Dry & Heavy
Burning Spear Lyrics


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THE WOOD DRY BUT IT STILL HEAVY THE WOOD DRY BUT IT STILL HEAVY SO DRY,BONE DRY

IT WAS MORE DAN ONE AN TWO AN TREE AN FOUR AN FIVE AN SIX OF US WENT TO THE WOOD BUSH I MAN FORGOT I AXE I SAID LEN MI YUH AXE--WILL YOU LEN IT TO ME LEN MI YUH AXE--LEN MI YUH AXE LEN MI YUH AXE

I KNOW AND MY MOTHER KNOW WE GOTS TO RUN AROUND AND PLAY SOME KIND OF GAME NOW I COME I SAY HELP ME DOWN--WILL SOMEONE HELP ME DOWN--DIS WOOD DRY BUT IT HEAVY HELP ME DOWN--GIVE I A HELPING HAND HELP ME DOWN--HELP ME DOWN

SOME HAVE A IRON ELECTRIC IRON SOME HAVE A IRON,WOOD FIYAH IRON ANYWAY,WARMUP YUH IRON PRESS UP DI UNIFORM DEM,KHAAKI PANTS AND SHIRT INVOLVE MONDAY MAWNING COMING SING IT SCHOOL DAYS,SCHOOL DAYS
PLEASE OBEY HEAR WHAT YOUR MOTHER SAY DIS IS -DIS IS- DIS IS- DIS IS SCHOOL DAYS,SCHOOL DAYS THE WOOD DRY BUT IT STILL HEAVY THE WOOD DRY BUT IT STILL HEAVY BONE DRY-BUT IT STILL HEAVY SO DRY,BUT IT STILL HEAVY WELL DRY-BUT IT STILL HEAVY DRYAH DAN DRY-BUT IT STILL HEAVY





THE WOOD DRY BUT IT STILL HEAVY THE WOOD DRY BUT IT STILL HEAVY YEEAAAAAAAHHH IT WAS MORE DAN 1 AN 2 AN 3 AN 4 AN 5 AN 6 OF US BEEN TO DI WOOD BUSH

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Burning Spear's song "Dry & Heavy" reflect on the experiences of the singer and their friends going to the woods to play a game. They realize that they need to help each other down from the heavy, dry wood, and they reflect on the importance of listening to their mothers and going to school. The repetition of the phrase "the wood dry but it still heavy" emphasizes the weight of their experiences and the challenges they face.


The metaphor of the heavy, dry wood can be interpreted in several ways. It can represent the burdens and challenges of life that we have to carry, despite feeling dried out and exhausted. It can also symbolize the weight of our past experiences and the memories that we carry with us. Overall, the lyrics of "Dry & Heavy" ask us to reflect on the challenges that we all face and the importance of helping each other overcome them.


Line by Line Meaning

THE WOOD DRY BUT IT STILL HEAVY
Although the wood is dry, it's still heavy.


THE WOOD DRY BUT IT STILL HEAVY
Despite being dry, the wood is still hard to carry.


SO DRY,BONE DRY
The wood is incredibly dry.


IT WAS MORE DAN ONE AN TWO AN TREE AN FOUR AN FIVE AN SIX OF US WENT TO THE WOOD BUSH
More than six of us went to the woods.


I MAN FORGOT I AXE
I forgot my axe.


I SAID LEN MI YUH AXE--WILL YOU LEN IT TO ME LEN MI YUH AXE--LEN MI YUH AXE LEN MI YUH AXE
I asked someone to lend their axe to me.


I KNOW AND MY MOTHER KNOW WE GOTS TO RUN AROUND AND PLAY SOME KIND OF GAME
My mother and I know we need to have fun and play games.


NOW I COME I SAY HELP ME DOWN--WILL SOMEONE HELP ME DOWN--DIS WOOD DRY BUT IT HEAVY HELP ME DOWN--GIVE I A HELPING HAND HELP ME DOWN--HELP ME DOWN
I request help to come down since the wood is making it difficult.


SOME HAVE A IRON ELECTRIC IRON SOME HAVE A IRON,WOOD FIYAH IRON
Some people have an electric iron, while others have a wood fire iron.


ANYWAY,WARMUP YUH IRON PRESS UP DI UNIFORM DEM,KHAAKI PANTS AND SHIRT INVOLVE MONDAY MAWNING COMING SING IT SCHOOL DAYS,SCHOOL DAYS
Regardless, everyone needs to iron their uniform for school on Monday morning.


PLEASE OBEY HEAR WHAT YOUR MOTHER SAY DIS IS -DIS IS- DIS IS- DIS IS SCHOOL DAYS,SCHOOL DAYS
Listen and obey your mother since it's school days.


THE WOOD DRY BUT IT STILL HEAVY
The dry wood is still heavy.


THE WOOD DRY BUT IT STILL HEAVY
Even though the wood is dry, it remains heavy.


BONE DRY-BUT IT STILL HEAVY SO DRY,BUT IT STILL HEAVY WELL DRY-BUT IT STILL HEAVY DRYAH DAN DRY-BUT IT STILL HEAVY
The wood is very dry, yet it's still hard to carry since it's heavy.


THE WOOD DRY BUT IT STILL HEAVY
Despite being dry, the wood remains heavy.


THE WOOD DRY BUT IT STILL HEAVY YEEAAAAAAAHHH
The wood is dry and heavy, and this fact is emphasized.


IT WAS MORE DAN 1 AN 2 AN 3 AN 4 AN 5 AN 6 OF US BEEN TO DI WOOD BUSH
Several people went to the wood bush.




Contributed by Zoe V. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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Most interesting comments from YouTube:

@reggaeschoolmadrid7879

Aston "Family Man" Barrett, Robbie Shakespeare Bass
Leroy "Horsemouth" Wallace Drums
Bernard "Touter" Harvey Keyboards
Earl "Wire" Lindo Keyboards
Bertram "Ranchie" McLean Rhythm Guitar
Earl "Chinna" Smith Guitar
Donald Kinsey Lead Guitar
Noel "Scully" Simms Percussion
Uziah "Sticky" Thompson Percussion
Winston Rodney Producer, Arranged By, Lead Vocals, Percussion
Herman Marquis Alto Saxophone
Richard "Dirty Harry" Hall Tenor Saxophone
Trommie Trombone
Bobby Ellis Trumpet
Sylvan Morris Engineer
Don Taylor Executive-Producer



@ceciljackson9316

The wood dry but it still heavy
The wood dry but it still heavy
So dry, bone dry

It was more than one an' two an' three
An' four an' five an' six of us went to the wood bush
I man forgot I axe, I said, lend me your axe
Will you lend it to me, lend me your axe
Lend me your axe, lend me your axe

I know and my mother know we gots to run around
And play some kinds of game
Now I come I say
Help me down, will someone
Help me down, this wood dry but it heavy
Help me down, give I a helping hand
Help me down, help me down

Some have a iron, electric iron
Some have a iron, wood fire iron
Anyway, warm up your iron
Press up the uniform them khaki pants and shirt
Involve Monday morning coming
Sing it, school days, school days

Please obey
Hear what your mother say
This is, this is, this is, this is
School days, school days

The wood dry but it still heavy
The wood dry but it still heavy
Bone dry, but it still heavy
So dry, but it still heavy
Well dry, but it still heavy
Dryer than dry, but it still heavy
The wood dry but it still heavy
The wood dry but it still heavy, yeah
It was more than one an' two an' three an' four an' five an' six of us
Been to the wood bush



All comments from YouTube:

@brashakka

LOVE IT STILL After all these years. Burning Spear & Culture - The Authentic Folk Voice of Jamaica... Beautiful and Timeless

@aaqilian5.085

truly awesome roots classic. Some of the best roots musicians ever assembled on one album! Long live the Spear! Iyah!

@jenniferhazle3075

I like this tune so much. I heard my brother played these tunes when in my youth. True lyrics.

@lunaoyashii

2021.... Still blazing. 15 yrs old, used to tear up the streets of Brooklyn in an old 325e. My first car, no back seat, pure speakers. Natty dread daughter I am....




I miss that car.

@thehumbleone6606

Horns arrangements on this on kills me!

@stevejunor2737

I can remember purchasing this
album it never left the record player

@higherlearning95

Big chune. Really good music this !

@ms-iz9ye

Love how deep the drums sound and feel

@ReggaeMusicisForYou

Give I a helping hand! ❤💛💚

@krazyFlipy

Absolute favorite piece of music. :) How the heck did they make that sound back then? :O Awesomest mixing & mastering skills...tune sounds heavier, punchier and softer the louder you play it :D still unbeaten to this day. Not sure I like what the post-reggae loudness wars did to music.

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