He was nominated best vocalist five times in his own country, an indication of the love Jamaicans have for his voice and music. There are many reasons as to why he commands the respect of his countrymen, one is his ability to perform both roots Reggae material and love songs with equal ability and conviction. This dual persona, both as roots 'preacher' and love 'crooner', was one which out of financial necessity many other performers were required to adopt. Dennis Brown, then Johnny's biggest rival, is a fine example in this regard.
Masterful dub remixes of Johnny Clarke's songs by KING TUBBY contribute no end to the beauty of any mid '70s single release by Clarke. Listen to 'Move Out Of Babylon Rastaman' or the later 'Cold I Up' and to the accompanying b-side dub versions, and you will realize why Johnny Clarke encapsulates so well, '70s Roots Reggae. Few other artists have ever achieved such domination, let alone with the consummate ease and style that Johnny Clarke, the 'studio idler' did.
If you are looking to understand and absorb the world of Reggae, in particular the 'Golden Era' of the mid '70s, Clarke's music is an ideal vehicle within which to do so. When Bob Marley was turning himself into the first International Jamaican superstar, Big Youth, Inner Circle and Johnny Clarke ruled the roost back home. They were the acts popular with Jamaicans, in Jamaica.
While he failed to maintain the success of the '70s, Clarke went on to become one of the highlights of the dancehall era, re-establishing his reputation as he did so. His style had always been well suited to this new genre, one that coincided with the beginning of the new decade.
He has continued to remain true to his own roots, singing largely of 'cultural' matters and retaining his Rastafarian faith. Touring to this day, he spends much of his time in the U.K., and long may we benefit from his beautiful voice.
Enter Into His Gates With Praise
Johnny Clarke Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Jah Jah in deh, in deh.
Let's sing a joyful song unto Jah
And enter into His gates with praise
With praise, with praise
If God is for us, who can be against us?
Don't stand in the gutter and say you gonna suffer
Cos God help the man who help himself
So put your shoulder to the wheel
Jah Jah in deh, in deh
Who God bless, no man curse
By the sweat of your brow, you shall eat bread
So keep on working till you reach the top
And don't back, do you hear what I say?
Jah Jah in deh, in deh.
Oh oh oh oh oh
(.)
Who God bless, no man curse
So listen what I have to say
By the sweat of your brow, you shall eat bread
So keep on working, you'll reach the top
Let's sing a joyful song unto Jah
And enter into His gates with praise
With praise, with praise
If God is for us, who can be against us?
God help the man who help himself
Don't stand in the gutter and say you gonna suffer
The song "Enter Into His Gates With Praise" by Johnny Clarke is an uplifting gospel-like reggae tune that encourages listeners to praise Jah (or God) and work hard. The repetition of "Jah Jah in deh" throughout the song creates a sense of presence and closeness to God. The first verse invites listeners to sing a joyful song to God and to enter into His gates with praise. This line is a reference to Psalm 100:4 which says, "Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name." The song emphasizes the idea that if God is on our side, no one can be against us. However, it also highlights the importance of taking responsibility for ourselves and working hard. The line "God helps the man who helps himself" suggests that we should not expect God to solve all our problems, but rather take action and do our best.
The second verse emphasizes the idea that hard work leads to success. The line "by the sweat of your brow, you shall eat bread" comes from Genesis 3:19 which says, "By the sweat of your brow you will eat your food until you return to the ground". The song encourages listeners to keep working until they reach the top and not to give up. The overall message of the song is that by praising God and working hard, we can achieve success and overcome any obstacles.
Line by Line Meaning
Oh oh oh oh oh
Let's celebrate and make joyful noise to Jah
Jah Jah in deh, in deh.
Jah is present among us
Let's sing a joyful song unto Jah
Let's express our happiness and gratitude to Jah through singing
And enter into His gates with praise
Let's give our sincere praises to Jah as we enter His gates
With praise, with praise
Let's continue to praise Jah
If God is for us, who can be against us?
If Jah is on our side, we have nothing to fear
God help the man who help himself
Jah blesses those who take initiative and work hard
Don't stand in the gutter and say you gonna suffer
Don't make excuses and blame others for your own sufferings
Cos God help the man who help himself
Jah only helps those who put in effort and take action
So put your shoulder to the wheel
Start working hard to achieve your goals
Who God bless, no man curse
Those who are blessed by Jah cannot be harmed by others
By the sweat of your brow, you shall eat bread
Hard work is necessary for sustenance and success
So keep on working till you reach the top
Keep persevering until you succeed
And don't back, do you hear what I say?
Don't give up, keep moving forward
Oh oh oh oh oh
Let's continue to make joyful noise to Jah
Who God bless, no man curse
Those who are blessed by Jah cannot be harmed by others
So listen what I have to say
Pay attention to my words of wisdom
Let's sing a joyful song unto Jah
Let's express our happiness and gratitude to Jah through singing
And enter into His gates with praise
Let's give our sincere praises to Jah as we enter His gates
With praise, with praise
Let's continue to praise Jah
Contributed by Taylor B. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Luh.kushbadu
3 years without you mane. Rest up rasta
Ever Green
2020, turn your shoulders to the wind!
Juan Marquez
Rastafari
extra solar
:D
JD TAKEFLIGHT
2018