“Amplify is a daring record with an overall vision to avoid the rut that North American reggae bands often find themselves unable to climb out of…the sound of a band recreated, retooled and refreshed.” - Exclaim Magazine [Canada]
“JBB is an eight-piece outfit that delivers some of the most forward-thinking reggae music in the world today.” - LA2DAY
“Amplify is some of the most invigorating, progressive reggae released in some time.” - All About Jazz
“Amplify is tight, well-produced and thought-provoking.” - Revue
“Instead of relying on traditional foundations to create their songs, Martin takes the band’s old world foundation and builds a complex and multi-genre crossbreed that places the band squarely on the forefront of the world music arena.” - Sentimentalist Magazine
“Amplify …. fuses Kweli-like beats with Massive Attack funk…Invokes the tripped-up rhythms of Radiohead” - Weekly Dig [Boston]
“…the band’s energy is soaked up and spread out in all the right places, never allowing Amplify to slow down and catch its breath. A heck of an achievement…” - Glide Magazine
“Their stage presence is something to be witnessed. No member goes unnoticed. The bassist moves to his steady beats. A focused drummer‚ bouncing keyboardist‚ and a grooving guitar player make up the colorful background. Adding to all that are three intense horn players moving and grooving up front along with an emotive‚ charismatic lead singer leaving no shortage of visual stimulus onstage.” - State Of Mind
- Popmatters
Give Yourself Over
John Brown's Body Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Help us on over the distant shore
We can move far with the wind that blows
Pray you make our heart and our defenses hold
Wanted to be free from all the politicking that we see
This boy has traveled so long
But can't resign to defeat
Where currents flow to be near you
Have you forgotten so soon?
Help yourself out of the hole you lie
Give yourself soul that you've been denied
We can move further through bending tides
Pray that we go quick or we sleep in fire
With our defense, it prevent sickness
We hold out ground and let nobody test us
Whatever offends us, we keepin' it conscious
We moving to the riddim that reveal a new concept
And through this harvest, a musical request
Reveal itself in a manner they can never contest
We carry no unrest / we seek only reason
For the search we go sleepless for the truth is the deepest
We persist / we meditate so our minds don't regress
And if we start again, we renew our purpose
Practice to increase fitness
We focus on quickness for the mind can fool the eyes of the weak
The ground will grow it / the seed we sow won't sink into the sea
Let the lyrics of my mouth come out and better the policy
It's a gift that we can live this far and still receive, so give it over
Cannot lay down and let the time slip come sneak up on me
This boy has blessings to see / to reach you have to go deep
Cannot give up on all the signs I have fought to follow
For all these pieces made me
Have we forgotten so soon?
The song "Give Yourself Over" by John Brown's Body is a call to action for listeners to help move themselves and their society forward. It begins with the lyric "give yourself over," urging listeners to open themselves up to the righteous cause and work towards progress. The song then speaks of the desire to be free from the political strife and stagnation that can hold people and systems back. The lyric "this boy has traveled so long, but can't resign to defeat" speaks to the perseverance and determination required to make meaningful change.
The song also encourages self-reflection and growth, with lyrics like "help yourself out of the hole you lie" and "give yourself the soul that you've been denied." It calls for listeners to be active and engaged participants in the world around them, to "hold our ground and let nobody test us."
"Give Yourself Over" also acknowledges the challenges that come with seeking change, and the need for resilience and persistence. The lyric "the ground will grow it / the seed we sow won't sink into the sea" speaks to the idea that progress may be slow, but it will be worthwhile in the end.
Overall, the song is a powerful call for justice, urging listeners to courageously and tirelessly work towards a better future.
