Junior Byles (Kerrie Byles Junior, most known for his 'Fade Away' is a regg… Read Full Bio ↴Junior Byles (Kerrie Byles Junior, most known for his 'Fade Away' is a reggae artist born in the poor parts of Kingston, Jamaica 1948. 'Fade Away', with its strong spiritual warnings for materialism and egoism, was recorded in 1975 for producer Joseph Hoo Kim. It was a massive hit in Jamaica and was also a big success in the UK, and was covered five years later by among others Adrian Sherwood's New Age Steppers group and by Salmonella Dub NZ, made a special version of it. By 1975, Byles' health had begun to decline. Suffering from depression, he was deeply affected by the death of Haile Selassie, unable to reconcile this with his belief in Selassie's divinity, and attempted suicide, but survived. He then had a very though life and was living on the street in USA, scavenging for food in dumpsters, and begging from passers-by. Byles occasionally resurfaced, recording albums 1989, and 1992. He returned to live performance in 2004 in Jamaica, receiving positive reviews. His legacy of recordings from the 1970s, however, maintain his status as one of roots reggae's leading talents.
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Junior Byles (Kerrie Byles Junior, aka King Chubby) was born in Kingston, Jamaica 1948.

He first formed The Versatiles with friends Ben Davis and Dudley Earl, and they were soon recording. Their first songs were cut for Joe Gibbs, with Lynn Tait's Band under Lee Perry's direction. From these sessions came "The Time Has Come", which was entered for the 1967 festival.

Another festival entry was 1971's "Rub Up" in 1971, but Byles' debut solo single (1970) was "What The World Is Coming To" c/w "Live As One", and released in the UK with strings and vocal chorus.

In 1971 Byles also recorded "Beat Down Babylon" (co-written by friend Harold Meikle) for Lee "Scratch" Perry, backed by The Now Generation Band (including Val Douglas Bass, Mikey Chung Guitar, and Wire Lindo Organ).

Following the critical acclaim "Babylon" received, Byles then worked with Perry for the whole of 1972. These sessions produced 12 tracks, 10 of which formed the album "Beat Down Babylon".

In what must have been some incredible moments of musical genius, Perry recorded Junior Byles' monumental hit "A Place Called Africa" at the same session that produced Bunny Wailer's phenomenal hit "Dreamland". The musicians at these sessions included the Barrett brothers, Tony Chin (lead guitar), Glen Adams (organ), and the rhythm guitar of Reggie Lewis.

During the mid to late 1970's he was reduced to homelessness, hunger and mental turmoil, and spent much of his life living at the street level. Indeed, his mental condition was so frail at this time, that upon hearing of Haile Selassies' death on August 27 1975, he tried suicide. This resulted in a long stay at Kingstons Bellevue mental hospital.

Byles still managed to record during these troubled times, with releases on Thing, Micron, Lovepower, Well Charge, Clocktower, Hot Shot, Impact, Treasure Isle, Observer, Advance, Soul Beat, Upsetter, Justice League, Wizzdom and Orchid.

Aside from the tracks already mentioned, "The Long Way", "Chant Down Babylon", "Bury O Boy", "Fade Away" and the incredible "Curley Locks" all rank as some of the greatest music Jamaica has ever produced.

Apart from the retrospective looks at his career, Byles still occasionally releases new material, as well as composing for other artist's. He recently performed his first show in the U.S. at the Sierra Nevada Festival in Marysville and the Ocean Rooms in Hackney, though he appeared less than 100% mentally well at the latter.

A Place Called Africa
Junior Byles Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

There's a place called Africa, far, far away, whoa, woo
There's a place called Africa, many miles away
Mama says that's where we're from
And I know she can't be wrong

Take me back to Africa
Mama, how did I get here?
How did I stray?

Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa

She said, "Once upon a time, my son
They stowed us on a ship
We had to work and slave each day
The boss, he took our pay"

But a brighter sun has dawned today
They can't stop us, come what may
A time shall come for you and I
She bowed her head and cried, whoa, whoa
Mama, please don't cry

There's a place called Africa, far, far away, whoa, whoa
There's a place called Africa, many miles away
A brighter sun has dawned today
They can't stop us, come what may

A time shall come for you and I
She bowed her head and cried, whoa, whoa

Mama, please don't cry
There's a place called Africa, far, far away

Overall Meaning

"A Place Called Africa" by Junior Byles is a poignant ode to the African continent, a place of ancestral roots and origins for many people of African descent. The lyrics speak of the longing to return to this distant land, a place that is shrouded in memories and history. The song opens with Byles singing about this place called Africa, far, far away, and he expresses a deep sense of yearning and nostalgia for this place. His mother told him that this is where they are truly from, and he knows she can't be wrong. He is filled with a sense of curiosity and wonder, asking his mother how he ended up so far away from his true home.

The second verse reveals the harsh reality of the transatlantic slave trade, where Byles' ancestors were forcibly taken from Africa and brought to the Caribbean to work as slaves. His mother tells him of the suffering and exploitation they endured at the hands of their oppressors, but she also gives him hope for a better future. Byles sings of a brighter sun that has dawned today, a new day of liberation and freedom where they can overcome the obstacles in their path.

The chorus of the song reiterates the theme of longing and the hope for a brighter future. He repeats the phrase "there's a place called Africa" several times, emphasizing the importance of reconnecting with their ancestral roots. The song ends with Byles reassuring his mother not to cry, as they will one day return to Africa, their true home.

Line by Line Meaning

There's a place called Africa, far, far away, whoa, woo
Africa is a distant land, far beyond our reach and understanding.

There's a place called Africa, many miles away
Africa is a distant land, separated from us by the vast expanse of the ocean.

Mama says that's where we're from
Our ancestral lineage can be traced back to the land of Africa, the place of our origin.

And I know she can't be wrong
I believe my mother's words to be true as she is the one who knows our family's history and heritage.

Take me back to Africa
I yearn to visit the land of our forefathers and connect with my roots.

Mama, how did I get here?
I am curious about my arrival in this world and the circumstances that led to my birth.

How did I stray?
I wonder about the choices I made in life that led me away from my cultural heritage.

She said, "Once upon a time, my son They stowed us on a ship We had to work and slave each day The boss, he took our pay"
My mother narrates the tale of our ancestors who were forcibly taken from Africa as slaves and made to work in inhumane conditions for their white captors.

But a brighter sun has dawned today They can't stop us, come what may
Despite the atrocities of the past, hope shines on our future, and we won't be held back by our oppressors anymore.

A time shall come for you and I She bowed her head and cried, whoa, whoa Mama, please don't cry
My mother weeps in anticipation of the day when we will reclaim our dignity and pride and reestablish our connection with Africa.

There's a place called Africa, far, far away
Africa remains a distant land, beckoning us to seek it out and rediscover the roots that give us our identity.

A brighter sun has dawned today They can't stop us, come what may
Despite our challenges, a better future is on the horizon, and there's nothing that can hold us back from reaching it.

A time shall come for you and I She bowed her head and cried, whoa, whoa Mama, please don't cry
My mother's tears symbolize her pain and longing for a brighter tomorrow, free from the shackles of our past experiences.

There's a place called Africa, far, far away
Africa remains a beacon of hope, guiding us to reclaim our cultural heritage and connect with our ancestral roots.

Contributed by Avery H. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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