"Junior was a good artiste. We produced two songs for him, Merry Go Round and Fort Augustus. He was a talented songwriter and a very cool person. I actually spoke to him three weeks ago when he called from London," producer and musician Sly Dunbar recalled.
Born Oscar Hibbert August 25, 1958, in Kingston, Delgado began singing in his teens as Junior Hibbert, with the vocal group Time Unlimited. In 1975, Delgado decided to pursue a solo career and opted to change his name to Junior Delgado. Delgado was his long-time nickname, taken from the Spanish word for skinny.
His debut album, Taste of the Young Heart was released in 1978. The following year, the singer started his own label, Incredible Jux, on which he released his follow-up album Effort. Among the producers whom he recorded for were Prince Jammy, Joe Gibbs, Augustus Pablo and Earl 'Çhinna' Smith.
Throughout the early 1990s Delgado spent most of his time between recording and touring Britain where he had a strong fan base. The More She Love It and Disco Style Showcase albums were both released in 1981 and saw Junior experimenting with the new dancehall style.
However, Delgado had not entirely deserted his roots style.
After a forced hiatus, during which time Delgado spent 18 months in prison; in 1985 he recorded Broadwater Farm in London, a fiery single inspired by the crime-ridden and poverty-stricken north London housing estate of the same name. Coincidentally enough, soon after the album's release, the estate itself made headlines in England upon suffering the most violent and vicious rioting England had ever experienced in then recent times.
Following the death of long-time friend Dennis Brown, Delgado recorded his own personal tribute to the singer, simply titled Junior Delgado Sings Dennis Brown. During this time, the singer continued performing live to appreciative crowds on both sides of the Atlantic. Delgado spent over 25 years in the business, yet his music still connects with the generation of today.
He died at his home in London during April 2005.
Sons Of Slaves
Junior Delgado Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
This is the time, we must come together
Live in unity!
Are we not the sons of slaves?
(Yes we are, I said yes we are)
Are we not the children that run away from plantations?
(Yes we are, I said yes we are)
They took us away from Africaland
Brought us down here in Babylon
Now we all like a roaring lian
Jah high, Jah high, yeah
Are we not the sons of slaves?
(Yes we are, I said yes we are)(Help me now, now)
Are we not the children that run away from plantations?
(Yes we are, I said yes we are)
Are we not gonna get no freedom? Help me now, now
How long will it take until you give us a little justice?
Took us away on a rocking ship
And that would be heavy, ginnal ship
All we could feel, was the rocking whip
Jah high, Jah high, yeah
Are we not the sons of slaves?
(Yes we are, I said yes we are)
Are we not the children that run away from plantations?
(Yes we are, I said yes we are)
Are we not gonna get no freedom? Help me now, now
How long will it take until you give us a little justice?
Took us away on a rocking ship
And that would be heavy, ginnal ship
All we could feel, was the rocking whip
Jah high, Jah high, yeah
Are we not the sons of slaves?
(Yes we are, I said yes we are)
Are we not the children of Israel?
(Yes we are, I said yes we are)
Mister big man, how long will it take you, to give us justice?
Are we not the sons of slaves?
Are we not the children of Israel? Help me now, now
How long, how long, how long will it take you?
(Why, oh why, why, oh why people like you have to treat us like this?
The song "Sons of Slaves" by Junior Delgado addresses the impact of slavery and injustice on the descendants of slaves. The lyrics are a call for unity amongst those who have been oppressed, with a specific focus on the African diaspora. The first stanza sets the stage for this message, stating that it's time for people to come together and live in unity. The following stanzas delve deeper into the issue by asking rhetorical questions about whether or not they are the sons of slaves and the children who ran away from plantations. These questions are answered definitively in the affirmative, emphasizing the shared experience of those who have been oppressed.
The lyrics also express frustration with the lack of progress towards justice for those who have been wronged. They address the fact that they were forcibly taken away from Africa and brought to Babylon (referring to the West) as slaves. The use of the metaphor of a roaring lion suggests the strength and power that can come from unity, despite the historic oppression.
The chorus emphasizes the shared experience of those who have been oppressed, asking the same rhetorical questions from earlier in the song. The final stanza directly addresses those in power, challenging them to give justice to those who have been oppressed for far too long. The repetition of the phrase "how long will it take you" further emphasizes the sense of urgency and frustration that the song conveys.
Line by Line Meaning
Children of Israel
Referring to the biblical story where Israelites were enslaved in Egypt and eventually freed, the singer is asking if they are not descendants of that same struggle.
This is the time, we must come together
The singer is urging unity among those who have been oppressed.
Live in unity!
The singer is encouraging people to live together in peace, despite their differences.
Are we not the sons of slaves?
The artist is acknowledging that their ancestors were brought to a foreign land in chains.
(Yes we are, I said yes we are)
The response is a confirmation that they are indeed the descendants of slaves.
Are we not the children that run away from plantations?
The singer is acknowledging the history of slaves who escaped from their owners to gain freedom.
(Yes we are, I said yes we are)
Again, the response is a confirmation that they are the descendants of slaves who sought freedom.
Are we not the children of Israel?
The artist is drawing a parallel between the struggle of Israelites in the bible and the struggle of slaves for justice.
They took us away from Africaland
The artist is referring to the forced migration of Africans to the Americas through the slave trade.
Brought us down here in Babylon
Babylon is a biblical reference to a place of evil and injustice. The artist is saying that slaves were brought to a place of oppression.
Now we all like a roaring lian
The singer is saying that despite the hardships and oppression, they remain strong and resilient.
Jah high, Jah high, yeah
Jah is a reference to God in Rastafarianism. The phrase means staying true to God and his principles even in tough times.
Are we not gonna get no freedom? Help me now, now
The singer is expressing frustration that despite the struggle, they still have not gained freedom.
How long will it take until you give us a little justice?
The singer is asking those in power how long they will continue to deny justice and equality to those who have been oppressed.
Took us away on a rocking ship
The singer is referring to the slave ships that brought Africans to the Americas.
And that would be heavy, ginnal ship
The artist is saying that the journey on those slave ships was incredibly strenuous and difficult.
All we could feel, was the rocking whip
The artist is acknowledging the brutality of slave owners who used whips to discipline and control slaves during the voyage.
Mister big man, how long will it take you, to give us justice?
The singer is addressing those in power and demanding to know when they will receive the justice they have been denied.
How long, how long, how long will it take you?
The singer is repeating the question, emphasizing their frustration and desperation for justice.
(Why, oh why, why, oh why people like you have to treat us like this?
The artist is expressing confusion and sadness at the way they have been treated.
Contributed by Xavier W. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Don Jhonny's
on Fort Augustus
I need lyrics