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.

Drinkin` Whiskey
Laurel Aitken Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Everybody drinkin' whiskey
But I am feeling blue
Everybody drinkin' whiskey
I don't know what to do
My baby left me last night
Left me all alone and blue

The night before baby left me

She told me she loved me only
Now she's gonna and leave me
To live in misery

Everybody feelin' happy
I don't know what to do
Everybody feelin' happy
But I'm so sad and blue
My baby left me
Left me all alone and blue

The night before baby left me
She told me she loved me only
Now she's gonna and leave me
To live in misery

No one is drinkin' whiskey
Cos my baby left
Keep on drinkin' whiskey

You know I'm gonna rock
Bartender please, give me the whiskey now

Overall Meaning

Laurel Aitken's "Drinkin' Whiskey" is a classic blues track that captures the emotions of a heartbroken man who has just been left by his lover. The song starts with the singer noticing everyone around him having a good time, but he is feeling blue and doesn't know what to do. He then talks about how his baby left him and it has left him feeling alone and sad. The lyrics are simple and straightforward, yet they perfectly capture the mood of a heartbroken man.

The song then goes on to talk about how his baby had told him that she loved him only the night before she left him. This line adds to the overall sense of betrayal that the singer is experiencing. The chorus repeats the same words, emphasizing how the singer is feeling alone and blue after being left by his lover.

Towards the end of the song, the singer realizes that no one else is drinking whiskey as his baby has left him. He decides to continue drinking and starts to rock. The last line of the song is a plea to the bartender to give him whiskey, which shows that the singer is still in pain and is using alcohol to cope with it.

Overall, "Drinkin' Whiskey" is a powerful blues song that captures the emotions of heartbreak and betrayal. The simple lyrics, accompanied by the bluesy guitar riffs, create a mood that is both melancholy and cathartic.

Line by Line Meaning

Everybody drinkin' whiskey
Everyone around him is drinking whiskey

But I am feeling blue
He is feeling sad

Everybody drinkin' whiskey
Reiteration that people around him are drinking whiskey

I don't know what to do
He is unsure of how to handle his sadness

My baby left me last night
His partner left him the night before

Left me all alone and blue
She left him feeling sad and lonely

The night before baby left me
The night before his partner left him

She told me she loved me only
She expressed her love for him and him only

Now she's gonna and leave me
But now she's leaving him

To live in misery
Her leaving him will cause him to feel miserable

Everybody feelin' happy
Everyone around him is happy