She struggled to break through as a solo artist and after touring the US as support to Bunny Wailer, she worked as a backing vocalist at Gussie Clarke's Music Works studio.[3] She went on to work for Donovan Germain at his Penthouse Studios, and Germain produced her 1993 hit "Action", a combination with Terror Fabulous.[3] The track was used by the Jamaican Labour Party as their election campaign theme, and in 2007 was included by Vibe at number nineteen in its list of the fifty greatest duets of all time.[3][6][7] In the US, "Action" reached number 43 on the Billboard Hot 100.[3][8] Buju Banton's "Dickie" was remixed as "Wicked Dickie" with Sutherland adding vocals, and this topped the charts in Jamaica.[3] She collaborated with Banton again on the single "What Am I Gonna Do".[9]
In 2006 she performed at Reggae Sunsplash, and in 2007 she released the album Call My Name, which was a hit in Jamaica as well as on reggae charts in Florida and New York.[4][10][11] At the Canadian Reggae Music Awards in 2008, the album was nominated in the 'Top Reggae CD/Album (International)' category, while a single from the album, "Big Tingz", was nominated as 'Best Reggae Single (International)'.[1]
Sutherland has also appeared as a judge on the TV show Digicel Rising Stars,[12] written for the Jamaica Observer,[13] and been a committee member for the charity Sisters to Sisters.[14
Action
Nadine Sutherland Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
(No sympathize)
('Oman waan good lovin' every night) Yeah, yeah
(Right up
Lover girl
Nadine! Step up!)
Action (Not a bag a mout')
Action (Not a bag a mout')
Sweet (Lovin' make de gal dem bruk out)
You think you are so fine
(Big shot nuh work yuh man watch de time)
Stop playin' with my mind
('oman nuh inna joke when she well waan de wine)
You call me on the phone
(One hour worth a talking angel come down)
And now I want you home
(Ital jockey gal me nah use no stone)
Action (Not a bag a mout')
Sweet (Lovin' make de gal dem bruk out)
Action (Not a bag a mout')
Sweet (Lovin' make de gal dem bruk out)
I need some action
Tender satisfaction (Mad House!)
My chemistry is flowing
Can you cause a chain reaction
I need some action
Tender satisfaction (Mad House!)
My chemistry is flowing
Can you cause a chain reaction (Watch dis!)
(Whameseh! - Bedroom bully
She nuh waan dat you know
She waan a man fi caress
Her up like so
Man a make love to woman
Like a war dem a go
'Oman a bawl inna agony an holler out (Cho!)
Hardcore lovin' man you musee insane
'Oman nuh waan no man fi make she feel pain
Sweet lovin' in de fallin' rain
Sweet lovin' a mix up her brain)
Action (Not a bag a mout')
Sweet (Lovin' make de gal dem bruk out)
Action (Not a bag a mout')
Sweet (Lovin' make de gal dem bruk out)
You think you understand
(Agony, pain, and lovin inna one)
I need a lovin' man
(Whole heap a lovey-dovy and nuff affection)
Sweet thoughts and tender care
(Nuh waan no ruff fi gon tear off her brassier)
Can you erase my fear
(Terror comin' right ova so Nadine just beware--of me)
Action (Not a bag a mout')
Sweet (Lovin' make de gal dem bruk out)
Action (Not a bag a mout')
Sweet (Lovin' make de gal dem bruk out)
I need some action
Tender satisfaction (Mad House!)
My chemistry is flowing
Can you cause a chain reaction
I need some action
Tender satisfaction (Mad House!)
My chemistry is flowing
Can you cause a chain reaction
(Whameseh! - Bedroom bully
She nuh waan dat you know
She waan a man fi caress
Her up like so
Man a make love to woman
Like a war dem a go
'Oman a bawl inna agony an holler out (Cho!)
Hardcore lovin' man you musee insane
'Oman nuh waan no man fi make she feel pain
Sweet lovin' in de fallin' rain
Sweet lovin' a mix up her brain)
Action (Not a bag a mout')
Sweet (Lovin' make de gal dem bruk out)
Action (Not a bag a mout')
Sweet (Lovin' make de gal dem bruk out)
I need some action
Tender satisfaction (Mad House!)
My chemistry is flowing
Can you cause a chain reaction
I need some action
Tender satisfaction (Mad House!)
My chemistry is flowing
Can you cause a chain reaction
(Agony, pain, and lovin inna one
Whole heap a lovey-dovy and nuff affection
They nuh waan no ruff man fi tear off her brassier
Terror comin' right ova so Nadine just beware--of me)
Action (Not a bag a mout')
Sweet (Lovin' make de gal dem bruk out)
Action (Not a bag a mout')
Sweet (Lovin' make de gal dem bruk out)
The song "Action" by Nadine Sutherland and Terror Fabulous is a dancehall classic that celebrates the power of passionate love. The lyrics suggest that women desire not just physical intimacy, but also emotional connection and tenderness from their partners. The chorus emphasizes that "action" (i.e. meaningful physical expression) is more important than mere words, and that "sweet lovin'" can make women lose control and become "bruk out." The verses feature playful banter between the male and female singer, with Nadine accusing Terror of being a "big shot" who wastes time and plays mind games, but ultimately expressing her need for a "lovin' man" who can make her feel safe and happy.
One interesting fact about "Action" is that it was produced by Dave Kelly, one of the most influential figures in the 1990s dancehall scene. Kelly was known for creating infectious rhythms that combined elements of reggae, hip-hop, and R&B, and he worked with many of the genre's biggest stars, including Beenie Man, Buju Banton, and Bounty Killer. Another fact is that the song was released on the Madhouse Records label, which Kelly founded with his brother Tony in the late 1980s. Madhouse became synonymous with high-quality dancehall music and produced several seminal albums, including Buju Banton's "Til Shiloh" and Capleton's "Prophecy." Additionally, "Action" was one of the first dancehall songs to feature a female lead vocalist and helped to pave the way for other female artists like Lady Saw and Spice to achieve mainstream success. The song was a huge hit both in Jamaica and internationally, reaching number one on the reggae charts in the US and the UK.
Line by Line Meaning
When 'oman waan good love) Hmmmmmm
When a woman wants good love
(No sympathize)
There is no sympathy
('Oman waan good lovin' every night) Yeah, yeah
Women want good loving every night
(Right up
Right up
Lover girl
Addressing Nadine Sutherland as lover girl
Nadine! Step up!)
Asking Nadine Sutherland to step up
Action (Not a bag a mout')
It's about action, not just talk
Sweet (Lovin' make de gal dem bruk out)
Sweet loving makes women go crazy
You think you are so fine
Addressing a person who thinks highly of themselves
(Big shot nuh work yuh man watch de time)
Being a big shot doesn't bring happiness
Stop playin' with my mind
Stop playing games with me
('oman nuh inna joke when she well waan de wine)
Women don't play games when they really want it
You call me on the phone
Referring to a phone call from the person mentioned before
(One hour worth a talking angel come down)
The person talked for an hour before any action was taken
And now I want you home
Wanting the person to come over to their place
(Ital jockey gal me nah use no stone)
Referring to a woman who knows how to move
I need some action
Needing some action
Tender satisfaction (Mad House!)
Needing tender satisfaction
My chemistry is flowing
Feeling chemistry between the two
Can you cause a chain reaction
Asking if the other person can send them over the edge
(Whameseh! - Bedroom bully
Addressing someone as a bedroom bully
She nuh waan dat you know
She doesn't want that, you know
She waan a man fi caress
She wants a man to caress her
Her up like so
Addressing how the caressing should happen
Man a make love to woman
Describing the act of making love
Like a war dem a go
Comparing the act to a war
'Oman a bawl inna agony an holler out (Cho!)
The woman is screaming in agony and pleasure
Hardcore lovin' man you musee insane
Describing the depth of the sex act
'Oman nuh waan no man fi make she feel pain
Women don't want to feel pain during sex
Sweet lovin' in de fallin' rain
Describing making love in the rain
Sweet lovin' a mix up her brain)
The sweet loving is affecting the woman's brain
You think you understand
The person thinks they understand
(Agony, pain, and lovin inna one)
Describing the complex nature of sex
I need a lovin' man
Needing a man who can love them well
(Whole heap a lovey-dovy and nuff affection)
Wanting a lot of love and affection
Nuh waan no ruff fi gon tear off her brassier
Don't want any rough handling
Can you erase my fear
Asking the other person to make them feel safe
(Terror comin' right ova so Nadine just beware--of me)
Referring to someone as a terror
I need some action
Needing some action
Tender satisfaction (Mad House!)
Needing tender satisfaction
My chemistry is flowing
Feeling chemistry between the two
Can you cause a chain reaction
Asking if the other person can send them over the edge
(Agony, pain, and lovin inna one
Describing the complex nature of sex
Whole heap a lovey-dovy and nuff affection
Wanting a lot of love and affection
They nuh waan no ruff man fi tear off her brassier
Don't want any rough handling
Terror comin' right ova so Nadine just beware--of me)
Referring to someone as a terror
Lyrics © CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC, Peermusic Publishing
Written by: WYNTON KELLY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind