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Born in Kingston, Jamaica as Ripton Hylton, Eek-a-Mouse began his foray into reggae music when he was in college, but did not begin to garner a substantial audience until 1979 with his hit "Once a Virgin". This same year, he changed his singing name to "Eek-a-Mouse", the name of the racehorse he always bet on. In 1981, he cheered up the Reggae Sunsplash Festival, which was still mourning over the death of reggae icon Bob Marley. After this, his fame continued increasing through the year 1982 until 1988, when he released "Eek-A-Nomics", his last full-length CD until 1996.
Eek-a-Mouse is a regular at the Jamaican music festival Reggae Sunsplash and often teams up with reggae duo Michigan and Smiley. He has also been featured on Christian rock group P.O.D.'s (Payable on Death) album Satellite, lending his vocals to the rock-reggae track "Ridiculous".
Gun Shot a Cry
Eek-a-Mouse Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The sounds of a gunshot it a cry
Bye pie die pi die pie
The sounds of a gunshot it a cry
In an island called Jamaica
Rode a rankin' one fine day
Ardly spoke to folks around
Bye pie die pi die pie
Bye pie die pi die pie
Bye pie die pi die pie
The sounds of a gunshot it's a cry
Bye pie die pi die pie
Bye pie die pi die pie
Bye pie die pi die pie
The sounds of a gunshot it's a cry
He came ridin' from the south side
Slowly lookin' all aroun', eh
Three wise guys tried to take him
But they lay dead on the grououound, eh
Bye pie die pi die pie
Bye pie die pi die pie
Bye pie die pi die pie
The sounds of a gunshot it's a cry
(eh tell them eh tell them)
In the other side of town
There's a rankin named Billy Bow (eh eh eh eh eh)
He's also a top rankin'
But in the country raisin' cow-owow
Bye pie die pi die pie
Bye pie die pi die pie
Bye pie die pi die pie
The sounds of a gunshot it's a cry (eh eh)
(.)
Bye pie die pi die pie
Bye pie die pi die pie
Bye pie die pi die pie
The sounds of a gunshot it's a cry
The mornin' passed so quickly
It was time for them to meet
It was twenty past eleven
When they walk out in the streeeeeet
People peepin' through them window
Some a them a 'old them breath
For them think this other rankin'
Was about to meet I'm deat (eh eh)
Bye pie die pi die pie
Bye pie die pi die pie
Bye pie die pi die pie
The sounds of a gunshot it's a cry
It was forty feet between them
When they stopped to make them play
For the swiftness of the rankin'
Is still talk about today-ayay
Billy Bow might went on livin'
But made a foolish slip, eh
I'm couldn't match the rankin'
With a big iron on its hip
Bye pie die pi die pie
Bye pie die pi die pie
Bye pie die pi die pie
The sounds of a gunshot it's a cry
It was over in a moment
And the folk had gather 'round
The lyrics to Eek-A-Mouse's "Gun Shot a Cry" tell a story of a rankin', or a respected and influential person, riding through Jamaica and encountering trouble from three wise guys. The song paints a picture of a showdown between the rankin' and another top rankin' named Billy Bow, with tensions and anticipation building as the moment approaches. The sounds of gunshots make up the chorus, representing the violence and tragedy that can come from these types of conflicts.
Throughout the song, Eek-A-Mouse uses unique and catchy phrasing, blending elements of reggae and rap to make the lyrics not only meaningful but also fun to listen to. The song is not only a tale of violence and death, but a warning about the dangers of riding through Jamaica and getting caught up in rivalries and conflicts.
Overall, "Gun Shot a Cry" is a powerful and thought-provoking song that showcases Eek-A-Mouse's storytelling abilities and his unique style of music. It captures the struggles and realities of life in Jamaica, and serves as a reminder to be careful who you cross and who you trust.
Line by Line Meaning
Bye pie die pi die pie
The sound of a firearm's discharge is a cry of distress or pain
The sounds of a gunshot it's a cry
The sounds of a gunshot indicate a tragic event has occurred
In an island called Jamaica
This story takes place in Jamaica
Rode a rankin' one fine day
A person traveling on horseback rides through the island
Ardly spoke to folks around
This traveler didn't speak much to the people they encountered on their journey
Didn't have too much to sayayay
The traveler was quiet and reserved
He came ridin' from the south side
The traveler came from the south side of the island
Slowly lookin' all aroun', eh
The traveler was observing their surroundings
Three wise guys tried to take him
Three men attempted to rob the traveler
But they lay dead on the grououound, eh
The three men who attempted the robbery were killed
In the other side of town
Another part of the island
There's a rankin named Billy Bow (eh eh eh eh eh)
There's a person named Billy Bow
He's also a top rankin'
Billy Bow is a high-ranking member of society
But in the country raisin' cow-owow
Billy Bow works in the country raising cows
The sounds of a gunshot it's a cry (eh eh)
The sound of a gunshot is an indication of tragedy
The mornin' passed so quickly
Time flew by in the morning
It was time for them to meet
It was time for the two high-ranking men to meet
It was twenty past eleven
The meeting took place at 11:20 AM
When they walk out in the streeeeeet
When they walked into the street to confront each other
People peepin' through them window
People were watching the confrontation from the windows of their homes
Some a them a 'old them breath
Some people were holding their breath in anticipation
For them think this other rankin'
Many believed one of the men was going to be killed
Was about to meet I'm deat (eh eh)
Many believed that one of the high-ranking men was going to be killed
It was forty feet between them
The two men were 40 feet apart from each other
When they stopped to make them play
When they stopped to have their confrontation
For the swiftness of the rankin'
One of the high-ranking men was skilled with a weapon
Is still talk about today-ayay
People still talk about the quick and skilled fighter
Billy Bow might went on livin'
Billy Bow could have continued to live
But made a foolish slip, eh
But he made a crucial mistake
I'm couldn't match the rankin'
Billy Bow was no match for the skilled fighter
With a big iron on its hip
The skilled fighter had a large firearm on their person
It was over in a moment
The fight was over very quickly
And the folk had gather 'round
The people had gathered around to watch the confrontation
Contributed by Vivian F. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Annette Guerrero
on There's A Girl In My Life
I think it says
Or the riches I ain't got.
Annette Guerrero
on There's A Girl In My Life
I don't care
If I don't go inside
All I know
I'm gonna get you tonight
Gina AllenAnnette Guerrero
on There's A Girl In My Life
And I dont know why
Maybe it the color of my skin
All the riches I am bound ?