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."
We Are Going
Burning Spear Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Yes, we gonna tell they
Tell them that we are free again
Free from the wicked man
Free from the misery
We are free again
We are free again
Oh oh, no more weepin'
Oh no, no more mournin'
Shout it out,
I said it loud and clear
Tell them that
You know we are free again
Free from the wicked man
Free from the misery
Oh yes, we are free again
Oh yes, we are free again
Shout it out you know
We are free again
Loud and clear
We are free again
Go tell my bradda
We are free again
Go tell my sista
We are free again
Freedom
We are free again
Freedom
We are free again
The lyrics of Burning Spear's "We Are Free" express the joy and relief of being liberated from oppression. The song celebrates the power of freedom, singing "we gonna shout it out" and "shout it out, I said it loud and clear" as a call to action for others to join in the exclamation of their liberation. The repetition of "free from the wicked man, free from the misery" emphasizes the weight that has been lifted and the sense of new life that has been found. The joy of being free is contagious and the lyrics encourage listeners to share in the revelry.
The song captures the essence of Burning Spear's powerful reggae music which often deals with the struggle of the oppressed in Jamaica as well as the broader struggle of Black people around the world. The song is a reminder of the importance of fighting for freedom and the perseverance required to obtain it. The lyrics reflect a sense of unity among oppressed people as they celebrate the power of freedom to bring people together.
Overall, "We Are Free" is a joyful anthem that exclaims the power of freedom to bring hope to those who have been oppressed. The repetition of the phrase "We are free again" reinforces the fact that the fight for freedom is an ongoing struggle that must be celebrated each time a victory is won.
Line by Line Meaning
Oh, we gonna shout it out
We will declare and proclaim our freedom.
Yes, we gonna tell they
We will inform and make them aware of our freedom.
Tell them that we are free again
Convey the news that we are no longer slaves, but rather have regained our freedom.
Free from the wicked man
We are emancipated from the cruel oppression of the unjust.
Free from the misery
We are liberated from suffering and distress.
We are free again
We now enjoy our unalienable rights that were taken away.
No more cryin'
We no longer have to weep or cry in agony or despair.
Oh oh, no more weepin'
We have put a stop to the tears and wailing that resulted from our previous oppression.
Oh no, no more mournin'
We no longer have to grieve or lament over our previous subjugation.
Shout it out,
Declare with enthusiasm and fervor.
I said it loud and clear
My declaration is resounding and unequivocal.
You know we are free again
You understand and recognize that we have regained our freedom.
Oh yes, we are free again
Indeed, we have been emancipated from bondage and oppression.
Shout it out you know
Express it with exuberance, because you understand.
We are free again
We have emerged from slavery and have recovered our natural state of freedom.
Loud and clear
Emphatically and unequivocally stated.
Go tell my bradda
Inform my brothers that we have regained our freedom.
We are free again
We have recovered from prolonged subjugation and enslavement.
Go tell my sista
Inform my sisters that we have finally regained our liberty.
We are free again
Our rights have been restored, and we are no longer in bondage.
Freedom
The right to live as free beings, without fear or oppression.
We are free again
We are grateful for the freedom that has been restored to us.
Freedom
Our liberty is the ultimate expression of our dignity and self-worth.
We are free again
We have regained our voice, our autonomy, and our freedom.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: CLEMENT DODD, WINSTON RODNEY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Andy2018 Wat
First heard this on a Greensleeves compilation album, blew my mind. An absolutely fantastic track.
David Babafemi Aka
That voice brings the magic of the groove alive.....
Laura Nicholls
I love this song so much it brings back memories from 86that was one of the best years of my life. Feel very blessed to have been a teenager with musicals fantastic music like this. Makes me cry to think what’s happening right now
Thank. Goodness for. Reggae long live. Burning. Spear their one of the best ⛄️🌨🌧☃️❄️🌩⛈🌦🌈⛅️☀️🌈🌤🌈⚡️⭐️🌏🌟⚡️🌈☀️✨⭐️🌏⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⚡️⚡️⭐️
Johnandrew Service
I couldn’t have said it anymore truthfully Onelove ❤️💛💚
Laura Nicholls
Thank you and onelove to you too..❤️💛💚❤️
Andrew Kirkup
Always loved this tune. I first heard it on the Greensleeves Sampler CD back in 87
Kalid Tamim
Every day I go to work I play this song we are going keep on moving
Des Kelly
Snap! And bought the album
Lee Armo
Love this track
bryton masaire
Great music which takes u back into very special soul therapy