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.
better must come
Buju Banton Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
With a whol lot a trouble
But we must, must get over
Must get over, yeah, yeah, yeah
Oh Lord, natty must get over, now...
Better a go come I say - better must come
Don't put you mind astray - it must come
Thank Jah for every day
Better a go come I say - better must come
Don't put you mind astray - it must come
Work hard and pray
Thank Jah for every day
Well, who is going give people what they want
Woeful waste don't you know
Dat bring woeful wants
We need some balance
The scale is so slant
All some want is a chance
All some need is a
Better a go come I say - better must come
Don't put you mind astray - it must come
Work hard and pray
Thank Jah for every day
Better a go come I say - better must come
Never put you mind astray - it must come
Work hard and pray
Thank Jah for every day
You know why, you know why
You pull your weight and I pull mine, oh, oh
And everything will work out just fine
Throughout condition, never sell your soul
Insight you should keep your goal
Better a go come I say - better must come
Don't put you mind astray - it must come
Work hard and pray
Thank God for every day
Better a go come I say - better must come
Don't put you mind astray - it must come
Work hard and pray
Thank Jah for every day
Cast your bread upon da water
Have little farth and thou shall prosper
The fool greet distress and laughter
And then regrets after, shuby duba dey, yeah
Oh well, in a world of bare crisis
Cannot control dem prices
Everyone wants to be di chief
Surrounded by cut throat and thief
Shuby duba dey, oh yeah
Better a go come I say - better must come
Don't put you mind astray - it must come
Work hard and pray
Man thank for one more day
Better a go come I say - better must come
Don't put you mind astray - it must come
Work hard and pray
Thank HIM for one more day
You pull your weight and I pull mine, oh, oh
And everything will work out just fine
Throughout condition, never sell your soul
Insight you should keep all your goal
Better a go come I say - better must come
Don't put you mind astray - it must come
Work hard and pray
The lyrics to Buju Banton's song "Better Must Come" reflect on the struggles and challenges of life and encourages perseverance and hope for a better future. The singer admits that life can be a struggle with a lot of trouble, but it's essential to keep pushing forward and overcome obstacles to achieve a better life. The lyrics implore listeners not to lose hope or put their minds astray but rather work hard, pray, and thank God every day for the opportunities they have. The song also highlights the imbalance and injustice in the world and how people need a chance to create a better future for themselves.
Moreover, the song's upbeat reggae rhythm matches the optimistic message of the lyrics, enhancing the song's overall positive energy. Buju Banton encourages listeners to keep their goals in mind and not sell their souls for fleeting pleasures or to gain favor from others. With hard work, perseverance, faith, and thankfulness, the singer believes that better times will come.
In conclusion, Buju Banton's "Better Must Come" is a moving and inspirational reggae song that reflects on life's struggles and encourages perseverance, faith, and hope for a better future. The song's messages and upbeat rhythm make it a timeless classic still relevant in today's world.
Line by Line Meaning
Hey, to me is like a likkle bit a struggle
The hardships I face seem small, but they still cause me difficulty.
With a whol lot a trouble
Despite not being huge struggles, they still give me a lot of trouble.
But we must, must get over
We must persevere and overcome these challenges.
Must get over, yeah, yeah, yeah
Repeating the need to overcome obstacles to reinforce the importance of this idea.
Oh Lord, natty must get over, now...
Asking for God's intervention to help overcome these struggles.
Better a go come I say - better must come
Positive change is inevitable, it will come.
Don't put you mind astray - it must come
Stay focused and believe that positive change will occur.
Work hard and pray
Actively work towards positive change while simultaneously praying for it.
Thank Jah for every day
Appreciate every day and the opportunities it brings.
Well, who is going give people what they want
Questioning who is responsible for providing people with what they desire.
Woeful waste don't you know
Pointing out the negative effects of wasting resources.
Dat bring woeful wants
Wasted resources lead to unfulfilled desires.
We need some balance
Advocating for a more balanced distribution of resources.
The scale is so slant
Current resource distribution is unfair and unequal.
All some want is a chance
Many people just want an opportunity to succeed.
All some need is a
Not finishing the sentence to emphasize that what people need is not necessarily material.
You know why, you know why
Repeating the question as a rhetorical device to draw attention to the answer.
And everything will work out just fine
Belief that everything will fall into place and work out in the end.
Throughout condition, never sell your soul
Maintain your values and priorities even in difficult times.
Insight you should keep your goal
Keep your goals in mind and work towards them.
Cast your bread upon da water
Be generous and kind to others.
Have little farth and thou shall prosper
Trust in your faith and you will succeed.
The fool greet distress and laughter
Foolish people are oblivious to the harm they cause.
And then regrets after, shuby duba dey, yeah
They only realize their mistake once it's too late.
Oh well, in a world of bare crisis
Acknowledging the dire state of the world.
Cannot control dem prices
Prices are out of our control, highlighting the need to focus on things we can control.
Everyone wants to be di chief
Everyone wants to be in charge.
Surrounded by cut throat and thief
People in power are often corrupt and untrustworthy.
Man thank for one more day
Express gratitude for the gift of another day.
Thank HIM for one more day
Continuation of expressing gratitude to God for another day.
You pull your weight and I pull mine, oh, oh
Emphasis on the importance of each individual contributing equally to achieve progress.
Throughout condition, never sell your soul
Maintain your values and priorities even in difficult times.
Insight you should keep all your goal
Keep sight of your goals and stay true to them throughout your journey.
Contributed by Keira C. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Yuran Ricardo
on Fake Smile
with your cynical green
you leave no action
If there’s a choking problem she a reach with everyone
why acting dumb. second verse:
with your cynical green
you leave no action
If you have a choking problems she a reach with everyone
why acting dumb
Kern Rodney
on Fake Smile
If there's ah joke in progress share it with everyone, why acting dumb?