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Keith Hudson, nicknamed the "Dark Prince of Reggae" (1946 in Kingston, Jamaica - 1984 in New York, USA), was a Jamaican reggae artist and record producer. He is known for his influence on the Dub movement. Raised in a musical family, Hudson first worked as a dentist but soon was hanging out with musicians like Don Drummond. So, he really entered the music business in 1968 by producing Ken Boothe's Jamaican hit "Old Fashioned Way". In the following months he worked with Delroy Wilson and John Holt and was the first to record DJ U Roy in 1969 with Dynamic Fashion Way. Other DJ productions included tunes with Dennis Alcapone and Big Youth ("S 90 Skank") released in 1972 became the DJ's biggest hit. In 1975, Hudson released his classic Pick A Dub, widely considered to have been the first deliberately thematic dub album, with tracks specifically mixed in the dub style for the purpose of appearing together on an LP. His album Rasta Communication (1978) was well received by a wider audience and is considered a roots reggae classic. Hudson died of lung cancer in 1984.
Albums
Class & Subject – 1972 – Mafia
Furnace – 1972 – Imbidimts
Pick a Dub – 1974 – Mamba / Atra / Blood & Fire (CD)
Entering The Dragon – 1974 – Magnet (reissued by Trojan in 2006 and by Sunspot in 2011)
Flesh of My Skin, Blood of My Blood – 1974 – Mamba /Atra 1988 – (Reissued by Basic Replay 2004)
Torch of Freedom – 1975 – Mamba / Atra
Too Expensive – 1976 – Virgin Records
Brand – 1977 – Joint International (US) / Brand (UK) / Pressure Sounds (CD)
Rasta Communication – 1978 – Joint International (US)
From One Extreme To Another – 1979 – Joint International (US)
Playing It Cool, Playing It Right – 1981 – Joint International (US) (Reissued by Basic Replay 2003)
Nuh Skin Up Dub – 1982 – Joint International (US)
Steaming Jungle – 1982 – Disc Disk
Central Kingston
Keith Hudson Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
We expect it to be real, yeah
Wake up Central Kingston
We gonna rock you, rock you, rock you till Jah kingdom come,
Said to wake up Central Kingston,
We gonna rock you, rock you, rock you till Jah Kingdom come,
When you say you love us,
We expect it to be real, not just some little fad you use,
I say to wake up Central Kingston
We gonna rock rock you rock you till Jah Kingdom come,
Together, together we will talk,
Together we will cry,
But woe unto who the tears fall on for he shall surely die,
I said to wake up Central Kingston,
We gonna rock, rock you, rock you till Jah kingdom come,
Wake up Central Kingston,
We gonna rock you, rock you, rock you till Jah kingdom come
Whoaaaoo. whoaaooo
I said to wake up Central Kingston
We gonna rock you, rock you, rock you till Jah kingdom come,
The music of the ghetto,
Keeping I together,
To wake up Central Kingston, we gonna rock you, rock you, rock you till Jah kingdom come,
When you said you love us,
We expect you to care for us,
Not just some little fad you speak
I said to wake up Central Kingston, we gonna rock you, rock you, rock you till Jah kingdom come,
Wake up Central Kingston,
Wake up my brother, wake up,
From the ghetto of Central Kingston,we gonna rock you, rock you, rock you till Jah kingdom come,
From the ghetto of Central Kingston, we gonna rock you, rock you, rock you till Jah kingdom come,
Whoaaaaoo whoaaaooo,
I said to wake up Central Kingston, we gonna rock you, rock you, rock you till Jah kingdom come
Whoaaaooo, whoaaooo
Woe unto who the eye-water falls on cause he shall surely die,
I said to wake up Central Kingston, whoa, whoaa
Whoaoo, whoaoo
The lyrics to Keith Hudson's song "Central Kingston" convey a message of awakening and empowerment, specifically addressed to the people of Central Kingston. The chorus, "We gonna rock you, rock you, rock you till Jah kingdom come," signifies a call to action, urging the people to rise up and stand strong until their goals are achieved. The phrase "Jah kingdom come" refers to the liberation and unity they are seeking, embracing the Rastafarian belief in the ultimate triumph of righteousness and justice.
The lyrics also express a sense of disillusionment, highlighting the disappointment experienced when promises of love and support turn out to be insincere or temporary. The line "When you say you love us, we expect it to be real" emphasizes the need for authenticity and genuine care, rather than empty words or fleeting gestures. This sentiment is further reflected in the lines "We expect all that we want" and "We expect you to care for us," underlying the desire for a meaningful and lasting connection with those who claim to be allies.
Line by Line Meaning
Central Kingston
Referring to the neighborhood of Central Kingston, the focus of the song
We expect it to be real, yeah
We anticipate genuine love and care, not mere superficiality
Wake up Central Kingston
Calling for the awakening of the people in Central Kingston
We gonna rock you, rock you, rock you till Jah kingdom come
We will bring joy, excitement, and unity through our music, continuing until the promised salvation
Said to wake up Central Kingston
Repeated emphasis on the need for the awakening of Central Kingston
When you say you love us
If you claim to love us
We expect it to be real, not just some little fad you use
We expect your love to be genuine and not just a passing trend or temporary interest
We expect all that we want
We anticipate receiving all that we desire and deserve
I say to wake up Central Kingston
Reiterating the plea for the people of Central Kingston to wake up
Together, together we will talk
We will engage in conversation and discussions together
Together we will cry
We will share sorrow and express our emotions together
But woe unto who the tears fall on for he shall surely die
Those who cause harm or receive our tears will face consequences
Wake up Central Kingston
Repeating the call for the awakening of Central Kingston
Whoaaaoo. whoaaooo
Vocalized sounds expressing the intensity and passion of the message
The music of the ghetto
The music originating from the marginalized communities
Keeping I together
Music acts as a unifying force for the community
To wake up Central Kingston, we gonna rock you, rock you, rock you till Jah kingdom come
Music will be the catalyst for the awakening and transformation of Central Kingston, bringing joy and unity until the promised salvation
When you said you love us
When you express love towards us
We expect you to care for us
We anticipate genuine concern and support from you
Not just some little fad you speak
Not just empty words or temporary trends you follow
Wake up Central Kingston
Once again urging the people of Central Kingston to awaken
Wake up my brother, wake up
Addressing the need for collective awakening and unity
From the ghetto of Central Kingston, we gonna rock you, rock you, rock you till Jah kingdom come
Despite the challenges faced in the marginalized neighborhood, we will bring joy, unity, and transformation through our music until the promised salvation comes
Whoaaaaoo, whoaaooo
Reiterating the intense and passionate expression
Woe unto who the eye-water falls on cause he shall surely die
Those who cause harm and make others cry will face grave consequences
I said to wake up Central Kingston, whoa, whoaa
Continuing to emphasize the urgent need for the awakening of Central Kingston
Whoaoo, whoaoo
Expressing intensity and urgency
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Keith Hudson
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind