Brown's first recording was "Lips of Wine" recorded for Derrick Harriott (The Musical Chariot), but this was not released initially. He then recorded for Coxsone Dodd at Studio One, and Dodd released Brown's first single, "No Man is an Island". Brown recorded two albums for Dodd, No Man is an Island and If I Follow my Heart (the title track penned by Alton Ellis). Around this time, Brown recorded material for Lloyd Daley ("Baby Don't Do It" and "Things in Life") and material for Derrick Hariott, which was eventually released as the Super Reggae and Soul Hits album. He also worked for Earl Hayles and the Charmaine label early in his career. He had a Top 10 hit in the United Kingdom in 1977. This led to his contract with A&M Records, and to the formation of his own label, DEB records, which produced several hits, including many by Junior Delgado.
His first big hit was "Money In My Pocket" on the Joe Gibbs label, and by the late 1970s, Brown had recorded and performed chart-toppers such as "Sitting & Watching", "Wolves and Leopards", "Here I Come" and "Revolution"; many featuring Sly and Robbie as the rhythm section. As the dancehall era of the 1980s arrived, Brown frequently recorded with King Jammy and Gussie Clark. His song "Revolution" is featured on the reggae radio station K-JAH Radio West in the 2004 video game Grand Theft Auto San Andreas. According to some sources, Brown became addicted to crack cocaine, which affected his career and may have lead to his premature death. Jamaican Prime Minister P. J. Patterson and opposition leader Edward Seaga of the Jamaica Labour Party both spoke at Brown's funeral, which was held on July 17, 1999 in Kingston, Jamaica. The service, which lasted for three hours, also featured live performances by Maxi Priest, Shaggy, and five of Brown's sons. Brown was then buried at Kingston's National Heroes Park.
My Best Girl
Dennis Brown Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
When it's cold outside I've got the month of May
I guess you'd say
What can make me feel this way?
My girl (my girl, my girl)
Talkin' 'bout my girl (my girl)
I've got so much honey the bees envy me
I guess you'd say
What can make me feel this way?
My girl (my girl, my girl)
Talkin' 'bout my girl (my girl)
Hey hey hey
Hey hey hey
Ooh
I don't need no money, fortune, or fame
I've got all the riches baby one man can claim
I guess you'd say
What can make me feel this way?
My girl (my girl, my girl)
Talkin' 'bout my girl (my girl)
I've got sunshine on a cloudy day
With my girl
I've even got the month of May
With my girl
The first two lines of this classic love song, “I've got sunshine on a cloudy day / When it's cold outside I've got the month of May,” speak to the transformative power of being in love with someone. The idea that the singer can make it through any type of weather because he has his girl with him is a metaphor for how being in love can change your entire outlook on life. The phrase “sunshine on a cloudy day” is often used to describe someone who brightens your life and brings happiness into it, even on days where everything else seems to be going wrong. The second line of the first verse, “When it's cold outside I've got the month of May,” is another metaphor for the way that being in love can make everything seem warmer and more alive. May is typically associated with springtime and new beginnings, so the idea that the singer can have the same sense of excitement and renewal that comes with spring even in the middle of winter is a powerful one.
The chorus of the song, “My girl (my girl, my girl) / Talkin' 'bout my girl (my girl),” solidifies the message of the song: the singer is completely, madly in love with his girl. The repetition of the phrase “my girl” emphasizes the personal and intimate nature of the relationship between the singer and his love interest. The third verse, “I don't need no money, fortune, or fame / I've got all the riches baby one man can claim / I guess you'd say / What can make me feel this way? / My girl (my girl, my girl) / Talkin' 'bout my girl (my girl),” reinforces this idea. The singer is saying that he doesn’t need material possessions or external validation to be happy because he has his girlfriend. The fact that he refers to her as “all the riches baby one man can claim” shows the depth of his love and how much she means to him. Overall, “My Girl” is a classic love song that speaks to the transformative power of being completely and madly in love with someone.
Line by Line Meaning
I've got sunshine on a cloudy day
I have a positive outlook on life that helps me persevere through difficult times, just like sunshine can brighten up a cloudy day.
When it's cold outside I've got the month of May
Even when external factors make life challenging or uncomfortable, I have internal warmth that keeps me positive and hopeful, like how the spring month of May represents rejuvenation and new beginnings.
I guess you'd say
What can make me feel this way?
My girl (my girl, my girl)
Talkin' 'bout my girl (my girl)
My happiness and contentment in life comes from my significant other - the person who makes me feel loved, understood, and appreciated.
I've got so much honey the bees envy me
I am fortunate to have many sweet and wonderful things in my life that others may covet or desire, like how bees covet honey.
I've got a sweeter song than the birds in the trees
I have a deep and intense happiness within me that is even greater than the carefree and joyful songs that birds sing.
Hey hey hey
Hey hey hey
Ooh
These sounds represent the joyful and lighthearted nature of my relationship with my significant other, and the happiness that it brings me.
I don't need no money, fortune, or fame
I've got all the riches baby one man can claim
I do not care about material possessions, wealth, or fame, because the love and companionship of my significant other is the greatest treasure I could ever have.
With my girl
I am happiest when I am with my significant other, and their presence brings me joy and comfort even during difficult times.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Ronald White, William Robinson Jr.
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind