Totem
Mop Mop feat. Anthony Joseph Lyrics
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Fifty-foot-high with electric eye
To survey your land
To survey the barbadine tree
To survey the lime
You woulda never see
How in silence before dawn
Jumbie does break cane
cn' run through the yard
You woulda never see
How them animal does conspire
To put ghost in front your eye
You survey the land, you survey the coconut leaf
You survey the gate, you never see the mystery of life
Yes, Poopa, come Poopa
Unless you build a flagpole
Ninety-foot-high on a steel beam
Put up camera, put up barb wire
Leggo eye above the dark
You woulda never see
You survey your land
You survey the pomcetrye tree
You survey the soursop
You survey the lime
You woulda see
How spirit does build nest
In the old woman beard
cnd leave arse behind
Yes, Mister
Unless you build fowl coop
Unless you build a hotel
For crapaud and he friend
Your jaw goes burst like fire
Every time the power blow
But I beg you, Poopa
I beg you no sorrow reach
I beg no sorrow reach
cnd peace a'greet me
Not the backside of your hand
The lyrics of "Totem" by Mop Mop feat. Anthony Joseph delve into the concept of perception and the hidden mysteries of life. The song uses metaphors and imagery to convey the idea that unless we pay close attention and open ourselves to the unseen, we will miss the profound experiences and truths that lie beneath the surface.
The lyrics start by suggesting the need to build a steeple, a high structure with an electric eye, to survey the land and observe the natural elements such as the barbadine tree, zaboca (avocado), and lime. The lyrics imply that without such observation, one would never witness the supernatural presence in the quietness before dawn, where spirits break the sugarcane and roam freely.
The song then continues with the idea that even if we survey our surroundings, we may still miss the underlying mysteries of life. The reference to animals conspiring to put ghosts in front of our eyes implies that there are forces at play, both seen and unseen, that shape and influence our reality. The lyrics imply that we have to look beyond the obvious and explore the depths of existence to truly understand the essence of life.
The spoken-word style of Anthony Joseph's delivery adds to the mysticism of the song, intensifying its message and urging listeners to open their minds to the hidden wonders of existence.
Line by Line Meaning
Unless you build a steeple
If you don't construct a tall structure for observation
Fifty-foot-high with electric eye
Reaching fifty feet in height with surveillance technology
To survey your land
To carefully examine and observe your property
To survey the barbadine tree
To pay close attention to the barbadine tree
To survey the zaboca
To closely observe the zaboca tree
To survey the lime
To thoroughly examine the lime tree
You woulda never see
You would never have noticed
How in silence before dawn
The way in which, silently before sunrise
Jumbie does break cane
A ghost-like entity destroys sugar cane
cn' run through the yard
And runs through the yard
You woulda never see
You would never have witnessed
How them animal does conspire
How the animals plot together
To put ghost in front your eye
To deceive and confuse you
You survey the land, you survey the coconut leaf
You carefully observe the land including the coconut tree's leaves
You survey the gate, you never see the mystery of life
You observe the gate, yet fail to comprehend the enigma of existence
Yes, Poopa, come Poopa
Indeed, Poopa, come forward Poopa
Unless you build a flagpole
If you don't construct a tall pole to display a flag
Ninety-foot-high on a steel beam
Reaching a height of ninety feet on a strong metal support
Put up camera, put up barb wire
Install surveillance cameras and barbed wire
Leggo eye above the dark
Release your watchful gaze above the darkness
You woulda never see
You would never have perceived
You survey your land
You carefully examine your property
You survey the pomcetrye tree
You closely observe the pomcetrye tree
You survey the soursop
You thoroughly examine the soursop tree
You survey the lime
You pay close attention to the lime tree
You woulda see
You would have noticed
How spirit does build nest
The way in which the spirit constructs a nest
In the old woman beard
Within the beard of an elderly woman
cnd leave arse behind
And leaves their behind behind
Yes, Mister
Certainly, Mister
Unless you build fowl coop
If you don't construct a chicken coop
Unless you build a hotel
If you don't establish a hotel
For crapaud and he friend
For the toad and its companion
Your jaw goes burst like fire
Your jaw will shatter like a blazing fire
Every time the power blow
Whenever the electricity goes out
But I beg you, Poopa
Yet I plead with you, Poopa
I beg you no sorrow reach
I implore that you remain unaffected by sorrow
I beg no sorrow reach
I plead that sorrow never finds its way
cnd peace a'greet me
And let peace welcome me
Not the backside of your hand
But not a violent act against me
Lyrics © Songtrust Ave
Written by: ANDREW SINCLAIR JOHN, ANTHONY DEREK JOSEPH, JASON CHRISTOPHER YARDE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind