He left home at the age of 14 and worked on a sugar plantation outside Clarendon, cleaning out irrigation ditches, before winning a local talent competition when he was 18; prompting a move to the capital, Kingston, in order to achieve a successful musical career.
In 1965 he joined up with Kenneth Knight and Lloyd Shakespeare in The Emotions, whilst also working as a record plugger for Ken Lack's Caltone label. The group were unsuccessful in auditions for other producers, but Lack offered them an audition after overhearing Smith singing to himself as he worked one day. In 1966, the group had their first hit, with the Lack-produced, "Buy You a Rainbow". The Emotions went on to have several hit singles and by 1968, the singer, by this point known as Max Romeo, felt confident enough to launch a solo career. Working with producer Bunny Lee, the young star recorded a number of pop songs, mainly love ballads, but they failed to be popular and so he returned to The Emotions, now recording for Phil Pratt. During this time he began work as a sales representative for Bunny Lee and did some recording with The Hippy Boys, which would later became The Upsetters.
Later on in 1968, Romeo wrote new lyrics for the rhythm track of Derrick Morgan's "Hold You Jack" and handed them over to Lee. Morgan, who was due to add his vocals to the track, ultimately gave it a miss, as did several other vocalists (including John Holt and Slim Smith), leading the producer to turn to Romeo to sing the lyrics he had written. The result, "Wet Dream", was an instant hit in Jamaica, although in the UK it was met with a BBC Radio ban, despite Romeo's somewhat-disingenuous claim that the song was actually about a roof that has a leak. Still, the ban only made it more popular and the single charted in the Top Ten, in the UK Singles Chart, spending almost six months therein, before featuring on his LP, A Dream, which included several follow-up singles in a similar vein, such as "Mini Skirt Version", "Fish in the Pot", "Belly Woman", and "Wine Her Goosie". A UK tour also met with Romeo being banned from performing at several venues, although many allowed him to play, the singer staying in the UK for eighteen months.
In 1970, Romeo returned to Jamaica and set-up Romax, an unsuccessful record label and sound system. Following which, he recorded several singles, mainly with old producer Bunny Lee, before going on to work a host of other producers including Niney Holness. This was followed by a period of which saw the release of a series of politically charged singles, most advocating the democratic socialist People's National Party (PNP), which chose his song, "Let The Power Fall On I", as their campaign theme for the 1972 Jamaican general election. Romeo joined the PNP Musical Bandwagon, travelling around Jamaica, playing on the back of a truck. After this, Romeo recorded a number of religious songs, until he worked with producer Lee "Scratch" Perry, producing the classic singles "Three Blind Mice" (an adaptation of the nursery rhyme with lyrics about a police raid on a party), "Sipple Out Deh", and "Chase the Devil". A remixed version of "Sipple Out Deh", entitled "War Ina Babylon", was another popular track in the UK, the first fruits of his deal with Island Records, and was followed by an album of the same name, and a follow-up single "One Step Forward". Shortly after this the pair fell out, leaving Romeo to self-produce his follow-up album, Reconstruction, which could not match the success of its predecessor. Perry's animosity towards Romeo was demonstrated by his single "White Belly Rat", with Perry also writing the word 'Judas' over a photograph of Romeo on the wall of his Black Ark studio.
He moved to New York City in 1978, where he co-wrote (with Hair producer Michael Butler) the musical, Reggae, which he also starred in. In 1980 he appeared as a backing vocalist on "Dance" on The Rolling Stones album Emotional Rescue. In 1981, the favour was returned when Keith Richards (of The Rolling Stones) co-produced and played on Romeo's album, Holding Out My Love to You. The rest of his output during the decade went practically unnoticed, with Romeo finding work at a New York electronics store. He returned to Jamaica in 1990, and began touring and recording more regularly.
He visited the UK again in 1992, recording the albums Far I Captain of My Ship and Our Rights with Jah Shaka. In 1995 he recorded Cross of the Gun with Tappa Zukie, and he joined up with UK rhythm section/production team Mafia & Fluxy in 1999 for the album Selassie I Forever.
His music has been sampled by other artists; The Prodigy sampled his track "Chase the Devil" for their 1992 UK Top Ten hit "Out of Space". Kanye West has also used samples from it to produce Jay-Z's hit song "Lucifer", which appeared on Jay-Z's 2003 release - The Black Album.
"Chase the Devil" is featured on the reggae radio station K-JAH Radio West in a popular videogame Grand Theft Auto San Andreas, released in October 2004. Romeo's single "Sipple Out Deh" appeared in John Peel's Record Box.
- Albums:
A Dream (1970) Trojan
Let The Power Fall (1972) Dynamic
Revelation Time (1975) Black World
War Ina Babylon (1976) Island
Reconstruction (1979) Island
I Love My Music (1979) Wackies
Rondos (1980) King Kong
Holding Out My Love to You (1981) Shanachie
Transition (1989) Rohit
Fari - Captain of My Ship (1992) Jah Shaka
Our Rights (1992) Jah Shaka
Cross or the Gun (1995) Tappa Zukie
Selassie I Forever (1999) Mafia & Fluxy
Love Message (1999) Warriors
Something is Wrong (1999) Warriors
In This Time (2001) 3D (Max Romeo & Tribu Acustica)
Pocomania Songs (2007) Ariwa Sounds
- Compilations:
Max Romeo Meets Owen Gray At King Tubby's Studio (1984) Culture Press (with Owen Gray)
Max Romeo and the Upsetters (1989)
Wet Dream (1993) Crocodisc
McCabee Version (1995) Sonic Sounds
Open The Iron Gate (1999) Blood & Fire
The Many Moods of Max Romeo (1999) Jamaican Gold
Pray For Me: The Best of Max Romeo 1967-73 (2000) Trojan Records
Perilous Times (2000) Charmax
On The Beach (2001) Culture Press
The Coming of Jah (2002) Trojan
Ultimate Collection (2003) (compiled by David Katz)
Holy Zion (2003) Burning Bush
Wet Dream: The Best of Max Romeo (2004) Trojan
Crazy World of Dub (2005) Jamaican Recordings
One of Jamaica's most provocative lyricists, a singer who gave us such enduring songs as 'Chase The Devil' (which was sampled in the song 'Out of Space' by The Prodigy and the song 'Lucifer' by Jay-Z), 'Public Enemy Number One', 'One Step Forward' and 'Three Blind Mice'. It was Romeo who first introduced Britain to the concept of rude reggae with 'Wet Dream', which, despite a total radio ban, reached number 10 in the UK charts in May 1969.
