Born Frank Dowding in St Mary in 1954, Kiddus (which) means "Blessed One " in Amharic) operated a Rasta commune and crafts center (Zap Pow, the band who brought us non other than Beres Hammond and whose horn section included David Madden and Nambo who went on to play with Bob Marley, Sly and Robbie and more) at 1C Oxford Road (Kingston, JA) : it's location at the juncture of Uptown and Downtown meant persons of all social strata could meet in a harmonious atmosphere.
A graduate of Ras Michael's Sons Of Negus, a key member of The Wailers milieu, and a Black Ark artist, his recordings - centred on the Roots Reggae period - are marked by the openness of their musical horizons, and a striking originality and integrity. (Also during this era he was a key voice raised in the Jamaican music industry against political oppression.) Kiddus I's disdain for careerism has held him back from the spotlight though, and few of his recordings were released, aside from a 7" and a couple of 12"s recorded with Lee "Scratch" Perry at the Black Ark and the track 'Graduation in Zion' as featured on the 'Rockers' soundtrack.
Kiddus I was also a very prominant member of the 1978 Peace Movement, praising the efforts of "brother Claudie, brother Buckie, Tony" on record with "Security In The Streets" issued on his Shepards label.
On a contemporary note, Kiddus I has waited 27 years to release Inna de Yard, his full-length debut on the Makasound label in 2005. Its acme, No Salvation Until, honours reggae’s timeless one-drop rhythm; the bulk of Inna de Yard feels like blues bred on the Mississippi Delta.
More recently a compilation of his 70s and 80s tunes have been released through the Japanese label 'Dubstore', who plan to release another 2 compilations of unreleased tunes over 2007 and 2008.
Teach Me Right
Kiddus I Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Don't send me "of course",
Cuz i'm listen to you, teach me right! And i hear what you say so.
Listen to you everyday, teach me right.
Don't teach me wrong, cuz that is gonna lead me wrong, so I say again.
Listen to you everyday, follow you, yes I will.
Teach me love, teach me goodness, and i hear what you say so.
Don't send me "of course",
Cuz i'm listen to you, teach me love and I will follow you.
Teach the goodness to the children, they field and then make choices.
Teach the trully and truths and rights,
Teach them love and they will follow.
Don't send me "of course i'm listen to you", teach me right!
Don't send me "I of course",
Cuz i'm listen to you, and i hear what you say so.
Take me outside now, and whisper in my ears now. Take me outside now,
Let me learn and understand. Yes, learn,
Learn the truth that you given,
If you can't say it inside now, then take me outside now.
Don't send me "of course i'm listen to you", teach me right!
Don't send me "of course", cuz i'm listen to you, I follow you.
The lyrics to Kiddus I's song "Teach Me Right" speak to the importance of receiving guidance and instruction that is rooted in love and positivity. The opening lines implore the listener to go beyond simply acknowledging the singer's words and to actively seek out teachings that are right and good. The chorus repeats this sentiment, emphasizing that the listener is committed to following the teachings imparted by the singer.
The verse that follows is particularly powerful, as it speaks to the importance of teaching children about love, goodness, and truth. It is a call to action for adults to be mindful of the messages they are sending to the next generation, as the choices they make will have a ripple effect on the world. The line "take me outside now" can be interpreted as a desire to escape from negative influences and find a space where positive teachings can be heard clearly.
Overall, "Teach Me Right" is a powerful reminder of the responsibility we have as individuals to seek out positive guidance and to be mindful of the messages we are sending to others.
Line by Line Meaning
Don't send me "of course, i'm listen to you", teach me right!
I don't just want you to assume I'm listening, I want you to really teach me the correct way.
Cuz i'm listen to you, teach me right! And i hear what you say so.
I am paying attention to you and I want to learn the right way, because I value your words.
Listen to you everyday, teach me right.
I listen to you every day and I want you to teach me the correct way.
Don't teach me wrong, cuz that is gonna lead me wrong, so I say again.
Please don't teach me the wrong way, because it will only lead me astray. I am emphasizing this again.
Listen to you everyday, follow you, yes I will.
I will listen to you every day and follow your teachings, that's my promise.
Teach me love, teach me goodness, and i hear what you say so.
Please teach me about love and goodness, because I am actively listening to your wise words.
Teach the goodness to the children, they field and then make choices.
It is important to teach children about goodness, so that they can grow up to make wise choices.
Teach the trully and truths and rights, Teach them love and they will follow.
Teaching children about truth, rights, and love is crucial, because then they will follow the right path.
Take me outside now, and whisper in my ears now. Take me outside now, Let me learn and understand. Yes, learn, Learn the truth that you given, If you can't say it inside now, then take me outside now.
Take me outside and teach me in a peaceful, personal way. I really want to learn and understand the truth that you have to offer. If you can't say it publicly, take me outside and whisper it to me so I can still learn.
Don't send me "I of course", cuz i'm listen to you, and i hear what you say so.
Don't assume I'm just saying "of course" and not actually listening. I am listening and valuing your words.
Don't send me "of course i'm listen to you", teach me love and I will follow you.
Please don't assume I'm just saying "of course" and not actually listening. Teach me about love and I will follow your teachings.
Don't send me "of course i'm listen to you", teach me right!
I want you to teach me correctly and not just assume that I'm listening to you.
Don't send me "of course", cuz i'm listen to you, I follow you.
Please don't assume I'm just saying "of course" and not actually paying attention to you. I am following your teachings.
Writer(s): Frank Dowding
Contributed by Stella I. Suggest a correction in the comments below.