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.
System Not Working
Israel Vibration Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Walking along, walking along
You see the people them walking along.
Some of dem, no look so strong
(See them a galong deah)
Whether or not
They have no choice
They're losing out a lot
And with all of that
They still can't see themselves
Even when they're up against the stuff
It don't make no sense you sit down cross way the fence,
With your hands on your jaw, and your face
Hanging down,
Wearing a frown. O yea,
That na go help nothing, so gwaan go
Try something
The system is not working for you,
Working for you, working for you
The system is not working for
It is so hard for you to go through.
Look how hard you've been trying.
What have you been achieving
It seem so hard to know
You just can't get the right flow
Where do you go from here
You just can't see your share
Where has it all gone
Is it out there somewhere
Can it be found
It's up to you to know
Israel Vibration's "System Not Working" is a song that touches on the struggles and injustices faced by the common people caused by the malfunctioning social and economic system. The opening lines of the songs are about people walking along, while some of them do not look strong. The lyrics are suggestive of people trying to go through their difficult lives while struggling with the burden of their meager resources. The lines "Whether or not, they have no choice, if they don't do it, they're losing out a lot" reflect the helplessness of people who have no choice but to work hard to make a living, yet they cannot even secure basic human dignities.
The song not only acknowledges the struggles of the common people, but it also criticizes those who just sit around without taking any action. The lines, "It don't make no sense you sit down cross way the fence, with your hands on your jaw, and your face, hanging down, wearing a frown. O yea, that na go help nothing, so gwaan go try something" reflect the idea that complaining and not taking any action is not the solution. The song suggests that if you want to make a change, you have to start acting and not just sitting and complaining.
Line by Line Meaning
You see the people them walking along,
Observing people walking down the path of life
Walking along, walking along
They are simply walking, but it may be a metaphor for continuing through life
Some of dem, no look so strong
Some people may look physically or mentally weak
(See them a galong deah)
A phrase used in Jamaican English signaling agreement and approval, which may suggest a sympathetic response to people's struggles
Whether or not
If I'm correct, this means that regardless of the upcoming statement, it is true
They have no choice
People may feel like they have no control over their lives
If they don't do it
If they don't do something, a positive change no matter how big or small will not happen
They're losing out a lot
People may lose a lot of opportunities by choosing not to do something
And with all of that
Despite these challenges and difficulties
They still can't see themselves
People may be too caught up in their hardships to see the way out
Even when they're up against the stuff
Even when they face problems that seem insurmountable
It don't make no sense you sit down cross way the fence,
Sitting idly by with an unfavorable perspective is illogical
With your hands on your jaw, and your face
An expression of sadness or frustration is not helpful
Hanging down, wearing a frown. O yea,
Being downcast makes things worse, despite how difficult and painful things may seem
That na go help nothing, so gwaan go
This behavior is unproductive, so it's better to focus on positive efforts
Try something
Make an effort to achieve something positive
The system is not working for you,
The way things are currently operating is not benefitting you
Working for you, working for you
The system is not designed to help you
The system is not working for
The current situation is not favorable
It is so hard for you to go through.
It may be especially challenging for you to keep going
Look how hard you've been trying.
You may have been trying really hard to overcome obstacles
What have you been achieving
It's unclear that your efforts are yielding fruit
It seem so hard to know
You may not see the way forward
You just can't get the right flow
It may be hard to achieve progress and flow
Where do you go from here
You may be unsure about the direction you should take next
You just can't see your share
You may not feel like you are getting your fair share
Where has it all gone
Success that once seemed so apparent may now feel lost or unachievable
Is it out there somewhere
The idea of success may seem distant and unreachable, although it may still be attainable
Can it be found
Success is still possible, but it may require a different approach
It's up to you to know
You have to take an active role in your own success. Others cannot do it for you.
