Lorenzo Aitken (22 April 1927 – 17 July 2005), better known by the stage na… Read Full Bio ↴Lorenzo Aitken (22 April 1927 – 17 July 2005), better known by the stage name Laurel Aitken, was an influential Caribbean singer and one of the pioneers of Jamaican ska music. He is often referred to as the "Godfather of Ska".

Born in Cuba of mixed Cuban and Jamaican descent, Aitken and his family settled in Jamaica in 1938. After an early career working for the Jamaican Tourist Board singing mento songs for visitors arriving at Kingston Harbour, he became a popular nightclub entertainer. His first recordings in the late 1950s were mento tunes such as "Nebuchnezer", "Sweet Chariot" (aka the gospel classic "Swing Low, Sweet Chariot") and "Baba Kill Me Goat". Aitken's 1958 single "Boogie in My Bones"/"Little Sheila" was one of the first records produced by Chris Blackwell and the first Jamaican popular music record to be released in the United Kingdom. Other more Jamaican rhythm and blues orientated singles from this period include "Low Down Dirty Girl" and "More Whisky" both produced by Duke Reid.

Aitken moved to Brixton, London, in 1960 and recorded for the Blue Beat label, releasing fifteen singles before returning to Jamaica in 1963. He recorded for Duke Reid, with backing from the Skatalites on tracks such as "Zion" and "Weary Wanderer", before returning to the UK, where he began working with Pama Records. He recorded hits such as "Fire in Mi Wire" and "Landlord and Tenants", which led to a wider recognition outside of Jamaica and the UK. This cemented his position as one of ska's leading artists and earned him the nicknames The Godfather of Ska, and later Boss Skinhead. He gained a loyal following not only among the West Indian community, but also among mods, skinheads and other ska fans. He had hit records in the United Kingdom and other countries in the 1950s through to the 1970s on labels such as Blue Beat, Pama, Trojan, Rio, Dr. Bird, Nu-Beat, Ska-Beat,Hot Lead and Dice. Some of his singles featured B-sides credited to his brother, guitarist Bobby Aitken. Aitken also recorded a few talk-over/deejay tracks under the guise of 'King Horror', such as "Loch Ness Monster", "Dracula, Prince of Darkness", and "The Hole". Aitken settled in Leicester with his wife in 1970. His output slowed in the 1970s and during this period he worked as an entertainer in nightclubs and restaurants in the area including the popular 'Costa Brava Restaurant' in Leicester under his real name Lorenzo. In 1980, with ska enjoying a resurgence in the wake of the 2 Tone movement, Aitken had his only success in the UK Singles Chart with "Rudi Got Married" (#60) released on I-Spy Records (the label created and managed by Secret Affair. Aitken's career took in mento/calypso, R&B, ska, rock steady, and reggae, and in the 1990s he even turned his talents to dancehall. He performed occasional concerts almost until his death from a heart attack in 2005. After a long campaign, a blue plaque in his honour was put up at his Leicester home in 2007. Punk band Rancid cover's Aitken's Everybody Suffering on their 2014 LP Honor Is All We Know

Laurel Aitken (April 22, 1927 - July 17, 2005) became famous as one of the originators of Jamaican ska music in the late 1950s.

Aitken was born as Lorenzo Aitken in Cuba, and is the brother of singer Bobby Aitken. He moved to England in the 1960s, and had a loyal following among Skinheads and other ska fans. He had massive hits in the 1950s through 1970s, while recording for Blue Beat Records, Pama Records and Trojan Records. He recorded one of the earliest ska records, the double A-sided Boogie in My Bones / Little Sheila (1958). It was the first record on producer Chris Blackwell's Island Records label.

Aitken, who is known as "The Godfather of Ska", made his home in Leicester UK and performed live almost until his death. He suffered from a serious illness following a heart attack about a year before he died. He died from a heart attack in Leicester, UK on July 17, 2005.

05 Mad About You
Laurel Aitken Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Baby I'm mad about you baby
Oh Baby Baby baby I'm mad about you

Baby I'm mad about you baby
Oh Baby Baby baby I'm mad about you

When I saw you in the park
Say that we would never never never never part

Now you got somebody new
Please don't break my heart in two now

Baby I'm mad about you baby
Oh Baby Baby baby I'm mad about you

When I saw you in the park
Say that we would never never never never part
Now you got somebody new
Please don't break my heart in two now

Baby I'm mad about you baby
Oh Baby Baby baby I'm mad about you

Mad about you

Mad about you
Mad about you

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Laurel Aitken's song "Mad About You" tells a tale of heartbreak and unrequited love. The singer starts the song by admitting that they are "mad" about someone, expressing their intense feelings for this person. They plead with this individual not to hurt them by leaving them for someone else, but the singer already knows that the person they love has moved on. The singer's despair is palpable; they can't help feeling obsessed over the object of their affection, even though it seems hopeless.

The repetition of the chorus, where the singer says "Mad about you" three times, creates a sense of desperation and longing. These feelings are echoed in the verses, where the singer recounts a moment when they thought their love would never end. This memory serves to heighten the pain of their current situation. The phrasing of "say that we would never never never never part" gives the impression that the singer is protesting too much. They knew even then that love isn't always forever.

Overall, the lyrics to "Mad About You" convey the universal experience of unrequited love. Everyone has felt the sting of rejection and the hopelessness of loving someone who doesn't love them back. Laurel Aitken captures these feelings perfectly in this song, creating a beautiful and soulful ballad.

Line by Line Meaning

Baby I'm mad about you baby
I have a strong feeling of affection towards you, baby

Oh Baby Baby baby I'm mad about you
Oh my dear baby, my emotions for you are intense and uncontrollable

When I saw you in the park
During the time I laid my eyes upon you in the park

Say that we would never never never never part
You declared that we would be together forever and never separate

Now you got somebody new
Currently, you are romantically involved with someone else

Please don't break my heart in two now
I implore you not to shatter my heart into pieces

Mad about you
My obsession with you is beyond reasonable limits

Mad about you
My fixation on you is overpowering

Mad about you
My infatuation with you is extreme

Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: LAUREL AITKEN

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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