Winston Rodney (born March 1, 1945), also known as Burning Spear, is a Jama… Read Full Bio ↴Winston Rodney (born March 1, 1945), also known as Burning Spear, is a Jamaican roots reggae singer and musician. Like many famous Jamaican reggae artists, Burning Spear is known for his Rastafari movement messages.
Rodney was born in Saint Ann's Bay, St. Ann, Jamaica, as were Bob Marley and Marcus Garvey; who both had a great influence on Rodney's life. Garvey in his philosophy, which Burning Spear greatly took to, and Marley in directly helping Burning Spear get started in the music industry. Burning Spear was originally Rodney's group, named after Jomo Kenyatta, the first Prime Minister and President of an independent Kenya. As fame took hold the name of the group gradually became synonymous with Rodney.
Burning Spear is one of the strongest proponents of Marcus Garvey's self-determination and self-reliance for all African descendants, thus leading to several album releases in commemoration of the African activist.
In 2002, Burning Spear and his wife, Sonia Rodney who has produced a number of his albums, founded Burning Spear Records.
Burning Spear advocates messages of honesty, peace, and love, which tie in with his religious and political messages of Rasta and black unity.
About Burning Spear
Burning Music
"I don't know how other people see music," reggae legend Burning Spear reflects. "Some people might see it based upon money, some people might see music based upon opportunity and access. But I see music as life. I see music as inspiration."
For more than 35 years, Burning Spear's music-thus, his life-has inspired people on numerous continents. Since the beginning, his songs have implored listeners to fight oppression in all its forms, to work at improving their own condition and to consider the social impact of their actions.
OUR MUSIC builds upon the Jamaican native's legacy of musical activism. With its inimitable dancing groove, the album percolates and bubbles rhythmically in its call for unity between races, between nations, between individuals and even between business associates.
OUR MUSIC is the second album released on his Burning Spear label, following 2003's Grammy-nominated FREEMAN. In the midst of its expected messages about love, oppression and African history is the title track, a public confirmation that his brand of positivity is tempered with a strong sense of self. "Our Music" is Burning Spear's reclamation of his own artistry-a justification for establishing his record company and a challenge to all artists to commandeer their own future.
"A lot of artists just have no time to really look within the business section of the music business," Burning Spear reasons. "There's no one to really sit them down and give them some of that business understanding before they get into what they get into. So then people walk all over these artists and do things where it's not appropriate and it's not right. It's not in the artist's love."
With his art and his business now firmly in his own control, Burning Spear's OUR MUSIC stands among the most joyful albums of his career. Bolstered by its throbbing basslines, bright horn parts and slinky female background singers, the songs embrace persistence ("Try Again"), self-analysis ("Friends"), love ("Fix Me") and community ("Together") through deceptively simple lyrics that point to deeper issues. It is, in effect, smart music you can dance to.
"It's like art," he says. "You're gonna paint this thing, and people are gonna look at this art and say that it looks like a tree, looks like a car, some people it looks like a flower. People are gonna say different things according to what they see. It's very different, what it looks like to them."
No matter who looks at Burning Spear's career, they have to be impressed. Of his more than 25 albums, nine have earned Grammy nominations, with one of them - 1999's CALLING RASTAFRI - receiving the Academy's Best Reggae Album honor. And he remains one of the few reggae pioneers still working and influencing the people today.
Born Winston Rodney in St. Ann, Jamaica, he was an early fan of Bob Marley. As the legend goes, Rodney bumped into Marley while walking through a field, and the two began talking about music. Marley encouraged him to visit Jamaica's Studio One, where Rodney and a fellow musician recorded "Door Peep." By the time of its release, Rodney had branded the duo Burning Spear, taking the nickname of Jomo Kenyatta, who was jailed by a colonial British government in Africa but rose to become the first president of Kenya.
"I believe in people who are gonna stand up for what they believe in," Burning Spear notes, "not only for themselves, but for themselves and their people, and that was what Jomo was doing."
Even more central to Burning Spears' mission - and it truly is a mission - was the doctrine of Marcus Garvey, a 20th century figure who pushed for a stronger black race through self-reliance. The Jamaican-born Garvey supported freedom and economic strength for all people, but made the African-originated population his focus and published his views in a New York-based newspaper, Negro World. Garvey was jailed in the 1920s and eventually exiled to Jamaica, though he never lashed out at the system that brought him down. His message survived, influencing the likes of Kenyatta, Martin Luther King Jr., Marley and Burning Spear, which titled some of its seminal albums MARCUS GARVEY and MARCUS' CHILDREN.
"Those men wasn't preachin' any violence," Burning Spear says. "They were preachin' about Oneness and the struggles of black people about where they can live and having their voices heard. I don't see anything wrong with his plan and his direction. I think he opened a lot of eyes and opened a lot of mouths so those people could really talk and their voices could be heard. I think the time is right now to clear his name up and set his record free."
Burning Spear's mission remains rather unchanged today, though the act and the music have undergone some alterations. The duo grew into a trio, but has long since morphed into Burning Spear, a solo artist. And while his music has always been a vehicle for social change, his songs are now increasingly melodic, developed with catchy hooks that use short phrases and point more subtly to internal truths for those willing to go through self-exploration.
The music survives in a much different musical era. The reggae genre, once a distinct idiom unto itself, has been co-opted by artists throughout the years and melded with other pop forms. Artists such as Eric Clapton, Paul Simon, The Rolling Stones, The Police, Stevie Wonder and UB40 combined it with pop and rock during the '70s and '80s, while Shaggy and Sean Paul have blended it with hip-hop textures in more recent years. Even country man Willie Nelson put together a hybrid album involving Toots Hibbert, of The Maytals.
Those efforts have called attention to the genre, and specifically to those who helped bring reggae to the world in the '70s, including Burning Spear, Peter Tosh, Hibbert and Marley. In his time, Marley gave Burning Spear his personal seal of approval, and the Spear continues to maintain a devotion to reggae's roots while continuing his service to Jah.
"I think people have to remember the originals," Burning Spear suggests. "So to be honest, I don't really feel no way about it when people put reggae in a different form. Regardless who's gonna do what with the music, I don't think they interfere with Burning Spear."
OUR MUSIC relies heavily on the roots of the reggae movement.
"What I tried to do with this album, musically and lyrically, is to go back to the '70s, when we were singin' about the history and the culture and the lifestyle of these people," Burning Spear observes. "A lot of Burning Spear songs of that earlier times, people would see as political. To me, it's just a natural thing. As an artist, I just expressed that."
Burning Spear continues his mission of expressing his heart, of entertaining and educating the masses. He cleverly accomplishes that by winning over his listeners' bodies before he impacts their minds. He witnesses that process each time he takes the stage.
"You see the head start to nod, you start to see one movement from one of these legs down here and another one, 'til the whole body just gets involved in the whole thing," he laughs. "You have to think about that when you're creatin' the music-you're not just creatin' the music for people to sit back and listen, 'Oh, that's all good and that's bad.' You need people to shake a leg."
As they listen at home and shake legs to OUR MUSIC, listeners will also be swept up with the headiness of Burning Spear's message. The political statements are still there, most obviously in the continued references to Marcus Garvey ("One Marcus" and "Little Garvey").
But OUR MUSIC also contains deeper ideas that penetrate quietly, subtly into the mind before they reach clarity. The bouncy "Friends" asks rather simplistically, "Are you my friend, my neighbor or my enemy?/Who are you? Who are you?" On further reflection, it's obvious that the question is a complex one about societal roles and provocative self-evaluation. "Together" recalls the image of African slaves, shackled together at the ankles, while suggesting that contemporary blacks can still link together figuratively at the elbow in the continued quest for equality. And "Fix Me" embraces the power and essence of love, which Burning Spear sees as the ultimate goal of humanity.
"Love," he says, "is a harmony thing, it's a communication. Love is a link."
Burning Spear's link is a pure one in 2006. Unfettered by someone else's record company, still linked to the roots of reggae and to the ideals of its forefathers, OUR MUSIC points to a better world for those who are oppressed, and for those who simply believe a better world is possible.
"Music," Burning Spear maintains, "is a very important thing. We have to remember that no force is stronger than the music."
