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.
Cool and Calm
Israel Vibration Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Reasoning with your Bredren
You never mean no trouble
You never do no harm
Taking it cool and calm
And a so we a gwaan
Gwaan gwaan gwaan
Gwaan gwaan gwaan
Gwaan gwaan gwaan
Over in the ghetto
Tribulations I know now
Never seem to leave
I and I Bredrens no time at all
No time at all
No time at all
No time at all
No time at all
Standing on the corner
Conversing with your Sistren
You never mean no trouble
You never do no harm
Taking it cool and calm
And a so we a gwaan
Gwaan gwaan gwaan
Gwaan gwaan gwaan
Gwaan gwaan gwaan
Gwaan gwaan gwaan
Standing on the corner
Reasoning with your Bredren
You never mean no trouble
You never do no harm
Taking it cool and calm
And a so we a gwaan
Gwaan gwaan gwaan
Gwaan gwaan gwaan
Gwaan gwaan gwaan
Gwaan gwaan gwaan
Standing on the corner
Conversing with your Sistren
You never mean no trouble
You never do no harm
Taking it cool and calm
The Babylon come on and a gwaan
Them really a gwaan, Babylon them come on
A lick and a gwaan, yeah
Over in the ghetto
Tribulations I know now
Never seem to leave
I and I Bredrens no time at all
No time at all
No time at all
No time at all
No time at all
Taking it cool and calm
And a so we a gwaan
Taking it cool and calm
And a so we a gwaan
Gwaan gwaan gwaan
Gwaan gwaan gwaan
Gwaan gwaan gwaan
Gwaan gwaan gwaan
Cool and calm
Taking it cool and calm
And a so we a rock and a gwaan
Taking it cool and calm
Taking it cool and calm
Taking it cool and calm
And a so we a gwaa
In "Cool and Calm," Israel Vibration presents a message of peace and tranquility amidst the struggles of life. It speaks of standing on the corner conversing with friends, taking things slowly and remaining peaceful in the face of adversity. The song is a celebration of brotherhood and sisterhood, depicting the importance of communicating with those around us in order to maintain a peaceful state of mind.
The song also touches on the harsh realities of life, particularly in the ghetto. The lyrics speak of tribulations that never seem to end and the struggles faced by those living in poverty. Despite all of this, the message of the song remains consistent - remain cool and calm and face the future with a peaceful heart.
The repetition of the lyrics "taking it cool and calm" serves to reinforce the message of the song, while the repetition of "gwaan" throughout the song gives it a rhythmic quality that is typical of reggae music. Overall, "Cool and Calm" is a timeless classic that encourages us to remain peaceful in the face of life's struggles.
Line by Line Meaning
Standing on the corner
Being in a public place, likely with friends
Reasoning with your Bredren
Engaging in deep, intellectual conversations with friends
You never mean no trouble
You are not looking for or creating any problems
You never do no harm
You are not hurting anybody or doing anything negative
Taking it cool and calm
You are relaxed and not easily agitated
And a so we a gwaan
This is how we go about our business, carrying ourselves with poise and composure
Gwaan gwaan gwaan
Repeating the previous statement for emphasis
Over in the ghetto
In the impoverished neighborhood
Tribulations I know now
Challenges and hardships that are present
Never seem to leave
They are constantly present and do not disappear
I and I Bredrens no time at all
My friends and I do not have the luxury of time to deal with these challenges
No time at all
Emphasizing the lack of available time
Conversing with your Sistren
Engaging in deep, intellectual conversations with female friends
The Babylon come on and a gwaan
The police are here and creating a disturbance
Them really a gwaan, Babylon them come on
The authorities are really making trouble
A lick and a gwaan, yeah
A physical altercation is happening and the police are getting involved
Cool and calm
Maintaining composure and being unfazed by the situation
Taking it cool and calm
Remaining composed and unfazed by the situation
And a so we a rock and a gwaan
This is how we handle difficult situations, by remaining calm and composed
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: LACELLE BULGIN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@myanna1111ify
my pops tought me 3 things, how to grow , how to love, and how to jam to isreal vibrations, showing me it doesnt matter how u look, if u have polio, respect is earned
@lorindasmith7636
Oh hell to tha yeaaah!! L💖ve Israel Vibration also :)💖👍👌👊
One LOVE..
@axelnatural
Bless Up!!!
@angelmota485
ONE FUCCIN LOVE
@williantanajuras1073
Sageah Christoph kkkk
@lionofjudah4574
Your Father is awesome.
@rainman554
over in the ghetto
tribulations i know,
never seems to be I&I brethren (causing it)
no time at all, no time at all
@matthewstanton8937
Gwan is a Pattwa' word, It is mainly a Jamaican term. It can mean two things to *go away or *what is going on
@cheebamonkey4346
+Matthew Stanton actually gwan is herb in this case
@ax569
ya, google copy/paste