Israel Vibration is a reggae harmony trio, originating from Kingston, Jamai… Read Full Bio ↴Israel Vibration is a reggae harmony trio, originating from Kingston, Jamaica. Lascelle "Wiss" Bulgin, Albert "Apple Gabriel" Craig, and Cecil "Skeleton" Spence all overcame adversity in the form of childhood polio and went on to be one of the most successful roots groups to form in Jamaica in the late 1970s. The trio initially met at a rehabilitation center.

After going their separate ways, and each converting to the Rastafari movement, they reunited in Kingston and formed a vocal group. Funding for their first album came in the form of a grant from the Twelve Tribes of Israel branch of Rastafari after Hugh Booth, a member of the Twelve Tribes, had overheard the three men singing in a wooded area outside Kingston. Apple and Wiss were living in the area, which they had converted into a home.

Israel Vibration recorded three albums; "The Same Song", "Unconquered People", and "Why You So Craven" before temporarily disbanding in 1981 after recording sessions for the latter were left incomplete. The three men moved to the United States to seek professional health care and escape the growing Dancehall movement in Jamaica. In 1988, Gary "Dr. Dread" Himmelfarb, founder of RAS Records, urged the trio to reunite and record an album. Skelly, Apple, and Wiss were flown to Washington, D.C. to record a new album at Lion and Fox Recording Studios. "Strength of my Life", the group's fourth album and first of 18 CD releases on the RAS label, was met with great praise and is considered one of the few post-golden era touchstones of the roots reggae genre.

In 1997, Apple Gabriel left the group to pursue a solo career. Skelly and Wiss continue to record albums and tour the world as Israel Vibration, backed by longtime associates Roots Radics.

Babylon By Bus
Israel Vibration Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Trodding through your area, Babylon by bus.
Jah say teach the people well. Unite, them righteous.
No time to argue or debate.
Love and unity will trod from state to state.

Teach your children – black, brown and white.
So when they grow up, they love and unite.
All them drugs gonna keep them low.

Give them food, clothes and shelter, let them grow.

Don't fight children. Black, brown, white: You must start uniting.
We a Jah bless children. Throw away racial fuss and fighting.
Cause when we irie, we fit so tightly.
And there's no one who can come between we.

Open your eyes and look within:
Are your dreams of love and happiness fulfilling?
Homeless people. Hungry children.
It's a breeding ground for crime, you got to help them.

Love and sharing.
Black, brown, white, no more false pretending.
It's togetherness children.
Truth and rights I and I defending.

Some don't want us to live together.
All they want is to see us kill each other.
So them a plot and so them scheme –
Causing racial riot, deadly bloody scene.

Do you want that? Do you want this?
Then forward up yourself and don't resist this.
jah love feeling. Black, brown, white – what a lovely feeling.
It's togetherness children.
Feel so good you want to touch the ceiling.

Babylon by bus –
we bring you Jahjah sound

If you stick around
we wont let you down

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Israel Vibration's "Babylon By Bus" call for unity, love, and understanding between black, brown, and white people. The song highlights the negative effects of drugs, homelessness, and hungry children, which leads to crime, and the need to help those in need. The song speaks directly to the listener, telling them to open their eyes and look within themselves to see if they are fulfilling their dreams of love and happiness. It calls for the rejection of racial divisiveness and shares the message of togetherness for all, based on truth and rights.

The overall message of "Babylon By Bus" is a unifying call for people to unite and reject any form of racial, cultural, and societal division. The lyrics are a powerful statement on the need for people to come together and overcome the issues that divide them. The song was released during a time of social and political unrest in Jamaica, and it serves as a testament to the band's commitment to social change through their music. The song is an inspirational message of hope that transcends boundaries and continues to be relevant today.

Line by Line Meaning

Trodding through your area, Babylon by bus.
We are moving through society, forced to use the tools and structures created by oppressive governments and systems.

Jah say teach the people well. Unite, them righteous.
Our message is to educate and inspire people to come together in righteousness and unity.

No time to argue or debate.
We cannot waste time arguing and debating, when there is so much work to be done.

Love and unity will trod from state to state.
We will carry our message of love and unity across borders and boundaries, spreading it to all who will listen.

Teach your children – black, brown and white.
It is important to educate all children, regardless of race, on the importance of coming together in love and unity.

So when they grow up, they love and unite.
By raising our children to prioritize love and unity, we can build a better future for all.

All them drugs gonna keep them low.
The use of drugs will only hold people back from achieving their full potential.

Give them food, clothes and shelter, let them grow.
Instead, we should provide people with basic necessities like food, clothing, and shelter so they can achieve their full potential.

Don't fight children. Black, brown, white: You must start uniting.
We must stop fighting amongst ourselves and come together as one human race.

We a Jah bless children. Throw away racial fuss and fighting.
God is blessing us all equally, regardless of race, and we must reject racism and violence.

Cause when we irie, we fit so tightly.
When we are happy and peaceful, we can work together more effectively.

And there's no one who can come between we.
Nothing can stop us from achieving our goals when we work together in harmony.

Open your eyes and look within:
We must examine ourselves and our own hearts to see if we are truly following our message of love and unity.

Are your dreams of love and happiness fulfilling?
We must pursue true happiness and love, not material wealth or power over others.

Homeless people. Hungry children.
There are many people suffering in the world, and we must prioritize helping them.

It's a breeding ground for crime, you got to help them.
If we do not provide for those in need, we will only see more crime and suffering in our communities.

Love and sharing.
Love and sharing are the keys to building a society where all can thrive.

Black, brown, white, no more false pretending.
We must reject any false ideas of superiority or inferiority based on race.

It's togetherness children.
We must come together as one human family to solve the problems that face us all.

Truth and rights I and I defending.
We will always stand up for truth and what is right, regardless of the obstacles in our way.

Some don't want us to live together.
There are those who would seek to divide us along racial lines in order to maintain their own power.

All they want is to see us kill each other.
These people would rather see us fight and destroy each other than come together in peace and unity.

So them a plot and so them scheme –
These divisive forces are constantly scheming and planning to keep us apart.

Causing racial riot, deadly bloody scene.
Their actions can lead to violence and death, causing pain and suffering for us all.

Do you want that? Do you want this?
Do we want to continue down the path of violence and destruction, or do we want to come together in love and unity?

Then forward up yourself and don't resist this.
We must all take action to create a better world, and not resist the call for unity and love.

jah love feeling. Black, brown, white – what a lovely feeling.
The feeling of love and unity, regardless of race, is truly beautiful and powerful.

It's togetherness children.
Our future depends on our ability to come together and work towards a common goal.

Feel so good you want to touch the ceiling.
When we are truly united and working together, there is nothing we cannot achieve.

Babylon by bus –
Our message of love and unity is spreading, even through the systems put in place by oppressive governments.

we bring you Jahjah sound
Our music and message comes from the divine source of love and unity.

If you stick around
If you listen to our message and join us in the fight for love and unity,

we wont let you down
We will always stand firm in our commitment to truth, love, and unity.

Contributed by Landon W. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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