Clinton Fearon was the former bass player for 'The Gladiators' and now is s… Read Full Bio ↴Clinton Fearon was the former bass player for 'The Gladiators' and now is solo.

From his website:

If you know reggae music, you know Clinton 'Basie' Fearon. Clinton Fearon is counted among Jamaica's most talented musicians by peers and professionals in the Reggae music industry. His infectious bass riffs, guitar licks, percussion accents and powerful vocals make Bassie a living legend amongst reggae musicians and fans.

As a youth, Bassie went to Kingston to eventually become the well-known bassist, vocalist and lyricist for The Gladiators as well as a house musician for Coxsonne Dodd’s Studio One and Lee “Scratch” Perry’s Black Ark Studio. Fearon recorded many of Perry's best known songs, including Roast Fish and Cornbread which features one of Fearon's most famous bass lines. He also composed some everlasting basslines for Yabby You, Jimmy Riley, Max Romeo, Junior Byles and many many others.

Uncle Freddy
Clinton Fearon Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Uncle Freddy
It′s gone bad already
It's quite deadly
But hang on steady
They′ll try to push you around
Treat you like a clown
Cause you to wear a frown
But no one get you down (repeat)

Freddy
Don't give into the negative
Hang on
Don't be threatened by defeat
Freddy
We′ve got to stay with the positive
Hang on
You know the victory will be sweet
Let no let no let no
Let no let no let no
Let no let no let no

Let no let no let no one no one
Get you down

Overall Meaning

The song Uncle Freddy by Clinton Fearon is a message of hope and encouragement to a person named Freddy, who is facing difficult circumstances. The opening line, "It's gone bad already," suggests that Freddy's situation is dire and perhaps hopeless. However, Fearon quickly follows up with the assertion that even though the situation is deadly and dangerous, Freddy should hang on steady. The rest of the song consists of a repetitive message to not let anyone get him down, even though they will try to push him around and treat him like a clown.

Fearon's lyrics are poetic and contain a lot of alliteration, such as "hang on" and "frown," which add to the musicality of the song. The refrain of "Let no let no let no" and the call and response of "Freddy" and "Hang on" give the song a sense of urgency and determination. The song's message is universal and can be applied to anyone facing difficult circumstances, regardless of their name.

Overall, Uncle Freddy is a hopeful and uplifting song that encourages listeners to stay positive and not let anyone bring them down, despite the challenges they may face.

Line by Line Meaning

Uncle Freddy
Addressing Uncle Freddy as the subject of the song.

It's gone bad already
The situation is already dire and seems to be getting worse.

It's quite deadly
The situation is dangerous and requires caution.

But hang on steady
Remain calm and persevere through the difficult times ahead.

They'll try to push you around
People will attempt to take advantage of you and assert their power over you.

Treat you like a clown
They will disrespect you and make you feel insignificant.

Cause you to wear a frown
Their actions will make you sad and unhappy.

But no one get you down (repeat)
Despite the challenges, don't let anyone bring you down.

Don't give into the negative
Don't let negativity overpower you.

Hang on
Stay strong and composed.

Don't be threatened by defeat
Don't let the prospect of failure intimidate you.