- - -
Lucky Dube (born August 3, 1964, died October 18, 2007) was a reggae musician from Johannesburg, South Africa. He was named Lucky because when he was born in poor health, and the doctors thought he would die. But he survived, so was named Lucky. In his youth, Lucky lived with many different family members, singing in bars and in church. He eventually formed a band with some friends, but they could not afford to purchase instruments. Eventually, Lucky wrote a play which he and his bandmates performed, earning enough money to buy a guitar. Their band was then called Skyway, and they played in the mbaqanga style.
Two years after Skyway's formation, Lucky joined Richard Siluma's Love Brothers. He stayed with them for several years, before switching to reggae in the early 1980s. His first major success in that field came at the influential Sunsplash festival in Jamaica.
Lucky's "Together as One" was the first song by a black artist to be played on a white radio station in South Africa. His two most popular albums, Prisoner and Slave, are among the most renowned and best-selling in South Africa's history. One of Lucky's favourite singers was the late Peter Tosh.
On the 18th of October 2007, Lucky was shot dead in an attempted car jacking in Johannesburg, South Africa.
Discography
Rastas Never Dies
Think About The Children
(The Above Two available on 2on1 - Lucky Dube Rastas Never Dies/Think About The Children (2000))
Slave (1989)
Prisoner (1990)
Together as one (1992)
House of exile (1992)
Captured Live (1993)
Victims (1993)
Trinity (1995)
Serious reggae business (1996)
Taxman (1997)
The Way It Is (1999)
The Rough Guide To Lucky Dube (2001)
Soul Taker (2001)
The other side (2005)
Respect (2006)
Together As One
Lucky Dube Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
My whole life
I've got a dream
My whole life
My whole life
I've got a dream
Hate apartheid
Why do you like it
Too many people
Hate apartheid
Why do you like it
Hey you Rasta man
Hey European
Indian man
We've got to come together as one
Hey you Rasta man
Hey European
Indian man
We've got to come together as one
Hey you Rasta man
Hey European
Indian man
We've got to come together as one
Not forgetting the Japanese
The cats and the dogs
Have forgiven each other
What is wrong with us
The cats and the dogs
Have forgiven each other
What is wrong with us
All those years
Fighting each other
But there's no solution
All those years
Fighting each other
But no solution
Hey you Rasta man
Hey European
Indian man
We've got to come together as one
Hey
Hey you Rasta man
Hey European
Indian man
We've got to come together as one
Hey
In my whole life
My whole life
I've got a dream
My whole life
My whole life
I've got a dream
Too many people
Hate apartheid
Why do you like it
Too many people
Hate apartheid
Why do you like it
Hey you Rasta man
Hey European
Indian man
We've got to come together as one
Hey
Hey you Rasta man
Hey European
Indian man
We've got to come together as one
The lyrics of Lucky Dube's song "Together as One" express a strong desire for unity amidst deep racial and social divisions. The song begins with the repetition of "I've got a dream" which echoes Martin Luther King Jr.'s famous speech and hints at the theme of unity that runs throughout the song. Lucky Dube then goes on to lament the existence of apartheid and questions why anyone would support such a system that promotes such deep-seated hatred and division.
The chorus brings people from different racial and social backgrounds together - Rasta man, European, Indian, Japanese - all are included in this call for unity. The second verse points out the absurdity of how even cats and dogs have been able to forgive each other but human beings cannot do the same. The final repetition of the chorus once again emphasizes the need for people to come together as one, highlighting that this is not an option but a necessity.
Line by Line Meaning
In my whole life
Throughout all of my existence
My whole life
My entire being and experience
I've got a dream
I possess hope and aspiration
Too many people
An excessive number of individuals
Hate apartheid
Disapproving of the racial segregation in South Africa
Why do you like it
What is the reason for your support of this system
Hey you Rasta man
Addressing a person with dreadlocks who follows Rastafarianism
Hey European
Addressing a person of European descent
Indian man
Addressing a man of Indian descent
We've got to come together as one
We need to unite and become a single entity
Not forgetting the Japanese
Including those of Japanese descent in this call for unity
The cats and the dogs
Even animals that historically do not get along
Have forgiven each other
Have let go of their previous animosity
What is wrong with us
Why can't we humans do the same
All those years
An extended period of time
Fighting each other
Engaging in conflict against one another
But there's no solution
Yet no answer has been found to resolve the issues
Hey
An exclamation used to grab attention or emphasize a statement
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: LUCKY PHILLIP DUBE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@emmanuelabella3237
My pain as an African is that we don't know the value of what God gave to us,this man is making a lot of sense with songs and lyrics. I love him
@fenderfender169
He was he go gone long time ago
@joethegemini4403
If only we knew who we are
@iqbalkhan-me4tf
P
@dixonkimuli7831
he still alive in soul
@nanaquajo1
😭😭😭
@joashkimboi6160
Who is still back to listen to this great legend
@Bryanna-nc6rl
MEEEEEE !!!!!!!
@josephitamba1250
The cats and the dogs are forgiving each other... what more a man created in his own image. What great teaching!
@user-fw4wq9bi6u
I'm a Japanese in Japan and I met rasta man today.
He taught this song for us. Then he says "There's no country."
I'm impressed. This song represent his thought. reggae is awsome.