Having had his first smash while still just a teenager in the mid-80s, Papa San's phenomenal, ongoing reign on international music charts earned him the nickname Marathon Man, as it was not uncommon for him to simultaneously hold down several positions in the Top 10 at any given time, as well as to long runs at No.1 that still no reggae or Dancehall artist to date has surpassed.
In 1994 he filled dance floors around the world with The Programme, which also hit the top of the Billboard dance chart. Smash hits like I Will Survive, Legal Rights, Strange and Maddy Maddy Cry, among many others, brought Papa San a huge audience in all the Caribbean Islands and around the world in Japan, Europe, Africa, the U.S. and more throughout the 80s and 90s. In fact, before giving his life to the Lord and being baptized in the faith in 1997, Papa San was a popular figure in American rap circles, being credited as a pioneer by a host of rap superstars.
Later connecting with fans of American hip-hop, Papa San landed numerous videos in heavy rotation on MTV. More recently, he has made guest appearances and shared stages with Gospel Titans, the likes of Kirk Franklin, Mary Mary, Trin-t-ee 5:7, Donnie McClurkin, Hezekiah Walker, and BeBe & CeCe Winans.
Raised in Spanish Town, just outside of Jamaica's capital, Kingston, Papa San grew up in an environment where hard work and grinding poverty was the daily norm but fervent revelry ruled the weekends. Spearheaded by any neighborhood resident with charisma and a potent enough sound system, music, dancing and singing prevailed well into the wee hours of Friday and Saturday nights as the sounds of reggae blasted from P.A.s loud enough to be heard and felt for many city blocks. Papa Sans own father manned such a sound system every week dubbed Black Universe and his naturally gifted son soaked up the music like the Caribbean sun. The strains of reggae greats like Bob Marley, Dennis Brown, and John Holt were interspersed with a wide range of American pop and rock music, from venerable crooner Nat King Cole to disco diva Donna Summer, all adding additional color to young Papa Sans musical palette. By the age of only 12, he had already begun performing with artists more than twice his age, cultivating his prodigious gifts with words and music, with acclaim beyond his young imagination only a few years away.
Revival
Papa San Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Your revival breathing slowly
All around, you and me
You capture my heart and make me me sing
Ohhh la la laaa, la la laaa la laaa
la la laa la laaa
la la laa la laaa
I got a song in my heart
I wanna sing it
I got a word in my mouth
Just wanna speak it
woah
I can feel it in the air, Revival everywhere
Spirit is moving
Spirit is moving
I lift my hands to say
I spread them to your name
Im ready Im ready Im ready
Lord you are, what I need
Your revival breathing slowly
All around, you and me
You capture my heart and make me me sing
Ohhh la la laaa, la la laaa la laaa
la la laa la laaa
la la laa la laaa
In Papa San's song "Revival," the singer calls out to the Lord, acknowledging that God is what he needs in his life. He speaks of the spiritual transformation that has taken place within him, describing how the Lord's breath is reviving him and causing him to sing joyfully. The lyrics go on to express a desire to share the message of God's power with the world, and to spread His name far and wide.
The chorus of the song features a catchy melody with a repetitive "la la la" refrain, drawing listeners in and inviting them to join in the joyous celebration of God's love. The bridge emphasizes the transformative power of God's Spirit, declaring that revival is in the air and that the Lord is moving mightily in the hearts of His people.
Overall, "Revival" is a call to surrender to God's transforming power and to embrace the joy that comes with a renewed spirit. It encourages listeners to lift their hands in praise and to join in the chorus of those who have been transformed by God's love.
Line by Line Meaning
Lord you are, what I need
The Lord is the one thing that I absolutely need in my life
Your revival breathing slowly
Your revival is slowly spreading and renewing everything around me
All around, you and me
Everywhere I look, I see the Lord's presence and His love surrounding me
You capture my heart and make me me sing
Your love fills me up and makes my heart sing with joy and gratitude
Ohhh la la laaa, la la laaa la laaa
Expressing the happiness and joy the artist feels
la la laa la laaa
Continuing their expression of happiness and joy
la la laa la laaa
Continuing their expression of happiness and joy
I got a song in my heart
I have a deep feeling of joy and happiness
I wanna sing it
And I want to express it through song
I got a word in my mouth
I have something important to say
Just wanna speak it
And I want to share it with everyone
woah
Expressing a sense of awe and wonder
I can feel it in the air, Revival everywhere
I can sense a spiritual awakening happening all around me
Spirit is moving
It's not just a feeling, but a tangible movement of the Holy Spirit
I lift my hands to say
I raise my hands in praise and acknowledgement of this spiritual movement
I spread them to your name
And I glorify and give praise to the Lord for His goodness and love
Im ready Im ready Im ready
I'm filled with anticipation and excitement for what's to come
Contributed by Riley R. Suggest a correction in the comments below.