Contributed by Samuel V. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Garvey Ufot
on Friday Evening
Oh may take a while, Rasta
Oh rabam rabam bastira
Give thanks that you can find it in this time
It′s Friday evening, can't even find a dime, yeah
I say I feel like committing a crime, nooo
Still I know Jah will never leave me behind, no way
Pickney deh a-yard, seh dem waan food
(Friday evening) hey, hey (so deceiving)
Wife a cuss landlord, seh dem get rude
(Friday evening) hey, hey (unbelieving)
I man a-find it hard, in a bad mood
Woah, yeah
Give thanks that you can find your fish and bread (Friday evening, yeah)
It′s Friday evening and I man belly well red (seh the system dread)
I man so hungry, I man a-get swell head, yeah
Can't 'member when I've eaten fish and bread, nooo, hey
Stera stera sterara tenam
Stare stera stare tera tena
Stera stera sterara stera
Woah, woah, woah yeh
Pickney deh a-yard, seh dem waan food
(Friday evening) hey, hey (so deceiving)
Wife a cuss landlord, seh dem get rude
(Friday evening) hey, hey (unbelieving)
I man a-find it hard, in a bad mood
Woah oh, woah oh
Give thanks that you can find your fish and bread (Friday evening, yeah)
It′s Friday evening and I man belly well red (seh the system dread)
I man so hungry, I man a-get swell head, yeah
Can't 'member when I've eaten fish and bread, nooo
Friday evening, yeah (Friday evening)
Can′t even find a dime (so deceiving)
Friday evening, yeah (Friday evening)
Can't really get what′s mine (unbelieving)
It's Friday evening, yeah (Friday evening)
I don′t enjoy it, anyway (Natty crying)
Friday evening, yeah (Friday evening)
Man feel like destroy it, hey, hey (nothing eating)
It's Friday evening (Friday evening)
Woah oh, woah oh, oh, oh, oh (so deceiving)
It's Friday evening (Friday evening)
Woah oh (unbelieving)
It′s Friday evening, yeah (Friday evening)
Weche
on back staba
You skin up your teeth with I and you don't like the rasta dreadlocks
Jacob said we inna tenament yard a bagga wolf de amongst the dread
Licky Licky laba laba susu susu
Demma backstabba
Me back bigger than your dartboard, ooh
You wet your mouth like I told u so
..........
Bredda Michael
on Ball Of Fire
Ahhh-ah-ah,
Ahh-ah,
Ahh-ah.
Say, say, say, now.
(CHORUS) 2X
Ball,
Ball of fire,
Ball of fire,
Gonna…
Clap up inna Babylon.
Ten thousand
Careless Ethiopians,
Went down…
Down inna ground…
Hey-hey,
Hey, Big man,
Your ‘ealth, nor your wealth can save you now (cyan’ save you)
Drivin' in your big limo trap,
Chauffeur-driven an’ you sittin' in di back (when you wake up in fire).
Inna dem a-time, I know,
Fire gonna burn mi den… (gonna burn mi easy).
I-a congo natty rastaman know
That it-a gonna be dread.
(CHORUS)
You can seh yuh know…
Ten thousand
Careless Ethiopians,
Went down…
Down inna ground…
Hey, Big Man
Your ‘ealth, nor your wealth can save you now. (cyan’ save you)
Drivin' in your big Cadillac,
You’re chauffeur-driven an’ you jammin' in di back (when you wake up in fire)
Where ya gonna run?
When this-a fire start to burn? (gonna burn mi easy).
Ten thousand careless Ethiopians,
Went down with Babylon.
(CHORUS)
Where ya gonna run? Where ya gonna run?
When this-a fire, this-a fire start to bu’n?
Ten thousand careless Ethiopians
Clap up inna Babylon.
To di rock,
Waan di Christ for ‘imself
When a fire isn’t the worst, it’s something else
Weh ya gonna run? Weh ya gonna run?
When this-a fire, this-a fire start to bu’n?
James Bouryiotis
on Why Worry
these are entirely different lyrics!
Paul Salcido
on I'll Go Through
These are not the lyrics!!!!
Mitchell Nobles
on Red Eyes
i love the music everything i go in the street..
Eh Shehu
on My Master's Will
good weed boy