Hinds died of lung cancer in March, 2005, at the age of 62.
Once a Man
Justin Hinds Lyrics
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Oh yes, what you gonna say to me? Oh, yes
Once a man, twice a child
Things that you do leave with you
Every day you're doing things that is wrong
And nothing is upon you
Oh yes, things and times change, oh, yes
Oh yes, things and times change, oh, yes
Try and be a straightforward man
Whatsoever you sow, you shall reap
If you plant corn, you cannot reap beans
Do all the good to all the people you can
Try and be a straightforward man
If you work the land, you can't run on sea
If you plant corn, you cannot reap beans
Oh no, no, no, no, no, no, oh, no
Oh no, no, no, no, no, no, oh, no
The lyrics to Justin Hinds's song "Once a Man" talk about the idea of karma and how the things one does in life will always have consequences, much like how a man, after aging and becoming a child again, must still face the consequences of their actions. The song begins with the question, "what you gonna say to me?" which can be interpreted as a challenge to face the consequences of one's actions. The next line, "Once a man, twice a child", talks about the cyclical nature of life, where one must always live with their actions, no matter how much time has passed.
The song's chorus emphasizes the importance of being a good person and treating others with kindness, in order to sow good karma. It encourages people to be straightforward and honest, and to always do good to others. The verse "whatsoever you sow, you shall reap" is a reference to the concept of karma, which is the idea that the energy of all actions will eventually be returned to the person who made them. The last line of the song, "If you plant corn, you cannot reap beans", reinforces this idea, that one will only receive the fruits of their own actions, whether they are bad or good.
Overall, Justin Hinds's song "Once a Man" is a message about the power of karma and the importance of being a good person. The lyrics encourage people to live their lives in a way that will bring them positive energy and to always choose to do what is right.
Line by Line Meaning
Oh yes, what you gonna say to me? Oh, yes
I am asking you a question, what are you going to respond?
Once a man, twice a child
As you age, you return to a childlike state, where you are more vulnerable.
Things that you do leave with you
Your actions stay with you and have consequences.
Every day you're doing things that is wrong
We make mistakes every day, but we should strive to do better.
And nothing is upon you
No one else is responsible for your actions or their consequences.
Oh yes, things and times change, oh, yes
The world is constantly changing around us.
Do all the good to all the people you can
We should strive to treat others with kindness and respect.
Try and be a straightforward man
We should strive to be honest and direct in our dealings with others.
Whatsoever you sow, you shall reap
Your actions have consequences, and you will face the consequences of your actions.
If you plant corn, you cannot reap beans
You cannot expect to receive different results than what you put in.
Oh no, no, no, no, no, no, oh, no
An expression of dismay or disappointment.
Writer(s): Justin Hinds
Contributed by Christopher A. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
invisiblesanta
Oh yes
What you gonna say to me
Oh yes
Oh yes
What you gonna say to me
Oh yes
Once a man twice a child
Things that you do lives with you
Every day you doing things that is wrong
And nothing is upon you
Oh yes
Things and time have changed
Oh yes
Oh yes
Things and time have changed
Oh yes
Do all the good to all the people you can
Try and be a straight-forward man
What's soweth for you so you shall reap
If you plant corn you can't reap beans
Do all the good to all the people you can
Try and be a straight-forward man
If you work the land you can't run as if
If you plant corn you can't reap beans
Oh no
No no no no no
Oh no
Oh no
No no no no no
Oh no
David Richmond
I remember my parents vining to this when I was a child. I still have it on the original Treasure Isle label.
Chineduking Anie
I belive he was and STILL IS Jamaica's GREATEST vocalist
Justin Southerland
ultimate rocksteady, pure perfection.
Leandro Silva de Aguiar
Poxa vida eu choro ao ouvilar essa pedra
Eddie Edwards
This is REAL old school Rocksteady reggae, big up big!!!
Chris Cole
Tune!!!!!!!! Justin Hinds could do no wrong when it came to writing strong and powerful lyrics.
I put him right up there with the likes of Bob Andy and Bob Marley as prolific Jamaican songwriters.
daw204
wow what can I say, simply the best vocals. Top beat
bancroft groves
Hail to the classics !!💥💥💥💥🙌
Leandro Silva de Aguiar
Meu Deus assim eu choroooo😘💿😎🤗😭😭😭😭😍😍😍😍
invisiblesanta
Oh yes
What you gonna say to me
Oh yes
Oh yes
What you gonna say to me
Oh yes
Once a man twice a child
Things that you do lives with you
Every day you doing things that is wrong
And nothing is upon you
Oh yes
Things and time have changed
Oh yes
Oh yes
Things and time have changed
Oh yes
Do all the good to all the people you can
Try and be a straight-forward man
What's soweth for you so you shall reap
If you plant corn you can't reap beans
Do all the good to all the people you can
Try and be a straight-forward man
If you work the land you can't run as if
If you plant corn you can't reap beans
Oh no
No no no no no
Oh no
Oh no
No no no no no
Oh no