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.
What Kung Fu Dat
Judge Dread Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I cought a smell that wasn't nice
(chorus)
What kung fu that? (x3)
I knew what it was but where was it?
Oh my god I've stepped in it!
(repeat chorus)
I scraped it off outside my door
I turned around and I stepped in more
(repeat chorus)
A hopping madness is the third
Time I've stepped into a ____.
(monolog)
I don't know, people let their doge crap all over the place. Here, is that a dog
I hear barking? It is. Come here boy! Come here, come here you little bleeder!
You're the one who's been crapping all over the floor! I'm gonna' get my boot
right up your arse!
The song What Kung Fu Dat by Judge Dread is a narrative about a man who steps on dog feces. The opening line clearly sets the stage as the man is walking home and catches a smell that turns out to be unpleasant, which is dog poop. The chorus, "What Kung Fu Dat?" is a rhetorical question that represents the man's surprise at having stepped onto dog poop. Despite already knowing what it was, he still couldn't locate the exact spot where he had stepped onto the poop.
The second verse sees him scraping off the poop from his shoes outside his door but as he turns, he steps on more poop. The use of the phrase "hopping madness" in reference to the third time he has stepped onto poop emphasises his growing frustration. The repeated chorus remains the same since the man had already come across dog poop before but each subsequent poop he steps on surprises him each time. Finally, the song ends with a monologue where he addresses the dog that he hears barking and threatens to kick the canine for pooping all over the floor.
Overall, the song portrays a man's frustration about the common issue of pet owners not picking up their dog's poop. The lyrics are simple but effective in capturing the emotion of stepping on poop unexpectedly. Judge Dread's use of a humorous approach to the situation lightens the mood of what could be a rather unpleasant topic.
Line by Line Meaning
Walking home the other night
While I was walking home on a particular night
I cought a smell that wasn't nice
I sensed a foul odor that was unpleasant
What kung fu that? (x3)
What kind of mess is that?
I knew what it was but where was it?
Although I was aware of what caused the stench, I wasn't sure where it was located
Oh my god I've stepped in it!
Unfortunately, I discovered that I had accidentally stepped on the source of the unpleasant odor
I scraped it off outside my door
I removed the object causing the smell from my footwear outside of my residence
I turned around and I stepped in more
Regrettably, I stepped on another unpleasant surprise as I was re-entering my residence
What kung fu that? (x3)
What kind of mess is that?
A hopping madness is the third
This is the third instance of an unfortunate event where I've stepped on an unpleasant thing
Time I've stepped into a ____.
Time I've stepped into a disgusting mess
(monolog)
A soliloquy or rant
I don't know, people let their doge crap all over the place.
I'm not sure why people allow their dogs to defecate everywhere
Here, is that a dog I hear barking?
I think I hear a dog barking nearby
It is. Come here boy! Come here, come here you little bleeder!
It is a dog. Here, doggie! Come here, you little troublemaker!
You're the one who's been crapping all over the floor!
You must be the one responsible for leaving all the messes everywhere!
I'm gonna' get my boot right up your arse!
I'll take care of you with my footwear if you don't stop
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
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