The first line-up of the group was Garth Dennis, Don Carlos, and Derrick "Duckie" Simpson. The group has undergone several lineup changes: Carlos left, replaced by Michael Rose; then Dennis left to play with The Wailing Souls, and was replaced by Errol Nelson. During this early period, the band's most famous recording is the album entitled Love Crisis, later rereleased as Black Sounds Of Freedom. In 1979 the group was joined by Sandra "Puma" Jones, a social worker from North Carolina, USA. Under this lineup, (Rose, Simpson and Jones), with Sly & Robbie as producers (and also permanently employed on drum and bass), they released the band's most popular albums: Sinsemilla, Red, Chill Out, and the Grammy-winning Anthem¹, as well as others. During this period, Black Uhuru became one of the most popular reggae groups in the world, regularly touring with the likes of The Police and The Rolling Stones. Live 1984 (a concert at the Rockpalast in Germany, but was actually recorded on October 18, 1981) captures the band at the height of its powers.
After Rose went solo in 1985, Junior Reid joined for a few records and also left; Puma Jones left in 1987 (and died of cancer three years later, in 1990). In 1990, Simpson reunited with Dennis and Carlos in the original line-up of the group. They recorded several albums and toured extensively. By the end of the 90's, Dennis and Carlos left the band and fought a legal battle against Simpson over the name Black Uhuru. Simpson won the lawsuit and formed yet another incarnation of Black Uhuru with Andrew Bees as lead singer. Only one album, Dynasty, was released before Bees left the group.
In February 2004, it was announced in the Jamaican press that Simpson and Michael Rose had re-united under the name "Black Uhuru feat. Michael Rose". Together with a female backing singer named Kay Starr, they released a single, "Dollars" and performed at several concerts including "Western Consciousness 2004" on April 28 in Jamaica, of which a live video was released shortly thereafter. A new album has been reported to be in progress.
== Discography ==
'Group: Derrick "Duckie" Simpson, Michael Rose, Errol "Tarzan" Nelson'
*1977 - 'Love Crisis'
*1981 - 'Black Sounds of Freedom' ("Love Crisis" reedition)
'Group: Derrick "Duckie" Simpson, Michael Rose, Sandra "Puma" Jones'
*1979 - 'Showcase'
*1980 - 'Black Uhuru'
*1980 - 'Sinsemilia'
*1981 - 'Red'
*1982 - 'Chill Out'
*1983 - 'Guess Who's Coming To Dinner' ("Black Uhuru" reedition)
*1983 - 'Anthem'
'Group: Derrick Simpson, Delroy "Junior" Reid, Sandra "Puma" Jones'
*1986 - 'Brutal'
*1987 - 'Positive' (Puma Jones replaced Olafunke)
'Group: Derrick "Duckie" Simpson, Garth Dennis, Don Carlos'
*1990 - 'Now'
*1991 - 'Iron Storm'
*1993 - 'Mystical truth'
*1994 - 'Strongg'
'Group: Derrick "Duckie" Simpson, Jenifah Nyah, Andrew Bees'
*1998 - 'Unification'
*2001 - 'Dynasty'
'Live / Dub albums:'
*1982 - 'Uhuru in Dub'
*1982 - 'Tear It Up - Live' (album and video)
*1983 - 'The Dub Factor'
*1986 - 'Brutal Dub'
*1987 - 'The Positive Dub'
*1988 - 'Live'
*1988 - 'Live In New York City'
*1990 - 'Now Dub'
*1990 - 'Love Dub' ("Uhuru In Dub" reedition)
*1992 - 'Iron Storm Dub'
*1993 - 'Mystical Truth Dub'
*1994 - 'Strongg Dubb'
*2000 - 'Live 1984'
*2001 - 'In Dub'
*2001 – 'Dubbin'It Live' (summer 2001, at Paléo Festival)
Great Train Robbery
Black Uhuru Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
How it all happened, back in '63
When Johnny Rainbow took his band of brave men
Went down to the crossing to meet that train
When they were sure the time was right
Fourteen men to share seven million
Bound to steal, steal it all and run
But Wilson cried and though it might have died
You know they had to turn and run
The life of a thief
Is all bits and pieces
It's out on the street
And all that it teaches
The look in the wind
And taking a gamble
The wages of sin
Are too hot to handle
(Look him in the eye)
He takes what he finds
(Look him in the eye)
Yeah, he's marking time
(Look him in the eye)
His life's on the line
No one knows where the Rainbow is hiding
He's been sure not to tip his hand
He is still living on the fruits of that bloody day
They caught some of his friends, they got some of his money
But they never could catch that man
The affairs of that night will live forever
As the law was breeched in the heart of a thief
Many legends still declare that tragic day
How the iron horse fell, oh I know so well
I was a party to all that grief
The song "Great Train Robbery" by Black Uhuru is inspired by the true story of the Great Train Robbery that took place in England in 1963. The song is narrated by an unidentified observer who provides a detailed account of the train robbery that took place in the same year. The first verse of the song describes the events leading up to the robbery, including the preparation and execution of the heist. The second verse provides a glimpse into the lives of the thieves and the consequences of their actions. The chorus emphasizes the risks involved in a life of crime, highlighting the fact that it can all fall apart in an instant.
