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.
Take My Hand
Dennis Brown Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And you need a helping hand
And nothing, nothing is going right
Close your eyes and think of me
And soon I will be there
To brighten up even your darkest night
You just call out my name
I'll come running to see you again
Winter, spring, summer or fall
All you have to do is call
And I'll be there
You've got a friend
If the sky above you
Grows dark and full of clouds
And that old north wind begins to blow
Keep you head together
And call my name out loud
Soon you'll hear me knocking at you door
You just call out my name
And you know wherever I am
I'll come running to see you again
Winter, spring, summer or fall
All you have to do is call
And I'll be there
Ain't it good to know that you've got a friend
When people can be so cold
They'll hurt you, and desert you
And take your soul if you let them
You just call out my name
And you know wherever I am
I'll come running to see you again
Winter, spring, summer or fall
All you have to do is call
And I'll be there
You've got a friend
You've got a friend
Ain't it good to know you've got a friend
Ain't it good to know you've got a friend
Dennis Brown's "Take My Hand" is a song that speaks to the idea of friendship and support, particularly in difficult times. The lyrics suggest that when you are feeling down or troubled and need a helping hand, all you have to do is close your eyes and think of the singer, and they will be there to support and comfort you. The song emphasizes the idea that friends are always there for us, even when things don't seem to be going right. The refrain, "You've got a friend," reiterates this idea of unshakable support and the comfort that friends can provide through difficult times.
The song also speaks to the more negative aspects of human relationships, acknowledging that people can be "cold" and "hurt you, and desert you." However, by emphasizing the importance of friendship and support, "Take My Hand" suggests that even in the face of these negative experiences, we can find hope and comfort in friendship. The song presents an uplifting and positive message about the power of human connection, particularly during difficult times.
The lyrics are simple and direct, but they pack an emotional punch that resonates with listeners on a deep level. The song has been covered by numerous artists over the years, including Carole King and James Taylor, and it continues to be a beloved classic in the world of popular music.
Line by Line Meaning
When you're down and troubled
When you are feeling low and troubled
And you need a helping hand
And you need someone to help you
And nothing, nothing is going right
And everything seems to be going wrong
Close your eyes and think of me
Close your eyes and remember me
And soon I will be there
And I will come to you soon
To brighten up even your darkest night
To make even your darkest night brighter
You just call out my name
Just say my name out loud
And you know wherever I am
And you know wherever I may be
I'll come running to see you again
I will come to see you as soon as possible
Winter, spring, summer or fall
In any season or time of the year
All you have to do is call
Just call me
And I'll be there
And I'll be with you
If the sky above you
If the sky above you
Grows dark and full of clouds
Gets dark and covered in clouds
And that old north wind begins to blow
And the cold northern wind starts blowing
Keep you head together
Keep yourself calm and composed
And call my name out loud
And call out my name loudly
Soon you'll hear me knocking at you door
Soon you'll hear me knocking on your door
Ain't it good to know that you've got a friend
Isn't it good to know that you have a friend
When people can be so cold
When people can be very unfriendly
They'll hurt you, and desert you
They will hurt you and abandon you
And take your soul if you let them
And take away your spirit if you give them the chance
You've got a friend
You have a friend
Ain't it good to know you've got a friend
Isn't it good to know that you have a friend
Ain't it good to know you've got a friend
Isn't it good to know that you have a friend
Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: THOMAS A. DORSEY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Junior Grossett
Another master piece from the crown Prince of reggae...your music will live on forever..RIP
Ann Hughes
Just love Dennis Brown love this tune Dennis sings it. REWIND who’s listening June 2022. Big Tune The Crown Prince. R I P🙏🔥
Michael Edwarfs
The crown prince 👑 of reggae Legendary D Brown
Jesse jahrocker
Some of the best of Dennis
rose bud
Really nice Dennis Emanuel Brown RIP
ensa badjie
He is my inspiration
Lloyde Bent
Straight fyah 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥☄️☄️☄️
Marcia Daley
🙌🏾❤️💛💚🌋🌋🔥🔥👑💕💋
Chrispin Oyuga
Fly peaceful yah man
Conrod Anglin
Hear this