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.
Aitken's Boogie
Laurel Aitken Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Got a letter from my baby said she is coming home to stay.
Gee I love my baby love her night and day.
She does drink whiskey, loves to sip champagne.
She does drink whiskey, loves to sip champagne.
Well my baby comes over has some of my sugar cane.
I know my baby love me she know i love her too
And when im by my baby a brand new diamond too.
If you see my baby tell her to come back to me.
In Laurel Aitken's song Aitken's Boogie, the lyrics describe the excitement of receiving a letter from his lover, who is finally coming back home to stay with him. The main theme of the song is love, and the author expresses his love and devotion for his partner. Aitken praises his lover and highlights her traits, stating that she enjoys sipping both whiskey and champagne - indicating that she's a versatile person with different tastes. The mention of sugar cane is a reference to his hometown Jamaica, where it is widely grown and used to make rum. The author expresses confidence in his relationship, stating that his partner loves him and that he intends to show her his appreciation by buying her a gold ring tomorrow.
Overall, Aitken's Boogie is a classic love song that celebrates the affection and excitement that come with reuniting with a lover. The lyrics convey a sense of fulfillment and joy, indicating that the author is finally achieving his goals and desires by being with his lover. The song has a playful tone, with a catchy rhythm that makes it easy to dance to.
Line by Line Meaning
Got a letter from my baby said she is coming home to stay.
My significant other sent me a letter saying that they're coming back home for good.
Gee I love my baby love her night and day.
I am absolutely in love with my significant other and I constantly think about them day and night.
She does drink whiskey, loves to sip champagne.
My significant other enjoys both whiskey and champagne as beverages of choice.
Well my baby comes over has some of my sugar cane.
My significant other often comes over to visit me and enjoys some of the sugar cane that I have.
I know my baby love me she know i love her too
I am certain that my significant other loves me just as much as I love them.
And when im by my baby a brand new diamond too.
Whenever I'm with my significant other, I spoil them with lavish gifts such as diamonds.
Yeah gold ring tomorrow.
I plan on giving my significant other a gold ring as a gift in the near future.
If you see my baby tell her to come back to me.
If you come across my significant other, please tell them to come back to me because I miss them dearly.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: LAUREL AITKEN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind