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Tall, dreadlocked Junior Kelly is a devout Rastafarian and its Bobo Shanti mansion, on a serious musical mission which is manifested through the quality of his contemplative lyrics, the diversity of his substantial subject matter and his inspirational delivery. "Rasta Should Be Deeper". His “If love So Nice (Why Do It Hurt So Bad)” took a detour through Europe along its route to the top of the Jamaican charts, a position which it securely held for 15 weeks, Born in St Thomas, Jamaica 1970, Junior was raised in nearby Spanish Town. Throughout his childhood, he was surrounded by music, his grandfather and father both played banjo, his mother sang in the Church and his oldest brother Jim was a popular Deejay[rapper] with the Kilamanjaro Sound
There was a sense of comfort and security within the family; Despite their poor economic status they were rich in other ways. “If it’s soup today, we’re happy, if it’s crackers tomorrow, we’re still happy,” relates Junior, “because we knew we had each other to lean on.”
The family was plummeted into depression with the murder of junior’s oldest brother Jim. A part time caterer, Jim was the family’s principal breadwinner and a role model for Junior ; Jim regularly practiced his lyrical toasts in the family living room, greatly influencing the career path of his youngest brother.
After Jim’s death, to help support his family Junior followed soundsystems all over the island just for the opportunity to demonstrate his vocal and lyrical talents. He also began auditioning for several of the Producers comprising Kingston’s crowded music circuit, attempting to record songs. Adhering to his principled Rastafarian lifestyle, he refused to compromise his lyrical content by writing lewd lyrics or songs disrespecting women.
Junior’s career pace accelerated in late 1995 with appearances at major Jamaican stage shows including Reggae Sunsplash and Sting as well as shows in several northeastern American cities. While in America, he also recorded two songs, “Hungry Days” and “Good Tidings” for Willie Carson’s Front Page label. He returned to Jamaica to concentrate on his song writing and met Michael Stanford of M Rush Records for whom he recorded several singles including “Black Woman” and “If Love So Nice”.
“If love So Nice” took a detour through Europe along its route to the top of the Jamaican charts, a position which it securely held for 15 weeks, making it the longest charting number one tune on the island for the year 2000.
“If love so Nice”, one of, if not the most impressive Reggae song, impacted upon Jamaica with a force not experienced since hurricane Gilbert, posing a question every man and woman has asked at least once in a lifetime: “If love so nice, tell me why it hurt so bad?” Utilizing the forceful bass line played by Aston “Familyman” Barrett” on Bob Marley’s timeless tune “Stir It Up” gave “If Love So Nice” a familiar underpinning even though the vocalist Junior Kelly, delivering classic Jamaican blend of precision deejay timing and lovers rock crooning, was unknown to most Reggae fans.
Despite his seemingly sudden rise to success, Junior Kelly, also the writer of “If Love So Nice”, has been assiduously toiling in the music industry since 1985. “Some say this is a lucky break, I say no, it’s a result of hard work,” explains the affable sing-jay Kelly who cut his first single “Over Her Body” in 1985 for Neco Records. “Some say that culture in the music is a dying art form but it’s not. You have artists like myself who try to uplift the nation with words you can live by, there’s just less attention given to us by radio disc jockeys.”
Despite the attention ‘ IF LOVE SO NICE” has deservingly received, Junior Kelly is more than a one hit wonder ; A listen to his Jet Star albums ‘Rise” and “Juvenile”, not to mention his VP Records debut album of the same name “If love so nice”
Buun Down Rome
Junior Kelly Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Ukoiteon naega babokataseo
Jageul hansumman shwil ppuniyeyo
Arayo mo nalppunin nal neomu jal aljyo hajiman mollayo
Na eojjeomyeon joheunji
Dan hanbeonman nareul saranghaejwoyo geudaeneun irheulke hanado eobjyo
Keujeo han sunganman nareul saengganhaebwayo keugeok ppun iyeyo
Gyeowoo keujeongtojyo
Geureol il eobneun saram haengbokhankayo
Ireun naega piryo eobs eul mankkeum
Arayo bujokhan nal neomu jaraljyo hajiman mollayo
Nugulbogo idneunji
Dan hanbeonman nareul saranghaejwoyo
Geudaeneun irheulke hanado eobjyo
Geujeo han sunganman nayeke siganeul jwoyo
Geukeo ppun iyeyo
Ikyeowoole keori eodiseorado yejeon geudaeye
Hyankki gateun han juwok ppun ingeoryo jigeumdo
Dan hanbeonman naege siganeul jwoyo geudaeneun irheulke hanado eobjyo
Geujeo hansunganman nareul saenggankhaebwayo
Geudeo ppun iyeyo
Kyeowoo geujeongdojyo
The lyrics to Junior Kelly's song Buun Down Rome are about the struggles of being happy and content with oneself amid the pressures and expectations of society. The song opens with the artist wishing that the moment of happiness he had dreamed of would last forever, but it quickly turned into a nightmare. He expresses feeling inadequate and wanting to escape the judgment of others, wanting only a moment of peace to feel content with himself. Despite having someone by his side who loves him, he feels alone and burdened by the weight of expectations. The chorus repeats the plea for just one moment of contentment, and the final verse ends with an acknowledgement of the difficulty of finding that peace and a plea for understanding.
Overall, the song reflects on the pressures and struggles we all face to find happiness and acceptance in a world which often seems to demand more than we can give. It speaks to the loneliness and pain that can come with feeling like we are not enough, despite having those who love us.
Line by Line Meaning
Jamsi kkumkkueoteon haengbokhaeteon sungan kkaejianhkil wonhaesseo
I wished that moment of happiness during my dream will last forever
Ukoiteon naega babokataseo
Even though I may act tough on the outside
Jageul hansumman shwil ppuniyeyo
Sometimes, all I can do is just take a deep breath
Arayo mo nalppunin nal neomu jal aljyo hajiman mollayo
You know me better than anyone else, but you still don't know everything about me
Na eojjeomyeon joheunji
I wonder if it's okay for me to be like this
Dan hanbeonman nareul saranghaejwoyo geudaeneun irheulke hanado eobjyo
Just love me once, even if you don't need me
Keujeo han sunganman nareul saengganhaebwayo keugeok ppun iyeyo
Just let me feel alive for just a moment, that's all I ask
Gyeowoo keujeongtojyo
I'm trying hard to keep it together
Honjaneun aninji geonjeong haebojiman dajeonghan geudaeraseo
I may not be alone, but you're the only one who truly understands me
Geureol il eobneun saram haengbokhankayo
Can someone really be happy without a reason?
Ireun naega piryo eobs eul mankkeum
I only need a little bit of understanding
Arayo bujokhan nal neomu jaraljyo hajiman mollayo
You know my weaknesses, but you still don't know everything
Nugulbogo idneunji
I wonder who knows
Dan hanbeonman nareul saranghaejwoyo
Just love me once
Geudaeneun irheulke hanado eobjyo
Even if you don't need me
Geujeo han sunganman nayeke siganeul jwoyo
Just give me a moment of your time
Geukeo ppun iyeyo
That's all I ask
Ikyeowoole keori eodiseorado yejeon geudaeye
Your smile is brighter than the sun, no matter where you go
Hyankki gateun han juwok ppun ingeoryo jigeumdo
It feels like just a moment ago, like yesterday
Dan hanbeonman naege siganeul jwoyo geudaeneun irheulke hanado eobjyo
Just give me a moment of your time, even if you don't need me
Geujeo hansunganman nareul saenggankhaebwayo
Just let me feel alive for just a moment
Geudeo ppun iyeyo
That's all I ask
Kyeowoo geujeongdojyo
I'm trying hard to hold on
Contributed by Liliana H. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Marco Marley
on Lots of Herbs
well im so high so high i dont wanna get down
lots of herbs put em in a de valice
only the highest grade me burn them in a dem chalice
keep walking on my balance im the recurve palace lots of but more than peyote smoke
lots of herb from jamaica to germany
the highest of the grade we burn them in a me chalice
keep the pawn shops mentally good for individually
lots n lots of herbs
lots of herbs from jamaica to miami
the highest of the grade we burn them in a me chalice
keep the pawn shops mentally good for individually
smoke by the liars that cause and churn alice
er scent in on me clothes the aroma cant vanish
we the dicka we a thicka karates cant stand it
her planet i make me shoes and come on it her buy me sacramented and me tonic
lots of lots of herbs put them in a de phallus
the highest of the grade me burn dem in a the chalice
keep walking on my balance im the recurve palace lots of but more than peyote smoke
lots herb from jamaica known to cali
highest of the grade we burn them in a de chalice
keep ya gun trust mentally good for individually
lots of lots of herbs
lots of lots of lots of
lots of herbs put them in a de valice
the highest of the grade burn them in a dem chalice
keep ya gun trust mentally good for individually
lots of lots of herbs
herb i land so i my dealer lo glo to tell me
for one spliff could two senses sock a T
then a linenze for energy and then a stop me so see me smoke a hundred me
me want a hundred T for a good attorney to talk to massa come a fly d kiss early
bonts all those go kinds from mao all the way with herbalife
bon them when they see the fire babylon when they smell earth fire
bonts all those crak pipes from mao all the way with herbalife
bon them when they see that fire er body just come out for fire
lots of herbs put em in a de valice
only the highest grade me burn them in a dem chalice
keep walking on my balance im the recurve palace lots of but more than plenty smoke
lots of herb from jamaica known to cali
lots of lots of herbs
smoke lots of lots lots f lots herbs
lots of herbs put em in a de valice
only the highest grade me burn them in a dem chalice
keep walking on my balance im the recurve palace lots of but more than plenty smoke
lots of herb from jamaica to germany
the highest of the grade we burn them in a me chalice
keep the gun trust mentally good for individually
lots of lots of herbs
sicka sicka give me give me your cancer herb a di answer begin of all planta
sign us all and play us instrument of all chanta womanize dream emanizing from marihuana
music of the herb upon from the ghana buck it a mi ship an send it to botswana
i drove me a girl from cali but me no shot up profoundively help up da fatha
lots of herbs put em in a de valice
only the highest grade me burn them in a dem chalice
keep walking on my balance im the recurve palace lots of but more than plenty smoke
lots of herbs