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.
Travelling Man
Israel Vibration Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The earth is The Lord, the Fulness thereof
And those that dwell therein
I'm a sojourner, sent on this journey, roaming open country
I'm a travelling man
My bags are all packed, I'm ready to roll
The taxi cab is honking outside of my door
My suitcase my closet, upon this bunk I resqt my head
Riding this Greyhound bus, roaming open country
There are places to go, and faces to see
Carrying the message of His Imperial Majesty
The earth is The Lord, the Fulness thereof
And those that dwell therin
I'm a sojourner, sent on this journey, roaming open country
Music sojourners roaming this open country
The Culture and The Spear, Mystic Revealers and Bunny you see
The Vibes and The Radics, Super Cat was there with we
Carrying the message of His Imperial Majesty
"Travelling Man" by Israel Vibration is a song about being a sojourner on a journey, roaming open country, and carrying the message of His Imperial Majesty. The song starts by quoting Psalm 24:1, "The earth is The Lord, the Fulness thereof, And those that dwell therein," which acknowledges the divine sovereignty of the world and its inhabitants. The song continues by describing the singer as a "travelling man" who is ready to go and see new places and faces while carrying a message of His Imperial Majesty. The lyrics emphasize the singer's readiness to leave at any given time, packing his bags and hearing the taxi cab honking outside his door.
The song continues with a description of the singer's journey, riding a Greyhound bus and meeting other music sojourners, including The Culture and The Spear, Mystic Revealers, Bunny, The Vibes, The Radics, and Super Cat. These references highlight the importance of reggae music as a tool to spread the message of His Imperial Majesty and the shared community among reggae artists.
Overall, "Travelling Man" is a song about moving forward on a spiritual journey, leaving behind material possessions and embracing the experiences that come with being a "sojourner" on this earth. The lyrics are a call to action for others to join the singer on this journey and carry the message of His Imperial Majesty to new places and people.
Line by Line Meaning
Traveeling man
The singer is a traveler and this is their story.
The earth is The Lord, the Fulness thereof
Everything on earth belongs to God.
And those that dwell therein
Including the people who live on earth.
I'm a sojourner, sent on this journey, roaming open country
The artist is a sojourner, traveling through open spaces sent on a spiritual journey.
I'm a travelling man
The artist is a man who is constantly traveling.
My bags are all packed, I'm ready to roll
The singer is ready to embark on a new journey and has already packed up their belongings.
The taxi cab is honking outside of my door
There is a taxi outside of the singer's door ready to take them to their next location.
My suitcase my closet, upon this bunk I resqt my head
The artist only has a suitcase to hold their belongings and sleeps on a bunk bed.
Riding this Greyhound bus, roaming open country
The artist is traveling on a Greyhound bus through open spaces.
There are places to go, and faces to see
The artist has places to go and people to meet on their journey.
Carrying the message of His Imperial Majesty
The message the singer is carrying is one of spiritual significance.
Music sojourners roaming this open country
The artist and their fellow travelers are music sojourners traveling through open spaces.
The Culture and The Spear, Mystic Revealers and Bunny you see
The singer is referencing popular reggae groups during their time.
The Vibes and The Radics, Super Cat was there with we
Other popular reggae groups who have traveled with the singer.
Carrying the message of His Imperial Majesty
The message the singer is carrying is one of spiritual significance.
Contributed by Luke A. 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