As with many of their contemporaries such as The Chemical Brothers and Underworld, Leftfield pioneered the use of guest vocalists throughout their career. Among the more prominent were Toni Halliday (of Curve), who sang on "Original", Djum Djum on "Afro-Left" and Earl 16 and Cheshire Cat on "Release the Pressure".
Neil Barnes' entry into the music world was as a DJ at The Wag Club while simultaneously playing percussion instruments. Around 1989, inspired by Afrika Bambaata, Barnes decided to try his hand at electronic music production. In 1990, he released the single "Not Forgotten" on the Rhythm King label. It was followed by "More Than I Know" in 1991.
For the remixes of these tracks, Barnes called upon Paul Daley, then a hairdresser, but also in A Man Called Adam and a formerly a session musician for the Brand New Heavies and Primal Scream, appearing on their Dixie Narco EP. Barnes and Daley had previously worked together as percussionists at The Sandals' first club, Violets. As their mutual interest in electronic music became clear the pair decided that they would work instead upon Leftfield, once Barnes had extricated himself from his now troublesome contract with Rhythm King.
Leftfield's first major career break came in 1993 with the single "Open Up", a collaboration with John Lydon. That single was soon followed by their debut album, Leftism in 1995. On this album, Leftfield blended styles like dub, breakbeat, and techno. Five singles supported the album: "Release the Pressure" (featuring Earl 16 and Chesire Cat), "Song of Life", "Open Up" (featuring John Lydon), "Original" (featuring Toni Halliday) and "Afro-Left" (featuring Djum Djum).
Leftism was shortlisted for the 1995 Mercury Music Prize but lost out to Portishead's Dummy. In a 1998 Q magazine poll, readers voted it the eightieth greatest album of all time, while in 2000 Q placed it at number 34 in its list of the 100 Greatest British Albums Ever. The album was re-released in 2000 with a bonus disc of remixes.
In 1996, the song "A Final Hit" featured on the Trainspotting soundtrack.
Their second and final album, Rhythm and Stealth was released in 1999 and it reached #1 in the UK Albums Chart. The album maintained a similar style, and featured Roots Manuva, Afrika Bambaataa, and MC Cheshire Cat from Birmingham.
Rhythm and Stealth was shortlisted for the Mercury Music Prize in 2000 but lost out to Badly Drawn Boy's The Hour of Bewilderbeast. Three singles were issued: "Afrika Shox", "Dusted" and "Swords". The song "Phat Planet" featured on Guinness' 1999 advert, Surfer.
In 2002 the band split. In 2005, they issued the greatest hits compilation A Final Hit. In 2010, Leftfield reunited and played a string of shows. However, Leftfield is now represented by Barnes alone with a backing band and singers, as Daley is concentrating on his DJ work, as well as releasing a solo album.
Official site: http://www.leftfieldtour.co.uk
Inspection
Leftfield Lyrics
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Get ever'ting ship-shape an' shine
Check. Check one.
Hot shot! Boom shot all kind of shot
We don't take dat back, hehehehehehehe
Whatcha doin' here?
No I won't turn ya out
'Member we don't talk foolishness we talk trut'
You think tink we'd it done, ya tink we do it all
but hear now
Goin' out to all the wretched souls
Come again
Come again
Check one
Check one
Check, check one
When mi come a dance, a tuff me tuff
Some a dem a sey mi raggamuffin an' ruff
Come a dancehall an' me must mash it up
Like a dem dynamite man it must blow up
Dancehall nice yes it nicest
Dancehall good man it nicest
Dancehall nice man it nicest
Dance ah hee hee
Watch this
Some a dem a come, dem a worry an' fret
Pity dem I no see dem no get nuttin' yet
See me now ask ya why ya see me this oh yet
Them a talk bout we when we know your about yet
Yes it's a dread man nuff of dem a fret
As and so them talk man them bound to regret
Put all me advice pon ya component set
Check one
Check one
Check, check one
Mum said live a life of love and love di life you live
Why'd ya kill everything you surely might so give?
Why do some of the minds rob and steal?
