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.
Promised Land
Dennis Brown Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Hey, whoa, well
The promised land
Going to the promised land
Yes, the promised land, oh, gosh, now
To the promised land
Then we stopped in Addis Ababa
Made our way to Shshamane land
Riding on the King's highway
The promised land
Going to the promised land, oh, gosh
To the promised land, whoa
To the promised land, well
There's plenty of land for you and I, by and by
Lots of food to share for everyone
No time for segregation in the promised land, oh, gosh
Take me to the promised land
Said the promised land, whoa
Yes, the promised land, whoa, oh, yeah
Said we're riding on the King's highway
From a Cairo to Kenya
Made a stop in Wasmara
Then we made another one in Addis Ababa
The promised land
Going to the promised land, oh gosh
Said the promised land
Yeah, the promised land, whoa
Then I said to myself, give a thanks for the Prophet, God
For He gave me the teachings so I could see
The reality of my true being and levity
There's a lot of work to be done, oh gosh
In the promised land
Yeah, talking 'bout the promised land
Yes, to the promised land
The promised land
Going to the promised land
Oh, the promised land
Whoa, the promised land
Said the promised land
Whoa, oh yeah, whoa
Brother man, what are you doing for the promised land?
Gotta take your stand and let the prophets live on, yeah
There's work to be done, though you can't run
Got a job to be done, so you've got to do it
Even a little by little
Yes the promised land
Going to the promised land
Said the promised land
Going to the promised land
Prophets of the old, said the west got to perish, eh, oh
Don't let your hopes and aspirations drown before you, no way
Gotta go, gotta go, got to go, I got to go, got to go
To the promised land, oh gosh
Yeah, the promised land, whoa
In Dennis Brown's song "Promised Land," the singer and the people around him are on a journey to the promised land, which is described as a place of abundance and equality. The promised land is a metaphor for a place where everyone is free from discrimination and inequality, and where there is plenty of resources for all. The journey to the promised land is not an easy one, as they make stops in different cities on their way there. They start in Wasmara, then go to Addis Ababa, and finally, they make their way to Shshamane land, all while riding on the King's highway. The song's lyrics also pay homage to the prophets of old, who had foretold of the promised land.
Throughout the song, Brown emphasizes the need for people to take action in order to make the promised land a reality. He urges listeners to do their part, no matter how small, to help create a world where everyone is equal and respected. The song emphasizes the importance of unity and working together towards a common goal. Brown's lyrics are a call to action and a reminder that everyone has a role to play in creating a better world.
Line by Line Meaning
Whoa, well now
Expression of excitement and anticipation.
The promised land
Refers to the ideal place of peace and equality.
Going to the promised land
Act of physically traveling to the promised land.
Yes, the promised land, oh, gosh, now
Acknowledgement and affirmation of the promised land's existence and desirability.
To the promised land
Stress on the destination of the journey.
Make a step down to Wasmara
Physical movement from one place to another to reach the promised land.
Then we stopped in Addis Ababa
Stopping at places on the way to the promised land.
Made our way to Shshamane land
Act of reaching the destination, the promised land.
Riding on the King's highway
The journey to the promised land is taking place under divine guidance.
There's plenty of land for you and I, by and by
There is enough space and resources in the promised land for everyone to live in equality.
Lots of food to share for everyone
Abundance of food in the promised land to be shared among all.
No time for segregation in the promised land, oh, gosh
In the promised land, there is no place for discrimination and division among people.
Take me to the promised land
Desire and yearning to reach the promised land.
Said the promised land, whoa
Refrain to express the importance and desirability of the promised land.
Said we're riding on the King's highway
Reiteration of the divine guidance received during the journey to the promised land.
From a Cairo to Kenya
Places along the journey to the promised land.
Then we made another one in Addis Ababa
Another stop on the way to the promised land.
Then I said to myself, give a thanks for the Prophet, God
Expression of gratitude towards God for the divine teachings received about the true nature of life.
For He gave me the teachings so I could see
Acknowledgment of the teachings that have brought clarity of vision and understanding.
The reality of my true being and levity
Understanding of the self, the nature of existence and lightness of spirit.
There's a lot of work to be done, oh gosh
Realization that there is still work to be done to make the promised land a reality.
In the promised land
Refers to the place of peace and equality that everyone is striving to reach.
Brother man, what are you doing for the promised land?
Questioning the actions and contributions of others towards achieving the common goal of reaching the promised land.
Gotta take your stand and let the prophets live on, yeah
Urging others to stand up for their beliefs and values and continue the legacy of those who passed before them.
Got a job to be done, so you've got to do it
Emphasizes the need for action and hard work towards realizing the goal of the promised land.
Even a little by little
Small contributions can have a significant impact in achieving the goal of the promised land.
Prophets of the old, said the west got to perish, eh, oh
Reference to the teachings of the past that suggest the need for change and transformation in the current society in order to reach the promised land.
Don't let your hopes and aspirations drown before you, no way
Encouragement to preserve optimism and hope despite challenges and obstacles faced along the journey towards the promised land.
Gotta go, gotta go, got to go, I got to go, got to go
Sense of urgency and determination to reach the destination of the promised land.
To the promised land, oh gosh
Reiteration and emphasis on the importance and desirability of the promised land.
Yeah, the promised land, whoa
Refrain to express the importance and desirability of the promised land.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: MALIK YUSEF EL SHABBAZ JONES, STEVE MCKEEVER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@manujx3302
Whoa, well now
Hey, whoa, well
The promised land
Going to the promised land
Yes, the promised land, oh gosh now
To the promised land, well
Make a step down to Wasmara
Then we stopped in Addis Ababa
Made our way to Shshamane land
Riding on the King's highway
To the promised land
Going to the promised land, oh gosh
To the promised land, whoa
To the promised land, well
There's plenty of land for you and I, by and by
Lots of food to share for everyone
No time for segregation in the promised land, oh gosh
Take me to the promised land
Said the promised land, whoa
Yes, the promised land, whoa oh, oh, oh, yeah
Said we're riding on the King's highway
From Cairo to Kenya
Made a stop in Wasmara
Then we made another one in Addis Ababa
The promised land
Going to the promised land, oh gosh
Said the promised land
Yeah, the promised land, whoa
Then I said to myself, give a thanks for the Prophet, God
For He gave me the teachings so I could see
The reality of my true being and levity
There's a lot of work to be done, oh gosh
In the promised land
Yeah, talking 'bout the promised land
Yes, to the promised land
The promised land
Going to the promised land
Oh, oh, oh, the promised land
Whoa, the promised land
Said the promised land, whoa oh yeah, whoa
Brother man, what are you doing for the promised land?
Gotta take your stand and let the Prophets live on, yeah
There's work to be done, though you can't run
Got a job to be done, so you've got to do it
Even a little by little
Yes, the promised land
Going to the promised land
Said the promised land
Going to the promised land
Prophets of the old, said the west got to perish, eh, oh
Don't let your hopes and aspirations drown before you, no way
Gotta go, gotta go, got to go
I got to go, got to go
To the promised land, oh gosh
Yeah, the promised land, whoa
@lightbright1113
This is the hardest tune of the early 80s and the dub version off the vinyl is MegaTuff!! Thanks ASWAD, DEB, and Mikey Dread at the controls.
Yeshua said,
If your leaders tell you, “Look, the kingdom is in heaven,”
then the birds of heaven will precede you.
If they say to you, “It’s in the sea,”
then the fish will precede you.
But the kingdom is INSIDE you and it is OUTSIDE you.
When you know yourselves, then you will be known,
and you will understand that you are children of the living father.
But if you do not know yourselves,
then you dwell in poverty and you are poverty.
Selah.
@ejro2820
Cant believe this came out in 1978, man Jamaica doesn’t get enough credit for whats it done in the world of music
@livingstonmurahwa9145
True.
@naturalmystic67
It does by me.
@Yeahboyovic
@@naturalmystic67 iì
@sirjamesrecords1432
it came out in 1983 , jamaica's contribution to the world is amazing !
@reeseprince8
Weed smoke bring out the energy
@raulrodriguez3055
"The harder they fall" brought me to this gem.... Such a dope movie btw
@stignation
Same here 🏆
@cdbeatsj542
That scene was lit lol
@madrossi1
No... Movie sucks. Song is great though