Nasio was the youngest of seven children born to a Carib Indian mother and father of African descent, in the village of Carte-Bois, Dominica. The family lived in a one room wooden country house without running water or electricity. Before heading off to school, Nasio and his brothers and sisters walked miles to the Gwiyo River to fetch fresh water for the household.
When he was eight years old, Nasio began singing in the Bagatelle school and the village Catholic church. Nasio had a habit of making instruments out of everything he could find. "My Dad, Atto, made my very first instrument, a piece of board with fishing lines for strings; it meant everything to me." According to the village residents, Nasio was often the highlight of the annual school talent shows, and "a blessing to listen to".
Nasio’s musical inspiration comes from Rastafari but on the earthly plane, reggae greats such as Culture’s Joseph Hill, Burning Spear, Jacob Miller and of course Bob Marley. He is also influenced by Marvin Gaye, the Beatles, Curtis Mayfield, and Dominican Cadence music, like Chubby and the Midnight Groovers. He is very focused on what his music is saying, the message he wants to portray.
In the mid-1980s, Nasio moved from Dominica to the hustle and bustle of the island of St. Maarten where he recorded his first 12" single Born to Be Free (1986) and EP Babylon is Falling (1990). His first full length CD Reggae Power (1994) was followed by Wolf Catcher (1997) and Revolution (1999). He soon became a sensation by the power of the music and word of mouth alone.
Lovers of reggae music throughout the world know Nasio’s name, his voice and his conscious lyrics. He speaks of revolution, of waking up the sleeping consciousness of oppressed and freedom loving people across the Earth. In his own words, “the music is important; I want my music to be my contribution to the people of the world.” The world of Reggae and indeed the world of music needs a new voice, get ready to be "Living in the Positive" with Nasio Fontaine.
Rough Road
Nasio Fontaine Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Nah, nah, nah, nah, nah, nah nah, nah, nah,
I'm a praying
Hahn, hahn, ohw, yeah, yeahy
Nah, nah, nah, nah, nah, nah, nah, nah,
I'm praying, I'm praying
Help me lord, help me lord
Help me make it through another day
And praying
There's no letting up
Stormy weather's up ahead, oohhy
Rough is the road that I trod, rougher road I'm troddin
So many stumbling blocks
But I must jump another hurdle
Rough is the road that I trod, oh yeah, yea
Lord every day I pray
That you guide me on my way
And you guide my going outs
Lord please protect my coming in, oh, uh, yeah,
Hahn, hahn, uhm
Nah, nah, nah, nah, nah, nah, nah, nah, oh, ho, uh, uuhh
Hahn, hahn, ohhw, yeah, yeahee
Nah, nah, nah, nah, nah, nah, nah, nah
Praying, I'm praying
Help me lord, help me lord, help me
Help me make it through another day
And I'm a praying
So many hungry nights
There's no place to rest my head, oohhy
Rough is the road that I trod, rougher road I'm trodding
Lord help me find my will
To take me through my destination
Rough is the road that I trod, ohhy yea, yeah
Lord every day I pray
That you guide me on my way
And you guide my going outs
Lord please protect my coming in
Let your wisdom be my light
Let your knowledge be my might
Lord I'm way down on my knees
Help me oh Jah I beg you please, oh, uh yeahy
Hahn, hahn, ohw, yeah, yeah,
Nah, nah, nah, nah, nah, nah, nah, nah
Praying I'm a praying
Hahn, hahn, oh yea, yeahee
Nah, nah, nah, nah, nah, nah, nah, nah, nah
The lyrics to Nasio Fontaine's song Rough Road convey a sense of struggle and perseverance in the face of adversity. The repeated refrain of "I'm praying, I'm praying" serves as a reminder that prayer and faith are important tools for navigating the difficulties of life. The singer acknowledges the rough road he is on, with stormy weather and stumbling blocks in his path. Despite this, he is determined to keep going, to jump over hurdles and find his way to his destination.
The lyrics also express a sense of homelessness and uncertainty, with the singer describing "so many hungry nights" and having "no place to rest [his] head." Despite this hardship, he remains steadfast in his faith and continues to pray for guidance and protection from the Lord. The final verse speaks directly to the listener, asking for the Lord's wisdom and knowledge to be their guide as well.
Overall, the lyrics of Rough Road convey a sense of perseverance and faith in the face of hardship, reminding the listener that even in the toughest times, prayer and faith can provide strength and guidance.
