Shake Your Waist
Mighty Sparrow Lyrics


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Ah gonna get a gallon ah liniment
To rub you down in the night
′Cause to keep me happy and content
Girl you have to be moving light
You got arthritis in your hip bone
You got rheumatism in your spine
When ah want to move like a cyclone
You be telling me "take meh time"

All you doing is eating and drinking
And you getting fat like a hog
(Doh come back in meh place
'Til you learn to shake your waist)
You′re bussing up all de bed spring
And you're heavier than a log
(Doh come back in meh place
'Til you learn to shake your waist)

Woman before I touch you you′re bawling
Ah got to choke you for you to stop
Ah believe is police you calling
And you want them to lock me up
Women you giving me too much trouble
You driving me out meh damn mind
Why you doh make yourself a little souple
Ah tired teaching you how to wine

All you doing is eating and drinking
And you getting fat like a hog
(Doh come back in meh place
′Til you learn to shake your waist)
Lawd, you are bussing up all de bed spring
And you're heavier than a log
(Doh come back in meh place
′Til you learn to shake your waist)

Oh, girl!

You is the stiffest woman that ever
Come to give me a little play
But you move and twist like quicksilver
When there's money to come your way
Give me back meh money you damn cheat
You have more tricks than little Bo Peep
Like a macajuel who just done eat
As you lay down you want to sleep

All you doing is eating and drinking
And you getting fat like a hog
(Doh come back in meh place
′Til you learn to shake your waist)
Lawd, you bussing up all de bed spring
And you're heavier than a log
(Doh come back in meh place
′Til you learn to shake your waist)

Ah-ha!

The other night ah jook you wid a needle
Ah throw ice water on your head
And still you ain't move a muscle
Ah say, maybe meh woman dead
Since you born you never perspire
It don't seem to me like your concern
But any time dis bed catch on fire
Ah gonna leave you there ′til you burn

All you doing is eating and drinking
And you getting fat like a hog
(Doh come back in meh place
′Til you learn to shake your waist)
Mama yo, you bussing up all de bed spring
And you're heavier than a log
(Doh come back in meh place
′Til you learn to shake your waist)

Ooooh!





(Doh come back in meh place
'Til you learn to shake your waist)

Overall Meaning

In "Shake Your Waist," Mighty Sparrow sings about his frustration with his partner's lack of movement, both in terms of dancing and in bed. He starts off by saying he needs to get liniment to rub on her before they can engage in any activities because she has arthritis and rheumatism. He complains that she eats and drinks too much and has become overweight, making it difficult for her to move as much as he wants her to. He even expresses the fear that she might be dead because she doesn't even move when he pokes her with a needle or pours ice water on her head. Sparrow seems to be at his wit's end with her and concludes by warning her that if the bed catches on fire, he will leave her there until she burns.


The lyrics in "Shake Your Waist" represent Sparrow's humorous, playful tone that's characteristic of calypso music. However, it also highlights the role that dance plays in Caribbean culture as a way to release stress and anxiety. Calypso music and dance allow people to express themselves freely and connect with others in the community. Moreover, the song also addresses the gender dynamic in relationships and the idea of control and domination. In this case, Sparrow wants his partner to move and respond to his actions but ultimately vocalises his frustration in a humorous way.


Line by Line Meaning

Ah gonna get a gallon ah liniment To rub you down in the night ′Cause to keep me happy and content Girl you have to be moving light
I'm going to use some ointment to massage you at night because for me to be happy and satisfied, you need to be moving swiftly.


You got arthritis in your hip bone You got rheumatism in your spine When ah want to move like a cyclone You be telling me "take meh time"
You're experiencing arthritis and rheumatism, which limits your movement speed. Whenever I want us to move faster, you tell me to slow down because of your conditions.


All you doing is eating and drinking And you getting fat like a hog (Doh come back in meh place 'Til you learn to shake your waist) You′re bussing up all de bed spring And you're heavier than a log (Doh come back in meh place 'Til you learn to shake your waist)
All you're doing is eating and drinking, which has caused you to gain weight and become heavy. You keep breaking the bed springs and I won't let you back in my place until you learn how to dance.


Woman before I touch you you′re bawling Ah got to choke you for you to stop Ah believe is police you calling And you want them to lock me up Women you giving me too much trouble You driving me out meh damn mind Why you doh make yourself a little souple Ah tired teaching you how to wine
Before I even lay a hand on you, you start crying and I have to restrain you to calm you down. I think you're even calling the police to arrest me. You're stressing me out and I'm tired of teaching you how to dance.


You is the stiffest woman that ever Come to give me a little play But you move and twist like quicksilver When there's money to come your way Give me back meh money you damn cheat You have more tricks than little Bo Peep Like a macajuel who just done eat As you lay down you want to sleep
You're the least flexible woman I've ever been with, yet you can bend and move quickly when money is involved. Please give me my money back, you deceitful person. You're full of tricks and you're like a snake after a meal; you get lazy once you're in bed.


The other night ah jook you wid a needle Ah throw ice water on your head And still you ain't move a muscle Ah say, maybe meh woman dead Since you born you never perspire It don't seem to me like your concern But any time dis bed catch on fire Ah gonna leave you there ′til you burn
The other night, I pricked you with a needle and poured ice water on your head, but you still didn't flinch. I thought you might be dead. I've never seen you break a sweat, but if the bed catches on fire, I'm going to leave you there to burn.


(Doh come back in meh place 'Til you learn to shake your waist)
Don't come back to my house until you learn how to dance.




Contributed by Josiah S. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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