The lyrics are poignant and evocative. They capture the essence of a moment in time when a group of men embarked on a daring heist that captured the imagination of the nation. The song includes several powerful imagery and metaphors that paint a vivid picture of the event. It also conveys a sense of loss and longing for a past that is gone forever. Overall, the song is a moving tribute to a moment in history that continues to fascinate people to this day.
Line by Line Meaning
Do you remember the great train robbery?
Asking if you remember the event that took place
How it all happened, back in '63
Asking about the events that occurred in the year 1963
When Johnny Rainbow took his band of brave men
Referring to a person named Johnny Rainbow who led a group of courageous individuals
Went down to the crossing to meet that train
They went to the crossing to intercept the train
When they were sure the time was right
They waited until the perfect moment before taking action
Fourteen men to share seven million
Fourteen people had to share seven million dollars
Bound to steal, steal it all and run
They were committed to stealing everything and making a quick escape
Johnny wanted to keep it peaceful
Johnny Rainbow tried to keep things calm
But Wilson cried and thought it might have died
Another person named Wilson panicked and thought they might get caught
You know they had to turn and run
They had to flee the scene for fear of getting caught
The life of a thief
Referring to the lifestyle of a thief
Is all bits and pieces
It consists of various components
It's out on the street
It's a life lived in public
And all that it teaches
It teaches lessons that are valuable
The look in the wind
The feeling of adventure or risk-taking
And taking a gamble
Taking a risk on a situation
The wages of sin
The consequences of unethical actions
Are too hot to handle
They are difficult to bear
(Look him in the eye)
An indication to pay attention to the following lines
He takes what he finds
He takes whatever he can get
(Look him in the eye)
An indication to pay attention to the following lines
Yeah, he's marking time
He is waiting for an opportunity to strike
(Look him in the eye)
An indication to pay attention to the following lines
His life's on the line
His life is in danger
No one knows where the Rainbow is hiding
No one knows where Johnny Rainbow is hiding
He's been sure not to tip his hand
He has made sure not to reveal any information that might give him away
He is still living on the fruits of that bloody day
Johnny Rainbow continues to benefit from the spoils of the heist
They caught some of his friends, they got some of his money
Some of Johnny Rainbow's accomplices were caught, and some of the money was recovered
But they never could catch that man
Despite their efforts, they were never able to apprehend Johnny Rainbow
The affairs of that night will live forever
The events of that night will always be remembered
As the law was breeched in the heart of a thief
As the law was broken by a criminal
Many legends still declare that tragic day
Many stories still circulate about that fateful day
How the iron horse fell, oh I know so well
Referring to how the train was robbed and describing the situation from personal experience
I was a party to all that grief
The artist was involved in the situation and experienced all the associated pain and suffering
Contributed by Isaac N. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@kennymartinez7771
New york, woah!
New york city, oh!
Dadadaa..
New york, woah!
New york city, oh!
