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.
Unchained
Bob Andy Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And set me free.
Remove me out of bondage,
And we'll agree.
Too long I've been a slave,
I don't want to be no more.
I'd rather dig my grave,
Than be locked behind a door.
I want to help myself,
Be an independent man.
I don't want no one to give,
Me a helping hand.
Whether you are black,
Whether you are white,
I don't give a damn,
I just want to be alright.
Just take these chains away,
And set me free.
Remove me out of bondage,
And we'll agree.
Too long I've been a slave,
I don't want to be no more.
I'd rather dig my grave,
Than be locked behind a door.
I want to help myself,
Be an independent man.
I don't want no one to give,
Me a helping hand.
Whether you are black,
Whether you are white,
I don't give a damn,
I just want to be alright.
Oh, won't you set me, set me free?
Please, unchain me, take these chains away,
Why won't you set me free?
Please, just take these chains away and set me free.
In Bob Andy's song "Unchained," the singer expresses a desire to break free from chains of bondage and become an independent person. The lyrics describe the frustration and pain that come with being a slave, and the longing for freedom. The lines "Just take these chains away, and set me free" and "Remove me out of bondage, and we'll agree" are powerful and poignant, reflecting the deep desire to be liberated.
Throughout the song, Bob Andy emphasizes his yearning for independence and self-sufficiency. He doesn't want anyone to "give [him] a helping hand," but instead wants to "help [himself]" and be an "independent man." This sentiment is echoed in the lines "I don't give a damn, I just want to be alright." Bob Andy is declaring that he doesn't care about anyone's approval or judgment; he simply wants to live freely and on his own terms.
The repeated plea to "set me free" underscores the desperate longing for liberation that drives the song. Bob Andy sings that he would "rather dig [his] grave than be locked behind a door," a metaphor that highlights the intensity of his desire for freedom. It's not just a matter of wanting to escape bondage, but of needing to do so in order to live a meaningful life.
Overall, "Unchained" is a powerful and moving song that speaks to the universal desire for freedom and self-determination.
Line by Line Meaning
Just take these chains away,
I am asking you to remove the physical chains that bind me.
And set me free.
By removing the chains, you will be freeing me from the physical bondage I am in.
Remove me out of bondage,
I am asking to be removed from the state of bondage that I am in.
And we'll agree.
Once I am freed from bondage, we can come to an agreement.
Too long I've been a slave,
I have been in bondage for an extended period of time, and I am tired of it.
I don't want to be no more.
I do not want to be in bondage any longer.
I'd rather dig my grave,
I would prefer to die than to continue living in bondage.
Than be locked behind a door.
I do not want to be imprisoned or confined any longer.
I want to help myself,
I want to take control of my life and be self-sufficient.
Be an independent man.
I want to be a self-reliant and self-sustaining individual.
I don't want no one to give,
I do not want to depend on anyone else for my well-being.
Me a helping hand.
I do not want anyone to offer me assistance.
Whether you are black,
It does not matter if you are black,
Whether you are white,
It does not matter if you are white,
I don't give a damn,
I do not care about your race or ethnicity.
I just want to be alright.
All I want is to be happy and free.
Oh, won't you set me, set me free?
I am pleading with you to free me from my bondage.
Please, unchain me, take these chains away,
I am asking you to please remove the physical chains that bind me.
Why won't you set me free?
I am questioning why you are not freeing me from my bondage.
Please, just take these chains away and set me free.
I am asking you to simply remove these chains and free me from my bondage.
Contributed by Jordyn Y. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@yarees1085
Bob Andy - Unchained
Just take these chains away,
And set me free.
Remove me out of bondage,
And we'll agree.
Too long I've been a slave,
I don't want to be no more.
I'd rather dig my grave,
Than be locked behind a door.
I want to help myself,
Be an independent man.
I don't want no one to give,
Me a helping hand.
Whether you are black,
Whether you are white,
I don't give a damn,
I just want to be alright.
Just take these chains away,
And set me free.
Remove me out of bondage,
And we'll agree.
Too long I've been a slave,
I don't want to be no more.
I'd rather dig my grave,
Than be locked behind a door.
I want to help myself,
Be an independent man.
I don't want no one to give,
Me a helping hand.
Whether you are black,
Whether you are white,
I don't give a damn,
I just want to be alright.
Oh, won't you set me, set me free?
Please, unchain me, take these chains away,
Why won't you set me free?
Please, just take these chains away and set me free.
@jasonorlando9799
This is to me, one of the greatest songs ever written. Bless up Bob Andy. Thanks for the amazing legacy.
@Leigh.T.777
Indeed, it is.
@antoniodaley836
Had to come here and listen Bob Andy songs my mother and father brought me up listening in the 70s as a child good old memories rest in peace me general rest in peace my parents Bob is on his way.
@genestrachan5040
I rather dig my grave,than to lock behind the door..easily the very best song writer ever to come out of Jamaica..RIP Bob Andy..the greatest
@brandonmcloud5017
Rest in Paradise Bob Andy #Legendary king 👑
@DJLloyd61
The most underrated lyricist in Jamaican music's history.
@martinechaplin1849
Yo Martine W14 london 😜🖐️
@kadeneforde7875
Sad but true
@annwatt8139
yesssssssss plus the set up, how de rhydm ride, maan so good
@tramp2827
Topping the charts in the UK doesn't make you underrated