Henry James (3 July 1952 – 19 December 2015), better known as Peter Broggs,… Read Full Bio ↴Henry James (3 July 1952 – 19 December 2015), better known as Peter Broggs, was a Jamaican reggae musician. He was a successful artist in Jamaica and well known in the international reggae scenes.

Born in 1954 in Hanover Parish, Jamaica, in the early 1970s, he decided to moved to Kingston to find work. There he found himself among reggae artists and musicians such as Gregory Isaacs, Bingy Bunny, Errol Holt and others who worked in the Jamaican music industry at the time.

Peter Broggs sang and recorded sporadically during the 1970s, and his music was mostly about the Rastafari movement. His debut album Progressive Youth, was released in 1979. One song recorded at this time was "Jah Golden Throne", recorded at the Channel One Studios and King Tubby studios, and released in the UK on the short-lived Selena imprint in 1980. His Rastafari Liveth! album was the first release on RAS Records, in 1982. On his 1990 album Reasoning he was backed by The Wailers and Roots Radics. In 2000 he released Jah Golden Throne, a collaboration with Jah Warrior.

Broggs suffered a stroke on 27 August 2004, and this left him paralyzed on the right side and hardly able to speak. The album Igzabihir Yakal was released in 2005; the album has been recorded with Dubcreator at the DC Studio for sound system team King Shiloh in Amsterdam in 2002 and the profit from this album went to help pay Broggs' medical bills.

Broggs died on 19 December 2015, aged 63.

Cheer Up
Peter Broggs Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Cheer up, my brothers cheer up now.
Cheer up, my sisters cheer up now.

Just have faith and live up,
Hold on tightly, don't give up,
Even when times get so crucial,
Even when men get so brutal,
Don't give up, don't give up.

Chant a chant a day,
And Jah will surely show you the way.
Chant a chant a day,
And He will drive Satan out of your life.

For they play the wrong card and say that they are the winner,
Deep in their heart, I&I are the loser.

But there is one thing you must remember -
First shall be the last, and last shall be the first,
And one of Jah words shall pass,
Or else heaven and earth shall pass away.

Cheer up, my brothers cheer up now.
Cheer up, my sisters cheer up now.
Don't give up, don't give up.

For they play the wrong card and say that they are the winner,
Deep in their heart, I&I are the loser.

But there is one thing you must remember -
First shall be the last, and last shall be the first,
And one of Jah words shall pass,
Or else heaven and earth shall pass away.

Cheer up, my brothers cheer up now.
Cheer up, my sisters cheer up now.
Don't give up, don't give up.
Don't give up, don't give up.

Cheer up, my brothers cheer up now.
Cheer up, my sisters cheer up now.
Don't give up, don't give up.
Don't give up, don't give up.

Don't give up, don't give up.
Don't give up, don't give up.

Overall Meaning

The song "Cheer Up" by Peter Broggs is an uplifting message to remind all listeners to keep pushing through adversity and never give up, no matter how difficult life may get. The lyrics encourage one to have faith and to continue holding on tightly, even when faced with brutal and trying times. The message is simple, yet powerful - don't give up.

In one of the verses, the lyrics point out that some may play the wrong card and claim to be the winner, but deep down they are the losers. It's a reminder that sometimes people pretend to have it all together when they really don't. However, listeners are reminded to keep in mind that first shall be last and last shall be first, and that one of Jah's words shall pass, or heaven and earth shall pass away. This highlights the importance of being humble and true to oneself, because ultimately, it's what's inside that counts.

Overall, the song serves as a message of hope and perseverance in the face of adversity. It's a reminder that even when things seem bleak, there is always a light at the end of the tunnel.

Line by Line Meaning

Cheer up, my brothers cheer up now.
Encouragement to brothers to stay positive and optimistic

Cheer up, my sisters cheer up now.
Encouragement to sisters to stay positive and optimistic

Just have faith and live up,
Keep believing and striving for your best self

Hold on tightly, don't give up,
Persevere through difficult times

Even when times get so crucial,
Even in the most trying of circumstances

Even when men get so brutal,
Even when people are unkind

Don't give up, don't give up.
Persist and don't lose hope

Chant a chant a day,
Suggesting prayer as a daily practice

And Jah will surely show you the way.
Belief that God will guide and provide direction

And He will drive Satan out of your life.
Faith that God will remove negative influences

For they play the wrong card and say that they are the winner,
Criticism of those who use dishonest means to succeed