Perry began his career in the late 1950s working with Clement Coxsone Dodd's sound system. He eventually performed a variety of important tasks at Studio One as well as recording about thirty songs, but the pair eventually stopped working together due to personality and financial conflicts.
Working with Joe Gibbs, Perry continued his recording career, but once again, financial problems caused conflict. Perry broke ranks with Gibbs and formed his own label, Upsetter, in 1968. His first single "People Funny Boy", which was an insult directed at Gibbs, sold very well. It is notable for its innovative use of a sample (a crying baby) as well as a fast, chugging beat that would soon become identifiable as "reggae" (the new sound did not really have a name at this time). During the 1970s, Perry released numerous recordings on a variety of record labels that he controlled, and many of his songs were popular in both Jamaica and the U.K. He soon became known for his innovative production techniques as well as his eccentric character.
In the early 1970s, Perry was one of the producers whose mixing board experiments resulted in the creation of dub. In 1973, Perry built a studio in his back yard, The Black Ark, to have more control over his productions and continued to produce notable musicians such as Bob Marley & the Wailers, Junior Byles, The Heptones, and Max Romeo. With his own studio at his disposal, Perry's productions became more lavish, as the energetic producer was able to spend as much time as he wanted on the music he produced. It is important to note that virtually everything Perry recorded in The Black Ark was done using rather basic recording equipment; through sonic sleight-of-hand, Perry made it sound completely unique. Perry remained behind the mixing desk for many years, producing songs and albums that stand out as a high point in reggae history. By 1978, stress and unwanted outside influences began to take their toll: both Perry and The Black Ark quickly fell into a state of disrepair. Eventually, the studio burned to the ground. Perry has constantly insisted that he burned the Black Ark himself in a fit of rage, but it was most likely an accident caused by faulty wiring. After the demise of the Black Ark in the early 1980s, Perry spent time in England and the United States, performing live and making erratic records with a variety of collaborators. It was not until the late 1980s that Perry's career began to get back on solid ground again, after working with British producers Adrian Sherwood and Neil Fraser, better known as Mad Professor.
Perry lived in Switzerland for a while with his wife Mireille Campbell-Rüegg and two children. He continued to record and perform to enthusiastic audiences in Europe and North America late into his life. His later music is a far cry from his reggae days in Jamaica; many saw this part of Perry's career as more of a performance artist in several respects. In 2003, Perry won a Grammy for Best Reggae Album with the album Jamaican ET. He teamed up with a group of Swiss musicians and perform under the name Lee Perry and the White Belly Rats. in 2015, Perry’s recording studio in Switzerland was damaged by a fire that destroyed various unreleased recordings and some of his stage gear. In 2020 Perry moved with his wife to Jamaica, where he died on 29 August 2021.
I Am the Upsetter
Lee "Scratch" Perry Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Yeah-hey
Why're you so covetous?
Yeah-hey
Everything you want for yourself
And you think of no one else
Why're you so red-eyed?
You take people for fool
Yeah-hey
And use them as a tool
Yeah-hey
But I am the avenger
You'll never get away from me
I am the upsetter
Suffer, you're born to suffer
I told you once to run
Yeah-hey
But you take it all for fun
Yeah-hey
Now it will be rough
For you it will be tough
I promise you the right and the left
But not with the uppercut
I am the avenger
This is the upsetter
Suffer, you're born to suffer
You'll never get away from me
I am the avenger
You'll never get away from me
In Lee "Scratch" Perry's song "I Am The Upsetter", the lyrics seem to be directed towards someone who is selfish and manipulative towards others, causing pain and suffering for their own benefit. Perry questions why this person is so "gravelicious" and "covetous", taking everything they want for themselves and not thinking of anyone else. He also questions why this person is never satisfied, always red-eyed and looking for more.
Perry seems to have had enough of this person's behavior and declares that he is "the avenger" and "the upsetter". He promises that things will become rough and tough for this person and that they will suffer, as they were born to do so. Perry warns them that he will come at them from all angles, not just with an uppercut. He ends the song by repeating that he is "the avenger" and that this person will never get away from him.
Overall, the lyrics of this song seem to be a warning to those who use and abuse others for their own gain. Perry takes on the persona of someone who will not stand for this type of behavior and will do what it takes to stop it. The use of repetition in the lyrics drives home this message and makes it clear that Perry means business.
Line by Line Meaning
Why're you so gravelicious?
Why do you have such a strong desire for material possessions and wealth?
Why're you so covetous?
Why do you have a strong desire for things that belong to others?
Everything you want for yourself
You only care about your own desires and needs.
And you think of no one else
You don't take into consideration the thoughts or feelings of others around you.
Why're you so red-eyed?
Why do you always seem to be angry or dissatisfied?
Why can't you satisfy?
Why are you never content with what you have already gained?
You take people for fool
You think others are easily manipulated or tricked.
And use them as a tool
You only interact with others based on how they can benefit you.
But I am the avenger
I am the one who will seek justice for the harm you have caused.
You'll never get away from me
I will always hold you accountable for your actions.
I am the upsetter
I am the one who disrupts your plans and actions, causing you discomfort.
Suffer, you're born to suffer
You will experience pain and hardship as a direct result of your actions.
I told you once to run
I warned you to escape the consequences of your behavior.
But you take it all for fun
You don't take my threats seriously and continue to act recklessly.
Now it will be rough
You will face challenging and difficult circumstances because of your actions.
For you it will be tough
You will struggle and face adversity as a result of your behavior.
I promise you the right and the left
I will administer punishment in every way possible.
But not with the uppercut
However, I will not use physical violence to punish you.
Writer(s): Hugh Rainford Perry
Contributed by Harper L. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@lorenzo_firinu
Why are you so gravelicious, yeah-he-yeah-hy
Why are you so covetous, yeah-he-yeah-hy
Everything you want for yourself
and you think of no one else
Why are you so red-eyed
Why can't you satisfy
You take people for fool
And use them as a tool
But I am the avenger
You'll never get away from me
I am the upsetter
Suffer, you're born to suffer
I told you once to run, yeah-he-yeah-hy
But you take it all for fun, yeah-he-yeah-hy
Now it will be rough
For you it will be tough
I promise you the right and the left
And there'll be the uppercut
I am the avenger
This is the upsetter
Suffer, you're born to suffer
You'll never get away from me
I am the avenger
You'll never get away from me
@brunoblivious
Another one of a kind genius sails away.
RIP Scratch Perry
@a.a.armstrong5326
I think he may have beamed himself off of the earth, I mean as opposed to sailing away, ha ha.
@Jeraaz
A Fulfilled Life 🕊️
@Carla-ik6xm
It was a happy day for Lee..💙
@funtowatchTV42
RIP....a true legend. Keith Richards once said of him "More than a producer, he knows how to inspire the artist’s soul. Like Phil Spector, he has a gift of not only hearing sounds that come from nowhere else, but also translating those sounds to the musicians. Scratch is a shaman."
@kayvancooten4657
Keith Richards huh? Cultured Keith, love him!!
@cidbidds5569
Upsetter isn't what it sounds like. I'm putting on my magic hat
@cunobelinusX31
I followed him all my life, bought every album an cd I could, then my wife got tickets to see him, in Vicar Street, Dublin, Ireland. What a gig, I was on exstacy and weed, by the time he finished, I had to go outside for air, just standing on the pavement, and he came out and shook my hand before he got in the limo. Then my wife giving out coz I left her in the gig on her own, and me in total bliss, I shook his hand.
@MrAdriancooke
Or shaperson as we must now say
@nbarrager
If I ever got a chance to fight my boss in the parking lot, I'd want this song to be playing