Born in Kent, Judge Dread was the first White British recording artist to get a reggae hit in Jamaica. He got his stage name from a Prince Buster song, and his first hits were inspired by Prince Buster's single, "Big Five".
The Guinness Book of World Records credits Judge Dread for having the most banned songs of all time. Many of his lyrics have sexual connotations, with one song "Big Five" using rhyme to suggest lewd words while not actually saying them. A series of songs with "Big" followed by a number were some of his most notable hits — all of them featuring sexual and humorous lyrics. It is unlikely that you will ever hear his music on mainstream radio because of the nature of his lyrics.
Judge Dread died on stage in The Penny Theatre, Canterbury. At first, his collapse was thought to be part of his humorous and lively stage act, but it was quickly discovered that he was really dead.
In the 1970s, tabloid newspapers expressed concerns that young fans of the comic character Judge Dredd might buy Judge Dread's records by mistake, and hear things that may corrupt their minds.
Je T'aime
Judge Dread Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
"Hello, what's your name?"
[Judge Dread]
"Dread"
[W]
"Not Judge Dread?"
[J.D.]
"Yes, that's right"
[W]
"Oh, I've always wanted to meet you"
[J.D.]
"Oh really, why?"
[W]
"Oh, I'm a really big fan of yours"
[J.D.]
"That's very nice of you to say that"
[W]
"Is It true?"
[J.D.]
"Is what true?"
[W]
"What they say about big nine"
[J.D.]
"Well, I think you'd better have a look for yourself"
[W]
"Oh, it's true, it's true! Come on Dread, get 'em off"
[J.D.]
"No, what do you take me for!"
[W]
"Come on, don't be shy"
[W]
"Now doesn't that feel better?"
[J.D.]
"Oh yes, those bloody boots were killing me!"
[W]
"Here, look at this"
[J.D.]
"Oh my god, I don't believe it!"
[W]
"Oh come on, touch it"
[J.D.]
"You must be bloody jokin', you're not even a proper woman!
You're a geezer dressed up! you're one of those Trans
What do they call 'em
Transvestites!"
[W]
"Oh come on dear, this is 1975"
[J.D.]
"Oh I don't know, every time I come out, every bloody time, it always ends up in sillys!"
[W]
"Come home and give me love please"
[J.D.]
"I'll tell you what, I'll give you bloody love!
I'll give you the rough end of a pineapple! Go on, fuck off!"
[W]
"Nasty man you"
[J.D.]
"Away!"
[W]
"What?"
[J.D.]
"Take your soddy handbag with you!"
[W]
"And I'm not going to buy anymore of your records! Fuck off!"
The lyrics to Judge Dread's song "Je T'aime" tell the story of a woman who claims to be a fan of the singer and is excited to meet him. She asks him if the rumors about his "big nine" are true, and when he confirms it, she asks him to expose himself. He refuses and later finds out that the woman is actually a transvestite. The encounter ends abruptly with Judge Dread telling the woman to leave and never come back.
One interpretation of the lyrics is that Judge Dread is commenting on the sexual exploitation and objectification of performers by their fans. The woman's obsession with his allegedly large genitals and her insistence on him exposing himself seem to reveal a dark side of fan culture. Additionally, Judge Dread's abrupt rejection of the woman could be seen as a statement against the objectification of transgender individuals.
Line by Line Meaning
"Hello, what's your name?"
The woman asks for Judge Dread's name.
"Dread"
Judge Dread responds with his last name.
"Not Judge Dread?"
The woman clarifies Judge Dread's name.
"Yes, that's right"
Judge Dread confirms the woman's correction.
"Oh, I've always wanted to meet you"
The woman expresses her admiration and interest for Judge Dread.
"Oh really, why?"
Judge Dread asks for the woman's reasons.
"Oh, I'm a really big fan of yours"
The woman admits that she is a fan of Judge Dread.
"That's very nice of you to say that"
Judge Dread responds kindly to the woman's statement.
"Is what true?"
Judge Dread asks the woman to specify her question.
"What they say about big nine"
The woman asks about rumors concerning Judge Dread's genitalia.
"Well, I think you'd better have a look for yourself"
Judge Dread implies that the woman should investigate herself if she wants to know the truth.
"Oh, it's true, it's true! Come on Dread, get 'em off"
The woman confirms the rumors and urges Judge Dread to reveal himself.
"No, what do you take me for!"
Judge Dread refuses to comply with the woman's request.
"Come on, don't be shy"
The woman continues to push Judge Dread to expose himself.
"Now doesn't that feel better?"
The woman touches Judge Dread, who was actually relieved to take off his boots.
"Oh yes, those bloody boots were killing me!"
Judge Dread expresses his discomfort caused by his boots.
"Here, look at this"
The woman presents something to Judge Dread.
"Oh my god, I don't believe it!"
Judge Dread reacts in shock to what the woman shows him.
"Oh come on, touch it"
The woman encourages Judge Dread to touch what she showed him.
"You must be bloody jokin', you're not even a proper woman! You're a geezer dressed up! you're one of those Trans What do they call 'em Transvestites!"
Judge Dread realizes that the person he is dealing with is a transgender woman and responds in a transphobic and derogatory way.
"Oh come on dear, this is 1975"
The woman insists that Judge Dread should be more open-minded and tolerant.
"Oh I don't know, every time I come out, every bloody time, it always ends up in sillys!"
Judge Dread complains about his negative experiences when going out.
"Come home and give me love please"
The woman offers her affection to Judge Dread.
"I'll tell you what, I'll give you bloody love! I'll give you the rough end of a pineapple! Go on, fuck off!"
Judge Dread responds aggressively and tells the woman to leave him alone.
"Nasty man you"
The woman insults Judge Dread.
"Away!"
Judge Dread demands the woman to leave.
"Take your soddy handbag with you!"
Judge Dread adds another insult to the woman.
"And I'm not going to buy anymore of your records! Fuck off!"
The woman threatens to stop supporting Judge Dread's music and is again told to leave.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Lloyd Gitsy Willis, Paul Bartley, Sly Dunbar
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@karlschneider9479
My old group was going to do a tpur with him in the States. We had started to practice his material before he came over. About a week before he was coming over Dread had a heart attack.
@andreashollander4648
This one will hit the chart in Uganda
@paulharris9360
Politically correct 👍😅
@raybritton2923
Who is the female vocalist in this song?
I love this song, and she voices her words perfectly against Dread imho.
@especialreggaesaovicente3432
💜😎
@DirectInput
wtf man
@YYCkike
- Hello, what's your name?
- Dread
- Not is Judge Dread?
- Yes, that's right
- Oh, I always wanted to meet you
- Oh, really? Why?
- Well, I'm really big fan of yours
- That's really nice of you to say that
- And is true?
- Is what true?
- What they say about Big Nine?
- Well, I think you better have a look in yourself
- Oh, it's true... true
- Come on Dread, take them off
- No, what do you take me for?
- Come on, don't be shy
- Easy
- Now, doesn't that feel better?
- Oh yes... bloody boots were killing me
- Here, look at this
- Oh my God, I don't believe it!
- Come on, touch it
- You must be bloody joking! You're not even a proper woman! You're gay, just dressed up! You're one of those... a trans, what they call them? Transmistors!
- Oh, come on dear, this is 1975
- I don't know, every time I come out, every bloody time, it always ends up in sillies
- Come on and give me love, please
- I tell you what! I'll give you bloody love, I'll give you a rough end of a pineapple! Go out! Fuck off!
- You're a nasty maniac
- Oi! Take your sunny handbag with you
- "*@$%#^@! Fuck!
@johnnytheslider
"Sodding handbag"
@johnnytheslider
"You're a geezer dressed up"
@johnnyseven4086
"You're a geezer dressed up" "You're one of those... err trans, what they call them? Transvestites" "Oh, you nasty man, you" "sodding handbag"