Mundell, the son of a prominent Jamaican lawyer, was still a teenager when he teamed with influential producer Joe Gibbs to record a still-unreleased single, "'Where Is Natty Dread." His first break came when he was hired as a DJ for Augustus Pablo's Rockers sound system. His debut single, "Africa Must Be Free by 1983", produced by Augustus Pablo, was released in early 1978. Mundell also recorded several 12" singles as Jah Levi.
Mundell continued recording with Pablo. The albums Time & Place and Blackman's Foundation followed shortly after, and then a few tracks for Prince Jammy were gathered together along with some of Lacksley Castell's, put on an album and called Jah Fire.
Beginning in 1979, Mundell took over the production of his own recordings. He released his Mundell album on Greensleeves in 1982. He also produced the debut album, Speak the Truth, by "Little" Junior Reid, on Pablo's label, Rockers.
In 1983 he became involved in an argument and was shot in the neck. Shortly afterwards, his posthumous album Arise was released. A dub version of Africa Must Be Free By 1983 was released in 1989 and then packaged with the original by Greensleeves and RAS, and then Makasound packaged Time & Place and Blackman's Foundation together and released it as The Blessed Youth in 2003.
King Of Israel
Hugh Mundell Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
He who loveth not knoweth not jah
For jah jah, jah is love
If we should love as we should
Things could be good
For the love was once around
Is nowhere to be found
In the outskirts of the city
And deep into the ghetto
There is a father against a son
And a mamma against a daughter
Sisters hating sisters
And brothers killing brothers
He who loveth not knoweth not jah
For jah jah, jah is love
He who loveth not knoweth not jah
For jah jah, jah is love
So why should we fight for
When we can make love
Jah rastafari is the high
While the wicked look above
In the outskirts of the city
And deep into the ghetto
There is hardships and hunger
And the people suffer
So let's think of a nation
And this unification
He who loveth not knoweth not jah
For jah jah, jah is love
Jah
Mundell's "King of Israel" is a poignant and powerful reminder of the importance of love and unification. The lyrics suggest that a lack of love and unity is the root of many problems, from family conflicts to social injustice. The song begins by asserting that those who do not love do not truly know or understand Jah, the Rastafarian term for God. The implication is that love is a fundamental aspect of Jah's nature and that those who fail to love are missing something profound.
The lyrics then go on to describe the ways in which a lack of love and unity manifest in society. Families are divided, with fathers against sons and mothers against daughters. Brothers and sisters also turn on each other. These conflicts extend to the wider community, where people suffer from hardship and hunger. However, despite these problems, the song suggests that there is still hope for a better future. It encourages listeners to think of themselves as part of a unified nation and to prioritize love over hatred and conflict.
Overall, "King of Israel" is a stirring call to action. By reminding listeners of the importance of love and unification, Mundell suggests that positive change is possible.
Line by Line Meaning
He who loveth not knoweth not jah
Those who do not love do not know Jah, the divine essence.
For jah jah, jah is love
Jah, the divine essence, is all about love.
If we should love as we should
If we loved each other as we should, things could be so much better.
Things could be good
If we loved each other more, our societies could be much more peaceful and harmonious.
For the love was once around
Love used to be more prevalent in our society.
Is nowhere to be found
However, love seems to have vanished from our society.
In the outskirts of the city
There are many places in society where love is lacking, even in areas just outside of cities.
And deep into the ghetto
In places of extreme poverty and deprivation, love is even harder to come by.
There is a father against a son
Sadly, there are people in our society that hate their own family members.
And a mamma against a daughter
Mothers and daughters sometimes have broken relationships with each other.
Sisters hating sisters
Siblings often hold grudges and resentments toward each other.
And brothers killing brothers
In some tragic cases, siblings even commit acts of violence against each other.
So why should we fight for
Why should we resort to violence when we could just as easily love each other instead?
When we can make love
We should choose love over violence whenever possible.
Jah rastafari is the high
Jah Rastafari is the ultimate spiritual ideal.
While the wicked look above
While the immoral and evil people in our society are often looking for ways to attain power and wealth.
There is hardships and hunger
Many people in our society are experiencing extreme poverty and hunger.
And the people suffer
This poverty and deprivation leads to a lot of unnecessary suffering in society.
So let's think of a nation
We need to come together as a society to think about how we can help each other.
And this unification
Through unifying as a society and working together for the common good, we can overcome these challenges.
Writer(s): James Lloyd Woodrowe, Mundell Hugh
Contributed by Evan B. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@sinomarnunesdasilvasilva147
Poucos tem a oportunidade de ouvir algo tΓ£o bom nessa vida que vibe ππ
@a.sween-parris5275
True words! π
@geoscopicmedium8282
I love this version! That intro, 0:02- 0:16, somehow has me reflecting on my entire life and purpose in just 14 secs.
@gibbings6386
This is a real true comment, this is me right this moment in that same feeling
@naturaldreadlocksjcalberti3534
Sem Duvidas uma das vozes mais lindas do reggae :)
@kingselassie7217
Melodia sensacional ππβ€ππ
@mummoniq7950
2020 still listening to your beautiful voice, RIP.
@FIJIFIRESTARTER
Beautiful days , Rest In Power Brother Hugh Mundell
@HollowNoFace
I thought this was a girl
@denevaldoaraujo3177
HALLELUYAH, GlΓ³ria seja dada a YAHUSHA HAMASHIA