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.

Rise and Shine
Peter Broggs Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Rise oh rise oh rise oh rise oh rise
Rasta rise and shine
And give jah the glory
Rasta rise and shine
And give jah the glory
Rasta rise and shine
And give jah the glory
His name is awaiting to be praised

And his mercy endureth forever.
Righteousness surroundeth his throne
And i know jah gonna mash wicked men down.
Tell you man, hands and heart, got to be pure and clean.
Hands and heart, got to be pure and clean
To rally around rastafari throne, to rally around rastarafi throne.
Natty rise and shine and give jah the glory
Rasta rise and shine and give jah the glory
Rasta rise and shine and give jah the glory
Tell you man, hands and heart, got to be pure and clean.
Hands and heart, got to be pure and clean
To rally around rastafari throne, to rally around rastarafi throne.
Tell you man, hands and heart, got to be pure and clean.
Hands and heart, got to be pure and clean
To rally around rastafari throne, to rally around rastarafi throne.
Tell you man, hands and heart, got to be pure and clean.
Hands and heart, got to be pure and clean
To rally around rastafari throne, to rally around rastarafi throne.
Rasta rise and shine
And give jah the glory
Rasta rise and shine
And give jah the glory
Rasta rise and shine
And give jah the glory
Rise oh rise oh rise oh rise oh rise
Rise oh rise oh rise oh rise oh rise
Rasta rise and shine
And give jah the glory
Rasta rise and shine
And give jah the glory

Rasta rise and shine
And give jah the glory

Overall Meaning

The song "Rise and Shine" by Peter Broggs is a call to the Rastafarian community to rise up and give praise to Jah (the name for God in Rastafarianism). The repeated phrase "rise and shine" functions as a literal call to wake up and start the day, but also has spiritual connotations, urging listeners to awaken to the truth of Rastafarianism and embrace its principles.

The lyrics emphasize the importance of keeping one's hands and heart pure and clean in order to "rally around Rastafari throne." This suggests that the Rastafarian movement is not just a matter of belief, but requires action and a commitment to living a righteous life. The song also contains a warning to "wicked men," who will be mashed down by Jah's righteousness.

Overall, "Rise and Shine" is a celebratory and uplifting song that encourages listeners to embrace Rastafarianism and live a life that is pure, righteous, and dedicated to Jah.

Line by Line Meaning

Rise oh rise oh rise oh rise oh rise
Be awake, alert, and ready to take action to praise Rastafari

Rasta rise and shine
Rastafarians, wake up and be seen, flourish and thrive

And give jah the glory
And give praise and honor to the God of Rastafari

His name is awaiting to be praised
God's name is deserving of acclaim, and it's up to us to give it

And his mercy endureth forever.
God's benevolence and concern for us never fades as time goes by

Righteousness surroundeth his throne
God's authority is preserved by his eminent virtue

And i know jah gonna mash wicked men down.
I'm certain God will punish and destroy those who cause trouble and harm

Tell you man, hands and heart, got to be pure and clean.
Listen, friend, your actions and thoughts must be virtuous and undiluted

Hands and heart, got to be pure and clean
Your works and emotions should be conscious and unpolluted

To rally around rastafari throne, to rally around rastarafi throne.
To come together in support of the spiritual and political influence of Rastafari and its ideals

Natty rise and shine and give jah the glory
A call for natural, unprocessed people to awaken and proclaim praise to God

Rise oh rise oh rise oh rise oh rise
Be awake, alert, and ready to take action to praise Rastafari

Rasta rise and shine
Rastafarians, wake up and be seen, flourish and thrive

And give jah the glory
And give praise and honor to the God of Rastafari

Rasta rise and shine
Rastafarians, wake up and be seen, flourish and thrive

And give jah the glory
And give praise and honor to the God of Rastafari

Rasta rise and shine
Rastafarians, wake up and be seen, flourish and thrive

And give jah the glory
And give praise and honor to the God of Rastafari

Writer(s): Henry James

Contributed by Aubrey I. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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