Horace Swaby (June 21, 1954 – May 18, 1999), better known as Augustus Pablo… Read Full Bio ↴Horace Swaby (June 21, 1954 – May 18, 1999), better known as Augustus Pablo, the melodica king, was a Jamaican roots reggae and dub record producer and keyboardist, active from the 1970s onwards. He was perhaps the first person to use the melodica as a viable musical instrument.

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.

Young Generation
Augustus Pablo Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Look what-a-happened to the young generation
So much pain-a-happenin jah jah know it's confusion
said it's time, it's time, it's time, for repopulation
said it's time, it's time, it's time, to build nation

Well if you're not feeling the voice of the people
You're not dealin with nothing
You got to feel the voice of the people

Before you're dealing with something
said it's time, it's time, it's time, for repopulation
said it's time, it's time, it's time, to build nation

Oooh

Well if you're not feeling the voice of the people
You're not dealin with nothing
You got to feel the voice of the people
Before you're dealing with something
said it's time, it's time, it's time, for repopulation
said it's time, it's time, it's time, to build nation

Look what-a-happened to the young generation
So much pain-a-happenin jah jah know it's confusion

said it's time, it's time, it's time, for repopulation
said it's time, it's time, it's time, to build nation

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Augustus Pablo's song Young Generation express concern for the state of the young generation and the pain and confusion that they are experiencing. The artist suggests that it is time to take action and work towards "repopulation," which could be interpreted as rebuilding and strengthening the community. He emphasizes the importance of listening to the voice of the people, and recognizing that their experiences and perspectives are essential in creating positive change.

The repetition of "it's time" throughout the song creates a sense of urgency and a call to action. The use of "jah jah" is a reference to Rastafarianism and reflects the artist's spiritual beliefs. The melody, played on a melodica, gives the song a haunting quality that adds to the emotional impact of the lyrics.

Overall, the song can be seen as a message of hope, urging the listener to recognize the struggles of the young generation and work towards creating a better future.

Line by Line Meaning

Look what-a-happened to the young generation
The singer is reflecting on the state of the young people in society and commenting on the negative events that have befallen them.

So much pain-a-happenin jah jah know it's confusion
The singer acknowledges the difficulties that young people are facing and recognizes that it's contributing to confusion.

said it's time, it's time, it's time, for repopulation
The singer is calling for action and change, urging that it's time to start rebuilding and repopulating society with more positive attitudes.

said it's time, it's time, it's time, to build nation
The artist is urging strong efforts to build up the nation and society, focusing on creating positive and productive futures for the next generation.

Well if you're not feeling the voice of the people
The artist is suggesting that understanding and empathizing with the common struggles of others is essential for meaningful progress.

You're not dealin with nothing
The singer implies that disregarding the concerns of people and failing to act on them is a mistake that leads to inaction and stagnation.

You got to feel the voice of the people
The singer emphasizes the importance of empathizing with the young generation and understanding their concerns to create a better future.

Before you're dealing with something
The artist urges that before any meaningful progress can be made, the concerns and struggles of the young generation must be fully understood and addressed.

Contributed by Juliana T. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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