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.
Shut Eye Country
Gentleman Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Or real big celebrity
Everybody dem a V.I.P.
When ya R.I.P.
Me see dem gone down a shut eye country
Me glad me nuh dwell down a shut eye country
Dem say heaven and hell in a shut eye country
Ever mister man makes you so rush
Everything you treat it like trash
And now you rampin' like a puppet
Every day you make a nother duppy
Thinking not of tomorrow
I wonder what it is that makes your view so narrow
Every day you get up and your parrot
Not so majestic Mr. King of sorrow
Who sleep but you don't sleep
Got no tears for your eyes to weep
Always on a hide and peep
But your judgment will be sudden and steep
Humble yourself in the eye of the storm
And if you step out of line jah ring the alarm
Me see dem gone down a shut eye country
Me glad me nuh dwell down a shut eye country
Dem say heaven and hell in a shut eye country
And when you lose your life you down a shut eye
Life ain't so demanding
With a hole over standing
Stop your twisting and your turning
All the lessons of life you'll be learning
All and pull mi medi every time dem come round ya
With one bag a noise and not joyful sound ya
Many are your sin so you a fling rock stone ya
And in the middle of the crowd we all alone sah
So humble yourself in the eye of the storm
And if you step out of line jah ring the alarm
Me see dem gone down a shut eye country
Me glad me nuh dwell down a shut eye country
Dem say heaven and hell in a shut eye country
And when you lose your life you down a shut eye
Humble yourself in the rage of the storm
And if you step out of line jah ring the alarm
All manner of things I see a gwaan
You huff and puff but man still hafi calm
The song, "Shut Eye Country," by Gentleman feat. Jack Radics und Luciano, warns us about the dangers of living recklessly and not embracing humility in life. The lyrics speak about how everyone, irrespective of their status, will eventually face death and be reduced to nothingness. The track uses "Shut Eye Country" as a metaphor for the afterlife, and the fear of being trapped in a place where you don't want to be when you die.
The song starts with the artist stating that it doesn't matter how rich or famous you are; when you pass, you will be treated the same. He implies that everyone is equal in death. The artist then goes on to describe the idea of "Shut Eye Country," a place where people go after they die. The lyrics suggest that you wouldn't want to end up in this place, where you are isolated and alone, with no one to appreciate you or your achievements. The artist urges his listeners to live a life full of humility and to be mindful of their actions because there is no turning back once you have gone down the wrong path.
The song continues to emphasize the importance of self-reflection and humility, asking the listener to learn the lessons of life and not to take things for granted. The sound of Jamaican instruments adds more depth to the song, and each artist brings a unique style and contribution to it. Overall, the song serves as a warning to those who live unscrupulously and highlights the need for one to reflect on one's actions before it's too late.
Line by Line Meaning
No care how big your property
It doesn't matter how large your property is
Or real big celebrity
Or if you're a big celebrity
Everybody dem a V.I.P.
Everyone is a VIP
When ya R.I.P.
When you're dead
Me see dem gone down a shut eye country
I see them going to a place of eternal rest
Me glad me nuh dwell down a shut eye country
I'm glad I don't live in a place of eternal rest
Dem say heaven and hell in a shut eye country
They say there's heaven and hell in a place of eternal rest
And when you lose your life you down a shut eye
And when you die, you go to a place of eternal rest
Ever mister man makes you so rush
Every mister man makes you hurry
Everything you treat it like trash
You treat everything like garbage
And now you rampin' like a puppet
And now you're acting like a puppet
Every day you make a nother duppy
Every day you create another ghost/spirit
Thinking not of tomorrow
Not thinking about the future
I wonder what it is that makes your view so narrow
I'm curious about what makes you so narrow-minded
Every day you get up and your parrot
Every day you wake up and repeat
Not so majestic Mr. King of sorrow
But you're not as majestic as you think, Mr. King of sorrow
Who sleep but you don't sleep
Who close their eyes but don't sleep
Got no tears for your eyes to weep
You have no tears left to cry
Always on a hide and peep
Always hiding and peeking
But your judgment will be sudden and steep
But your punishment will be sudden and severe
Humble yourself in the eye of the storm
Stay humble during difficult times
And if you step out of line jah ring the alarm
And if you misbehave, someone will report you
Life ain't so demanding
Life isn't as challenging as you think
With a hole over standing
With an understanding of the situation
Stop your twisting and your turning
Stop being so indecisive
All the lessons of life you'll be learning
You will learn all the lessons of life
All and pull mi medi every time dem come round ya
Everyone wants something from me when they come around here
With one bag a noise and not joyful sound ya
Making loud, unpleasant noise
Many are your sin so you a fling rock stone ya
You have many sins, so you're throwing rocks
And in the middle of the crowd we all alone sah
And even in the middle of the crowd, we're all alone
Humble yourself in the rage of the storm
Stay humble even during violent times
And if you step out of line jah ring the alarm
And if you misbehave, someone will report you
All manner of things I see a gwaan
All kinds of things are happening
You huff and puff but man still hafi calm
You're getting angry, but the man still needs to stay calm
Contributed by Muhammad L. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@Mister4-20
#Amerikkka #LandOfFreedumb