Rodney was born in Saint Ann's Bay, St. Ann, Jamaica, as were Bob Marley and Marcus Garvey; who both had a great influence on Rodney's life. Garvey in his philosophy, which Burning Spear greatly took to, and Marley in directly helping Burning Spear get started in the music industry. Burning Spear was originally Rodney's group, named after Jomo Kenyatta, the first Prime Minister and President of an independent Kenya. As fame took hold the name of the group gradually became synonymous with Rodney.
Burning Spear is one of the strongest proponents of Marcus Garvey's self-determination and self-reliance for all African descendants, thus leading to several album releases in commemoration of the African activist.
In 2002, Burning Spear and his wife, Sonia Rodney who has produced a number of his albums, founded Burning Spear Records.
Burning Spear advocates messages of honesty, peace, and love, which tie in with his religious and political messages of Rasta and black unity.
About Burning Spear
Burning Music
"I don't know how other people see music," reggae legend Burning Spear reflects. "Some people might see it based upon money, some people might see music based upon opportunity and access. But I see music as life. I see music as inspiration."
For more than 35 years, Burning Spear's music-thus, his life-has inspired people on numerous continents. Since the beginning, his songs have implored listeners to fight oppression in all its forms, to work at improving their own condition and to consider the social impact of their actions.
OUR MUSIC builds upon the Jamaican native's legacy of musical activism. With its inimitable dancing groove, the album percolates and bubbles rhythmically in its call for unity between races, between nations, between individuals and even between business associates.
OUR MUSIC is the second album released on his Burning Spear label, following 2003's Grammy-nominated FREEMAN. In the midst of its expected messages about love, oppression and African history is the title track, a public confirmation that his brand of positivity is tempered with a strong sense of self. "Our Music" is Burning Spear's reclamation of his own artistry-a justification for establishing his record company and a challenge to all artists to commandeer their own future.
"A lot of artists just have no time to really look within the business section of the music business," Burning Spear reasons. "There's no one to really sit them down and give them some of that business understanding before they get into what they get into. So then people walk all over these artists and do things where it's not appropriate and it's not right. It's not in the artist's love."
With his art and his business now firmly in his own control, Burning Spear's OUR MUSIC stands among the most joyful albums of his career. Bolstered by its throbbing basslines, bright horn parts and slinky female background singers, the songs embrace persistence ("Try Again"), self-analysis ("Friends"), love ("Fix Me") and community ("Together") through deceptively simple lyrics that point to deeper issues. It is, in effect, smart music you can dance to.
"It's like art," he says. "You're gonna paint this thing, and people are gonna look at this art and say that it looks like a tree, looks like a car, some people it looks like a flower. People are gonna say different things according to what they see. It's very different, what it looks like to them."
No matter who looks at Burning Spear's career, they have to be impressed. Of his more than 25 albums, nine have earned Grammy nominations, with one of them - 1999's CALLING RASTAFRI - receiving the Academy's Best Reggae Album honor. And he remains one of the few reggae pioneers still working and influencing the people today.
Born Winston Rodney in St. Ann, Jamaica, he was an early fan of Bob Marley. As the legend goes, Rodney bumped into Marley while walking through a field, and the two began talking about music. Marley encouraged him to visit Jamaica's Studio One, where Rodney and a fellow musician recorded "Door Peep." By the time of its release, Rodney had branded the duo Burning Spear, taking the nickname of Jomo Kenyatta, who was jailed by a colonial British government in Africa but rose to become the first president of Kenya.
"I believe in people who are gonna stand up for what they believe in," Burning Spear notes, "not only for themselves, but for themselves and their people, and that was what Jomo was doing."
Even more central to Burning Spears' mission - and it truly is a mission - was the doctrine of Marcus Garvey, a 20th century figure who pushed for a stronger black race through self-reliance. The Jamaican-born Garvey supported freedom and economic strength for all people, but made the African-originated population his focus and published his views in a New York-based newspaper, Negro World. Garvey was jailed in the 1920s and eventually exiled to Jamaica, though he never lashed out at the system that brought him down. His message survived, influencing the likes of Kenyatta, Martin Luther King Jr., Marley and Burning Spear, which titled some of its seminal albums MARCUS GARVEY and MARCUS' CHILDREN.
"Those men wasn't preachin' any violence," Burning Spear says. "They were preachin' about Oneness and the struggles of black people about where they can live and having their voices heard. I don't see anything wrong with his plan and his direction. I think he opened a lot of eyes and opened a lot of mouths so those people could really talk and their voices could be heard. I think the time is right now to clear his name up and set his record free."
Burning Spear's mission remains rather unchanged today, though the act and the music have undergone some alterations. The duo grew into a trio, but has long since morphed into Burning Spear, a solo artist. And while his music has always been a vehicle for social change, his songs are now increasingly melodic, developed with catchy hooks that use short phrases and point more subtly to internal truths for those willing to go through self-exploration.
The music survives in a much different musical era. The reggae genre, once a distinct idiom unto itself, has been co-opted by artists throughout the years and melded with other pop forms. Artists such as Eric Clapton, Paul Simon, The Rolling Stones, The Police, Stevie Wonder and UB40 combined it with pop and rock during the '70s and '80s, while Shaggy and Sean Paul have blended it with hip-hop textures in more recent years. Even country man Willie Nelson put together a hybrid album involving Toots Hibbert, of The Maytals.
Those efforts have called attention to the genre, and specifically to those who helped bring reggae to the world in the '70s, including Burning Spear, Peter Tosh, Hibbert and Marley. In his time, Marley gave Burning Spear his personal seal of approval, and the Spear continues to maintain a devotion to reggae's roots while continuing his service to Jah.
"I think people have to remember the originals," Burning Spear suggests. "So to be honest, I don't really feel no way about it when people put reggae in a different form. Regardless who's gonna do what with the music, I don't think they interfere with Burning Spear."
OUR MUSIC relies heavily on the roots of the reggae movement.
"What I tried to do with this album, musically and lyrically, is to go back to the '70s, when we were singin' about the history and the culture and the lifestyle of these people," Burning Spear observes. "A lot of Burning Spear songs of that earlier times, people would see as political. To me, it's just a natural thing. As an artist, I just expressed that."
Burning Spear continues his mission of expressing his heart, of entertaining and educating the masses. He cleverly accomplishes that by winning over his listeners' bodies before he impacts their minds. He witnesses that process each time he takes the stage.
"You see the head start to nod, you start to see one movement from one of these legs down here and another one, 'til the whole body just gets involved in the whole thing," he laughs. "You have to think about that when you're creatin' the music-you're not just creatin' the music for people to sit back and listen, 'Oh, that's all good and that's bad.' You need people to shake a leg."
As they listen at home and shake legs to OUR MUSIC, listeners will also be swept up with the headiness of Burning Spear's message. The political statements are still there, most obviously in the continued references to Marcus Garvey ("One Marcus" and "Little Garvey").
But OUR MUSIC also contains deeper ideas that penetrate quietly, subtly into the mind before they reach clarity. The bouncy "Friends" asks rather simplistically, "Are you my friend, my neighbor or my enemy?/Who are you? Who are you?" On further reflection, it's obvious that the question is a complex one about societal roles and provocative self-evaluation. "Together" recalls the image of African slaves, shackled together at the ankles, while suggesting that contemporary blacks can still link together figuratively at the elbow in the continued quest for equality. And "Fix Me" embraces the power and essence of love, which Burning Spear sees as the ultimate goal of humanity.
"Love," he says, "is a harmony thing, it's a communication. Love is a link."
Burning Spear's link is a pure one in 2006. Unfettered by someone else's record company, still linked to the roots of reggae and to the ideals of its forefathers, OUR MUSIC points to a better world for those who are oppressed, and for those who simply believe a better world is possible.
"Music," Burning Spear maintains, "is a very important thing. We have to remember that no force is stronger than the music."