Line by Line Meaning
Hahn, hahn, oh yeah
Expressing distress or pleading for help
Nah, nah, nah, nah, nah, nah nah, nah, nah,
Continuing to express distress or pleading for help
I'm a praying
Making a request to a higher power
Help me lord, help me lord
Asking for divine intervention
Pray you help me lord
Continuing to ask for divine intervention
Help me make it through another day
Asking for the strength to face the challenges of the day
And praying
Continuing to make a request to a higher power
There's no letting up
Acknowledging that the challenges keep coming
Stormy weather's up ahead, oohhy
Metaphorically describing the difficult challenges to face
Rough is the road that I trod, rougher road I'm troddin
Acknowledging the difficulties of life and the even tougher obstacles ahead
So many stumbling blocks
Referring to the various obstacles faced
But I must jump another hurdle
Acknowledging the need to continue persevering despite the difficulties
Lord every day I pray
Making a daily request to a higher power
That you guide me on my way
Asking for guidance and direction
And you guide my going outs
Asking for guidance in all aspects of life
Lord please protect my coming in, oh, uh, yeah,
Requesting protection and safety in all endeavors
So many hungry nights
Referring to the lack of basic needs, such as food and shelter
There's no place to rest my head, oohhy
Describing the absence of a comfortable place to sleep
Lord help me find my will
Asking for the perseverance and determination to continue
To take me through my destination
Asking for the strength to accomplish goals
Let your wisdom be my light
Requesting guidance and insight
Let your knowledge be my might
Asking for the strength and power needed to overcome obstacles
Lord I'm way down on my knees
Expressing humility and desperation
Help me oh Jah I beg you please, oh, uh yeahy
Continuing to plead for divine intervention
Contributed by Mason L. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Joseph Ripley
🙏🏽🔥🔥🔥🦁JAH YUH GET ALL THIS GLORY!!!
THANK YOU LORD FOR ALWAYS HELPING US TROD THIS JOURNEY! SHALOM INI PRAY OVA RAS NASIO AN FAMILY FAVOR AND JAHGLORY AN PROTECTION PROSPERITY AN WHOLESOME HEALTH IN EVERYWAY IN YESHUA HAMISHIACH NAME WE PRAY TOGETHER 4EVER! AMEN AMEN AND AMEN!🦁🔥🔥🔥🙏🏽
edzsjuelaj
very nice tune!!!! Thank you ❤️🌺
baniaux linley
My favourite song from Nasio....luv it so much
Una Morgan
Thank you Jah Daddy for this classic Blessing to you always, Words of life.
One Love One Heart.
42empress Jah bless
John Karuru
BLESSED LOVE IDREN,I JUST CANT GET ENOUGH OF THIS SONG
Solomon K Sidibey
nasio the great.
Fitan Guerra
words of life lives on peace
Una Morgan
Nasi this is love always son the worda are saying what the world nees to hear blessing son always, peace and love always. Jah love you alwaus.
sus
Amen amen amen amen amen amen amen amen amen
Shaquille De Leon
Kulah Earl 888p8i888⁹888p88i8i8i8888p888⁹88⁹989p89i8p8p8989p88p898pp9889p898ppo8p898p998ip898p898p8p88p8p8pp88pp88p898p8p8p8888p889p98p8998p8p898p8p9p898p8pp88p8p8p8ppp8pp8p8ppp8p8p8p88p8p89p889p88p9poo8p8p8p8p9p8p9898pp9p8898p898p8p88pp89p889p8p9po8pp88po8p8p8p8p8p8ppp98pp8p8p8pp8pp8p8ppp8p8p8p8p8pppp8pp8pp8p8p8p8ppp8pp8o8pp8p8p8pp88ppp88pp89pp8p8pp8p8pp8p89p89p8p98pp889898989p899p8po9p8p8p8p8p8p88988p98p8p98p8pp88p8p8po8pp8p8pp8898p88p8pp88p8p8p8p8p8p8p8898p8989p8p898p998p8p8p8pp88p8p8p8p8p8p8p8pp8p8p8p8ppp8p8ppp8p8pp8pp8pp8p8p8p8p8ppp8pp8p8ppp8p8pp8p8pppp8p8p8po8pp8p8p8p8p8p8p8po8p8p8pp8ppp8pp8p8p8pp8pp88p8p8p8p8p8p8pp88p8p8pp8p98p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8pp88p898p8p88p8ppp8pp88p8p8p8pp8p8p8pp88p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8pp88ppp88p8p8po898pp88p8p8pp8p8p8p8p8pp8p8pp8pp8p8pp8p8p8p8p8pp8pp8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8pp8p8p8pp8p8p8pp8p8pppp8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8pp898p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p98pp8pp88p8p8p8p98p8pp88p898p8p8p89p8p8p8p88p8p8p898p8p8p8p89898p8p8p8p898p889p9p898⁹88⁹8p8⁹8889898p8p8p8p8888988898p8988⁸8pp88p88p8p8p8po8p8p8p8p88p8⁹898p8⁸8p88p8p8p8p8p8p898p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p898p8p8p8p88p8pp88p8pp8p8p8p88po89p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p898p8pp8p8p8p98p98p898p8p88p898p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p898p8p8988p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p98p98p8p8p8p8p8p8pp8p8p8p898p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p898p8p8p8p898p8p8p8p8p8p898p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p898pppp8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8pp88p8p8pp8p8p8pp8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8pp8p89898p8p898pp8p8pop8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8pp8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8pp9p88p8p8p8p8p98po8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8ppp8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8pp8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8pp8p8p8p8p8p8p8pp8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8pp8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p98p8p8p8p8po8p8p8p8p8p898p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8pp8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p98p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p898p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p898p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8pp8898p8p8p898p8p8p8p898p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8pp8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8pp88p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8pp88p8p8p8p8p8p98p8p8p898p8p8p8p8p8p8p898p8p8p8p8p8p8p88p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8pp8p8p8p8p8p8p898p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p8p