SL2 aka DJs Slipmatt & Lime aka Matt Nelson & John Fernandez are one of the… Read Full Bio ↴SL2 aka DJs Slipmatt & Lime aka Matt Nelson & John Fernandez are one of the biggest original early rave names in the business, and they are still going strong. They have performed all over the world in front of crowds up to 100,000 people, playing all the major raves in the early nineties and also spinning the decks across every continent and all over the UK.

On A Ragga Tip
SL2 Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Ey ey ba day ba wadladie day
Ay um ba day
Ba day ba wadladie day
Ey ey ba day ba wadladie day
Ay um ba da- ay um ba da-da-da-da wadladie day!

Ey ey ba day ba wadladie day
Ay um ba day

Ba day ba wadladie day
Ey ey ba day ba wadladie day
Ay um ba da- ay um ba da-da-da-da wadladie day one!

Ey ba day ba wadladie day one!
Ey ba day ba wadladie day one!
Ey ba day ba wadladie day
Ay um ba da- ay um ba da-da-da-da wadladie day one!

Ey ey ba day ba wadladie day
Ey ey ba day ba wadladie day one!

One!

Overall Meaning

"On A Ragga Tip" by SL2 is an original 90s rave classic that has stood the test of time. The lyrics, on the surface, may appear nonsensical, but they reflect the free-spirited, carefree attitude of the rave scene. The song's title, "On A Ragga Tip," suggests a Caribbean flavor, referring to "ragga," a style of reggae that emerged in Jamaica in the 1980s.

The song's opening lyrics, "Ey ey ba day ba wadladie day, Ay um ba day," are essentially meaningless, but they serve as a chant to hype up the crowd. The repetition of "wadladie day" is a nod to the use of Jamaican Patois or Creole, which incorporates words from African, English, and Spanish languages. The refrain "On A Ragga Tip" is repeated throughout the song, and the call-and-response structure allows fans to join in with the lyrics.

Overall, "On A Ragga Tip" celebrates the carefree and rebellious spirit of the 90s rave scene. The song's fast-paced beat and energetic lyrics have made it a timeless classic.

Line by Line Meaning

Ey ey ba day ba wadladie day
Expression of excitement and joy

Ay um ba day
Undecipherable

Ba day ba wadladie day
Repetition of previous expression

Ay um ba da- ay um ba da-da-da-da wadladie day!
Undecipherable

Ey ba day ba wadladie day one!
Reiteration of previous excitement

Ey ey ba day ba wadladie day one!
Higher level of excitement

Ey ba day ba wadladie day
Repetition of excitement

Ay um ba da- ay um ba da-da-da-da wadladie day one!
Undecipherable expression

Ey ey ba day ba wadladie day
Expression of continued excitement

Ey ey ba day ba wadladie day one!
Expression of peak excitement

One!
Indication of end of song

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: A. JAMES, B. DREAD, J. SCREECHIE, JOHN FERNANDEZ, M. BURNETT, MATTHEW DAVID NELSON, S. ELTON

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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04Vandaag (Original Mix)5:22

05Love Me Again3:59

06You & Me (feat. Eliza Doolittle)4:42

12I Need Your Love3:46

13Wine & Chocolates - andhim Remix Radio Version3:46

14Alive3:24

15Attracting Flies3:08

16Sukkel Voor de Liefde3:27

17Doet Zelve3:36

18Pomslap4:04

19Paper Aeroplane4:51

20You & I3:30

21Watch Out For This (Bumaye)4:29

26The Cure & The Cause - Dennis Ferrer Mix6:23

27Return of the Mack3:33

28Glamorous4:06

29Blind6:16

30So In Love With You3:56

314 My People (Basement Jaxx Remix)3:32

32You Gonna Want Me4:05

33This World5:35

34Boy From School3:42

PT3M44S

39Too Blind to See It3:30

40The Weekend3:10

41Most Precious Love7:40

42It's Love (Trippin')3:28

43Shaken6:12

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Comments from YouTube:

@MooiKlassiek

1y↑241

It's 2023 and this one is still an absolute smasher.

@darrenleeson3923

14w

And always will be my friend

@79jari79

14w

as it is in 24

@Shaylee757

12w

2024 here and it's banging

@user-kw2bo5wp6o

9w↑1

Let's all go back to the 90ts

@user-kw2bo5wp6o

Good times Nike Air max shell suits happiness all over a gain ✨

@jackwilliams666

10y↑738

Still a great tune, hunted this down for my girlfriend in 92. She has been my wife for 20 years now, great days:0

@Shaylee757

12w

Love to hear it mate all the best

@boomheadshot7594

7y↑726

I love YouTube , I'm 52 now and still come back to listen to all these great tunes I used to lose me marbles to all them years ago , wish time travel was a thing 🙂

@BeeLZBeeb

5y↑32

Boom Headshot we are sort of time travelling with music 😃

@dilovanser3469

5y↑30

I know this 2 years late but I just wanted to say I wish I could’ve grown up at the same time as you. My mum is around 48 so she listened to a lot of this stuff and I’m glad most of it rubbed off on me! Not saying music nowadays is bad but it’ll never be as good like this or other classics

@MrJuicekrew

5y↑6

Yes Bruv!

