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)
happiness
Black Uhuru Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
What I'm a longing for is some happiness
Happiness is when you share dat love wit one another
Happiness is when you together
You got to
They can get no time to press
Because of all the distress that the society leads
What I'm a longing for is some happiness
Happiness is when you give Jah praises
Happiness is when you livin' with the feel of mind, oh yeah
So long we be living and we can't unite
The lyrics of Black Uhuru's song "Happiness" express the artist's longing for a sense of joy and contentment that is absent from their life. The first two lines repeat the song's central theme of yearning for happiness, implying that the artist has spent a significant amount of time searching for something that has remained elusive.
The rest of the song explores the various forms that happiness can take, as the artist suggests that it can be found in the love and connection between people, as well as in the act of giving praise to Jah (a reference to God). The final line - "So long we be living and we can't unite" - hints at the societal factors that prevent the attainment of happiness, such as conflict and division between groups of people.
Overall, the song's message is one of hope and perseverance in the face of adversity, as the artist encourages listeners to keep searching for happiness and to find ways of creating it in their own lives.
Line by Line Meaning
What I'm a longing for is some happiness
The singer is expressing a desire for happiness.
Happiness is when you share dat love wit one another
Happiness is achieved when people share love with each other.
Happiness is when you together
Happiness is when people are united.
You got to
This line does not carry a clear meaning on its own.
They can get no time to press
People are too busy dealing with the distress that society creates.
Because of all the distress that the society leads
Society creates distress that prevents people from achieving happiness.
Happiness is when you give Jah praises
Happiness is achieved when one praises Jah.
Happiness is when you livin' with the feel of mind, oh yeah
Happiness is achieved when one lives with peace of mind.
So long we be living and we can't unite
People have been living for a long time, but they still cannot come together as a united force.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: WINFRED LOVETT
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@ismaelgoros532
What I'mma longing for, is some happiness
What I'mma longing for, is some happiness
Happiness is when you share Jah love with one another
Happiness is when you got it together
You got the youths on this island to blow
They can get no time to ¿¿refresh/rest??
Because of all the distress that the society leaves
What I'mma longing for, is some happiness
Happiness is when you give Jah praises
Happiness is when you live with the free mind, oh oh, yeah
So long we be living and we can't unite
Stop the youths suffering from sophisticated
Diseases, hmm-mmm
You don't got the constitutional right
To rule over I and I
Babylon, sure gonna fall to the bottomless pit
What I'mma longing for, is some happiness, whoa-oh
What I'mma longing for, is some happiness
There's no mercy, for those who have ability
And don't use it, waste it
I would like to go all over the world, oh oh
From Germany to France
Tokio, name it
Hmm-mmm... happiness, happiness, happiness
What I'mma longing for, is some happiness
What I'mma longing for, is some happiness
'Cause happiness is when you ¿¿rave?? to each other
Happiness is when you cheer up one another
Whoa oh, oh, yes
Well, well, well, well
See - th'youths on this island to blow
They can get no time to ¿¿refresh??
Because of all the distress that the society leaves
Hmm, Lord whoa
What I'mma longing for, is some happiness
What I'mma longing for, is some happiness
Well, happiness is when you party together
Happiness is when you give Jah praises
Happiness is when you cheer up one another
Happiness is when you go to many places
Oh, oh, oh...
Hmm, longing for, th'happiness of my brethren
Happiness is, whatever you facing
A summoning in this so-??, oh no
Hmm-mmm💯💥😎🌍🌎🌏🦁🦁🎉🎊🗺️🍁🍁
@adebayogeorge-lawal3654
HAPINESS is when you give Jah praises. Wow! What revelation!
@ro31brasil
black uhuru foi minha epoca mais louca de shows de reggae anos 90, muito bom.
@septemberquest6393
one of the most powerful groups in the reggae music genre..🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹
@klivianesousa8793
Minha banda favorita do reggae jamaicano com michael rose puma jhones e duck simpison
@smoothoperator7023
Been telling people this for 35 yrs. B.U. & Burning Spear👊🏾
Bob was good but B.U. had that edge to them & an All Star line up. Saw them live in Phila. last yr with only MichaelRose, Sly & Robbie but still brought that fire for almost 3 hrs.
@earlgranville8917
@@klivianesousa8793 q
@felipefernandes8668
This song makes me goosebumps!!
I feel true happiness listening to it
@trickywoo5165
🎶 it’s exactly i was longing four 🎤 luv it ❤️🩹 mon 🇯🇲
@zzxx33mh
What a great inspiration song..one of ten best of The Uhuru's..
What we longing for is so Happiness..happines is when you share Jah love..
There is no Mircy for those have ability and dont use it,just lose it..
@rogerz3374
how does one choose the top 10 ? ..... I mean come on :) these lads kept me/us sane during the apartheid years in S.Africa…. thanks be to Mr Billy Wizz RIP bro... brothers in Zion!