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.
When
Nasio Fontaine Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Oh na na na nam nam
Oh na na, nam nam ohh, uhh
Yeeaahh, yyeeaahh, ohh ohhu ohhwu,
Looking out my window
And I'm a thinking of tomorrow
And I'm a wondering what the future will be
Who are the victims of oppression
Beaten down by wars, and eaten up by starvation
And I'm saying
When will this ugly war be over
And the children can go out and play
I wanna see
When will all oppression will be done
And the people will rise up and say
Freedom at last, freedom at last, so free
Freedom has come, freedom has come, ohh yeahy
See I, sitting in seclusion
And I'm in my meditation
And I can hear the voice of the sufferers cry for justice
Uhh, another ugly war is a raging
Threats of nuclear war is arising
And the world is gripped by fear of mass destruction
I'm a saying
When will this ugly war be over
And the children can go out and play, I wanna see
When will all oppression will be done
And the people will rise up and say
Freedom at last, freedom at last, so free,
Freedom has come, freedom has come,
Oh yeahy, oh uh yeah, nuh
Umhm mm, so much bloodshed and sorrows
There is no future for the youths of tomorrow, yeah
So many mothers crying
Too many funerals, oohh
When will it end
Saying, when will this ugly war be over
And the children can go out and play, I wanna see
When will all oppression will be done and the people will rise up and say
Freedom must come uuh, uhh, mhn
The lyrics to Nasio Fontaine's song "When" paint a picture of a world filled with war, oppression, and suffering. The opening lines of the song set the tone for the rest of the song, with the repetitive "Oh na na na" creating a sense of rhythmic urgency. The first verse talks about the future, with Nasio looking out his window and wondering what lies ahead. He thinks about the children who are the victims of oppression, war, and starvation, and he longs for a day when these horrors will come to an end.
The chorus of the song is where Nasio's hope and optimism shine through. He believes that one day, freedom will come and all oppression will be done. He longs for a day when the children can go out and play without fear, and when the people of the world will rise up and shout for joy. The second verse of the song continues the theme of war, with Nasio lamenting the threat of nuclear war and the fear of mass destruction that grips the world.
Overall, "When" is a powerful plea for peace, justice, and freedom. Nasio Fontaine paints a picture of a world that is in desperate need of all three, and he implores his listeners to be part of the solution. The song is a call to action, a reminder that we must never give up hope for a better future, and a tribute to those who have suffered for the cause of freedom.
Line by Line Meaning
Looking out my window
Observing the world outside
And I'm a thinking of tomorrow
Contemplating the future
And I'm a wondering what the future will be
Curious about what the future holds
Thinking of the children
Reflecting on the next generation
Who are the victims of oppression
Those who suffer from mistreatment
Beaten down by wars, and eaten up by starvation
Affected by war and famine
And I'm saying
Expressing oneself
When will this ugly war be over
Asking when conflict will cease
And the children can go out and play
Wishing for the safety of children
I wanna see
Desiring to witness
When will all oppression will be done
Asking when injustice will end
And the people will rise up and say
Anticipating change and revolution
Freedom at last, freedom at last, so free
Euphoric about liberation
Freedom has come, freedom has come, ohh yeahy
Celebrating the end of oppression
See I, sitting in seclusion
Reflecting in solitude
And I'm in my meditation
Engaged in deep thought
And I can hear the voice of the sufferers cry for justice
Empathizing with those seeking justice
Uhh, another ugly war is a raging
Noting the recurrence of war
Threats of nuclear war is arising
Concerned about nuclear conflict
And the world is gripped by fear of mass destruction
Conscious of widespread devastation
When will all oppression will be done and the people will rise up and say
