He emerged as a solo star in 1966 with the smash hit "I've Got to Go Back Home", a song which has become a much-loved anthem for Jamaicans. He had served his singing and songwriting apprenticeship with the legendary vocal group THE PARAGONS, which he founded with Tyrone (Don) Evans and Howard Barrett, later joined by John Holt. The Paragons had several hits for producer Coxsone Dodd including the Number One "Love At Last", penned by Bob.
As one of STUDIO ONE's leading lights, Bob worked closely with Jackie Mittoo on many of the label's seminal sounds. Besides writing songs for himself which have become reggae standards - "Feeling Soul", "My Time", "Going Home", and "Too Experienced", to name just a few - Bob contributed hits for many of the other artists there.
In 1970, international recognition came when Bob and Marcia Griffiths recorded Nina Simone's "Young, Gifted and Black", which sold 1/2 million in the UK and Europe, and still receives frequent airplay today. BOB & MARCIA became household names, appearing on Top of the Pops and touring extensively. They had another UK Top Ten single and two albums for Trojan Records.
During the early 70s Bob continued his solo recordings; "You Don't Know" and "Life" are two songs from this time which hold a special place in the hearts of his British fans. After the duo split in 1974, Marcia became one of Bob Marley's I-Threes, and Bob's singles "Fire Burning" and "Check It Out" struck a responsive chord with Jamaicans in the new social consciousness of the Manley era.
In the middle Seventies Bob was the Tropical Soundtracs label's A&R manager. He and Marcia reunited for the Kemar LP, which remains the definitive Bob & Marcia album and has been released as Really Together on Bob's own label.
Bob was one of the first Jamaican artists to establish his own publishing company, ANDISONGS, and served as one of the prime movers in the attempt to establish a Caribbean Copyright Organisation.
1978 saw the release of Bob's album Lots of Love and I, which amongst many excellent tracks contains the classics "Ghetto Stays in the Mind" and "Feel the Feeling." In the same year he traveled to Cuba to perform at the 11th World Festival of Youth and Students. Then began a five year absence from the music scene as Bob became increasingly involved in acting. He took lead roles in several theatre productions, and in 1979 starred in the Jamaican feature film Children of Babylon.
In 1983 Bob was welcomed back to the reggae charts with a Number One single, "Honey", followed by a Number One album, Friends. For these and subsequent releases he formed his own label, I-ANKA, in Jamaica and the UK.
During 1985 Bob toured California, appeared at the Youth Festival in Moscow, and headlined the first Japanese Reggae Sunsplash. The Retrospective album was released in 1986 (1987 on Heartbeat/Rounder Records in North America) to widespread critical acclaim. It provides a missing historical link between the Studio One masterpiece Bob Andy's Songbook and his more recent work.
In November 1987, Bob assumed the post of A&R and Promotions Director for Tuff Gong (the group of companies founded by Bob Marley). In this capacity he represented Tuff Gong Music at many industry functions in Jamaica and abroad. He produced music by such artists as Nadine Sutherland, Ernest Wilson and Tyrone Taylor, as well as new talent. Bob's stay at Tuff Gong provided him with many opportunities to express his life-long desire for higher standards in Jamaican music, both in its business operations and in the quality of its musical output.
Freely, released on I-Anka in late 1988, comprised tracks recorded throughout the middle 80s. It received rave reviews and spent many months in the reggae charts.
Assuming once again his role of Jamaican music pioneer, Bob spent six months in Australia in 1989, conducting workshops and playing with local musicians. On December 13th 1989, he joined other leading reggae artists at Gdansk Shipyard in Poland in an Anti-Apartheid concert sponsored by Solidarity to celebrate the progress of the world's liberation movements.
During the 90s Continental Records, one of Brazil's largest record companies, issued a Bob Andy compilation album, and several of Bob's albums received Japanese releases. Bob recorded the album Hanging Tough for producer Willie Lindo at his Heavy Beat Studios in Miami. The set was released in 1997 on VP Records and included the inspirational singles "Love This Life" and "Die No More."
Formal recognition of Bob’s musical contributions has flowed in from many sources during the last two decades. Rockers Magazine honoured Bob with a Lifetime Achievement Award in Kingston in 1989, as did the Canadian Reggae Music Awards in Toronto in 1991. Bob’s song “Fire Burning” received the JAMI Award for Song of the Year in 1991. In 1997 he was named as one of the music’s “Living Legends” at the Reggae/Soca Awards in Miami and was presented with a Lifetime Achievement Award by the 1999 Bob Marley Day Festival in Southern California. He received the Prime Minister’s Award for Excellence in Jamaica in 2003.
The 90s and the first decade of the new millennium have found Bob continuing to give stunning performances in Europe, Japan, Jamaica, Canada and the US. In addition to his solo performances he has taken part in a series of special reunion concerts with Marcia Griffiths. He has added new classics to his repertoire, such as the well-received singles “Zion”, “There Is A God” and “Ska Music (is Jah Music)”.
In early 2005, Bob made his first journey to Africa. He performed at the Bob Marley 60th birthday concert in Addis Ababa to an audience of several hundred thousand, and also sang at the Ethiopian President’s Palace. During a visit to Shashemane in the weeks following, he gave benefit concerts for the 12 Tribes.
Jamaica conferred its Order of Distinction in the rank of Commander (CD) on Keith ‘Bob Andy’ Anderson in October 2006 for his contributions to the development of reggae music.
Most recently, Bob’s new compositions include two successful singles recorded for the Altafaan label: “Create Our History” with Luciano (2006), and “Almighty Dolla” (spring 2007).
It has often been noted that the mark of a great artist is the continued production of notable works throughout his lifetime. A veritable explosion of cover versions of Bob’s songs and rhythms has already introduced a new generation of fans to his music. Bob’s audience will have much to savour as they as become familiar with his current songs, which will only serve to further enhance one of the most distinctive and distinguished bodies of work in Jamaica’s musical history.
Fire Burning
Bob Andy Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Sha la, sha la, sha la, sha la, oh yeah
I was drawn into myself
Observing all this time
From every angle I could see
My people, you're meeting hell
Brothers have turned to crime
We'd like to ask you leaders
What have you got in mind
I see the fire spreading
It's getting hotter and hot
The haves will want to be
In the shoes of the have-nots
If the sign is on your door
Then you will be saved for sure
But if you are in pretence
You're on the wrong side of the fence
Oh yeah - you better believe me
People -
Believe, believe, believe me when I tell you
Another thing I saw in visions
Right in front my eyes
Sisters prostituting, selling away their lives
They get but very little pay
The ones who clean the mess
Minority who sits on top
Just rate themselves the best
But I see the fire spreading
It's getting hotter and hot
The haves will want to be
In the shoes of the have-nots
If the sign is on your door
Then you will be saved for sure
But if you are in pretence
You're on the wrong side of the fence
Oh yeah - you better believe me
People -
Believe, believe, believe me when I tell you
Another thing I saw in visions
Right in front my eyes
Sisters prostituting, selling away their lives
They get but very little pay
The ones who clean the mess
Minority who sits on top
Just rate themselves the best
But I see the fire spreading
It's getting hotter and hot
The haves will want to be
In the shoes of the have-nots
If the sign is on your door
Then you will be saved for sure
But if you are in pretence
You're on the wrong side of the fence
Oh yeah - you better believe me
People -
Believe, believe, believe me when I tell you
The song "Fire Burning" by Bob Andy is a commentary on the social and economic injustices present within society. The refrain of "Sha la, sha la, sha la, sha la, oh yeah" adds a sense of urgency to the message being conveyed. The first verse reflects Bob Andy's introspection and observation of his community, which is facing hardships and dangers, particularly from criminal activity. He questions the authorities about their plans to address these problems. The metaphorical fire is spreading, and the situation is getting increasingly difficult.
The second verse illustrates how women are exploited and marginalized, being paid very little for menial work, while others enjoy privilege and monopolize power for themselves. The song implies that this kind of injustice will eventually lead to chaotic unrest and possibly civil war-like situations. Those who pretend to be on the right side of the fence are in fact in the wrong, and those who are labeled as "have-nots" will one day want to be the "haves." Bob Andy endorses that being genuine will pay off, and that people should heed his warning to prepare for the coming changes.
In essence, "Fire Burning" is a call to action for people to participate in social and political transformation. It urges individuals to be accountable and recognize their cause of action, hence they can play their role in making the world a better place for all.
Line by Line Meaning
Sha la, sha la, sha la, sha la, oh yeah
The song starts with a repeating chorus of meaningless sounds that set the tone for the rest of the song.
I was drawn into myself
The singer has been introspective and reflective, perhaps due to some recent events.
Observing all this time
The singer has been watching and taking note of what's been happening around them for some time now.
From every angle I could see
The artist has been paying close attention to everything, trying to get the full picture.
My people, you're meeting hell
The artist's community is going through some difficult times and is struggling.
Brothers have turned to crime
Some members of the singer's community have resorted to criminal activities.
So they die from time to time
Some of these criminal activities have resulted in the death of community members.
We'd like to ask you leaders
The artist is directing their message to those in positions of power or authority.
What have you got in mind
The artist wants to know what the leaders' plans are for addressing the issues facing the community.
I see the fire spreading
The situation the artist has been describing is like a fire that's getting out of control.
It's getting hotter and hot
The situation is getting more intense and urgent.
The haves will want to be
Those who are better off will start to fear losing what they have and may become desperate.
In the shoes of the have-nots
The have-nots are in such dire straits that even the haves would want what they have.
If the sign is on your door
If you have some kind of protection or safety net, then you'll be okay.
Then you will be saved for sure
Having some kind of protection or safety net will ensure your survival.
But if you are in pretence
If you are pretending to have some kind of protection or safety net, but you really don't, then you're in trouble.
You're on the wrong side of the fence
You're not in a safe position and are vulnerable to the dangers that are coming.
Another thing I saw in visions
The singer has had other insights or revelations about the situation.
Right in front my eyes
The singer has seen some disturbing things, firsthand.
Sisters prostituting, selling away their lives
Some women in the community are resorting to prostitution to survive, which is taking a serious toll on their lives.
They get but very little pay
Even though they're risking their health and safety, the women who are prostituting themselves barely make enough to get by.
The ones who clean the mess
The people who end up having to deal with the consequences of the community's problems are often the ones who have the least to do with causing them.
Minority who sits on top
The people who hold power or influence in the community are a small group of elites who benefit the most from the status quo.
Just rate themselves the best
They believe they're superior to the rest of the community and deserve their privileged position.
Believe, believe, believe me when I tell you
The singer is urging the listener to take their message seriously and act on it.
Writer(s): Bob Andy, Patrick Barrett Copyright: Rebellious Vibes Music
Contributed by Bentley J. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Kenneth Holloway
Feeling this song today, still makes sense
Stephanie Lewis-Brown
The lyrics are so true of these times
Cliff Williams
The great bob Andy
Felipe Lemos
TKS!