Line by Line Meaning
Give yourself over listen the soul
Allow yourself to be consumed by the music and its message
Help us on over the distant shore
Join us in our journey to overcome obstacles and reach our goal
We can move far with the wind that blows
We can make significant progress if we work with the natural forces around us
Pray you make our heart and our defenses hold
Hope that you and we stay strong and resilient in the face of challenges
Wanted to be free from all the politicking that we see
Desire to break free from the negative effects of politics on our lives
This boy has traveled so long
I have been on a long journey to find freedom and purpose
But can't resign to defeat
I refuse to give up even when faced with failure or obstacles
So let it go and pass unseen through the silent water
Release negative thoughts and emotions and move past them silently
Where currents flow to be near you
Where positive energy and people are drawn to you
Have you forgotten so soon?
Have you lost sight of what's important and valuable in life?
Help yourself out of the hole you lie
Take responsibility for your situation and work to improve it
Give yourself soul that you've been denied
Allow yourself to experience and express your true feelings and emotions
We can move further through bending tides
We can make more progress by adapting to changing circumstances
Pray that we go quick or we sleep in fire
Hope that we accomplish our goals quickly or face serious consequences
With our defense, it prevent sickness
Our resilience and preparedness can protect us from harm and illness
We hold out ground and let nobody test us
We stand firm in our beliefs and values and won't be easily swayed or manipulated
Whatever offends us, we keepin' it conscious
We remain aware of and mindful about anything that may upset or harm us
We moving to the riddim that reveal a new concept
We embrace music that shares new ideas and perspectives
And through this harvest, a musical request
Through the music, we express our desire for positive change
Reveal itself in a manner they can never contest
Our message will be heard clearly and without challenge or dispute
We carry no unrest / we seek only reason
We do not hold grudges or vendettas, and seek only truth and justice
For the search we go sleepless for the truth is the deepest
We tirelessly seek truth and understanding, even losing sleep over it
We persist / we meditate so our minds don't regress
We continue to work hard and stay focused to avoid losing progress or becoming stagnant
And if we start again, we renew our purpose
If we encounter setbacks or start over, we will rekindle our motivation and drive
Practice to increase fitness
Work to improve ourselves and our abilities through continued practice and discipline
We focus on quickness for the mind can fool the eyes of the weak
We prioritize mental agility and quick thinking to avoid being deceived or taken advantage of
The ground will grow it / the seed we sow won't sink into the sea
Our efforts will bear fruit and not be lost or wasted
Let the lyrics of my mouth come out and better the policy
Let my words inspire positive change and improvement in societal policies
It's a gift that we can live this far and still receive, so give it over
It is a privilege to have come this far in life, so let's give back and contribute positively to the world
Cannot lay down and let the time slip come sneak up on me
Must stay vigilant and active, not allowing time to pass unnoticed or unutilized
This boy has blessings to see / to reach you have to go deep
I am fortunate to have many potential opportunities, but must work hard and dig deep to reach them
Cannot give up on all the signs I have fought to follow
Must stay committed to and not abandon the important things I have been pursuing
For all these pieces made me
The various experiences and challenges in my life have shaped and defined me
Contributed by Nicholas R. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Buddha Council
This song always makes things right!
Eric Marks
I absolutely LOVE this song. It is so inspiring and the reggae flow is something else. So good!
OkcBK
One of my favorite JBB songs! Awesome lyrics and music!
Philadelphia Collins
BIG tune. Much gratitude, JBB. This is the most lightened song I have heard in a very long while. I almost always watch/listen to the MoBoogie live performance of this immense tune, directly after listening to this version. Empowering music, indeed. Power To You!!
Stephen Bohnet
that bass line!!
Michael Nohr
Great song!
tone time
so musically talented, JBB rocks. the new reggae rock bands don't compare. yeah you can dub things out and have high production value, but nothing matches a solid, coherent sound with a bangin' brass section. they actually lost their sax Dela to Slightly Stoopid--who themselves play a fantastic live show and have really nailed their sound
lwbantoto
amazing!
Sammy Sugar
Great song...! You should also check the brand new JBB album "RE-AMPLIFY" which features six remixes of songs from AMPLIFY along with a brand new, previously unreleased JBB song!!! The record will have an exclusive digital release on iTunes March 3, then has a full physical and digital release March 17. Peace!
G P
These guys need to reunite ASAP