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.
Auge y Caída
Laurel Aitken Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Esto se llama auge y caída de Laurel Aitken
Laurel Aitken cabalga de nuevo
Suck it to me
Give it to me
Suck it to me
Give it to me
Lo tocas
Juegas con ello
You push it up
You push it up
You push it up
You push it up
Suck it to me
Suck it to me
Suck it to me
Suck it to me
Esto es reagge
Auge y caída de Laurel Aitken
You push it up
You push it up
You push it up
You push it up
Lo sientes
Lo tocas
Lo hueles
¡No lo muerdas!
Suck it to me
Suck it to me
Suck it to me
Suck it to me
Scan out
Scan out
Scan out
Scan out
Scan out
Scan out
¡Esto es reagge!
Suck it to me
Suck it to me
Give it to me
Lo sientes
Lo tocas
Juegas con ello
Push it up
Push it up
Push it up
Suck it to me
Suck it to me
Suck it to me
Esto es reagge
Auge y caída de Laurel Aitken
Push it up
Push it up
Push it up
Push it up
No lo muerdas
No lo muerdas, no, no
¡No lo muerdas!!!
Suck it to me
Suck it to me
Suck it to me
Suck it to me
Suck it to me
Suck it to me
Push it up
Push it up
Push it up
Push it up
The lyrics to Laurel Aitken's song Auge y Caída are quite simple, and seem to focus mainly on repetition and sound rather than any specific meaning or message. The repeated phrases "suck it to me" and "push it up" are used throughout the song, along with other lines that seem to encourage sensory experiences such as feeling, touching, and smelling. The chorus repeats the phrase "esto es reagge" (this is reggae), which emphasizes the musical style of the song, and the line "auge y caída de Laurel Aitken" (rise and fall of Laurel Aitken) serves as the song's title and implies a reflection on the artist's career.
Overall, the lyrics seem to be focused on the experience of listening to and enjoying reggae music, with an emphasis on rhythm, repetition, and sensory experience. The refrain of "suck it to me" could be interpreted as a reference to the intense pleasure that one can experience through music, while the repeated "push it up" could be seen as a call to action, encouraging listeners to fully engage with the music and let it move them.
Line by Line Meaning
Buenas noches damas y caballeros.
Greetings, ladies and gentlemen.
Esto se llama auge y caída de Laurel Aitken
This is called the rise and fall of Laurel Aitken.
Laurel Aitken cabalga de nuevo
Laurel Aitken rides again.
Suck it to me
Give it to me.
Give it to me
Let me have it.
Lo sientes
You feel it.
Lo tocas
You touch it.
Juegas con ello
You play with it.
You push it up
You raise it higher.
Esto es reagge
This is reggae music.
Lo hueles
You smell it.
¡No lo muerdas!
Don't bite it!
Scan out
Shut it down.
Push it up
Raise it higher.
No lo muerdas
Don't bite it.
Suck it to me
Give it to me.
Give it to me
Let me have it.
Push it up
Raise it higher.
Contributed by Miles D. Suggest a correction in the comments below.