Eek-a-Mouse is since 1979 the stage name for the Jamaican dancehall deejay … Read Full Bio ↴Eek-a-Mouse is since 1979 the stage name for the Jamaican dancehall deejay artist, songwriter and music producer Ripton Hylton (⋆ 19 Nov 1957 in Kingston, Jamaica). He is one of Jamaica's premier dancehall stars known for songs as Ganja Smuggling and The Freak and is also seen as a good reggae artist. He advanced the sub-genre singjaying, created by early toasters like Big Youth. Eek-A-Mouse had his most successful years 1979-1992. His debute studio album Bubble Up Yu Hip was released 1980 and his latest with new material Eekziled 2011. His carrier stopped 2008 when was arrested on charges of rape and narcotic possession, fled to USA and later to Paraguay. In July 2013 he was released after a plea agreement, having pleaded "no contest" to misdemeanor charges for assault on a female and attempted crime against nature, with his time already spent in prison covering his sentence. He now performs again.
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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".

Some a Holla Some a Bawl
Eek-a-Mouse Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Some of dem a holler
Mi say some of dem a really bawl
Some of dem no really-really like
When di rain a fall
Dem time deh hungry belly pickney bawl
Pon dem parents dem a call
One hum out of di belly just a crawl
Some of dem a holler, some a bawl

Daddy, him gone at jail an'
Him cyaan get no bail
All day long him have fi
Peep through the rail
Him havе fi sleep on the cool concrete
Usе the paper for him sheet
Roll up on di bumpin' an' him poncho
Roll up on di bumpin' an' him poncho

Some of dem a holler
Mi say some of dem a really bawl
Some of dem no really-really like when
Di rain just a fall
Dem time deh hungry belly pickney bawl
Pon dem parents dem a call
One hum out of di belly just a crawl
Some of dem a holler, some a bawl

Daddy, him gone at jail an'
Him cyaan get no bail
All day long him just a peep through the rail
All day, all night in the jailhouse
Just some mingle with the flee an' the louse
Baby mother, she a bawl
Baby mother just a bawl

She band her belly with-a her seven pickney

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Eek-a-Mouse's song Some a Holler Some a Bawl describe the struggles of poverty and incarceration. The song talks about the cries and screams of those who are suffering due to hunger, lack of shelter, and separation from loved ones. The opening lines "some of dem a holler, mi say some of dem a really bawl" suggest that some people are just making noise with no real reason, while others are crying out for help and desperately need assistance.

The song seems to focus on the story of a father who is in jail and cannot afford bail. The lyrics describe how he spends his days and nights in a cold, damp cell with no bedding or comfortable place to sleep. Meanwhile, his wife and children are struggling to survive without him, with the youngest child crying out in hunger. The mother is also crying and struggling to take care of all seven children alone.

The lyrics of Some a Holler Some a Bawl depict the harsh realities of poverty and the criminal justice system. Eek-a-Mouse uses his unique style of singing to deliver a powerful message about societal issues that continue to affect people globally. The song serves as a reminder that some people do not have the privilege of living a comfortable life, and that their cries for help should not be ignored.

Line by Line Meaning

Some of dem a holler
Some people are shouting

Mi say some of dem a really bawl
I'm saying that some of them are really crying

Some of dem no really-really like
Some of them don't really like it

When di rain a fall
When it's raining

Dem time deh hungry belly pickney bawl
At that time, hungry children are crying

Pon dem parents dem a call
They're calling their parents

One hum out of di belly just a crawl
One of them is just crawling out of the belly

Some of dem a holler, some a bawl
Some are shouting, some are crying

Daddy, him gone at jail an'
Daddy, he's gone to jail and

Him cyaan get no bail
He can't get bail

All day long him have fi
All day long, he has to