Alphonso came to Jamaica at the age of two with his Jamaican mother, and started to learn saxophone at the Stony Hill Industrial School.
In 1948 he left school to join Eric Deans' orchestra and soon passed through other bands in the hotel circuit and first recorded as a member of Baba Motta's group in 1952.
Around the mid 1950s, he joined the band of Cluett Johnson named Clue J & The Blues Blasters and backed many sessions of Coxsone Dodd in a typical Jamaican R&B style. By 1960, he was recording for many other producers such as Duke Reid, Lloyd "The Matador" Daley and King Edwards. During this period he played in many different bands, such as The Alley Cats, The City Slickers, and Aubrey Adams & The Dew Droppers. In 1963, after few months spent in Nassau, Bahamas, he took part in the creation of The Studio One Orchestra, the first session band of the freshly opened recording studio of Coxsone. This band soon adopted the name of The Skatalites.
When the Skatalites disbanded by August 1965, Alphonso formed the Soul Brothers (with Johnny "Dizzy" Moore, Jackie Mittoo) to become The Soul Vendors in 1967. He released the first album under his name in 1973 on the Studio One record label.
During the 1970s, 80s, and 90s, he kept on playing on numerous records coming out from Jamaican studios, especially for Bunny Lee, and he toured with many bands. He was awarded Officer of the Order of Distinction by the Jamaican government in 1980, and started to tour more often in the U.S. He took part in the reformation of the Skatalites in 1983, with whom he toured and recorded constantly until his death in 1998.
Nimble Foot
Roland Alphonso Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
A scar from the past sends icy rains
The warmth of love will turn healing to pain
Past scars. Jaded.
Dig away, scrape the pain
Another foot to the shovel
Honor the oath two souls as one
Will we be forgiven?
This won't come easy
We fought for this in the past
Jaded and hopeless
We let it fall through the cracks
Hatred now heats the blade
It divides and it cuts
You gave in and I gave up
Through glares of disgust
Jaded
The first time was the last time
How could it get this far?
Why did it come to this?
My heart's been ripped apart
Torn by your poisoned lips
How could it get this far?
Why did it come to this?
Our souls are ripped apart
The wounds of love forget the oath
Bitterness the soil, resentment the stone
A grave of shallows filled with her bones
Buried my heartache, buried my hope
My soul now dies with her down in that hole
With these swollen hearts the fires will rage
A scar from the past sends icy rains
The lyrics of Roland Alphonso's song Nimble Foot delve into the themes of past scars, bitterness, pain, and love entailed with heartbreak. The opening verse of the song sets the tone for this experience with the image of swollen hearts leading to fires burning within. The singer acknowledges that the past has inflicted deep wounds as evident from the scars which now lead to icy rains. Although love may have the power to heal, the singer believes it has transformed into a source of pain. These few lines in the first verse display the push and pull of emotions faced during heartbreak, where it becomes challenging to let go of the love that once was.
In the second verse, the singer encourages us to face the pain head-on by digging and scraping away, symbolizing the need to confront the pain rather than hide from it. The sharp and direct command to "drink the cup" refers to facing the repercussions of one's actions as the singer's question, "Will we be forgiven?" implies guilt and remorse for something that weakened their connection. In the third verse, the singer acknowledges that the journey to healing won't be easy, but it's something they're willing to do after realizing they lost something precious. The singer highlights that the relationship was once fought for but that jadedness set in, leading to hopelessness and cracks in their connection. The final verses, "The wounds of love forget the oath/ Bitterness, the soil, resentment, the stone/ A grave of shallows filled with her bones/ Buried my heartache, buried my hope/ My soul now dies with her down in that hole" signify a sense of finality and acceptance, where the singer has come to terms with a dead-end in the relationship, resulting in a burial of a part of themselves.
Line by Line Meaning
With these swollen hearts the fires will rage
Our hearts, swelled with emotions, will ignite a strong flame of passion.
A scar from the past sends icy rains
A past hurt has left a permanent source of pain, that sends chills down our spine.
The warmth of love will turn healing to pain
Even though love brings healing, it can also be the reason for pain and heartbreak.
Dig away, scrape the pain
Remove the pain by exposing it, even if it is uncomfortable.
Another foot to the shovel
Persist in attempts to remove the pain, even if it is challenging.
Bleed these wounds and drink the cup
Confront the past hurts and heal them, even if it is a painful process.
Honor the oath two souls as one
Remember the commitment made to each other, to stay together as one.
Will we be forgiven?
Questioning whether or not we can be pardoned or given grace.
This won't come easy
The process of healing and reconciliation will require much effort.
We fought for this in the past
This relationship was once worth fighting for.
Jaded and hopeless
Feeling emotionally drained and lifeless.
We let it fall through the cracks
We allowed the relationship to slip away from our grasp.
Hatred now heats the blade
Bitter feelings of animosity are fueling the angry actions we take.
It divides and it cuts
These actions are breaking and harming our relationship further.
You gave in and I gave up
You stopped trying and I stopped caring in this relationship.
Through glares of disgust
Amidst the feelings of disgust we have for each other, we still persevere.
The first time was the last time
The initial hurt was so impactful that it could not be overcome.
How could it get this far?
Expressing confusion over how the relationship progressed to such a negative state.
Why did it come to this?
An inquiry into how the relationship has reached such an irreconcilable place.
My heart's been ripped apart
My emotions have been severely damaged by this conflict.
Torn by your poisoned lips
Words spoken by you have led to my emotional breakdown.
Our souls are ripped apart
This conflict has led to inner turmoil and spiritual unrest.
The wounds of love forget the oath
The pain caused by love can cause us to forget and neglect the commitments made to each other.
Bitterness the soil, resentment the stone
The unhappiness in our relationship has created a hostile environment where negativity thrives.
A grave of shallows filled with her bones
The relationship is beyond repair and has become a final resting place for our love.
Buried my heartache, buried my hope
Suppressing the pain and hopelessness felt during this conflict.
My soul now dies with her down in that hole
The end of the relationship has brought about a sense of spiritual death and loss.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA/AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@observand0707
Me gusta mucho esta versión, como era obvio destaca más el sonido del saxofón a cargo de Roland Alphonso. Una segunda versión con un sonido un poco diferente se puede escuchar por acá: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Ccmp3m8C9Q
@observand0707
Ska, ska, ska!!!
@dorenespicer4936
EXCITING BIM
@cmonkey317
Is everything okay?
@nosferhatu
hahahahahahahahahah
@lello333
No problem