Bunny Lee first recorded Far I in the early 70's with a tune called "The Great Booga Wooga". He went on to cut tunes for Coxsone, notably "Natty Farmyard" and a version of "Queen of the Minstrel". In 1973 the Cordell's "Simpleton" appeared on the Lion label, with the flip being a strange half-sung half-chanted version by the Prince entitled "Simpleton Skank". In 1974 he voiced "Let Jah arise" for Enos McLeod at King Tubbys, and it is Enos who can be credited with renaming the DJ as Prince Far I. After some self-productions which appeared on Pete Weston's Micron outlet, Prince Far I hit a period which included two of reggae's greatest DJ albums. Firstly the "Psalms for I" collection, a straight chant of bible word. The second landmark album was "Under Heavy Manners" for producer Joe Gibbs, engineered by Erroll Thompson. It contained the Prince's first big Jamaican hit single, "Heavy Manners", on the rhythm of Naggo Morris' "Su Su Pon Rasta".
In 1976 Prince Far I set up his own label in Jamaica -- Cry Tuff. That label issued Far I's productions in Jamaica. His UK business ran through the fledgling label Hit Run, created by Adrian Sherwood. This arrangement was almost one of master and pupil, as the Arabs/Roots Radics became Dub Syndicate with Sherwood learning the studio craft as both producer and engineer. The rhythm tracks were laid in Jamaica by Style Scott & Co, the mix and overdubs taken care of in London. "Cry Tuff Dub Encounter Chapter III" by Prince Far I and the Arabs was originally released in the UK by that most avuncular of record shop proprietors Keith Stone of Daddy Kool. It marked the handing on of the producer's baton from Far I to Sherwood, soon to launch On U Sound at a time when many critics considered reggae to be a finished force.
Prince Far I was shot dead in Jamaica, September 15, 1983.
More We Are Together
Prince Far I Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Kimi ja naku te boku jishin sa
Koe no kikoeru hō e
Hizamazui te sora o ogamu
Kurenai sabita iro
Shini tagari no piero wa
Yo fukashi mo hodo hodo no
Asa ga kuru yo nige naku cha
Doko e
Dama sare jō zu wa toko jōzu
Tanin no fukō wa mitsu no aji
Abazure kifujin maru hadaka
Wataru seken wa baka bakari
Peten shi ga warau koro ni
Yasui fukō jiman de o namida chōdai
Peten shi ga warau koto ni
Wameku kichigai zen'nin pyua na jingai
Tokai ni saku hana no yōni
Nante kizuka nake reba muimi na sonzai
Asatte no ima goro niwa
Sono minikui karada o wasure te shimai tai no
Buraun kan goshi no shitai ni
Kyōmi nai no riaru ja nai
Son'na ni kowai no nara
Nenbutsu demo tonae nasai
Namuami dabutsu
Shiawase o hakobu aoi tori
Hane ga moge reba tada no gomi
Dama sareru aho ni damasu aho
Onaji aho nara warai masho
Peten shi ga warau koro ni
Usupperai puraido katatte chōdai
Peten shi ga warau koro ni
Ganaru jishō kyōso sama minikui shūtai
Ari kitari na love song
Nante taikutsu sugi te kiki taku nai wa
Ai no katachi sagasu yori mo
Saki ni suru beki koto nan nanoka shitteru desho
Yume kara sameta
Hitsuji tachi wa
Nemuru koto mo dekizu
Mawaru mawaru
Itsu made doko made
Maigo nara sā oide
Motto aise tsuyoku shabure
Hone no zui made
Peten shi ga warau koro ni
Yasui fukō jiman de o namida chōdai
Peten shi ga warau koro ni
Wameku kichigai zen'nin pyua na jingai
Tokai ni saku hana no yōni
Nante gofun mo sureba wasureru sonzai
Asatte no ima goro niwa
Sono minikui karada o wasure te shimai tai
Keii aru kimi ni kono kotoba okuru wa
Shine
The lyrics of Prince Far I's song "More We Are Together" touch on themes of social inequality, societal pressure to conform to norms, and the pursuit of happiness. The song starts with the line "Ai sare te ita nowa, Kimi ja naku te boku jishin sa," which roughly translates to "Until I met you, I was nothing but myself." The lyrics speak to the idea that being in union with others can give a person a sense of purpose and identity beyond just the self.
The song goes on to describe various societal pressures and inequalities, with lines such as "Abazure kifujin maru hadaka, Wataru seken wa baka bakari" (Women who stray from traditional gender roles are seen as naked fools, while the whole world is nothing but fools), and "Dama sare jō zu wa toko jōzu, Tanin no fukō wa mitsu no aji" (Those who are good at deception are idolized, while the misery of others is a sweet taste). These lyrics suggest that societal norms and values can be oppressive and disempowering for those who do not fit into them.
The chorus of the song, which repeats the phrase "Peten shi ga warau koro ni" (When the clowns laugh), speaks to the idea that even in the face of societal pressure and inequality, one can find happiness and inner strength through laughter and not taking oneself too seriously.
Overall, "More We Are Together" is a commentary on the human experience of trying to find meaning and happiness in a world that can be harsh and unjust.
Line by Line Meaning
Ai sare te ita nowa
We were in love
Kimi ja naku te boku jishin sa
You're not here, just me
Koe no kikoeru hō e
My voice goes unheard
Hizamazui te sora o ogamu
I kneel and look up to the sky
Kurenai sabita iro
A rusty red color
Shini tagari no piero wa
The clown who is afraid of dying
Kashō mo sezu manuke zura
No makeup, just a fool
Yo fukashi mo hodo hodo no
The deeper the night, the closer the morning
Asa ga kuru yo nige naku cha
Morning comes without escape
Doko e
Where to?
Dama sare jō zu wa toko jōzu
A clumsy castle built with cards
Tanin no fukō wa mitsu no aji
Others' unhappiness tastes sweet
Abazure kifujin maru hadaka
A promiscuous woman, completely naked
Wataru seken wa baka bakari
The world is full of fools
Peten shi ga warau koro ni
When society laughs
Yasui fukō jiman de o namida chōdai
Poor people brag and cry
Wameku kichigai zen'nin pyua na jingai
A howling, insane, pure human world
Tokai ni saku hana no yōni
Like flowers blooming in the city
Nante kizuka nake reba muimi na sonzai
If I don't notice, it's a meaningless existence
Asatte no ima goro niwa
In the near future
Sono minikui karada o wasure te shimai tai no
I want to forget this ugly body
Buraun kan goshi no shitai ni
In a brown metal box
Kyōmi nai no riaru ja nai
It's not interesting, it's not real
Son'na ni kowai no nara
If it's that scary
Nenbutsu demo tonae nasai
Recite Buddhist prayers
Namuami dabutsu
Namu Amida Butsu
Shiawase o hakobu aoi tori
The blue bird that brings happiness
Hane ga moge reba tada no gomi
If its wings are broken, just trash
Dama sareru aho ni damasu aho
Trick the fooled fool
Onaji aho nara warai masho
Let's laugh at the same stupidity
Ganaru jishō kyōso sama minikui shūtai
Ambitious narcissists, ugly actors
Ari kitari na love song
A cliché love song
Nante taikutsu sugi te kiki taku nai wa
I don't want to hear anything more boring
Ai no katachi sagasu yori mo
Instead of searching for love's shape
Saki ni suru beki koto nan nanoka shitteru desho
You already know what you should do first, right?
Yume kara sameta
Awakened from a dream
Hitsuji tachi wa
The sheep
Nemuru koto mo dekizu
Can't even sleep
Mawaru mawaru
Turning and turning
Itsu made doko made
How far, how long
Maigo nara sā oide
If you're lost, come along
Motto aise tsuyoku shabure
Love harder and suck it up
Hone no zui made
Until the tip of my bone
Keii aru kimi ni kono kotoba okuru wa
To the majestic you, I send this message
Shine
Die
Writer(s): Michael Williams
Contributed by Lucy B. Suggest a correction in the comments below.