Man
Desmond Dekker Lyrics


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Counting the days 'til the ice turns green
You know when heaven and hell collide
There are no in-betweens

(I'm the yo-yo man)
Flames on your skin of snow turn cold
(Always up and down)
Cold is the wind that blows through my headstone

Collecting the bones of my friend tonight
Sowing the seeds in a fruitless land
You know when prayers all hit the ground
There is no higher hand

(I'm the yo-yo man)
Flames on your skin of snow turn cold
(Always up and down)
Cold is the wind that blows through my headstone

I'm the yo-yo man, always up and down
So take me to the end of your tether

(I'm the yo-yo man)
Flames on your skin of snow turn cold
(Always up and down)
Cold is the wind that blows through my

(I'm the yo-yo man)
Flames on your skin of snow turn cold
(Always up and down)
Cold is the wind that blows through my

(I'm the yo-yo man)
Flames on your skin of snow turn cold




(Always up and down)
Cold is the wind that blows through our headstones

Overall Meaning

The opening lines of the song "Fu Man Chu" by Desmond Dekker, describes the anxious feeling of waiting for something to happen. It says, "Counting the days 'til the ice turns green" which could be interpreted as waiting for winter to end so that spring can begin. The next line, "You know when heaven and hell collide, there are no in-betweens" suggests that extremes have come together and that change is coming, but there is no middle ground. The use of the phrase "heaven and hell" represents opposing forces, and their intersection gets the singer's attention.


The chorus of the song has the singer declaring "I'm the yo-yo man, always up and down," which could suggest that he is always changing his mood. He says that "flames on your skin of snow turn cold" which means that something that used to be passionate or heated has become cold and faded away. The singer's words seem to suggest that he is always in a state of flux or change. The last verse of the song describes the singer collecting the bones of his friends and sowing seeds in a "fruitless" land, which signifies loss and the futility of trying to grow anything where nothing can thrive. The song may be about the inevitability of change and the heartache that comes with it.


Line by Line Meaning

Counting the days 'til the ice turns green
Anticipating the arrival of spring after the cold winter season.


You know when heaven and hell collide
Refers to a situation where opposing forces or extremes come into conflict.


There are no in-betweens
There is no middle ground or compromise.


(I'm the yo-yo man) Flames on your skin of snow turn cold (Always up and down) Cold is the wind that blows through my headstone
The constant fluctuations in life and the feeling of being stuck in a cycle of highs and lows, with thoughts of mortality.


Collecting the bones of my friend tonight
A somber reference to the inevitable fate of death, where the living have to deal with the remains of the deceased loved ones.


Sowing the seeds in a fruitless land
Trying to make progress or find success in a place where it seems impossible or unlikely.


You know when prayers all hit the ground There is no higher hand
A sense of hopelessness or despair, where it feels like prayers go unheard and there is no divine intervention in difficult times.


(I'm the yo-yo man) Flames on your skin of snow turn cold (Always up and down) Cold is the wind that blows through my headstone
The repeated refrain continues to emphasize the theme of life's ups and downs and the inevitability of death.


So take me to the end of your tether
A plea to be taken to one's limit or breaking point, possibly as a release or escape from the difficulties of life.


(I'm the yo-yo man) Flames on your skin of snow turn cold (Always up and down) Cold is the wind that blows through my (I'm the yo-yo man) Flames on your skin of snow turn cold (Always up and down) Cold is the wind that blows through our headstones
The final repetition of the refrain drives home the bleak tone and subject matter of the song, as well as the idea of cyclical patterns in life and death.




Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS

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Comments from YouTube:

kizmania1

Thanks for putting this up. So chill, so steady, so bad ass

Pam Kennedy

This is a true wonderful peace of music; used to listen to it play continuously on my old record player when I was a youngster! Pure nostalgia

Mike Lock

This one has a very nostalgic sound to it now, as I remember when I was among my skinhead mates, between 1968 - 1972, when I was 13 - 17 years old. We used to end our club nights with this track, for those that liked to smooch with their girlfriends. Such a long time ago now.

bowleemod

never tire of listening to this track...love it

Tararua Man

Have not heard this for 54 years. Brings back memories, some of which I had long forgotten. Would listen to this with the lights down low with my wife who has now gone beyond the sunset and into restful peace.

Pam Kennedy

This song will always haunt me, I love it sweet memories x

Richard King

Anyone with an old style turntable, try playing this at 78 rpm. The bass (guitar) line sounds amazing!

MiGrandeCazzo

man...first wave ska is clearly where its at!!! Thank you very much for posting this!!!- Robby

WedgePee

This is credited to Beverley’s All Stars. It’s the B-side of Desmond Dekker’s iconic #1 smash Israelites.

Ruggero Costa

Canzone fantastica

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