Repeating the desire for transformation
Freedom at last, freedom at last, so free,
Repeating the jubilant refrain
Oh yeahy, oh uh yeah, nuh
Repeating the celebratory tone
Umhm mm, so much bloodshed and sorrows
Acknowledging the pain and loss
There is no future for the youths of tomorrow, yeah
Concerned about the prospects for the next generation
So many mothers crying
Acknowledging the grief of mothers
Too many funerals, oohh
Acknowledging the frequency of loss
Saying, when will this ugly war be over
Repeating the central question
Freedom must come uuh, uhh, mhn
Affirming the necessity of liberation
Contributed by Avery N. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@skipbaka3626
Oh nah nah nah nan nap
Oh na na na nam nam
Oh na na, nam nam ohh, uhh
Yeeaahh, yyeeaahh, ohh ohhu ohhwu,
Looking out my window
And I'm a thinking of tomorrow
And I'm a wondering what the future will be
Thinking of the children
Who are the victims of oppression
Beaten down by wars, and eaten up by starvation
And I'm saying
When will this ugly war be over
And the children can go out and play
I wanna see
When will all oppression will be done
And the people will rise up and say
Freedom at last, freedom at last, so free
Freedom has come, freedom has come, ohh yeahy
See I, sitting in seclusion
And I'm in my meditation
And I can hear the voice of the sufferers cry for justice
Uhh, another ugly war is a raging
Threats of nuclear war is arising
And the world is gripped by fear of mass destruction
I'm a saying
When will this ugly war be over
And the children can go out and play, I wanna see
When will all oppression will be done
And the people will rise up and say
Freedom at last, freedom at last, so free,
Freedom has come, freedom has come,
Oh yeahy, oh uh yeah, nuh
Umhm mm, so much bloodshed and sorrows
There is no future for the youths of tomorrow, yeah
So many mothers crying
Too many funerals, oohh
When will it end
Saying, when will this ugly war be over
And the children can go out and play, I wanna see
When will all oppression will be done and the people will rise up and say
Freedom must come uuh, uhh, mhn
@user-ci8ri5pz9z
2023 and still jamming............Never getting old
@kent6879
2023, still #slappn , this song brings back so many memories...... NASIO WHERE YOU AT, WE WANT MORE!!!!! big ofas!
@patriciajzhyson2938
From the bosom of Dominica to all of us who can call you brother. Thank you Nasio
@patrickaustrie3896
Blessed
@user-dk8fo3xx5h
I like his songs teachs the world of love and peace
@skipbaka3626
Oh nah nah nah nan nap
Oh na na na nam nam
Oh na na, nam nam ohh, uhh
Yeeaahh, yyeeaahh, ohh ohhu ohhwu,
Looking out my window
And I'm a thinking of tomorrow
And I'm a wondering what the future will be
Thinking of the children
Who are the victims of oppression
Beaten down by wars, and eaten up by starvation
And I'm saying
When will this ugly war be over
And the children can go out and play
I wanna see
When will all oppression will be done
And the people will rise up and say
Freedom at last, freedom at last, so free
Freedom has come, freedom has come, ohh yeahy
See I, sitting in seclusion
And I'm in my meditation
And I can hear the voice of the sufferers cry for justice
Uhh, another ugly war is a raging
Threats of nuclear war is arising
And the world is gripped by fear of mass destruction
I'm a saying
When will this ugly war be over
And the children can go out and play, I wanna see
When will all oppression will be done
And the people will rise up and say
Freedom at last, freedom at last, so free,
Freedom has come, freedom has come,
Oh yeahy, oh uh yeah, nuh
Umhm mm, so much bloodshed and sorrows
There is no future for the youths of tomorrow, yeah
So many mothers crying
Too many funerals, oohh
When will it end
Saying, when will this ugly war be over
And the children can go out and play, I wanna see
When will all oppression will be done and the people will rise up and say
Freedom must come uuh, uhh, mhn
@nicksantus5307
THIS HAS GOT TO BE THE PEOPLE OF THE WORLD UNIVERSAL ANTHEM
@danielkoroma6977
I can't stop listening stop listening to this song
@madoseaman2532
From the first day I heard this song I loved it
@commonhumanity6076
Universal cry… Blessing upon your life Nasio fountain