Around the same time, Bob Marley was beginning to rebound from his split with Peter Tosh and Bunny "Wailer" Livingston. During a visit to the home of reggae producer Lee Perry in Cardiff Crescent in the Washington Gardens section of Jamaica, it was suggested that Marley incorporate the I'Threes into his performances. After singing harmony on Marley's song "Jah Live" and album Natty Dread, the I-Threes performed their first concert with him as the opening act for the Jackson Five in spring 1975. The I-Threes continued to work with Marley until his death in May 1981. Five years later, Mowatt and the I-Threes toured in a package show that featured musicians from Marley's band the Wailers and introduced Ziggy Marley and the Melody Makers to North American audiences. A member of the Rastafarian group the Twelve Tribes of Israel, Mowatt recalled her fascination with Marley during an early-'90s interview. "I had gotten to realize in reading my Bible that this man (Marley) was really Joseph in his second advent. I saw in the man that this time he came not only with the physical corn to feed his people but he came with the spiritual corn, which was the message that transcended to the four corners of the world." In addition to her work with Marley and Ithe 'Threes, Mowatt continued to pursue a solo career. Her album, Black Woman, released in 1977, was the first to be recorded at Marley's ~Tuff Gong studios.
Emergency Call
Judy Mowatt Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Operator?
Please let my man on the telephone
Will you tell him from me
That I′m here and I'm all alone
Tell him I need him now, I want him now... yeah yeah
Tell him, please tell him
Emergency call, emergency call yeah (bis)
And I love him (bis)
And I need him by my side (bis)
Oh yea (bis)
I'm on fire
I got a feeling that just can't hide
And I′m crying crying, crying crying
Yeah yeah yeah
Tell him, please tell him
It′s an
Emergency call, emergency call yeah (bis)
Operator?
Please let my man on the telephone...
(All right now)
Will you tell him from me
That I'm here and I′m all alone
And I'm crying crying, crying crying
Tell him, please tell him
It′s an
Emergency call, emergency call yeah (bis)
Emergency call, emergency call yeah (bis)
In Judy Mowatt's song "Emergency Call," the singer is desperately trying to reach her lover. She's feeling incredibly alone, overwhelmed, and emotional. She's crying and feels as though she's "on fire" with her need for him to be there by her side. The lyrics emphasize the urgent nature of the situation, as she asks the operator to put her man on the phone and tells him repeatedly that it's an emergency call.
Interestingly, Mowatt is known for her contributions to the world of reggae music, and her powerful, soulful voice and message-driven lyrics are a staple of the genre. "Emergency Call" showcases her ability to capture complex emotions in a song, pairing plaintive phrases with a sparse, utterly engaging arrangement. In many ways, the song's simplicity is crucial to its impact - it's a straightforward, no-nonsense plea for connection.
Overall, "Emergency Call" is a testament to both Mowatt's songwriting talent and the power of music to capture deep feelings of loneliness, need, and desperation. It's a song that stands out for its rawness and honesty, and its message is one that's sure to resonate with listeners all over the world.
Line by Line Meaning
Hello?
Beginning of the conversation as the singer is calling the operator
Operator?
The singer is looking for the telephone operator's assistance
Please let my man on the telephone
Requesting the operator to connect her to her man
Will you tell him from me
The singer is requesting the operator to relay a message to her man
That I'm here and I'm all alone
The singer is alone and needs her man's presence
Tell him I need him now, I want him now... yeah yeah
The singer urgently needs her man's presence and is expressing her desire for him to be with her now
Tell him, please tell him
Repeating the request for the operator to relay her message
It's an Emergency call, emergency call yeah (bis)
The singer is in an urgent situation and needs her man to come to her immediately
And I love him (bis)
The singer expresses her love for her man
And I need him by my side (bis)
The singer is feeling vulnerable and needs her partner to be with her
Oh yea (bis)
Expressing urgency and desperation for her man to come to her
I'm on fire
The singer is overwhelmed with emotions, referring to feeling passionate or desperate
I got a feeling that just can't hide
The singer's feelings are too intense to keep inside
And I'm crying crying, crying crying
The singer is emotionally overwhelmed and is crying intensely
Operator?
Repeating her request for the telephone operator's assistance
Please let my man on the telephone... (All right now)
Urgently repeating her request to speak to her man
Emergency call, emergency call yeah (bis)
Reiterating the urgent situation the singer is in
Writer(s): H Buckley
Contributed by Matthew W. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@iamsadiki
This is a great song! My father Henry Buckley wrote this song. It was like breakfast at our house... It never stopped playing.
@son1gohan
this song is art!!!
@noxinsox1
yet another class track from the Tighten Up series
@11192e1
Hey Clanccy. Your the absolute best! You sure know your music! Any chance of uploading Slave Queen by Judy - my favourite song by this great, underrated, in my opinion, woman.
@pestesvn
QUEEN JUDY MOWATT !!!! ZIKA
@bnita25
now thats what you call a song made threw the feelings of a women in love for her man
@bcom11
i love her shes my aunt!
@bluezodiac6329
Please ask The Mighty Judy Mowatt ,your Aunt to revert back to her former I Three looks. She does not look right these days. Thank you.
Kind regards
@bcom11
@Blue Zodiac on behalf of my aunt Judy, you can go straight to hell!
Blessings!
@Arnaud31240
I love this song!! Hello? lol