1. A roots regg… Read Full Bio ↴There are at least two artists that have used this name:
1. A roots reggae band from Jamaica
2. A straight edge metalcore band from Florida, US
1. Culture was a Jamaican roots reggae group founded in 1976. Originally they were known as the African Disciples.
The members of the trio were Joseph Hill (lead vocals), Albert Walker (backing vocals) and Kenneth Dayes (backing vocals).
Shortly after Culture came together, they began working with the "Mighty Two" – producer Joe Gibbs and engineer Errol Thompson. While at Gibbs’ studio, they recorded a series of powerful singles, many of which ended up on their debut album ‘Two Sevens Clash’. After their success with Gibbs, the group went on to make a string of albums for producer Sonia Pottinger. Culture began working with some of the premier musicians of the day including Robbie Shakespeare, Sly Dunbar, Ansel Collins, Cedric Brooks and the ever-present percussionist Sticky. Virgin Records picked up the albums, and that added distribution enabled Culture to gain an even larger following outside of Jamaica.
Critically considered one of the most authentic traditional reggae acts, at the time of the first Rolling Stone Record Guide publication, they were the only band of any genre whose every recording received a five-star review (of bands with more than one recording in the guide).
In 1982 the three singers went their own ways. Hill carried on using the Culture name, and recorded the Lion Rock album, which was released in the United States by Heartbeat Records. For their part, Walker and Dayes recorded a handful of songs on their own – a few of which turned up on an album titled Roots & Culture. In 1986 the original line-up reformed to record two highly regarded albums – Culture in Culture and Culture at Work. These releases marked the beginning of a very busy period for the group, including annual albums and countless tours. The U.S. label Shanachie released a steady stream of new and old Culture albums up to Wings Of A Dove in 1992.
Joseph Hill, who came to symbolize the face of Culture, died in Germany on 19 August 2006 while the group was on tour. His son, Kenyatta Hill, now is the lead singer.
2) Classic mid/late 90s hardcore from Florida, celebrated for, among a handful of others, helping to cultivate the burgeoning metallic hardcore sound that became synonymous with the era.
CULTURE was known for aggressive social/political/ecological commentary, cautionary tales of reckless consumerism and industrial sprawl, and advocacy of the straightedge lifestyle.
Former members went on to Morning Again, Terror, As Friends Rust, Shai Hulud, Throwdown, Blood Has Been Shed and (most recently) ON BODIES.
In 2012, CULTURE played its first show since disbanding in 1998 (The Reel & Restless Fest in Miami, Florida). This fall, in August of 2013, the band will revisit Europe for Belgium's famed Ieper Hardcore Festival, and will then play three dates in Japan, including Tokyo's Bloodaxe Fest.
Members included:
Rich Thurston (Guitar: 1993-1997, Bass: 1993, Vocals: 1993, Drums: 1996)
Josh Williams (Drums: 1993-1997)
Stan Obal (Bass: 1993)
Mark Mitchell (Vocals: 1993, Vocals: 1996)
Pete Carreno (Bass: 1994)
John Wylie (Guitar: 1994-1995)
Damien Moyal (Vocals: 1994-1995, Vocals: 1997-1998)
Gordon Tarpley (Bass: 1995-1997, Guitar: 1998)
Louie Long (Vocals: 1995)
Anthony Conte (Vocals: 1995)
Steve Looker (Guitar: 1996-1997)
Jason Dooley (Drums: 1997)
Timothy Kirkpatrick (Drums: 1997-1998)
Joe Simmons (Guitar:1997-1998)
Floyd Beckham (Bass: 1998)
Kenneth Brian (Guitar: 1998)
Where The Tree Falls
Culture Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The axe man have left the root of the tree and it is fruitless
Where the tree falls
There shall it lie until judgement take its course, Mass a God
Where the tree falls
There shall it lie until judgement take its course
Dog safe to sit down and stretch out its tail too long.
Dirty nigga will mash it.
None ambitious people crush it
Them nuh have no ambition at all
Where the tree falls
There shall it lie until judgement take its course
Fuitless trees must be yewn down
Where the tree falls
There shall it lie until judgement take its course
And me hear Mr. Vally
Him a chat seh
Since brother Bob dead, reggae music gone down
But I have story for the youth
But as long as bitter belly Joseph Hill is alive
Reggae music is alive! (You know what kill me man?)
When I look around me I saw death stole away
My brother Dennis Brown
I'm crying, but we will carry on
Where the tree falls
There shall it lie until judgement take its course
Don't watch me, watch yourselves!
Where the tree falls
There shall it lie until judgement take its course
Not everything good fi eat sometime
Old time people say "Good fe talk"
And the same stone that the builder refused in the morning
Becomes the head cornerstone
And new king sit upon the throne
Hey, where the tree falls
Hey, there shall it lie until judgement take its course
Root of all immoral laws
Where the tree falls
There shall it lie until judgement take its course
(You know something?)
Marcus Garvey say all immoral laws
Must be disobeyed
And no powers shall make me bow down to the laws
Oh, no little faggot! (Forgot that! Man, not I!)
For where the tree falls
There shall it lie until judgement take its course
Whether you a tomato or you a cedar
Where the tree falls
There shall it lie until judgement take its course
We gonna rode little chariot, old little chariot a g'waan
Mek reggae music g'waan
And who's here will stay here
And who fi gone, is already gone
Lift up your red pearly gates
Where the tree falls
There shall it lie until judgement take its course
Keep on preying with me, my brother
Where the tree falls
There shall it lie until judgement take its course
The song "Where The Tree Falls" by Culture is a reggae composition that discusses the concept of justice and the end of immorality. The lyrics of the song reveal a message of hope that stems from the idea that while people may try to cut down a fruitful tree, they will not succeed in destroying an enduring legacy. The song sets out to illustrate the power of nature and how nature resists destruction, just as culture is an enduring legacy that will ultimately triumph. Joseph Hill, Culture's lead vocalist, speaks of the need to preserve reggae music as a legacy that will live on through musicianship, despite the poverty in which it originates.
The opening lyrical statement "The axe man has left the root of the tree and it is fruitless" speaks to the idea that removing the fruit-bearing portion of the tree does not eliminate the roots that feed and sustain the tree. The statement is similar to the idea that cutting off branches does not eliminate the essence of the tree. The next lines, "Where the tree falls, there shall it lie until judgement takes its course," reinforces the idea that the roots remain even when the tree is cut down, and that these roots will sustain the tree for some time.
The song highlights the struggles of the Jamaican people, as exemplified by the lines "None ambitious people crush it/Them nuh have no ambition at all/Where the tree falls/There shall it lie until judgement takes its course." The lyrics suggest that the lack of ambition among people leads to a culture of poverty and self-doubt. The song posits that we must acknowledge and respect the roots that nourish us and our cultures, just as we must tend to the trees that provide us sustenance.
Line by Line Meaning
The axe man have left the root of the tree and it is fruitless
The tree has been cut down, but the roots remain so it cannot grow again and produce fruit
Where the tree falls
There shall it lie until judgement take its course, Mass a God
The tree will remain where it fell until the end of times, when God will make a final judgement
Dog safe to sit down and stretch out its tail too long.
Dirty nigga will mash it.
It's safe for harmless creatures to relax, even to the point of leaving themselves vulnerable, while malicious ones will take advantage of any perceived weakness
Every little thing you do too progressive
None ambitious people crush it
Them nuh have no ambition at all
People who lack ambition will undermine any progress made by those who try to improve their situation
Fuitless trees must be yewn down
Trees that no longer produce fruit must be cut down and removed
And me hear Mr. Vally
Him a chat seh
Since brother Bob dead, reggae music gone down
But I have story for the youth
But as long as bitter belly Joseph Hill is alive
Reggae music is alive! (You know what kill me man?)
When I look around me I saw death stole away
My brother Dennis Brown
I'm crying, but we will carry on
Reggae music is still alive, even after the death of Bob Marley and Dennis Brown, and Joseph Hill's bitter attitude cannot change that
Don't watch me, watch yourselves!
Instead of judging others, focus on improving yourself
Not everything good fi eat sometime
Old time people say "Good fe talk"
And the same stone that the builder refused in the morning
Becomes the head cornerstone
And new king sit upon the throne
Sometimes things that don't seem valuable or useful at first can become very important later on
Root of all immoral laws
There are certain laws and rules that are inherently immoral
(You know something?)
Marcus Garvey say all immoral laws
Must be disobeyed
And no powers shall make me bow down to the laws
Oh, no little faggot! (Forgot that! Man, not I!)
Marcus Garvey believed that immoral laws must be disobeyed, and the artist is not afraid to stand up against them, even if others try to shame or belittle him
Whether you a tomato or you a cedar
Where the tree falls
There shall it lie until judgement take its course
Everyone, regardless of their background, will face judgement in the end
We gonna rode little chariot, old little chariot a g'waan
Mek reggae music g'waan
And who's here will stay here
And who fi gone, is already gone
Reggae music will continue to thrive, and those who are meant to stay will stay, while those who must leave have already left
Lift up your red pearly gates
Where the tree falls
There shall it lie until judgement take its course
Keep on preying with me, my brother
Where the tree falls
There shall it lie until judgement take its course
Pray with the singer, as they wait for judgement day when all will be revealed
Writer(s): Joseph C Hill
Contributed by Aria G. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Romeo addai
Rip Joseph hill
@jontedida
The axe man have left the root of the tree and it is fruitless
Where the tree falls
There shall it lie until Judgement take its course, Massa God
Where the tree falls, hmm
There shall it lie until Judgement take its course, yeah
Dog safe to sit down and stretch out its tail too long
Dirty nigga will mash it
Every little thing you do, too progressive
None ambitious people crush it
Them nuh have no ambition at all
Where the tree falls
There shall it lie until Judgement take its course
Fruitless trees must be hewn down
Where the tree falls
There shall it lie until Judgement take its course
And me hear Mr. Vally him a chat seh
Since brother Bob dead, reggae music gone down
But I have story for the youth
But as long as bitter belly Joseph Hill is alive
Reggae music is alive! (You know what kill me man?)
When I look around me I saw death stole away
My brother Dennis Brown
I'm crying, but we will carry on
Where the tree falls
There shall it lie until Judgement take its course
Don't watch me, watch yourselves!
Where the tree falls
There shall it lie until Judgement take its course
(..)
Not everything good fi eat sometime
Old time people say "Good fe talk"
And the same stone that the builder refused in the morning
Becomes the head cornerstone
And new king sit upon the throne, hey
Where the tree falls, hey
There shall it lie until Judgement take its course
Root of all immoral laws
Where the tree falls
There shall it lie until Judgement take its course
You know something?
Marcus Garvey say all immoral laws, must be disobeyed
And no powers shall make me bow down to the laws
Of no little faggot! (Forgot that man, not I!)
For where the tree falls
There shall it lie until Judgement take its course
Whether you a tomato or you a cedar
Where the tree falls
There shall it lie until Judgement take its course
We gonna rode little chariot, old little chariot along
Mek reggae music gwaan
And who's here will stay here
And who fi gone, is already gone
Lift up your red pearly gates
Where the tree falls
There shall it lie until Judgement take its course
Keep on praying with me, my brother
Where the tree falls
There shall it lie until Judgement take its course..
@bismarkhill9228
This song always gives me goosebumps.
Who's still listening in 2023?
@eirikrzion574
2024 😍😍😍😍still conscious music ✅💯
@joyinyang-hj9jt
Listening from Canada. Bad chune!!!
@cobbysparks9891
There will NEVER EVER be another Joseph Hill. Your wise words will forever reverberate through history. Timeless. 👊🏾
@thomaswafula6663
Cape coast... Joseph you have been such a mentor to many of us in this part of the world... in mama Africa wi love you
@alphabangura8360
'As long as Joseph hills is alive reggae music is alive ' and you left us with enough to keep it alive, Rasta
@williamndisale8733
the husky voice of Joseph still resonates...... bless up🙏 👌👌🙌👑👑💥💪
@jesseemugambi
Where the tree falls, there it shall lie until the judgement day🇨🇬..can't get enough of Hills....7/9/22 summer
@princejustinanku760
Indeed, Reggae Music is alive! GOAT_ Joseph Hill