Ken Boothe's (born 1948 in Kingston, Jamaica) is known as "Mr Rocksteady" f… Read Full Bio ↴Ken Boothe's (born 1948 in Kingston, Jamaica) is known as "Mr Rocksteady" for his prominence during the musical period 1966-1974 and was a major idol for the to-be members of UB40. Boothe started by recording a version of Sandie Shaw's "Puppet on a String" in 1967. Later the same year, Boothe and Alton Ellis had a successful U.K. tour with the group The Soul Vendors. Under new direction from record producer Lloyd Chalmers, the song "Everything I Own" surprisingly was Number One in the UK in 1974. The song, written by David Gates, was given a sympathetic light reggae feel and found instant favour in the West Indies and in the U.K.

Boothe seemed, at the time, to have the makings of an international, long-lasting, hit maker, certainly when compared to most of the other latter-day reggae acts. His smoother style gave him a wider appeal, rather like UB40 and Aswad. Boothe's choice of songs also showed the breadth of his musical taste. But for all that, he only managed one more hit in the UK Chart, "Crying over You", which made Number 11.

In more recent times, Boothe has also recorded for Bunny Lee, Phil Pratt, King Jammy, Pete Weston, Jack Ruby, Hugh "Red Man" James, Castro Brown, and Tappa Zukie. Plus in 1995, he teamed up with Shaggy, for a new styled version of his old track, "The Train Is Coming", which appeared on the soundtrack of the film, Money Train.

A double-disc overview of Boothe's Trojan years, Crying over You, was released by the label in 2001.

Boothe's official Web site is at www.kenboothemusic.com

Version 1
Ken Boothe Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

You sheltered me from harm
Kept me warm, kept me warm
You gave my life to me
Set me free, set me free
The finest years I ever knew
Is all the years I had with you

And I would give anything I own

I'd give up my life, my heart, my own
And I would give anything I own
Just to have you back again

Is there someone you know
That won't let you go
And taking it all for granted?
You may lose them one day
Someone takes them away
And you don't hear the words they say

And I would give anything I own
I'd give up my life, my heart, my own
I would give anything I own
Just to have you back again
Just to talk to you words again

If there's someone you know
That won't let you go
And taking it all for granted?
You may lose them one day
Someone takes them away
And you don't hear the words they say

And I would give anything I own
I'd give up my life, my heart, my own
And I would give anything I own
Just to have you back again

Just to talk to you words again
Just hold you once again

Overall Meaning

The first verse of Ken Boothe's "Anything I Own" describes a person who has been a source of love and protection to the singer. This person has been a guiding force in the singer's life, providing warmth and security during the defining years of his life. The love given by this person has been invaluable and has left an indelible mark on the singer's heart. The second verse is a warning not to take loved ones for granted. The singer warns that we may not hear what a loved one is saying until they're taken away from us. The longing and desperation of the chorus suggests that the person being referred to in the song is no longer in the singer's life. The singer would do anything to have that person back, to talk to them, to hear their voice, and to feel their embrace. Ultimately, the song is a contemplation and reflection on the value of love and the pain of losing someone important.

Line by Line Meaning

You sheltered me from harm
You protected me from danger and kept me safe

Kept me warm, kept me warm
You provided me with comfort and made me feel loved

You gave my life to me
You gave me a purpose and reason to live

Set me free, set me free
You allowed me to be independent and live my own life

The finest years I ever knew
The best times of my life were the ones I spent with you

Is all the years I had with you
The only years that mattered were the ones I spent with you

And I would give anything I own
I would sacrifice everything I have

I'd give up my life, my heart, my own
I would give up everything I am and have, including my life and my heart

Just to have you back again
Just to be reunited with you and have you in my life again

Is there someone you know
Do you know someone

That won't let you go
Who you cannot get rid of or leave behind