House of Reggae
Burning Spear Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Sometimes they confuse our minds
And let us all think out of line
Sometimes they confuse our minds
And let us all think out of line
No unnecessary confusion
No unnecessary Behavior
No unnecessary confusion
No unnecessary Behavior
Chorus:
Harmony in the house of reggae
Harmony
Harmony in the house of reggae
Harmony
So we thank the people
For their presence and their support
So we thank the people
For their presence and their support
They tempt me to work some more
They tempt me to work some more
And mek me work work work work hard
And mek me push push push push on
So Jah also help those that help
themselves
So Jah also help those that help
themselves
We are moving we are moving we are
moving we are moving on
Don't you know only Jah can help us
We are moving we are moving we are
moving we are moving on
Don't you know only Jah can help us
Chorus
So remember Marcus Garvey
And his African legendary parade
So remember Marcus Garvey
And his African legendary parade
Lots of people in high places
Lots of people in high places
Some say no African
Some say no African
Respect to those who remember
Respect to those who remember
Come on now people let the good time roll
Come on now people let the good time roll
Chorus
Chorus
A letter to the people, fans
People all over
People in general
Little singers and big singers
It's we who build this foundation
This reggae foundation
Yes my soldiers be strong
We all travel the same roads
We all make the same stops
We all play the same music
Yes my soldiers be strong
Chorus
And let us all think out of line
Sometimes they confuse our minds
And let us all think out of line
No unnecessary confusion
No unnecessary Behavior
No unnecessary confusion
Chorus:
Harmony in the house of reggae
Harmony
Harmony in the house of reggae
Harmony
So we thank the people
For their presence and their support
So we thank the people
For their presence and their support
They tempt me to work some more
They tempt me to work some more
And mek me work work work work hard
And mek me push push push push on
So Jah also help those that help
themselves
So Jah also help those that help
themselves
We are moving we are moving we are
moving we are moving on
Don't you know only Jah can help us
We are moving we are moving we are
moving we are moving on
Don't you know only Jah can help us
Chorus
So remember Marcus Garvey
And his African legendary parade
So remember Marcus Garvey
And his African legendary parade
Lots of people in high places
Lots of people in high places
Some say no African
Some say no African
Respect to those who remember
Respect to those who remember
Come on now people let the good time roll
Come on now people let the good time roll
Chorus
Chorus
A letter to the people, fans
People all over
People in general
Little singers and big singers
It's we who build this foundation
This reggae foundation
Yes my soldiers be strong
We all travel the same roads
We all make the same stops
We all play the same music
Yes my soldiers be strong
Chorus
Burning Spear's song "House of Reggae" speaks to the importance of harmony and unity within the reggae community. The lyrics address the ways in which outside forces can sometimes confuse our minds and disrupt our collective sense of purpose. The singer advocates for a shared commitment to avoiding unnecessary confusion or behavior in order to maintain a sense of harmony.
As the chorus repeats, "Harmony in the house of reggae," Burning Spear invites listeners to join in an ongoing project of building a supportive and dynamic community. The lyrics express gratitude toward people who offer their support, and they emphasize the importance of hard work and self-reliance in achieving one's goals. The song draws on the legacy of Marcus Garvey, the Jamaican political leader who advocated for pan-Africanism, and encourages listeners to remember the importance of African heritage.
Burning Spear's "House of Reggae" captures the spirit of reggae as a mode of collective expression and community-building. The song reminds us of the importance of maintaining a sense of unity and purpose as we navigate external pressures and work to achieve our shared goals.
Line by Line Meaning
Sometimes they confuse our minds
Occasionally, others contribute to our mental confusion
And let us all think out of line
Leading to our thinking in a nonsensical direction
No unnecessary confusion
No need for mental confusion
No unnecessary Behavior
No needless activity
So we thank the people
We express appreciation to the public
For their presence and their support
For their attendance and solidarity
They tempt me to work some more
They encourage my labor
And mek me work work work work hard
And consequently, induce me to increase productivity
So Jah also help those that help themselves
Divine intervention supports those who make an effort
We are moving we are moving we are moving we are moving on
We are progressing, continuing to advance
Don't you know only Jah can help us
Awareness that it is Jah who provides effective assistance
So remember Marcus Garvey
Recall Marcus Garvey
And his African legendary parade
And his renowned African demonstration
Lots of people in high places
Numerous people in influential positions
Some say no African
However, there are those who deny African heritage
Respect to those who remember
Respect for those who recollect and honor traditions
Come on now people let the good time roll
People, now it's time to have fun and celebrate!
A letter to the people, fans
A message to everyone, especially admirers
It's we who build this foundation
We are responsible for constructing this foundation
This reggae foundation
This vital basis for reggae music
Yes my soldiers be strong
Affirmation that his soldiers be courageous and resilient
We all travel the same roads
We all experience similar journeys
We all make the same stops
We all have equivalent destinations
We all play the same music
We all perform the identical music
Harmony in the house of reggae
Let's have harmony within the world of reggae
Contributed by Gianna F. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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Cristian Valderas
Sometimes they confuse our minds
And let us all think out of line
Sometimes they confuse our minds
And let us all think out of line
No unnecessary confusion
No unnecessary Behavior
No unnecessary confusion
No unnecessary Behavior
Chorus:
Harmony in the house of reggae
Harmony
Harmony in the house of reggae
Harmony
So we thank the people
For their presence and their support
So we thank the people
For their presence and their support
They tempt me to work some more
They tempt me to work some more
And mek me work work work work hard
And mek me push push push push on
So Jah also help those that help
themselves
So Jah also help those that help
themselves
We are moving we are moving we are
moving we are moving on
Don't you know only Jah can help us
We are moving we are moving we are
moving we are moving on
Don't you know only Jah can help us
Chorus
So remember Marcus Garvey
And his African legendary parade
So remember Marcus Garvey
And his African legendary parade
Lots of people in high places
Lots of people in high places
Some say no African
Some say no African
Respect to those who remember
Respect to those who remember
Come on now people let the good time roll
Come on now people let the good time roll
Chorus
A letter to the people, fans
People all over
People in general
Little singers and big singers
It's we who build this foundation
This reggae foundation
Yes my soldiers be strong
We all travel the same roads
We all make the same stops
We all play the same music
Yes my soldiers be strong
Cristian Valderas
Sometimes they confuse our minds
And let us all think out of line
Sometimes they confuse our minds
And let us all think out of line
No unnecessary confusion
No unnecessary Behavior
No unnecessary confusion
No unnecessary Behavior
Chorus:
Harmony in the house of reggae
Harmony
Harmony in the house of reggae
Harmony
So we thank the people
For their presence and their support
So we thank the people
For their presence and their support
They tempt me to work some more
They tempt me to work some more
And mek me work work work work hard
And mek me push push push push on
So Jah also help those that help
themselves
So Jah also help those that help
themselves
We are moving we are moving we are
moving we are moving on
Don't you know only Jah can help us
We are moving we are moving we are
moving we are moving on
Don't you know only Jah can help us
Chorus
So remember Marcus Garvey
And his African legendary parade
So remember Marcus Garvey
And his African legendary parade
Lots of people in high places
Lots of people in high places
Some say no African
Some say no African
Respect to those who remember
Respect to those who remember
Come on now people let the good time roll
Come on now people let the good time roll
Chorus
A letter to the people, fans
People all over
People in general
Little singers and big singers
It's we who build this foundation
This reggae foundation
Yes my soldiers be strong
We all travel the same roads
We all make the same stops
We all play the same music
Yes my soldiers be strong
Joshua Mike
Thanks for this wonderful lyrics. Respect man
Ibrahimovic
Cristian Valderas thx for adding this beuçautyfull lyric
Daniel Miller
Absolutely great. Strong and Even. Thank you for keeping the production clean and righteous.
Paulo Roberto
Muito bom! Show de reggae Roots 🇯🇲🇯🇲🔊🔊☄☄☄
Tanaka Chinawa
Beautiful piece of reggae✊🏿✊🏿✊🏿✊🏿👏🏿👏🏿👏🏿👏🏿🇿🇼🇿🇼🇿🇼
Munyiri Maina
Keep coming back to this one , One Love, Burning Spear 🎼🎵🎶🎚🎸🎷🎤🎹🎚 💚💛❤🖤
Karsten Quisdorf
I love it . Burning spear forever 😍
Lawrence Njawe
MAGNIFICENT!! Direct and sung with such up full, positive vibe
Kwabena Marfo
His voice is exceptional, God bless u