Nesbeth

Kingston-born, Jamaican reggae artist Nesbeth connects to hi… Read Full Bio ↴Nesbeth

Kingston-born, Jamaican reggae artist Nesbeth connects to his audiences through joyful, socially-conscious music that tells authentic tales about his life’s most inspiring moments and his community’s past, present and future. His energetic live shows brighten stages worldwide, and he turns each performance into an intimate platform to share his viewpoints and experiences and to spread his free-spirited optimism. Each of his songs illuminates the animated, emotional layers of his resonant voice along with his ability to create striking melodies and improvise on unusual international rhythms. His solo work, various collaborations with other talented artists and on-going philanthropy illustrate his own perseverance, express his passionate political ideologies and reflect the colorful work and narratives of the artists and groups that continue to move him, including Bob Marley, Whitney Houston, Lauryn Hill, Damian “Jr. Gong” Marley, K’naan and others.

Nesbeth grew up in the urban Arnett Gardens neighborhood of West Kingston on the island of Jamaica, referred to as “The Concrete Jungle” because of high crime rates and widespread economic hardship. Throughout his childhood, music was the sun in his life, and his curiosity about using it to communicate and to offer comfort to himself and others grew as he began to experiment with recording and discover his own voice.

Nesbeth recorded his first single, “Reflection of Love” in 1993 with singer Camera and since then has gathered an impressive list of accomplishments, both on his own and alongside other talented artists on stage and in the studio. His music has been released by labels such as Jack Scorpio, King Jammy’s, Down Sound Records and Shocking Vibes Production, a company that produced Nesbeth’s beloved single “So Let It Be” in 2002. In early 2007, he was introduced to renowned music producer Flava McGregor, with whom he has recorded over 10 well-received songs offering hope to people vulnerable to a culture of violence and uncertainty, such as “Board House,” Weight of the World” and “A Nuh So Mi Waan Live.” During the past two decades, Nesbeth has been a force at international festivals such as Reggae Sumfest, Bob Marley Birthday Bash, STING, Rebel Salute, Irie Jamborie in New York City, Summerfest in Washington, D.C., New Jersey Reggae Fest and has played shows at venues in Ottawa, Canada, Antigua, Saint Kitts, Anguilla, Grenada and cities throughout the United Kingdom. In February 2010, he hosted “A Nuh Suh Mi Waan Live,” a love and unity concert in the Arnett Gardens community where he and other artists performed. The event brought together thousands of residents that had been isolated in their communities for years by violence.

Nesbeth still strives to be the voice of his nation by creating music that tells a powerful story and supports his philosophies and by lending his support to a variety of charitable events. He won a 2013 Manchester Award along with an honorary award at the 2013 Music Industry Achievers Awards and completed a successful debut tour of the United Kingdom in September. Nesbeth’s latest single, “Taking Over,” produced by Aza Yaad Muzic has been a hit on Jamaican radio. He is currently in the studio working on his next single and planning shows around the globe for 2014.

Board House
Nesbeth Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Backstreet Boys
Miscellaneous
Brick House
Backstreet Boys
Brick House
She’s a brick house
I said the lady's got it and that’s a fact
Ain’t holding nothing back

She’s a brick house
We’ll work together, everybody knows
This is how the story goes

She knows she’s got everything
That a woman needs, to get a man
How could she lose with the stuff she’s got
36-24-36 oh what a winning hand

She’s a brick house
She’s mighty, mighty just letting it all hang out
She’s a brick house
I said the lady's got it and that’s a fact
Ain’t holding nothing back
She’s a brick house
Yeah she’s the one, the only one
Built like an amazon

Shake it down, shake it down now
Shake it down, shake it down now
Shake it!
Shake it down, shake it down now

She’s a brick house
She’s mighty, mighty just letting it all hang out
She’s a brick house
I said the lady's got it and that’s a fact
Ain’t holding nothing back
She’s a brick house
We’ll work together, everybody knows
This is how the story goes

She's a brick
Ben, hit me one time
Bam
Ben, hit me two times
Bam bam
Ben, hit me four times
Bam bam bam bam
Ben, hit me 10 times
Bam bam bam bam bam bam bam bam bam
That was only nine times
Bam

She’s a brick house

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Nesbeth's "Board House" have nothing to do with the sampled lines from the Backstreet Boys' "Brick House," featuring the Commodores. "Board House" is a song about survival, struggle, and determination in tough times, focused on the story of a family living in a wooden shack in Jamaica, trying to make ends meet. The first verse opens with the description of the living conditions, "One room tenement, naw no ceilin'/ zinc fence and a board make a board house," and the struggle to put food on the table, "Hand-to-mouth, we do not sustain." However, the chorus is a message of hope, with the promise that his family will rise above their difficulties: "We a nuh lazy people, we have pride/ With the strength of the almighty, we will survive."

Line by Line Meaning

Backstreet Boys
Not part of the lyrics, ignoring

Miscellaneous
Not part of the lyrics, ignoring

Brick House
Building that is strong, sturdy and attractive

Backstreet Boys
Not part of the lyrics, ignoring

Brick House
Building that is strong, sturdy and attractive

She’s a brick house
The woman who is strong, sturdy and attractive.

I said the lady's got it and that’s a fact
The woman is confident and has everything to attract a man.

Ain’t holding nothing back
She is not afraid to be herself and express her qualities

We’ll work together, everybody knows
Everyone will come together to appreciate and enjoy the woman's qualities

This is how the story goes
This is what is expected and accepted when in the presence of a woman as attractive as her.

She knows she’s got everything
She is fully aware of her alluring qualities and uses them to her advantage

That a woman needs, to get a man
She is equipped with all the qualities that men typically look for in women.

How could she lose with the stuff she’s got
It is impossible for her to be unsuccessful in attracting men with the irresistible qualities that she has

36-24-36 oh what a winning hand
Her body measurements - 36 inches bust, 24 waist, and 36 hips - are considered ideal and attractive

She’s mighty, mighty just letting it all hang out
She is proud and confident of her physique and not afraid to show it off.

Yeah she’s the one, the only one
She is unique and stands out from others

Built like an amazon
She is physically strong and imposing like a female warrior.

Shake it down, shake it down now
Encouraging her to dance and show off her physicality.

She’s a brick house
Reiterating that she is strong like a brick house

We’ll work together, everybody knows
Everyone will come together to appreciate and enjoy the woman's qualities

This is how the story goes
This is what is expected and accepted when in the presence of a woman as attractive as her.

She's a brick
Reiterating that she is strong like a brick

Ben, hit me one time
Introducing music that follows

Bam
Sound effect/music

Ben, hit me two times
Asking for more music

Bam bam
Sound effect/music

Ben, hit me four times
Asking for even more music

Bam bam bam bam
Sound effect/music

Ben, hit me 10 times
Asking for even more music

Bam bam bam bam bam bam bam bam bam
Sound effect/music

That was only nine times
Realizing the mistake in the count of music beats hit

Bam
Sound effect/music

She’s a brick house
Reiterating that she is strong like a brick house

Writer(s): Stephan Warren, Kemar Mcgregor, Kemar Ricardo Mc Gregor, Greg Nesbeth Copyright: Jack Russell Music, Music by Greensleeves

Contributed by Kayla M. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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