During the middle of the 1970s Johnny Clarke stood at a Crossroads of Jamai… Read Full Bio ↴During the middle of the 1970s Johnny Clarke stood at a Crossroads of Jamaican music, and was the point about which Reggae music turned during the "Golden Era" of '70s Roots Reggae. Briefly there was no more popular act than he in Jamaica, and this in a country where popularity is exceptionally hard won.

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.

Joshua's Word
Johnny Clarke Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Listen, baby not with your ears cuz this song will pass you by
So this is the language of love, not every man can read at times
So forget about whatever you learnt boy,
You don't have to speak your mind to me no
With every page you tum you'll find me, in between the line so

And we don't even have to spell out
What "you in love with me" is about

And being in love with you is louder than I could ever shout

Cuz no words can explain what I feel each day
Every time you're around Seems the ground slips away
When you come down to me and I just could not speak.
It wasn't hard to see, you silenced my whole world and left me breathless
I don't need No Words, No Words, No Words, No Words
We don't need no Words

This is worth a lifetime of riches,
Diamonds, pearls and gold
You can search through eternity and we will never grow old
So let the music play boy, I can be the lyrics to your soul
There's nothing we can say boy That our hearts have left untold

So we don't even have to spell out
What you loving me is about
Being in love with you is louder than I could ever shout

Cuz no words can explain what I feel each day
Every time you're around Seems the ground slips away
When you come down to me and I just could not speak
It wasn't hard to see, you silenced My whole world and left me breathless
I don't need No Words, No Words, No Words, No Words
We don't need no Words

Words
Can't you feel my body, body I put you first, first
You gotta know, gotta know baby No Words,
Words Let me feel it poppin, pop it
Don't make a sound, don't make a sound baby yeah
And we don't even have to spell out
What you loving me is about
Being in love with you is louder than I could ever shout.

Cuz no words can explain, What I feel each day
Every time you're around Seems the ground slips away
When you come down to me and I just could not speak
It wasn't hard to see, you silenced My whole world and left me breathless
I don't neetd No Words, No Words, No Words, No Words

We don't need no words No Words, No Words, No Words, No Words
We don't need no words

Overall Meaning

In Johnny Clarke's song "Joshua's Word," the lyrics speak of a love that doesn't need words to express their feelings. The song advises the listener to forget what they've learned about expressing love through words and instead focus on the language of love spoken through actions and emotions. The song promotes the idea that being in love is about communication beyond words.

The singer acknowledges that sometimes words cannot express what they feel for their loved one, and that being in love is louder than any shout. The lyrics emphasize that the love two people share can last beyond any material riches and can never grow old. They evoke a sense of passion and sensuality, as the singer explains that words are not necessary to communicate physical expression, and they can just let the music play and express love through their movements.

Overall, "Joshua's Word" is a powerful ballad that emphasizes the importance of body language and expressions over the use of words to convey love.

Line by Line Meaning

Listen, baby not with your ears cuz this song will pass you by
This song is not meant to be just heard, it must be felt deeply and understood beyond what is audible.

So this is the language of love, not every man can read at times
Love is a complex emotion that not always can be explained with words, and not everyone has the ability to understand it.

So forget about whatever you learnt boy, You don't have to speak your mind to me no
There is no need to follow society's standards or expectations. Just be truly yourself, and let your feelings show naturally.

With every page you tum you'll find me, in between the line so
My love is present throughout your life, it's not just restricted to the moments that we are together. You will always feel my presence.

And we don't even have to spell out What "you in love with me" is about
We don't need to explicitly say how we feel, because our love manifests through our actions and feelings towards each other.

And being in love with you is louder than I could ever shout
The love I feel for you is so immense that my feelings can't be put into words or expressed through shouting. It speaks for itself.

Cuz no words can explain what I feel each day Every time you're around Seems the ground slips away When you come down to me and I just could not speak. It wasn't hard to see, you silenced my whole world and left me breathless
Your presence is so overwhelming that it leaves me speechless and takes away my breath. My world revolves around you and you have the power to silence it with your love.

I don't need No Words, No Words, No Words, No Words We don't need no Words
Our love is beyond verbal communication or explanations. No words could fully define or represent it, and we don't need them to express or feel it.

This is worth a lifetime of riches, Diamonds, pearls and gold You can search through eternity and we will never grow old So let the music play boy, I can be the lyrics to your soul
Our love is more valuable than any material possessions, and it will stand the test of time. Let us just enjoy the moment and let our love lead us. I will be your forever companion, and my love will resonate in your soul.

There's nothing we can say boy That our hearts have left untold
Our feelings towards each other are so profound and deep that our hearts have already conveyed everything they need to without the need for words.

Words Can't you feel my body, body I put you first, first You gotta know, gotta know baby No Words, Words Let me feel it poppin, pop it Don't make a sound, don't make a sound baby yeah
Our love is not only felt through words or expressions, but through physical touch and intimacy as well. It's an unspoken connection that only we can feel and experience to the fullest.

And we don't even have to spell out What you loving me is about Being in love with you is louder than I could ever shout.
Our love speaks louder than any words or actions we could undertake. We don't need to explain or define our affection for each other, as it's already evident in the way we feel and act towards one another.

Cuz no words can explain, What I feel each day Every time you're around Seems the ground slips away When you come down to me and I just could not speak It wasn't hard to see, you silenced My whole world and left me breathless I don't neetd No Words, No Words, No Words, No Words We don't need no words No Words, No Words, No Words, No Words We don't need no words
My love for you is so immense and indescribable that words would do it no justice. It's a silent, mutual understanding that we share, and we don't need any communication to express or sustain it.

Writer(s): ERROL GEORGE MAIS, ANTHONY JOHNSON, JOHNNY CLARKE

Contributed by Isaiah I. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

To comment on or correct specific content, highlight it

TRACKS