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.
Mr. Brown
Lee "Scratch" Perry Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
(It's Mr Brown) Mr Brown is a clown who rides to town in a coffin
(Well, here he comes) In the top is
Three rows on top and two inside there
Oh, what a confusion! Ooh, yeah, yeah!
What a botheration! Ooh, now, now!
Who is Mr Brown? I want to know now!
From Mandeville to slide-a-ville, coffin runnin' around,
Upsetting, upsetting, upsetting the town,
Asking for Mr Brown
From Mandeville to slide-a-ville, coffin runnin' around,
Upsetting, upsetting, upsetting the town,
Asking for Mr Brown
I want to know who (is Mr Brown)?
Is Mr Brown controlled by remote?
O-o-oh, calling duppy conqueror,
I'm the ghost-catcher!
This is your chance, oh big, big Bill bull-bucka,
Take your chance! Prove yourself! Oh, yeah!
Down in parade
People runnin like a masquerade
The police make a raid,
But the people - oh, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
They think it fade
What a thing in town
Crows chauffeur-driven around,
Skankin' as if they had never known
The man they call "Mr Brown"
I can tell you where he's from now
From Mandeville to slide-a-ville, coffin runnin' around,
Upsetting, upsetting, upsetting the town,
Asking for Mr Brown
From Mandeville to slide-a-ville
The lyrics to Lee "Scratch" Perry's song Mr. Brown are an intriguing example of his eccentric and imaginative approach to music. The song seems to be a surreal commentary on a mysterious character named Mr. Brown, who rides into town in a coffin with three rows on top and two inside. The lyrics are playful and nonsensical, but they also hint at a darker and more sinister side to Mr. Brown's personality.
The lyrics are full of references to death, ghosts, and other supernatural creatures. There is a sense of chaos and confusion as people try to figure out who Mr. Brown is and what he wants. The lyrics also suggest that Mr. Brown is a source of disturbance and trouble, upsetting the town and causing problems wherever he goes.
Line by Line Meaning
(Ooh - ooh - ooh - ooh)
An expressive musical interlude
(It's Mr Brown) Mr Brown is a clown who rides to town in a coffin
Mr Brown is a bizarre figure who arrives in a coffin and is known to be a clown
(Well, here he comes) In the top is
Three rows on top and two inside there
Oh, what a confusion! Ooh, yeah, yeah!
What a botheration! Ooh, now, now!
The coffin has three rows on top and two inside, causing chaos and frustration
Who is Mr Brown? I want to know now!
He is nowhere to be found
From Mandeville to slide-a-ville, coffin runnin' around,
Upsetting, upsetting, upsetting the town,
Asking for Mr Brown
From Mandeville to slide-a-ville, coffin runnin' around,
Upsetting, upsetting, upsetting the town,
Asking for Mr Brown
I want to know who (is Mr Brown)?
The artist is curious about who Mr Brown is, but he cannot be found, causing chaos in different towns
Is Mr Brown controlled by remote?
The artist wonders if Mr Brown is being controlled from afar
O-o-oh, calling duppy conqueror,
I'm the ghost-catcher!
This is your chance, oh big, big Bill bull-bucka,
Take your chance! Prove yourself! Oh, yeah!
The singer calls upon a spirit conqueror for help, challenging the biggest and most powerful figure to prove themselves
Down in parade
People runnin like a masquerade
The police make a raid,
But the people - oh, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
They think it fade
There is a chaotic parade where people are disguised and police show up, but people do not fear or respect them
What a thing in town
Crows chauffeur-driven around,
Skankin' as if they had never known
The man they call "Mr Brown"
There is an odd occurrence in town where crows act like they don't recognize Mr Brown
I can tell you where he's from now
From Mandeville to slide-a-ville, coffin runnin' around,
Upsetting, upsetting, upsetting the town,
Asking for Mr Brown
From Mandeville to slide-a-ville
The artist finally knows where Mr Brown is from and how he travels, bringing chaos and destruction to different towns
Lyrics © TAMMI MUSIC LTD.
Written by: GREGORY ISAACS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind