Exuma The Obeah Man
Exuma Lyrics


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I came down on a lightning bolt,
nine months in my Mama's belly
When I was born the midwife
screamed and shout
I had fire and brimstone
coming out of my mouth

I'm Exuma, I'm The Obeah Man

Exuma was my name when I lived in the stars
Exuma was a planet that once lit Mars,
I've got the voice of many in my throat
The teeth of a frog and the tail of a goat

I'm Exuma, I'm The Obeah Man

When I've got my big hat on my head
You know that I can raise the dead
When I got my stick in my hand
You know that I am The Obeah Man
If you got a woman and she ain't happy
Come see me for camalame
Take that camalame and you make her some tea
and she will love you all the time
And when she got you running
like a train on a track
take some flour and you make some pap
that will give you strength in your back

I'm Exuma, I'm The Obeah Man

I've sailed with Charon, day and night
I've walked with Hougaman, Hector Hippolite
Obeah, Obeah, Obeah, Obeah's in me
I drank the water from the firery sea

I'm Exuma, I'm The Obeah Man

Tony McKay was my given name
given on Cat island when my mother felt the pain.
Creatures of the Earth, Space, Sea, and Land,





I'm Exuma, I'm The Obeah Man
I'm Exuma, I'm The Obeah Man

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to the song "Exuma The Obeah Man" by Exuma are a powerful depiction of the artist's identity and abilities as an Obeah man. The first verse describes the unusual nature of his birth, implying that he is not an ordinary human being. The midwife's reaction to his birth suggests that she sensed something powerful and supernatural about him. The image of fire and brimstone coming out of his mouth implies that his words and voice are imbued with great force.


In the following verses, Exuma explains his background and powers. He claims that his name comes from a planet called Exuma that once lit Mars, and that he has the voice of many in his throat, as well as the teeth of a frog and the tail of a goat. These strange physical attributes suggest that he is a being of great magical power, with connections to ancient mythology and folklore.


Exuma goes on to describe his abilities as an Obeah man, including his capacity to raise the dead and heal unhappy relationships. He suggests that he can make a potent camalame tea that will make any woman love her partner, and that eating pap made with flour will give one strength in their back. He also references his encounters with mythical beings such as Charon and Hector Hippolite, as well as his connection to the powerful and mysterious force of Obeah. Ultimately, the song paints a vivid picture of an enigmatic figure of great power and repute.


Line by Line Meaning

I came down on a lightning bolt,
I was born with great intensity and power.


nine months in my Mama's belly
I spent the usual time in my mother's womb before birth.


When I was born the midwife screamed and shout
My birth was shocking and terrifying to those assisting.


I had fire and brimstone coming out of my mouth
I spoke with great authority and presence from a young age.


I'm Exuma, I'm The Obeah Man
I am a powerful and influential figure.


Exuma was my name when I lived in the stars
I have always been significant, even before birth.


Exuma was a planet that once lit Mars,
My name has had cosmic significance throughout history.


I've got the voice of many in my throat
I have a unique and varied perspective on the world.


The teeth of a frog and the tail of a goat
My identity is a blend of different creatures and elements.


When I've got my big hat on my head
My hat symbolizes my power and authority.


You know that I can raise the dead
I have the ability to overcome even death.


When I got my stick in my hand
My stick is another symbol of my power and authority.


You know that I am The Obeah Man
I am an expert in the art of Obeah.


If you got a woman and she ain't happy
If you have a troubled relationship with your partner,


Come see me for camalame
Come to me for a potion to help restore love.


Take that camalame and you make her some tea
Use the potion to make a comforting and healing beverage for your partner.


and she will love you all the time
The potion will have long-lasting effects on your relationship.


And when she got you running like a train on a track
When your partner becomes very attached and devoted to you,


take some flour and you make some pap
Use a simple but effective remedy to keep your strength up.


that will give you strength in your back
This remedy will help you maintain your stamina and vitality.


I've sailed with Charon, day and night
I have had powerful and transformative experiences with great figures of myth and legend.


I've walked with Hougaman, Hector Hippolite
I have had profound spiritual and cultural experiences.


Obeah, Obeah, Obeah, Obeah's in me
My expertise and power in the realm of Obeah is innate and integral to my being.


I drank the water from the fiery sea
I have survived and thrived through intense and dangerous experiences.


Tony McKay was my given name
My earthly identity is merely a formality.


given on Cat island when my mother felt the pain.
My mundane origins are unremarkable compared to my cosmic significance.


Creatures of the Earth, Space, Sea, and Land,
I am connected to and influenced by all aspects of the natural world.


I'm Exuma, I'm The Obeah Man
I am a complex and powerful figure with many facets and abilities.




Contributed by Austin I. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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Most interesting comments from YouTube:

@shanedavis4085

Ang loves her man....Ed (Rest in Peace, my Soul One)... You introduced me to these awesome jams...I named my son after you
.believe me, he'll know ALL about you....

I miss our Saki..you were the BEST psyche nurse and the best friend&fiance....

All of the ladies loved you.

The most important ones still love you...
You are my Cosmonaut.....



@terryplatt8115

Heavens, I'd forgotten about this one! Back in the late 60s and early 70s, with little money to spend, I was buying every sampler that came out, from You Can All Join In and Bumpers (Island), The Rock Machine and Fill Your Head With Rock (CBS) and Garden Of Delights and New Magic In A Dusty World (Elektra), to Suck It And See (Vertigo), Fruity (Warners), Picnic (Harvest), Heads Together - First Round (Transatlantic) and Charisma Disturbance (Charisma), as a way of adding a lot of new sounds to my growing collection, without spending very much.

Mercury added their own volume, Dimension Of Miracles. I wasn't taken with much of the material on the 2 LPs, until I got to the very last track, which was Exuma. I had no idea who he or they were, but I was fascinated by the impenetrable ethnicity and tribal-sounding nature of the music, as well as the somewhat worrying feeling that if I engaged with it too deeply, I would be sucked in to something that would devour me and turn me into a zombie!

Happily I survived - but I never heard any more of or about Exuma, and it slipped into the thick, deep fog of memory. Almost half a century later, I'm so glad to have rediscovered it, and while the nagging fear of transmogrification no longer troubles me, it's still an unsettling sound, but one which I can now appreciate in a more rational manner.

Only one other track from that DoM compilation made any real impression on me, and that was JD Blackfoot's The Ultimate Prophecy - seemed terrifying at the time, and still wields a great deal of power all these years later. Go listen:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aS9gznc5AKA
(you'll need to drag the time bar cursor to 19:00, as it's only posted on the full album. Check out the full 5-part suite, which wasn't on DoM). Could almost be a Blue Öyster Cult outtake!



All comments from YouTube:

@comfyclimaxego

Hearing this in NOPE almost made me jump out of my fucking seat. Peele has great music taste.

@Scentsational

you from The Bahamas?

@ethanporette1333

same

@2jjoshh

@@Scentsational 🇧🇸

@thedorseyway

Yes

@Inksmudger

I lost my mind I almost started singing along right

2 More Replies...

@lissard04

Shout out to Jordan Peele for showing love to a song I grew up listening in The Bahamas! #Nope 🇧🇸 🇧🇸🇧🇸 #ObeahMan

@Ryan-el5cq

Perfect song to setup wacky inflatable tubeman and surveillance cameras to get alien footage.

@demirixt4257

nope

@joshuabrooks3889

Hell yes

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