As a youngster, Buju would often watch his favourite artists perform at outdoor shows and local dancehalls. At the tender age of 13 he picked up the microphone for himself and began toasting under the monicker of "Gargamel". His first single, "The Ruler" was released not long afterwards in 1987 under the production of Robert French at Penthouse Studios.
In 1991, Buju joined Donovan Germain's Penthouse Label and began a fruitful partnership with producer Dave Kelly. Buju is one of the most popular musicians in Jamaican history, having burst onto the charts there suddenly in 1992, with "Bogle" and "Love Me Browning/Love Black Woman", both massive hits in Jamaica. Controversy erupted over Love Me Browning which spoke of Banton's preference for light-skinned women: "Mi love mi car mi love mi house mi love mi money and ting, but most of all mi love mi browning." Some accused Banton of promoting a colonialist attitude and denigrating the beauty of black women. In response, he released "Black Woman" which spoke of his love for dark-skinned beauties: "Stop cry, fi all black woman, respect all the gyals with dark complexion." 1992 was an explosive year for Buju as he broke the great Bob Marley's record for the greatest number of number one singles in a year. Beginning with "Man fi Dead", Buju's gruff voice dominated the Jamaican airwaves for the duration of the year. Banton's debut album, Mr. Mention, includes his greatest hits from that year.
1992 was also the year in which the controversy over Buju's homophobic "Boom Bye Bye" exploded. The media in Great Britain picked up on Buju's less than admirable promotion of violence against homosexuals. Myrie, who had recently signed with Mercury records, refused to back down from his stance against homosexuals, claiming his religious beliefs prevented him from accepting homosexuality. Banton downplayed the violent content of his song, claiming that it was metaphorical. Gay Rights groups campaigned against Buju as well as Shabba Ranks who, when asked about the controversy on the British show The Word, stated, "God created Adam and Eve, not Adam and Steve." Shabba later apologized, but Buju refused to back down which drew the ire of various homosexual advocacy groups who continue to campaign against him.
Banton released the hard-hitting Voice of Jamaica in 1993. The album included a number of conscious tracks. These tracks included "Deportees" a song which criticized those Jamaicans who went abroad but never sent money home, a remix of Little Roy's "Tribal War", a sharp condemnation of political violence, and "Willy, Don't Be Silly" which promoted condom use. The conscious spin of this disc did little to stop the attacks of gay rights groups who felt that his continued performance of "Boom Bye Bye" was a slap in their faces. Some dancehall fans felt that Banton could have exploded onto the American scene if his homophobic song hadn't held him back. Nevertheless, Buju was adopted by many new fans who appreciated his gravelly vocals and cared little about his homophobia.
Til Shiloh (1995) was a very influential album, using a studio band instead of synthesized music, and marking a slight shift away from dancehall towards roots reggae for Banton. Buju turned Rasta and his new album reflected his new beliefs. Til Shiloh is one of the greatest dancehall albums of all time and successfully blended conscious lyrics with a hard-hitting dancehall vibe. The album included a single called "Murderer" which condemned the violence in Jamaican dancehall music, inspired by the murders of dancehall musicians Panhead and Dirtsman. The song inspired several clubs to stop playing songs with excessively violent subject matter. This conscious album had a large impact on dancehall music and showed the hunger the dancehall massive had for conscious lyrics. Dancehall music did not move away from slack and violent lyrics, but the album did pave the way for a greater spirituality within the music.
Inna Heights (1997) substantially increased Banton's international audience as Buju explored his singing ability and recorded a number of roots-tinged tracks. Banton covered The Silvertones' "Destiny" and recorded songs with such artists as Beres Hammond and the legendary Toots Hibbert. The album was well-received but had distribution problems. Also, some fans were disappointed, having hoped for another ground-breaking album like "Til Shiloh." Still, Buju's experimentation and soaring vocals impressed many fans and this album remains a highly regarded work.
In 1998, Buju met the punk band Rancid and recorded two tracks with them: "Misty Days" and "Life Won't Wait." The latter became the title track of Rancid's 1999 album, Life Won't Wait. Subsequently, Buju signed with Rancid's eclectic Anti, a subsidiary of Epitaph and released Unchained Spirit in 2000.
In March 2003 he released Friends for Life, which featured more sharply political songs, including "Mr. Nine", an anti-gun song that further verified his status as one of reggae's most anti-confrontational artists.
Banton's 2006 album Too Bad got him nominated for a second Grammy but despite the album's brilliance and artistic excellence "Too Bad" did not garner the award. "Too Bad" brings us back to the Buju of the nineties with his rough phenomenal voice backed by hypnotic beats and conscious lyrics that seem to stay on repeat in your head. "Too Bad" is a complete listen from start to finish and is an extra success because the Gargamel executive produced the album on his own label.
On April 21, 2009, Buju released the often delayed album Rasta Got Soul. This is Banton's ninth album and features the hit single Magic City. This release sees Buju returning to roots and culture reggae. The album received a Grammy nomination in the Best Reggae Album category.
As of December 2009, Buju allegedly attempted to buy cocaine from an undercover officer in Miami and faces up to life in prison if convicted. The trial of Banton began on September 20, 2010 in Tampa, Florida.
All Over
Buju Banton Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Look at the action of the girls
Lord have mercy, I am getting excited
Woman are mashing up to town
From the head to the ground
And the men are rejoicing
It's all over
Now they're off
If you stop to look you will see everyone at last
It is the sweetness of your body that makes you excel
The girl up front, she won't last
Flourishing, nourishing, everything else
The ragamuffin could ever want
Men are craving for your body
They think it must be some glue
They tell their girlfriends they have left them
Woman are mashing up to town
From the head to the ground
And the men are rejoicing
It's all over
She's on the starting line
Now they're off
I can't tell you how much I want you, right now
I'm coming to get you, serious talk now
You could barricade the door or your father could
Be guarding you with a 404 rifle
The rest of my life I will devote
Let's go make a martimonal house
Woman every groove and every angle fit
It must be aerobic class
I can imagine what it would be like with you
Woman are mashing up to town
From the head to the ground
And the men are rejoicing
It's all over
She's on the starting line
Now they're off
Do it when you're young, you can't wait til you're older
Tell the girl to move, get out of the way
All the things you have expensive
Buju Banton is speaking and the world is crowed
The girl is being used and not seen any results after
Men using women like how they use plaster
Look how the girls wrecking the corner
What Buju Banton say...hea hea
Woman are mashing up to town
From the head to the ground
And the men are rejoicing
It's all over
She's on the starting line
Now they're off
Look at the girl moving in the center
Wiggling, jiggling all over
Men are after you body like termite to lumber
The amount of men you want is more than number
Sho Buju us here and it's a Drama
Woman are mashing up to town
From the head to the ground
And the men are rejoicing
It's all over
She's on the starting line
Now they're off
In Buju Banton's song "All Over" he sings about the excitement and admiration that men have towards women. The lyrics in this song express how men are drawn towards women because of their beauty and how they use it to their advantage. Banton talks about how women are "mashing up the town" and that men are rejoicing because of it. He mentions how they're all over the women, wanting them, and admiring the way they move. The lyrics also describe a man's sexual desire for a particular woman that he is determined to be with, even if her father tries to guard her.
The song explains how men are using women for their satisfaction, comparing them to plaster. Women are treated as objects, used and tossed aside like nothing. It is a reflection of how society views women and the gender stereotypes that have been ingrained into the minds of people. Banton emphasizes how women are being used for their bodies and not seen for who they really are. The song also brings to attention how men go after women, viewing them as nothing more than an object for their pleasure.
Line by Line Meaning
Girls in supply, Buju Banton expressing his feelings
Buju Banton is vocalizing about the availability of women and his attraction to them
Look at the action of the girls
Observe the behavior of the women
Lord have mercy, I am getting excited
Buju Banton is becoming aroused
Woman are mashing up to town
Women are coming into town in large numbers
From the head to the ground
The women are fully put together, from head to toe
And the men are rejoicing
The men are happy to see so many women around
It's all over
The women have taken over, and there is no stopping them
She's on the starting line
One specific woman stands out and is ready to be pursued
Now they're off
The men are competing against each other for this woman's attention
If you stop to look you will see everyone at last
If you take a moment to observe, you will notice that everyone is present
It is the sweetness of your body that makes you excel
The woman's physical beauty and appeal make her stand out
The girl up front, she won't last
The woman in the front of the crowd is not the one who will be chosen
Flourishing, nourishing, everything else
The woman who is chosen will provide everything the man could want
The ragamuffin could ever want
Even the lowest of men will crave this woman
Men are craving for your body
The men desire this woman's body
They think it must be some glue
The men are so drawn to the woman's body that they cannot resist it
They tell their girlfriends they have left them
The men leave their current partners to pursue this woman
I can't tell you how much I want you, right now
Buju Banton is expressing intense desire for this woman
I'm coming to get you, serious talk now
Buju Banton is making a serious commitment to pursue this woman
You could barricade the door or your father could
Buju Banton is determined to overcome any obstacles in his pursuit of this woman
Be guarding you with a 404 rifle
Even if the woman's family tries to intervene with violence, it won't stop Buju
The rest of my life I will devote
Buju Banton is committing himself to this woman for life
Let's go make a martimonal house
Buju Banton is proposing marriage to this woman
Woman every groove and every angle fit
This woman's body is perfect in every way
It must be aerobic class
Being with this woman is like a physical workout
I can imagine what it would be like with you
Buju Banton can visualize being with this woman
Do it when you're young, you can't wait til you're older
Buju Banton is encouraging people to live life to the fullest while they are young
Tell the girl to move, get out of the way
Buju Banton wants the other women to step aside and let him pursue this one
All the things you have expensive
This woman is of high value and desirable to many men
Buju Banton is speaking and the world is crowed
Buju has a lot to say and many people are listening
The girl is being used and not seen any results after
Other women who are competing for men's attention are not benefiting from it
Men using women like how they use plaster
Men are taking advantage of women for their own pleasure
Look how the girls wrecking the corner
Women are dominating the scene
What Buju Banton say...hea hea
Buju Banton's words have impact
Look at the girl moving in the center
This woman is the center of attention
Wiggling, jiggling all over
This woman is moving seductively
Men are after you body like termite to lumber
Men are pursuing this woman with great zeal
The amount of men you want is more than number
This woman has many suitors
Sho Buju us here and it's a Drama
Buju Banton is present and causing a stir
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Peermusic Publishing
Written by: CLEVELAND BROWNE, WYCLIFFE JOHNSON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
JENESSA PADILLA HARRIS
Much Love for Buju
K Amen
Awesome legend!!!!
Lady In Da Room
Big It Uppppppppppp
kitson sherman
"Go pon di soft shoulda" !!!!!
Robert Smith
This what I tell people Dat mess wit mi people
Manman Da Kid
🙇🏿♂️🙇🏿♂️🙇🏿♂️🙇🏿♂️🙇🏿♂️🙇🏿♂️🙇🏿♂️🙇🏿♂️🙇🏿♂️
Brownjohn Brownjohn
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