Dadadaa..
Oh yeah
Terrible than the great train robbery oh, oh, oh
More terrible than the great train robbery
Terrible than the great train robbery oh, oh, oh
Terrible than the great train robbery
The things I've done in life will go down in history
In the big apple, the place called new york city
What's going down?
Come and report it to me
Anything going down
Come and report it to me
I heard those boys planned a nearly ten million robbery, woah
Well, if they make it, they probably gotta break it
Although I wasn't there, it was 50-50 share
Anything going down; come and report it to me
Terrible than the great train robbery oh, oh, oh
Terrible than the great train robbery
Terrible than the great train robbery oh, oh, oh
Terrible than the great train robbery
The things I've done in life will go down in history
In the big apple, the place called new york city
What's going down?
Come and report it to me
Anything going down
Come and report it to me
A business got to learn, food got to eat
So brother do it neat, cross 110th street
And if the brothers messed it up
And don't let me get my cut
There's gonna be
Hell up in harlem
Hell up in harlem
Terrible than the great train robbery
The things I've done in life will go down in history
In the big apple, the place called new york city
And what's going down?
Come and report it to me
Anything going down
Come and report it to me
No good friends ever let you down, no, no, no
Terrible than the great train robbery
Ain't gonna get me down
You ain't gonna let me down
Ain't gonna get me down, no, no
Terrible than the great train robbery
It was all planned out!
Yes we have an inside view
So we knew just what to do
It was all planned out!
Terrible than the great train robbery
Brothers they respect the don
So they carry out the plan
Terrible than the great train robbery
After they take the train
Next day they did lick champagne
Money flowing down like rain..
@-The-Blazin-Ace-
Reggae blasters. 1 [sound recording] / compilation [by] Jayrem Records.
Author/Contributors: Jayrem Records.; Aotearoa (Musical group); Dread, Beat & Blood (Musical group)
Identifier: ISBN
Notes:
Bad boys (Inner Circle) (3:38) -- Great train robbery (Black Uhuru) (5:52) -- Bloodshed in Africa (Alpha Blondy and the Wailers) (4:19) -- Black starliner must come (Culture) (2:39) -- Just a passing glance (Don Carlos) (3:22) -- Picture on the wall (Natural Ites) (4:30) -- International farmer (Peter Broggs and the Wailers) (4:23) -- Children of Israel (Marcia Griffiths) (2:35) -- Couldn't let her go (Eric Donaldson) (2:57) -- On the run (The Heptones) (3:09) -- Love in the ghetto (Dread Beat and Blood) (3:02)
-Only a woman (Judy Mowatt) (3:23) -Hunting ground (The Mighty Diamonds) (3:26) -- Across the border (Freddie McGregor) (4:20) -- Maranga ake ai (Aotearoa) (3:30) -- Police officer (Smiling Culture) (3:25) ----Public eyes dub (Gregory Isaacs) (2:53).Dread Beat and Blood, and Aotearoa are New Zealand groups.
Compact disc.
Publisher: Petone, N.Z. : FARi Records, p1991.
Format: 1 sound disc (63 min.) :digital, stereo. ;4 3/4 in.
See original record
This item in New Zealand libraries
@albertocasaresrobaina4217
the best song of Kjah west.
@zjush6316
Yea
@patrickmartin2202
Og would tell ya different but ya close enough want to know the better one in my opinion young blood lol
@iam_Ejiro
Am telling you san andreas I love this song so much
@theskyisteal8346
I'm also quite partial to Chase the Devil but I would sometimes just stop right by the mission marker to listen to the whole song.
@GreenSabre187
@@theskyisteal8346 same here xD
@timestampz
Whoever programmed KJah-West, respect
@j0hnn13K
Everyone coming from a game... i guess i should be happy that these classics are in games, so youth of today get to know these amazing musicians (Black Uhuru is a multi Grammy winning act)
@lariosmendoza
j0hnn13K hes amazing I love this song
@j0hnn13K
They are worth checking out, they made so many dang good songs.
Pretty much, anything they did in the 80's is good, most of the 90's stuff too.