In 1972 Romeo began working with producer Lee "Scratch" Perry. 'Babylon Burning', 'Three Blind Mice' and 'The Coming Of Jah' all maintained his star status in Jamaica between 1972 and 1975. Revelation Time was one of the best albums of 1975, and 1976's War Ina Babylon was hailed by the rock press as an all-time classic reggae album. Two outstanding contributions that will remain classic recordings from the so-called ‘golden age’ of Jamaican reggae music.
The Coming Of Jah
Max Romeo Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And every tongue confess
Every tongue confess
Every tongue confess
Every knee shall bow
And every tongue confess
The coming of Jah is near
If you have eyes, you will see
If you have ears, you will hear
If you have eyes, you will see
If you have ears, you will hear
Every knee shall bow
And every tongue confess
The coming of Jah is near
Jah shall wipe away all tears from our eyes
Jah shall wipe away all tears from our eyes
When I reachin' Zion, all troubles will be over
Jah shall wipe away all tears
Every knee shall bow
And every tongue confess
Every tongue confess
Every tongue confess
Every knee shall bow
And every tongue confess
I say, the coming of Jah is near
Jah shall wipe away all tears from our eyes
Jah shall wipe away all tears from our eyes
When I reachin' Zion, all troubles will be over
Jah shall wipe away all tears
The lyrics of Max Romeo & Niney's song "The Coming of Jah" convey a sense of impending judgment and the need to ready oneself for the coming of Jah (Jah being a Rastafarian term for God). The repetition of the phrase "Every knee shall bow and every tongue confess" refers to a biblical passage in Philippians 2:10-11, which states that every knee shall bow and every tongue confess that Jesus is Lord. This passage is often interpreted as referring to the ultimate judgement and triumph of God. The repeated phrase "If you have eyes, you will see, if you have ears, you will hear" is meant to convey that those who are attuned to the word of Jah will recognize the coming judgement and prepare themselves accordingly.
The third stanza, "Jah shall wipe away all tears from our eyes, when I reachin' Zion, all troubles will be over", again refers to biblical imagery. In Isaiah 25:8, it is said that God will wipe away all tears from their eyes and remove the disgrace of his people. Zion, in this context, refers to a heavenly or utopian state. The overall message of the song is that the coming of Jah is inevitable, and that one must prepare oneself for judgement and be faithful in order to attain a peaceful afterlife.
Line by Line Meaning
Every knee shall bow
Everyone will show reverence and submission.
And every tongue confess
Everyone will admit the supremacy and sovereignty of Jah.
Every tongue confess
Every individual will acknowledge Jah's power.
Every tongue confess
All people will acknowledge Jah's divine authority.
Every knee shall bow
All people will bow down to Jah.
And every tongue confess
All people will acknowledge Jah's rightful place as ruler.
The coming of Jah is near
Jah's arrival is imminent.
If you have eyes, you will see
If you are aware, you will recognize the signs of Jah's coming.
If you have ears, you will hear
If you listen, you will hear Jah's call.
If you have eyes, you will see
If you pay attention, you will notice the signs of Jah approaching.
If you have ears, you will hear
If you are receptive, you will hear Jah's message.
Every knee shall bow
All people will show submission.
And every tongue confess
All people will acknowledge Jah's supremacy.
The coming of Jah is near
Jah's arrival is drawing closer.
Jah shall wipe away all tears from our eyes
Jah will console and heal us in times of grief and sorrow.
Jah shall wipe away all tears from our eyes
Jah will relieve us of all pain, suffering, and sadness.
When I reachin' Zion, all troubles will be over
When I enter the promised land, all suffering and difficulties will cease.
Jah shall wipe away all tears
Jah will provide comfort and solace to those in need.
Every knee shall bow
All people will show submission to Jah.
And every tongue confess
All people will acknowledge Jah's supremacy.
Every tongue confess
Every individual will admit Jah's divine authority.
Every tongue confess
All people will recognize Jah's power.
Every knee shall bow
All people will show reverence to Jah.
I say, the coming of Jah is near
I declare that Jah's arrival is imminent.
Jah shall wipe away all tears from our eyes
Jah will comfort us in times of sorrow and distress.
Jah shall wipe away all tears from our eyes
Jah will take away our pain and suffering.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: PERRY, MAXIE SMITH, WINSTON W HOLNESS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Renato Cunha
Clássico de Max Romeo
Louis Petersen
Pure and clean Rastafari music.
the ethiopian
Pure in deed.
I believe I'm an atheist, but such masterpieces get me believing.
zion 2
Jah is real seek him trust me
Lincoln Hunter
Reminds me of my father. Who often played this in the front room of 33 regant Street stirchley birmingham England UK in the seventies..... ❤️💚💛
Paddy Eejit
A happy house!
Orlando Dorantes
Buena música yeah baby
LuMuv G
👌
lolly
A nasty child has written on the disc🤣
Isaac Cummings
Heed the Rastaman!