My God ain't false, my God is real
Check one
Check, check one
Check one
Check, check one
(Calling the meek and the humble)
When me come a dance, a tuff me tuff
Some a dem a say me raggamuffin an' ruff
Come a dancehall an' me must mash it up
Like a dem dynamite man it must blow up
Check one
Check, check one
Y'know, y'know
Check one
Check, check one
Check one
Check, check one
Check one
Check, check one
The song "Inspection" by Leftfield is a dynamic and layered track that begins with an urgent call to action - "Get everything ship-shape and shine" - and contains a mix of spoken word, rap and reggae-style singing throughout. The overall message seems to be a warning to those who might come to the dancehall unprepared for the intensity and danger of the scene. The lyrics urge listeners to be ready for anything, to be tough and resilient, and to stay true to their values even in the face of temptation.
The phrase "check one" is repeated throughout the song and seems to serve as a sort of rhythmic punctuation mark, emphasizing the importance of staying focused and on-task. The line "Mum said live a life of love and love di life you live" offers a welcome moment of tenderness and introspection, reminding listeners of the importance of treating others with kindness and living life with purpose and integrity.
Overall, "Inspection" is a powerful, highly-charged song that combines elements of reggae, rap, and electronica to create a unique and memorable sound.
Line by Line Meaning
Inspection!
Attention! This is a call for everyone to focus and pay attention towards the task at hand.
Get ever'ting ship-shape an' shine
Clean and polish everything so that it looks perfect for inspection.
Check. Check one.
This is a sound-check to ensure that everything is ready and working as expected.
Hot shot! Boom shot all kind of shot
Celebrating the moment with an exclamation and acknowledging all the great feats the team has accomplished.
We don't take dat back, hehehehehehehe
No need to retract any statements made, as they are proudly standing by their work.
Whatcha doin' here?
This rhetorical question expresses the shock of the team finding something unexpected, but is not really seeking an answer.
No I won't turn ya out
The team is not going to reject or ignore the anomaly found.
'Member we don't talk foolishness we talk trut'
A reminder to one another that they must communicate only the facts and not deviate from the truth.
Long time wit'out dey a come for it now
It has been a long time since they expected the anomaly to appear which makes it more significant.
You think tink we'd it done, ya tink we do it all but hear now Goin' out to all the wretched souls
A message to those who underestimated their potential or thought that they had completed all their work that there is still more to be done.
Come again
A shout out to a repeat performance, as they are ready and excited to tackle the task again.
When mi come a dance, a tuff me tuff
When they step in to begin the project, they come in with confidence and fearlessness.
Some a dem a sey mi raggamuffin an' ruff
Some may label them as shabby or rough, but they do not care as they are here to get the job done and create a positive impact.
Come a dancehall an' me must mash it up
Entering the project, they are determined to make it lively and use their skills to the fullest so that it is an unforgettable experience.
Like a dem dynamite man it must blow up
They are looking forward to exceeding people's expectations and creating a dynamic and explosive outcome.
Dancehall nice yes it nicest, Dancehall good man it nicest, Dancehall nice man it nicest, Dance ah hee hee
A declaration of how great this project is going to be and that everyone participating in it has the ability to bring magic to what they create because they love doing it.
Some a dem a come, dem a worry an' fret, Pity dem I no see dem no get nuttin' yet
In contrast to their positive attitude, some other participants may be worried and fretting, but the team looks past that and feels bad that they aren't getting anything out of it.
See me now ask ya why ya see me this oh yet, Them a talk bout we when we know your about yet
Trying to understand why others continue to talk about them when they are present and how they should be working together instead of separately.
Yes it's a dread man nuff of dem a fret, As and so them talk man them bound to regret, Put all me advice pon ya component set
Acknowledging that many are worried about how hard the project can be, and that by focusing more on the work than the words, they will regret not taking the advice given to them.
Mum said live a life of love and love di life you live, Why'd ya kill everything you surely might so give?, Why do some of the minds rob and steal?, My God ain't false, my God is real
Many have received great advice from elders, yet wonder why some sabotage themselves or create a negative experience for themselves and others. The team believes that with their faith in a positive impact, they will always deliver their best work.
(Calling the meek and the humble)
The team is seeking to collaborate with those who have modest and humble approaches to ensure they are working with people who can encourage others and work well together.
Y'know, y'know
A confirmation of a previous statement, similar to saying 'yes, yes'.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: DANIEL GRANVILLE CLARKE, NEIL JOHN BARNES, PAUL TERENCE DALEY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind