Ring the Alarm
Buju Banton Feat. Tenor Saw Lyrics
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Ring the alarm, another sound is dying, woh-oh, hey
Ring the alarm, another sound is dying, woh-oh, hey
Some sound, sound like a big drum pan
Listen this sound it a champion
Ram the dance inna any session
Rock up the woman and we rock up the man
Ring the alarm, another sound is dying, woh-oh, hey
Ring the alarm, another sound is dying, woh-oh, hey
Tee ta toe we beat them all in a row
Donkey want water but you hol' him Joe
Tee ta toe we beat them all in a row
Dark horse more water but, hol' him Joe
Ring the alarm, another sound is dying, woh-oh, hey
Ring the alarm, another sound is dying, woh-oh, hey
Four big sound inna one big lawn
The don sound a play the other three keep calm
Four big sound inna one big lawn
De boom sound a play the other three keep calm
Ring the alarm, another sound is dying, woh-oh, hey
Remember this sound it the talk of the town
Talk of the country, hey
Rock Mr. Charlie, rock Ms. Munchy
Talk of the country, so
Ring the alarm, another sound is dying, I know, I know
Ring the alarm, another sound is suffering, woh-oh, hey
Watch the sound man a tremble
Watch the sound man a pray
Watch the sound man a tremble
Watch the sound man a pray
Ring the alarm, another sound is dying, I know, I know
Ring the alarm, another sound is suffering, woh-oh, hey
Little a this and a little a that
Rock sister Carmen, we rock sister Pat
Rock the white and we rock up the black
Sweet reggae music gone 'pon the attack yes
'Pon the attack, it gone 'pon the attack
Sweet reggae music gone straight non-stop
Ring the alarm, another sound is dying, woh-oh, hey
Ring the alarm, another sound is suffering, woh-oh, hey
Some sound sound like a big drum pan
Listen this sound it a champion
Ram the dance inna any session
Rock the woman and we groove up the man
Ring the alarm, another sound is suffering, woh-oh, hey
Ring the alarm, another sound is dying, woh-oh, hey
Beat them here and we beat them there
We beat them all over this atmosphere
Champion sound we just don't care
Kill all pan sound anywhere
"Ring the alarm" is a song originally by the Jamaican singer Tenor Saw that later became a popular hit in the reggae world after Buju Banton did a cover of it. The song is about sound clashes, which are competitions between different reggae sound systems where each try to outdo the other in terms of music selection and performance. In the song, the singer is calling for the alarm to be rung because another sound is dying, meaning that another sound system is losing the competition. The line "some sound, sound like a big drum pan" is referring to the fact that the sound system being played sounds like a huge drum, with the bass dominating over everything else. The singer claims that his sound is the champion, and is capable of rocking any dance session and making everyone dance, regardless of gender or race. The lines "watch the sound man a tremble, watch the sound man a pray" are referring to how the sound system operator of the losing sound is feeling nervous and scared because he knows that his sound is not good enough.
The chorus is repeated throughout the song, emphasizing the urgency and importance of the situation, as well as the singer's confidence in his own sound system. The lines "tee ta toe we beat them all in a row" and "four big sound inna one big lawn" are referring to the fact that multiple sound systems are competing in a small space, trying to outdo each other.
Overall, "Ring the alarm" is a classic example of a reggae sound clash song, with its energetic beat and confident lyrics conveying the intense competition and excitement of the event.
Line by Line Meaning
Hey, ring the alarm, hey, woh-oh
The situation is dire, we need to sound the alarm urgently.
Ring the alarm, another sound is dying, woh-oh, hey
We need to alert everyone to the fact that another sound system is failing.
Some sound, sound like a big drum pan
There are some sounds that are incredibly powerful, like the beating of a big drum.
Listen this sound it a champion
This sound system is exceptional and deserves recognition as a champion.
Ram the dance inna any session
This sound system can energize any dance or music event, no matter the setting.
Rock up the woman and we rock up the man
The music produced by this sound system can move both men and women alike.
Tee ta toe we beat them all in a row
We can easily beat any other competing sound system, one after the other.
Donkey want water but you hol' him Joe
Even if someone is thirsty, we can easily hold them back and maintain our dominance.
Four big sound inna one big lawn
Four powerful sound systems coming together in one space.
The don sound a play the other three keep calm
This main sound system will be playing while the other three keep quiet.
Remember this sound it the talk of the town
Everyone is talking about this sound system.
Talk of the country, hey
This sound system is not just limited to the town, but recognized throughout the whole country.
Rock Mr. Charlie, rock Ms. Munchy
This sound system can rock anyone and everyone on the dancefloor.
Watch the sound man a tremble
Even the person controlling the sound system is trembling, showing just how powerful it is.
Watch the sound man a pray
The person controlling the sound system is praying for guidance and control over the immense power of the music.
Little a this and a little a that
This sound system has a wide range of music that it can play, pleasing all tastes.
Rock sister Carmen, we rock sister Pat
This sound system can even move and energize individual people, such as Sister Carmen and Sister Pat.
Rock the white and we rock up the black
The music produced by this sound system can bring people of all races together on the dancefloor.
Sweet reggae music gone 'pon the attack yes
Reggae music, especially when played by this sound system, can be a force to be reckoned with.
'Pon the attack, it gone 'pon the attack
The music is now attacking, unrelentingly playing and not stopping.
Sweet reggae music gone straight non-stop
This sound system can play reggae music for an infinite amount of time without stopping.
Beat them here and we beat them there
We can defeat other sound systems in different locations and settings.
We beat them all over this atmosphere
We can defeat other sound systems not only on the ground, but in the air as well.
Champion sound we just don't care
This sound system knows that it is the champion and doesn't care about anyone else.
Kill all pan sound anywhere
This sound system can destroy any competing sound system, no matter where they are located.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: DAVID JONES, WINSTON RILEY, CARL BRIGHT
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind