Damian Marley & Eve
Damian Marley/Damian Marley/Damian Marley Lyrics
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Me heart, she feel so sad,
Sittin' by de ocean,
Me heart, she feel so sad
Don't got de money
To take me back to Trinidad.
Fine calypso woman,
Fine calypso woman,
She cook me shrimp and rice
These Yankee hot dogs
Don't treat me stomach very nice.
In Trinidad, one dollar buy
Papaya juice, banana pie,
Six coconut, one female goat,
An' plenty fish to fill de boat.
One bushel bread, one barrel wine,
An' all de town, she come to dine.
But here is bad, one dollar buy
Cup of coffee, ham on rye.
Me throat she sick from necktie,
Me feet hurt from shoes.
Me pocket full of empty,
I got Calypso blues.
These Yankee girl give me big scare,
Is black de root, is blond de hair.
Her eyelash false, her face is paint,
And pads are where de girl she ain't!
She jitterbug when she should waltz,
I even think her name is false.
But calypso girl is good a lot,
Is what you see, is what she got.
Sittin' by de ocean
Me heart, she feel so sad,
Sittin' by de ocean,
Me heart, she feel so sad
Don't got de money
To take me back to Trinidad.
The lyrics of Damian Marley's "Sittin' by de Ocean" tell the story of a man who misses his home country of Trinidad while living in the United States. The singer reminisces about the beauty of Trinidad, from the gorgeous women who cook him delicious meals to the abundance of fresh fruits and seafood available. However, he finds himself in a place where he can barely afford a cup of coffee and feels disconnected from the culture around him. He longs to return home but can't due to a lack of funds.
The song speaks to the immigrant experience, particularly the difficulties of adapting to a new culture and the homesickness that often accompanies it. While the singer enjoys some aspects of life in the US, he feels an intense longing for the place that he left behind. Moreover, the contrast between the vibrant and colorful lifestyle of Trinidad and the grey monotony of the US highlights the differences between the two cultures.
Line by Line Meaning
Sittin' by de ocean
The singer is sitting by the ocean.
Me heart, she feel so sad,
The singer's heart feels sad.
Sittin' by de ocean,
The singer is still sitting by the ocean.
Me heart, she feel so sad
The singer's heart is still sad.
Don't got de money
The singer doesn't have any money.
To take me back to Trinidad.
The singer can't afford to go back to Trinidad.
Fine calypso woman,
The singer is talking about a woman from Trinidad.
She cook me shrimp and rice,
The woman cooked shrimp and rice for the singer.
Fine calypso woman,
The woman is still being talked about.
She cook me shrimp and rice
The woman cooked shrimp and rice again.
These Yankee hot dogs
The singer is not used to the food in America.
Don't treat me stomach very nice.
The food in America is making the singer sick.
In Trinidad, one dollar buy
Things are cheaper in Trinidad.
Papaya juice, banana pie,
Examples of things that are cheap in Trinidad.
Six coconut, one female goat,
More examples of cheap things in Trinidad.
An' plenty fish to fill de boat.
There is a lot of fish in Trinidad.
One bushel bread, one barrel wine,
More examples of cheap things in Trinidad.
An' all de town, she come to dine.
The whole town comes to eat in Trinidad.
But here is bad, one dollar buy
Things are more expensive in America.
Cup of coffee, ham on rye.
Examples of things that are expensive in America.
Me throat she sick from necktie,
The singer is uncomfortable wearing a necktie.
Me feet hurt from shoes.
The singer's shoes are uncomfortable.
Me pocket full of empty,
The singer is broke.
I got Calypso blues.
The singer is sad because he misses Trinidad.
These Yankee girl give me big scare,
The singer is not impressed by American women.
Is black de root, is blond de hair.
The women in America look different from the women in Trinidad.
Her eyelash false, her face is paint,
Some American women wear a lot of makeup.
And pads are where de girl she ain't!
Some American women wear fake pads to appear curvier.
She jitterbug when she should waltz,
Some American women don't know how to dance properly.
I even think her name is false.
Some American women have fake names as well.
But calypso girl is good a lot,
The singer prefers the women from Trinidad.
Is what you see, is what she got.
The women in Trinidad are more natural.
Sittin' by de ocean
The song ends where it began.
Me heart, she feel so sad,
The singer is still sad at the end of the song.
Sittin' by de ocean,
The singer is still sitting by the ocean.
Me heart, she feel so sad
The singer's heart is still sad.
Don't got de money
The singer still doesn't have any money.
To take me back to Trinidad.
The singer still can't afford to go back to Trinidad.
Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: DON GEORGE, NAT KING COLE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind