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The Prince
Madness Lyrics


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Buster, he sold the heat with a rock-steady beat

An earthquake is erupting, but not in Orange street
A ghost-dance is preparing, You got to help us with your feet
If you're not in the mood to dance, step back, grab yourself a seat
This may not be uptown Jamaica, but we promise you a treat

Buster, bowl me over with your bogus dance, shuffle me off my feet
Even if I keep on runnin', I'll never get to Orange street

So I'll say there's nothin' left to say, for the man who set the beat
So I'll leave it up to you out there, to get him back on his feet

Buster, bowl me over with your bogus dance, shuffle me off my feet
Even if I'll keep on runnin', I'll never get to Orange Street

Bring back the
Who is the
We want the

Overall Meaning

Lyrics Interpretation:


The song "The Prince" by Madness is a tribute to the Jamaican ska music and its pioneers. The lyrics portray a scene of a party where the music is playing, and people are dancing to the rock-steady rhythm sold by Buster, who could be a reference to the ska guitarist Buster Bloodvessel. The earthquake and ghost-dance mentioned in the lyrics could be metaphors for the excitement and intensity of the music, which is so powerful that it seems to shake the ground beneath their feet. The singer urges the audience to dance and participate actively, warning those who are not in the mood to step back and find a seat.


The song also pays homage to Orange Street, also known as Beat Street, a famous location in Kingston, Jamaica, where the ska music scene flourished in the 1960s. The singer expresses his desire to go there, but realizes that he will never get there, no matter how fast he runs. One interpretation could be that the singer is symbolically chasing the elusive quality of the ska music, which he is unable to grasp fully, despite his admiration and enthusiasm for it. The song ends with a chant of "Bring back the Who is the We want the," which could be a call for the return of the ska kings who have left their mark on music history and inspired a new generation of musicians.


Line by Line Meaning

Buster, he sold the heat with a rock-steady beat
Buster, the musician, superbly played his instruments and created a captivating rhythm


An earthquake is erupting, but not in Orange street
Something exciting and life-changing is happening, but it's not happening in the usual, expected place


A ghost-dance is preparing, You got to help us with your feet
We are getting ready to participate in something mystical and unknown, and we need your presence and energy to help make it happen


If you're not in the mood to dance, step back, grab yourself a seat
If you're not feeling the rhythm, it's okay to relax and observe from the sidelines


This may not be uptown Jamaica, but we promise you a treat
We may not be in the most prestigious or glamorous location, but we assure you there will be something special and worth experiencing here


Even if I keep on runnin', I'll never get to Orange street
Even if I keep searching for something better, I may never find it in the usual or expected places


So I'll say there's nothin' left to say, for the man who set the beat
There's no more praise or acknowledgement we can give to the person who created the rhythm that's captivating us


So I'll leave it up to you out there, to get him back on his feet
It's now up to the audience to show their appreciation and energize the musician to keep playing


Bring back the
The song is transitioning into the chorus section


Who is the
The chorus is building anticipation and setting up for the next line


We want the
The chorus is demanding to hear more of the captivating rhythm that's been created




Lyrics Β© Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: CATHAL JOSEPH SMYTH, CHRISTOPHER JOHN FOREMAN, DANIEL MARK WOODGATE, GRAHAM MCPHERSON, LEE THOMPSON, LEE JAY THOMPSON, MARK WILLIAM BEDFORD, MICHAEL BARSON

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Comments from YouTube:

@raddimusmcchoyber3362

As a naturally curly haired lad, I always desperately wanted to be able to have a Suggs style pseudo-flattop haircut when I was a kid πŸ˜‚. No amount of my Gran saying β€œall the girls love a man with curls” could sway me! What wonderful music it is, and always will be. Fantastic video too.

@hopebgood

Grans are just the best. My SE London gran didn't take shit from anyone! She ruled the roost and even though she's gone now she's still slipping me some extra pocket money. "Don't tell your mum and dad....." πŸ˜‰

@neilshenton1834

Still sounds fresh as a daisy all these years later. πŸ‘πŸ˜Ž

@wjamyers

So true. In fact after decades of listening to and playing music I can hear and appreciate more, like that phat Precision bass growl.

@ignacioperandres

Truee

@stevencorsoe9575

One of the favorites that is continually played in my country music bar in New Jersey...shows you the influence of these great guys and their music...thank you Grahm Suggs for always being that great.

@steffanhoffmann

πŸ‡¬πŸ‡§ 🀝 πŸ‡ΊπŸ‡Έ

@pauldaviesantiques1556

And so it began; a run of singles that sound as fresh and original in 2022 as the day they were recorded. Thank you chaps.

@andrewgranger3370

One of my all time favorite Madness songs. Love this video. My 13 year old son grew up liking Madness because I constantly played it when he was young.

@craig1538

I've never even seen this now until today. Its awesome isn't it?

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