In 1999, Gentleman released his first album Trodin on and in 2002, his 2nd longplayer Journey to Jah. His album Confidence climbed to number 1 on the German album charts in 2004.
2007: Another Intensity
His career began with the collaboration of the band Freundekreis which produced the song “Tabula Rasa.” After beginning his career as dancehall deejay , his music oriented to the classic form of the reggae, as it was between 1970 and 1985, with artists as Bob Marley, Max Romeo, Jacob Miller, Junior Murvin, Devon Irons, Burning Spear and Black Uhuru. He sings mainly in Jamaica Patois English. With songs like “Send A Prayer” Gentleman expresses his deep belief in God from an universal religious persepctive. His album Confidence climbed to number 1 on the German album charts in 2004.
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Gentleman is also an Indie(ish) band from Maryland. Members of The Summer We Went West, Dawn Treader, Monument, etc.
Dangerzone
Gentleman Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Oh what a place to call home
This is not a place for me
That's not where I wann a be (repeat)
I wanna be ina the hills where the birds dem singing
Not ina the city where the bells keep ringing
Too much gunshot and senseless killing
As you say go buss a head certain man willing
Third class fight the struggle and first class chilling
Sit down ina dem tower and champagne spilling
A who dem want devoyer oh what a sin ting
Chorus (repeat)
Dis is a gunman city a gunman town
I man nuh see no employement around
Mama she a frown daddy him a frown
And the youths dem a buss dem gun from twelve to…
Down y me say a life nuh worth nothin'
Happy trigger lucky you mr press button
Let me tell something jah will bun you out to nothin'
From you bun out the youths
The lyrics of Gentleman's song "Dangerzone" are a commentary on the violent and dangerous conditions of life in the city and is an expression of the artist's yearning for a peaceful and tranquil existence. The lyrics are simple and straightforward, painting a vivid picture of the harsh realities of inner-city life, including the prevalence of gun violence and senseless killings.
Gentleman speaks of his desire to escape the danger and chaos of the city and retreat to the tranquility of the hills, where the birds sing and the air is pure. The artist underscores the negative impact of money on society, highlighting how the love of money leads to greed and corruption, which, in turn, fuels the criminal activity that pervades the urban areas. Gentleman rightfully berates the rich and powerful for their indifference to the plight of the working class, who are forced to live in squalor and danger.
The repetition of the chorus underscores the artist's desire to escape the danger and the toxic environment of the city and find a more peaceful existence.
Line by Line Meaning
Dem living ina dangerous zone
People are living in a place where danger is prevalent.
Oh what a place to call home
It's not a good place to call home due to the danger.
This is not a place for me
It's not a place where the singer wants to live due to the danger.
That's not where I wanna be (repeat)
The singer wants to live in a different place that is safer.
I wanna be ina the hills where the birds dem singing
The singer wants to live in the hills where there is peace and nature.
Not ina the city where the bells keep ringing
The singer doesn't want to live in the city with all its noise and danger.
Too much gunshot and senseless killing
There is a lot of violence and killing happening without reason.
The colour of the dollar and the shaking of the shilling
People are fighting and killing for money.
As you say go buss a head certain man willing
Some people are willing to kill if someone tells them to.
Third class fight the struggle and first class chilling
People who are financially well-off don't have to worry about the danger and violence, while poorer people do.
Sit down ina dem tower and champagne spilling
The wealthy people are sitting in their towers drinking champagne while others suffer.
A who dem want devoyer oh what a sin ting
People who want to cause harm are doing sinful things.
Dis is a gunman city a gunman town
The city/town is dominated by gunmen and violence.
I man nuh see no employement around
There are no employment opportunities.
Mama she a frown daddy him a frown
The singer's parents are unhappy with the situation in the city/town.
And the youths dem a buss dem gun from twelve to…
Even young people are using guns and causing violence.
Down y me say a life nuh worth nothin'
Life has no value in this dangerous place.
Happy trigger lucky you mr press button
Some people are trigger-happy and enjoy violence.
Let me tell something jah will bun you out to nothin'
Divine punishment will come to those who cause harm.
From you bun out the youths
If you harm the young people, you will cause great damage.
Contributed by Tristan O. Suggest a correction in the comments below.