Born in Stewarton, in the parish of Clarendon, Jamaica, Derrick Morgan entered in 1957 the Vere Johns Opportunity Hour, a talent show held at the Palace Theatre in Kingston. He won with rousing impressions of Little Richard and, shortly after that, was recruited to perform around the island with the popular Jamaican comedy team Bim and Bam. In 1959 Morgan entered the recording studio for the first time. Duke Reid, the acclaimed sound system boss, was looking for talent to record for his Treasure Isle record label. Morgan cut two popular shuffle-boogie sides "Lover Boy", a.k.a. "S-Corner Rock", and "Oh My". Soon after, Morgan cut the bolero-tinged boogie "Fat Man", which also became a hit. He also found time to record for Coxsone Dodd.
In 1960 Morgan became the only artist ever to fill the places from one to seven on the Jamaican pop chart simultaneously. Among those hits were "Don't Call Me Daddy", "In My Heart", "Be Still", and "Meekly Wait and Murmur Not". But it was the following year that Morgan released the biggest hit of his career, the Leslie Kong production of "Don't You Know", later retitled "Housewives' Choice" by a local DJ. The song featured a bouncing ska riddim, along with a duet by Morgan and Millicent "Patsy" Todd.
"Housewives' Choice" began the legendary rivalry between Morgan and Prince Buster, who accused Morgan of stealing his ideas. Buster quickly released "Blackhead Chiney Man", chiding Morgan with the sarcastic put-down, "I did not know your parents were from Hong Kong" – a swipe at Kong. Morgan returned with the classic "Blazing Fire", in which he warns Buster to "Live and let others live, and your days will be much longer. You said it. Now it's the Blazing Fire". Buster shot back with, "Watch It Blackhead", which Morgan countered with "No Raise No Praise" and "Still Insist". Followers of the two artists often clashed, and eventually the government had to step in with a staged photo shoot depicting the rivals as friends.
Morgan had a major success in 1962 with "Forward March", a song celebrating Jamaican independence from Great Britain.
In the mid-1960s, when ska evolved into the cooler, more soulful rocksteady, Morgan continued to release top quality material, including the seminal rude boy classic, "Tougher Than Tough", "Do the Beng Beng", "Conquering Ruler", and a cover of Ben E. King's soul hit, "Seven Letters". Produced by Bunny Lee, "Seven Letters" is often cited as the first true reggae single. In 1969 Morgan cut the famous skinhead anthem "Moon Hop" (on Crab Records). However, failing eyesight then forced him to give up regular stage appearances. Morgan still performs occasionally at ska revival shows across the world – often backed by the guitarist Lynn Taitt. He remained popular in Jamaica and the UK into the early 1970s, and has lived primarily in the UK or the US since the late 1960s.
Morgan has written several songs that have won the Festival Song Contest for other artists, including "Jamaica Whoa" (1998, Neville Martin), "Fi Wi Island A Boom" (2000, Stanley Beckford), and "Progress" (2002, Devon Black).
In July 2002 in Toronto, Canada, a two-night "Legends of Ska" concert was held. Reuniting were The Skatalites, Lloyd Knibb, Rico Rodriguez, Lloyd Brevett, Lester Sterling, Johnny Moore and Lynn Taitt; along with Prince Buster, Alton Ellis, Owen Gray, Lord Creator, Justin Hinds, Derrick Harriott, Winston Samuels, Roy Wilson, Patsy Todd, Doreen Shaffer, Stranger Cole, Lord Tanamo and Derrick Morgan. In 2007 Morgan appeared on the bill at the annual Augustibuller music festival. His song "Tougher Than Tough" was featured in the video game Scarface: The World is Yours.
He worked with Desmond Dekker, Bob Marley, and Jimmy Cliff a.o..
Discography
Albums
Seven Letters (1969)
Derrick Morgan in London (1969)
Moon Hop (1970)
Feel So Good (1975) (featuring Hortense Ellis)
People's Decision (1977)
Still in Love (1977) (also featuring Hortense Ellis)
Sunset at Moonlight City
Love City
The Legend of Derrick Morgan (1980)
I Am the Ruler (1992) – Trojan Records
Tougher Than Tough (Rudie in Court) (1992)
The Conquering Ruler (and the Sensational Yebo) (1994) – Pork Pie Records
Ska Man Classics (1995)
Ska Man Classics (1997)
21 Hits Salute (1997)
Meets the High Notes Live (2003)
Moon Hop: Best of the Early Years 1960–69 (2003)
Derrick:Top the Top (2003)
Derrick Meets the High Notes (2004)
Shake A Leg (2014)
Singles
"The Hop" / "Tell It To Me", 7-inch: Island WI 006, UK, 1962
"Forward March" / "Please Don't Talk About Me", 7-inch: Island WI 011, UK, 1962
"See The Blind" / "Cherry Home", 7-inch: Island WI 013, UK, 1962
"I Am The Ruler" / "I Mean It" Pyramid 1968
"No Dice" / "I Mean It" Pyramid 1968
"Moon Hop" – 1970 – UK No. 49
Singles on Crab Records
"River to the Bank" / "Reggae Limbo", 7-inch (B side – Peter King)
"Seven Letters" / "Lonely Heartaches", 7-inch (B side – The Tartons)
"The First Taste of Love" / "Dance All Night", 7-inch
"Don't Play That Song" / "How Can I Forget You", 7-inch
"Mek It Tan Deh" / "Gimme Back", 7-inch
"Send Me Some Loving" / "Come What May", 7-inch
"Hard Time" / "Death Rides A Horse", 7-inch (B Side – Roy Richards)
"Man Pon Moon" / "What A Thing", 7-inch
"Moon Hop" / "Harris Wheel", 7-inch (B Side – Reggaeites)
"A Night at the Hop" / "Telephone", 7-inch
"Oh Baby" / The Rat", 7-inch (B Side – The Thunderbirds)
"Need To Belong" / "Let's Have Some Fun", 7-inch (with Jennifer Jones)
"I Wish I Was An Apple" / "The Story", 7-inch
"Take A Letter Maria" / "Just A Little Loving", 7-inch (with Owen Gray)
"Rocking Good Way" / "Wipe These Tears", 7-inch (with Jennifer Jones)
"My Dickie" / "Brixton Hop", 7-inch
"I Can't Stand It No Longer" / "Beyond The Wall", 7-inch
"Endlessly" / "Who's Making Love", 7-inch
"Hurt Me" / "Julia", 7-inch
"Searching So Long" / "Drums of Passion", 7-inch
007
Derrick Morgan Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
0-0-7
At Ocean 11
And now rude boys have go wail
'Cause them out of jail
Rude boys cannot fail
'Cause them must get bail
A Shanty Town
Dem a loot, dem a shoot, dem a wail
A Shanty Town
Dem rudely get a probation
A Shanty Town
And rudely a bomb up the town
A Shanty Town
Police get taller
A Shanty Town
Soldier get longer
A Shanty Town
Rude boy a weep and a wail
A Shanty Town
Rude boy a weep and a wail
A Shanty Town
Derrick Morgan's song "007" tells the story of a gang of rude boys who have just been released from jail and are causing chaos in Shanty Town. The song starts with the chant of "0-0-7" which could refer to the James Bond character, but could also mean that the gang is now armed and dangerous. The line "And now rude boys have go wail 'Cause them out of jail" suggests that the gang is celebrating their release and causing trouble to mark their freedom. The repetition of "dem a loot, dem a shoot, dem a wail" emphasizes the chaos and violent behavior of the gang.
The song also references the response from law enforcement to the gang's actions. The line "Police get taller, soldier get longer" suggests that the gang has met their match and may be overpowered by the authorities. The line "Rude boy a weep and a wail" is a moment of reflection in the song where the violent behavior of the gang comes to a halt and the reality of their situation sets in.
Overall, "007" is a commentary on the violent behavior of rude boys in Jamaica at a time when political and social unrest was high. The song highlights the destructive behavior and the impact it had on the community.
Line by Line Meaning
0-0-7
Secret agent James Bond's iconic code name
At Ocean 11
Referencing the famous Las Vegas heist film, suggesting covert operations
And now rude boys have go wail
Outlaw gang members are now facing consequences and repercussions
'Cause them out of jail
They no longer have the freedom to commit crimes
Rude boys cannot fail
Their lifestyle of crime is not sustainable, they will inevitably face justice
'Cause them must get bail
They will try to post bail or escape custody to avoid punishment
Dem a loot, dem a shoot, dem a wail
The rude boys engage in looting and shooting, but ultimately face emotional distress and suffering
A Shanty Town
A poor, urban area where crime and violence are common
Dem rudely get a probation
The gang members receive probation as a form of punishment
And rudely a bomb up the town
They commit violent acts, such as bombings, as a way to retaliate against the authorities or instill fear
Police get taller
The police become more powerful and visible in response to the outbreak of crime
Soldier get longer
The military is deployed to assist in maintaining law and order
Rude boy a weep and a wail
The gang members become upset and distressed as they face the reality of their actions
A Shanty Town
The cycle of poverty and crime continues in these types of areas
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: DESMOND DEKKER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind