a modern slave Mr Jailer
If you walking in a market place
Don’t throw stones
Even if you do, you just might hit
One of your own
Life is not about your policies
All the time
So you better rearrange your
Philosophies and be good to your Fellow man
Jailer
I hear my baby say
I wan be president
I wan chop money
From my government
What he don’t know
Be say Mr Jailer🎶🎶
@anaximenses
It's 2024, and this still resonates. Who's listening to this in 2024?
@michaelmsemo-nf9pk
Still here never left
@amekudzilab
Still here buddy
@dennisasuquo6389
Always a pleasure
@MyriamBadarou
Me❤
@ayantunjioluwanifemi3676
I am
@Arihanboy
It's 2023 and this track still hit hard. 🔥🔥🔥 asa
@brightasamoah1267
A timeless piece of art!
@stanleyouma2825
Forever
@911specialK
Just want to leave the same comment at the moment 😊