Mikey accepted the Covenant and the Rastafarian faith 7 years ago, but says, "Rasta is an in-born thing". He does not belong to any specific order such as Twelve Tribes, Nyabinghi or Orthodox, but instead says he follows the, "Precepts of Haile Selassie". Mikey's belief is that "Rastafari is the goodness of your heart and the cleanliness of your mind and accepting the precepts of His Imperial Majesty".
Born to sing according to Mikey as his mother said he used to always make noise as a baby. He used to mimic songs on the radio by such greats as Horace Andy, Peter Tosh, Sugar Minot, Desmond Dekker and Bob Marley. Mikey then joined the church choir at the age of 7 and was also in his school choir for 5 years. However, when he went onto high school, there was no choir, so Mikey started singing in the classroom. His teachers even encouraged him and they would call him up to sing. It got to the point where Mikey's community told him he had a good voice and should take singing seriously.
It was 1980 when Mikey was around the age of 16 that he recorded his first song called 'Roots Me Roots'. Produced by Rudie Silence, Mikey recalls, "It wasn't very successful, but it was my first experience in the studio and it gave me a lot of encouragement".
From then it was a natural progression and being a songwriter as well, although Mikey says his songs are "Co-written by Jah", success was not too far away. Hit songs for Mikey are ones that "Have an effect on somebody or touch somebody" and the hits must be rolling as he has done 5 albums to date with the latest being 'Spiritual Revolution' that was released in 2002.
Alongside Luciano, Mikey has a company called Jah Messenjah Productions and they do their own production including Mikey's last album. They also worked with co-producers such as Dean Fraser, the Firehouse Crew and Cell Block Studio to name a few. Those are not the only production people Mikey has worked with; he has worked with Xterminator, Robert French, Black Scorpio and "most of the good producers in Jamaica".
Mikey has worked on non-reggae formats as well including R&B, Blues and Jazz. He has produced artists such as Babatunde, Milton Black, Natural Black, Bitter Roots and a lot of other new artists.
Pick Yourself Up
Mikey General Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Nice teacher, teach me something.
I'm as awkward as a camel, that's not the worst,
My two feet haven't met yet,
But I'll be teacher's pet yet,
'Cause I'm gonna learn to dance or burst.
Nothing's impossible I have found,
I pick myself up,
Dust myself off,
Start all over again.
Don't lose your confidence if you slip,
Be grateful for a pleasant trip,
And pick yourself up,
Dust yourself off,
Start all over again.
Work like a soul inspired,
Till the battle of the day is won.
You may be sick and tired,
But you'll be a man, my son!
Will you remember the famous men,
Who had to fall to rise again?
So take a deep breath,
Pick yourself up,
Dust yourself off,
Start all over again.
I'll get some self assurance
If your endurance is great.
I'll learn by easy stages
If you're courageous and wait.
To feel the strength I want to,
I must hang on to your hand,
Maybe by the time I'm fifty
I'll get up and do a nifty.
Nothing's impossible I have found,
For when my chin is on the ground,
I pick myself up,
Dust myself off,
Start all over again.
Don't lose your confidence if you slip,
Be grateful for a pleasant trip,
And pick yourself up,
Dust yourself off,
Start all over again.
Work like a soul inspired,
Till the battle of the day is won.
You may be sick and tired,
But you'll be a man, my son!
Will you remember the famous men,
Who had to fall to rise again?
So take a deep breath,
Pick yourself up,
Dust yourself off,
Start all over again.
The lyrics to Mikey General's "Pick Yourself Up" are a testament to the power of resilience and perseverance in the face of adversity. The singer in the song is seeking guidance and inspiration, calling out to their teacher to teach them something. The singer describes themselves as awkward, with still much to learn before they become the teacher's pet. However, they are determined to learn to dance, even if they feel as though they might burst in the process.
The second verse focuses on the singer's belief in themselves and the power of picking themselves up when they fall down. They acknowledge that nothing is impossible, and that even when their chin is on the ground, they can pick themselves back up again. The third verse speaks to the importance of hard work and perseverance, and encourages the listener to keep pushing forward, even when they may be feeling tired or discouraged.
The final verse mentions the "famous men" who have fallen only to rise again, perhaps referencing historical figures who have faced hardship and adversity but overcome it to achieve greatness. The song ends with a reminder to take a deep breath, pick oneself up, dust oneself off, and start all over again.
Overall, "Pick Yourself Up" is a motivational and uplifting song that inspires listeners to keep going even when things get tough. It promotes the idea that hard work and determination can help us achieve our goals, and that even when we fall down, we can always get back up again.
Line by Line Meaning
Please teacher, teach me something,
The singer is asking the teacher for knowledge or insight to help them improve in a certain area.
Nice teacher, teach me something.
The singer is politely and respectfully requesting guidance or instruction from their teacher.
I'm as awkward as a camel, that's not the worst,
The singer acknowledges their lack of skill or grace, but considers it to be a minor obstacle.
My two feet haven't met yet,
The artist is likely a beginner or inexperienced, and has difficulty coordinating their movements effectively.
But I'll be teacher's pet yet,
Despite their current difficulties, the artist is motivated to become the teacher's favorite student through hard work and dedication.
'Cause I'm gonna learn to dance or burst.
The singer is determined to master their given task or skill, even if it means pushing themselves to their limit.
Nothing's impossible I have found,
The singer believes that anything can be achieved with determination and effort, even in the face of adversity or failure.
For when my chin is on the ground,
The artist is describing a moment of defeat or disappointment, where they feel down or defeated.
I pick myself up,
The artist is resilient and self-reliant, capable of overcoming challenges and setbacks on their own.
Dust myself off,
The artist is metaphorically brushing off their struggles or hardships, and preparing to move forward with renewed strength and determination.
Start all over again.
The singer is motivated to try again, and to apply the lessons learned from their prior experience to achieve success.
Don't lose your confidence if you slip,
The artist advises listeners to maintain their self-assurance and momentum, even when things don't go as planned.
Be grateful for a pleasant trip,
The singer encourages listeners to appreciate the journey and the learning experience, even if the outcome isn't ideal.
Work like a soul inspired,
The singer advocates for dedicating oneself completely to the task at hand, with passion and determination.
Till the battle of the day is won.
The singer urges listeners to persevere until their goal is achieved, no matter how challenging it may seem.
You may be sick and tired,
The artist acknowledges the difficulty and exhaustion that may come with working hard toward a goal.
But you'll be a man, my son!
The artist imparts advice and encouragement to the listener, especially if they are a young man, to continue striving and growing as a person.
Will you remember the famous men,
The singer asks the listener to reflect on the successes and struggles of famous people, who may have faced similarly difficult obstacles on their journeys.
Who had to fall to rise again?
The singer suggests that some of the most successful people have experienced failure or hardship at some point, but were able to overcome it and achieve greatness.
So take a deep breath,
The artist advises listeners to pause and recollect their strength and energy, in preparation for the challenges ahead.
Pick yourself up,
The artist encourages listeners to be self-reliant and resilient, capable of bouncing back from difficulty without relying on others.
Dust yourself off,
The artist suggests metaphorically brushing oneself off after a setback, and preparing for a fresh start.
Start all over again.
The singer advises taking the lessons learned from prior experiences and using them to start anew, with a fresh perspective and renewed vigor.
I'll get some self assurance
The artist expresses a desire to become more confident in their abilities and goals.
If your endurance is great.
The singer implies that they will feel more secure and confident in their goals if they witness others who have persevere through their own battles.
I'll learn by easy stages
The singer suggests that they will learn through baby steps, gradually building up their knowledge and abilities.
If you're courageous and wait.
The singer implies that their journey to success will require patience and bravery on their part, and that they will learn best from those with similar qualities.
Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc., NW ROYALTY CONSULTING, LLC., BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: DEAN FRASER, MICHAEL TAYLOR
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind