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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".
No Wicked Can't Reign
Eek-a-Mouse Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Every wicked is a Babylonian
No righteous cannot reign
It in the hands of the Babylonians
So why fight a man
Who′s stealing in reality
By going around
Remember you always get paid for your works
And your vanity won't even help you, I sing
A man like you shall go down with Babylon
A man like you shall go down with Babylon
A day shall come
When all nations shall bow
The day when all
False judge shall be judged
No need to run and hide
There′s no place to go
But when Him is coming
No one will ever know
Signs of the lightning, brimstone and fire
Shall burn up the wicked man off his land
'Cause many men fear
That the land is their own
'Cause many men fear
That the land is their own
The wicked cannot reign
Every wicked is a Babylonian
The wicked cannot reign
Every wicked is a Babylonian
No righteous cannot reign
Can′t survive in Babylon
No righteous cannot reign
It in the hands of the Babylonians
Oh Jah - oh Jah, oh Jah, oh Jah.
The song "No Wicked Can't Reign" by Eek-a-Mouse talks about the consequences of wickedness and the power dynamics that exist in society. The artist emphasizes that wickedness is associated with Babylonian culture and anyone who engages in it will eventually fall. He also highlights the fact that righteousness cannot thrive in a society that values wickedness, as the Babylonians hold all the power. The artist then questions why people fight each other over petty things like material possessions when they will be judged according to their deeds.
Eek-a-Mouse then reminds his listeners that vanity won't be of any help when they are judged for their actions. He warns that those who engage in wickedness will be brought down with Babylon. The artist also talks about the judgment day when all nations will bow and every false judge will be judged. He emphasizes that no one can run or hide, and all will be held accountable for their actions.
In the last verse, Eek-a-Mouse talks about the signs of the lightning, brimstone, and fire that will burn up the wicked man from his land. He highlights that many people fear losing their land and, in doing so, engage in wickedness. The artist concludes by reiterating that no wickedness can prosper, and no righteous person can survive in Babylon.
Line by Line Meaning
No wicked cannot reign
No evil person can rule over others
Every wicked is a Babylonian
Every wicked person is like those of Babylon, an ancient city notorious for its immoral and corrupt ways
No righteous cannot reign
No truly good and virtuous person can rule over others
It in the hands of the Babylonians
The power rests with those who operate in wickedness and corruption
So why fight a man
What's the point of engaging a person
Who′s stealing in reality
Who is actually exploiting or harming others
By going around
By continuing to act in the same way
Robbing him of his vanity
Taking away his superficial pride or sense of superiority
Remember you always get paid for your works
What you do will bring consequences in the future
And your vanity won't even help you, I sing
Your superficial pride or sense of superiority will not protect you from those consequences
A man like you shall go down with Babylon
A person who acts like you will suffer the same fate as Babylon and its wicked inhabitants
A day shall come
There will be a time in the future
When all nations shall bow
When everyone will have to submit to a higher power
The day when all
The time when
False judge shall be judged
Those who wrongly judge or exploit others will be held accountable
No need to run and hide
There's no point in trying to escape or avoid the consequences of one's actions
There′s no place to go
There is nowhere to flee from what's coming
But when Him is coming
But when a higher power is coming
No one will ever know
It's impossible to predict or fully understand the higher power's ways
Signs of the lightning, brimstone and fire
There will be indications or events of powerful destruction
Shall burn up the wicked man off his land
Will destroy those who act in wickedness and exploit others
'Cause many men fear
Because many people are afraid
That the land is their own
That they have control over what belongs to others
Oh Jah - oh Jah, oh Jah, oh Jah.
An invocation to the divine to bring justice and fairness
Writer(s): Unknown Writer, Ripton Hylton
Contributed by Chase C. 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 ?