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.
Rasta Have The Handle
Hugh Mundell Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
We've got to reach the top
And no matter how the hill might be steep
We'll never stop
And no matter how dangerous the cliff
We'll never fall
'Cause Rasta have the handle
Babylon, you hold on on the blame
The ocean may be a million miles wide
We've got to reach across
No matter how things may be though
We've got to be rough
No matter how long the journey
We never get weary
'Cause Rasta have the handle
Babylon, them hold on on the blame
(.)
The ocean be a million miles wide
We've got to reach across
No matter the things they do
We've got to get through
No matter how long the journey
We never get weary
'Cause Rasta have the handle
Babylon, hold on on the blame
No matter how things may be though
We've got to be rough
No matter how the fire may be red
We never get burned
No matter them tribulations
We've got to be strong
'Cause Rasta have the handle
Babylon, you hold on on the blame
Rasta have the handle!
In the song "Rasta Have the Handle", Hugh Mundell expresses the Rastafarian belief in the ability of Rastafarians to overcome hurdles and achieve their goals. The lyrics suggest that no matter how difficult the challenge, Rastafarians do not give up and always find a way to overcome it. The song also emphasizes the notion that Babylon (the oppressive government) should not be blamed for the issues that the Rastafarians encounter in their lives. Instead, Rastafarians believe they have the power and strength to overcome Babylon's oppressive system.
The lyrics beautifully illustrate the religious principles of Rastafarianism. Rastafarians view themselves as chosen people who have been chosen to spread love, peace, and unity across the world. The lyrics suggest their belief in the Rastafarian concept of perseverance and determination, which encourages one to keep pushing and never give up, no matter the situation. The lyric, "No matter how dangerous the cliff, we'll never fall / 'Cause Rasta have the handle," reinforces their unwavering confidence in their ability to overcome adversity.
The song serves as a reminder of the Rastafarian struggle against Babylon and how they resist oppression in their life. It provides an insight into the Rastafarian beliefs and culture, highlighting their strength, resilience, and reliance on their spiritual beliefs to navigate life's challenges.
Line by Line Meaning
No matter how the mountain may be high
Despite the challenges being overwhelming.
We've got to reach the top
We have to overcome those challenges and succeed.
And no matter how the hill might be steep
Even if the problems seem impossible to tackle.
We'll never stop
We will never give up the fight.
And no matter how dangerous the cliff
Even if the situation becomes threatening.
We'll never fall
We will never succumb to the danger and risk everything.
'Cause Rasta have the handle
Because we have faith and strength in our beliefs.
Babylon, you hold on on the blame
Don't blame us for the struggles we face, blame the oppressive forces trying to stop us.
The ocean may be a million miles wide
Despite how far away success may seem.
We've got to reach across
We have to find a way to overcome that distance and achieve our goals.
No matter how things may be though
Even when things get incredibly difficult.
We've got to be rough
We must be tough and resilient to overcome any obstacle.
No matter how long the journey
Regardless of how arduous and prolonged the struggle may seem.
We never get weary
We will never grow tired or disheartened.
'Cause Rasta have the handle
Our unwavering faith and commitment keep us going.
Babylon, them hold on on the blame
The oppressive forces are responsible for the struggles we face.
No matter how things may be though
Even when the situation seems hopeless.
We've got to be rough
We must remain resilient and strong to overcome adversity.
No matter how the fire may be red
Even when the danger is intense and extreme.
We never get burned
We will never let that danger consume us.
No matter them tribulations
Despite the countless challenges we face.
We've got to be strong
Our strength and resilience enable us to persevere.
'Cause Rasta have the handle
Our faith and conviction give us the power to overcome anything.
Babylon, you hold on on the blame
Don't blame us for the struggles we face, blame the oppressive forces trying to stop us.
Rasta have the handle!
Our faith in Rastafarianism gives us the strength to overcome any obstacle.
Writer(s): r. "eek-a-mouse" hylton
Contributed by Ryan P. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Kablack
Quando ouço Hugh Mundell minha alma meu espírito levita meu coração se enche como uma brisa leve em um dia de calor minha mente vai as alturas como é bom sentir a música reggae como é bom conhecer essa pessoa q passou pela terra e deixou essas belas canções da + pura vibração [..
.]
Angelo T
Roots radics destrói tbm e o Hugh mundell que vocal monstro.
Jocelio Sousa
Simplesmente a melhor música de Hugh Mundell! Uma viagem transcendental!
charlieboyification
Every time I listen to HM it inspires me. What a talent and what a loss. I find it outstanding the amount of quality music he made in such a short life. RIP Hugh Mundell!
Kyle Devonish
charlieboyification exactly
Tiago Henrique
Como esse jovem foi embora cedo, seria uma carreira de muito sucesso, salve o grandioso Hugh
voltagebinary
Thanks for this video. Hugh Mundell was an amazing talent taken from the world way too soon.
Jacaré Banguela
Que pancada!!! Fireeee
Paulo Roberto
Muito bom gosto de mais
Gabriel Da Silva
Essa é pedrada 💚🇧🇷