@potstella

5y↑20

🌿🌿🌿45 and love it. Sad to hear Keith flint gone

@mcaitchi

5y↑17

Same.. im 45 tho - Reminds me of Disco Biscuits.. and scooby snacks..

@toeragtoolbox

51w↑76

You have no idea how hard it was to find this by lyrics vaguely remembered.
And then just found it today by reading a random post.
A great feeling, achieving one of your life goals!!

@stefan2005stefan

14w

And now please ,in time consider this also [wen u take it in over time...]

...#ResearchFlatEarth
live 24hr cams in every world city shows that if you envisage an earth ball and just map which way peeps are at same time as each other ?
on a ball?
or just as you experience

@bettyswunghole3310

11w

I've been wracking my brains for years trying to remember what this song was from half remembered lyrics, until...completely out of the blue...my local radio station played it this morning! Happy Day! 😁

@stratfordtony42

13y↑172

This, and the Prodigy Out of Space video, epitomises the era for me

@dysonologue

10y↑1.3K

I used to BOUNCE to school listening to this on my Aiwa auto reverse walkman.

@thedjslipmatt

10y↑160

That is proper old skool - what a great comment!

@terry-annebentley5169

9y↑14

😂😂 love it

@shmupperfromhell

9y↑18

Dysonology Sony auto-seek bahhhh i win :P

It didn't work though coz none of my cassettes had a gap! ^^

@english1midlands

9y↑11

+Dysonology I used to neck pills and go Ravin to this,lol.

@therealessexgirl

9y↑36

best comment! So true though!

53 More Replies...

@vrolijkefrans187

13y↑244

songs like this make me proud to be a kid from the 80's and 90's........still gives me goosebumps every time i hear it.

@azaas

12y↑135

SL2 along with Altern8, Acen and the Prodigy are probably the top breakbeat producers of all times

@tomarmstrong158

12y↑729

i can't be the only one that this video makes you feel the urge to throw on a retro tracksuit, find an abandoned warehouse, drop a few pills and just go nuts for the foreseeable future

@FLORIA976

17w

Mmm yes if only it was yesterday today! As Ian Brown..time is my everything 😂❤

@lillieemma170

12w

You're not alone😂

@SteveHuckle

11w↑1

everything save the tracksuit

@djd776

16y↑7

omg!!! I can imagine myself @ 90yrs of age raving 2 dis tune !! by far one of d most infectious dance tunes of d 90's. Heard it on my 1st rave in '92 and it stayed like an imprint coming back at regular intervals in my memory all these yrs. respect from a tiny island in the mediterannean ! :)

@alexgaras1573

44w↑11

Love the 90s rave style of dance moves, takes me back. Classic tunez

@grunders101

13y↑18

I DJ'd at my friends wedding last month and played this (to everyones suprise). The dancefloor went nuts.

@MrGarratt1

9y↑101

I sat my GCSE's in the summer of 1992. I am now turning 40 in September ! Feeling old yet lol xx

@MrGarratt1

5y↑34

Hello me from 3yrs ago! You are now 43yrs old lol, ya old git .

@1stswim

14y↑12

probably one of the finest tunes ever

@vincebaker3541

8y↑330

Full tank of gas in the Xr3i, half a pack of Benny Hedge Hogs, Vicks nose blaster, Hat, Whistle, gear, check! let's go! lmao

@thetarantella69

1y↑6

After beating ovarian cancer and being cancer free since 2018, I'm now living my life to the fullest, taking my kids 20 and 11 to concerts and amusement parks etc, just enjoying life and dancing around in the living room whilst tidying. It's fun :)

@paul-dq6lk

12w

Good for u 😊

@0utLander

14y↑32

Love it! Nothing says Summer of 92 better than this track!

@kermitttt

16y↑19

thats what i call RAVE!!! Love sl2

@RachaelDelahuntyUAPcontactee

48w↑9

If you are here in 2023 we are from the same tribe ❤️❤️❤️

@Triggerhappyace1

9y↑300

I've said it before and I will say it again. This tune is as fresh today than when it first came out.

@madmanmuni

15y↑46

TURN IT UP LOUD!!!!!! I have this on in my office and my boss is bopping his head and he's 59 yrs old! Love it!!!!!

@0117misstrusty

12y↑134

Im 16 and sooooo glad i found music like this. This can never compare to the dance music now

@bonnieharris4538

14w↑2

2024 now; still going strong. Gonna have to conclude that it is timeless and will never get old

@ginaansa

7y↑29

O my Days !! Those were the Days !! #GWAN 💣💣💣

@steelbanktrucker

14y↑34

Even us doorman couldn't keep still to this one!

@Hope567Phoenix

13y↑8

The dancing in this is a whole new level of awesome!

@MOOSEDOWNUNDER

11y↑11

The greatest song of the early 1990's- I trained for the British Army sneaky group training to this four hours a day. loved it. Regimental hymn.

@curt3494

10y↑72

Doesn't get much better than this!!

What the fuck has happened to music?! FFS! RnB, that's what!

@crookedmouthdj

10y↑10

plenty of brilliant music is still being made, you've just gotta search harder for it because nobody puts it on radio. As for R&B, just ignore the shit you hate, it's easy

@curt3494

9y↑1

***** Then you see it on TV in adverts, or on YouTube. No escaping it.

@ChrisHenniker

9y↑14

R&B has been around since the 1940's, all popular music came from it. Everything from rockabilly to Motown, through power pop, French Ye-Ye, 1960's garage rock, black metal to stuff like this can be traced back to R&B.

@DJSupaflyguy

4y↑3

First time I heard this was on the bill tv show an went out an bought it 😂😂 fecking tune 👍👍👍

@BigGreezyJake

11y↑10

you should be proud of yourself man, this number will resonate for generations after your vibrations stop!!!

@neversever1985

11y↑8

I was only 7 when this was out but my big bros introduced me, also the Prodigy. Used to dance round like a little nutter, still do. Cannot beat the 90's RAAAAAAAAH!

@guswilliamr

13y↑4

I was born in November 1992, I like to think as this track as like a warm up act for me coming into the world.

@pau1hughes

12y↑8

not heard this track in years and i woke up this mornin and first thing that popped in my head outta no where was this !! Pure classic !!

@WrestlinThemes

10y↑61

TUNE!! Maan i miss da 90's

@Mrdede1998

14y↑1

i walked into school blaring this song out with a 'swagger' and one of the kids in my school came up to me and said "why are you doing that you batty man?" and i said back "well you do the same, the only differnce is I have the taste in music" thumbs up for a 12 year old like me coming up with a come back like that

@sneakdog360

12y↑1

I'm 48 & this is still the choooooon

@Posie-hg1ze

9y↑80

Please someone take me back!

@andrewmcewan9382

7y↑4

Kirstin McDonald me too please.

@CorinnevandenHeuvel

16y↑17

Still get goosebumps when I hear this!!

@thedjslipmatt

12y↑80

TBH though it wasn't an attempt at a commercial track, it was always meant to be the B-side... they were great times, not arf :)

@G0ingN0va

12y↑6

I'm 43, and all though this was your attempt at a commercial breakthrough i still remember your old school hardcore. I'm not going to say bring back the 80's/90's as music evolves, but damn! They were good times.

@PaPasmurf6141

12y↑2

I'm only 15 and i know all the music from the 80's and 90's , I grew up listening to all this kind of music , kids these days aren't that different from the way the older generation were :)

@meyarz

11y↑34

FUCKING TUUUUUUUUNE!!! This has still gotta be one of my all time Favoritest dance tracks

@pb5531

13w↑1

The kids these days will never understand the greatness of this and N-Trance Set You Free being played in the same set

@lindsayaitchison

14w↑1

I LOVED this back in 1992 and still sounds great now

@janinemariahjh

10y↑38

I love this just as much as i did back in the day....where's the time gone

@azazelzel6954

10y↑17

Old Skool British music ftw!

@DomSezXL

12y↑10

I was 20 when this came out. 20 years on, and I can still dance about to it today. Just wonderful stuff!

@logananddadschannel8511

11y↑4

Slipmatt, youm an absolute legend kidda.. this tune was and still is utter class.. must have been a mental time in those days??

@ChrissyAnderton-FunkyJunky

16y↑20

Found this by accident, one of my forgotten fave tunes, never knew what it was called. Absolutely brilliant dance tune. Was it really 16 years ago?! Time flies but good tunes never fade! Well done to you! From Christine A.49 years young(northern soul devotee with love and respect for all good music).

@MitchelGant

12y↑6

Just a briliant piece of music.

@ryffhgrug

1y↑13

This great feeling and atmosphere of happiness in this music has gone forever.

@paulessdot2

41w↑5

Love this track. I recorded it onto a tape from the radio about a yr before it was released. I felt great when everyone was going on about it but it was old to me, still love it now ❤

@sallylouise9826

11y↑7

Loved the old rave days, music is all the same nowadays.

@teatimecreams

12y↑12

If you close your eyes.....can you imagine the rushing? Man those days were truly sick!

@manctaff

13y↑1

What a top tune, wish i could go back to the 90's for a few dayz. Miss the tunes that came out in them dayz, beats the shit out now.... :-)

@howell_124spider

7y↑50

early 90's, when it all made sense not a care in the world man, music was so much better back then. fing banging tune. waaaaaa

@shazzzlicious

14y↑38

I loved this song when it came out! :) This takes me back to a time in my teens when I was at my happiest. That was a great year for me! Thanks for posting :)

@Hambag2009

12y↑10

this tune does something to my brain. it sends signals to my body and i go mental.

@DjAdamHumility

12y↑2

First I heard hardcore version (Triplet "Raggabum" dj isaac remix) , then I bought maxi cd SL2. For me evergreen classic :) I'm also suprised that one of the dancers become part of Cappella, my favorite euro dance act ...

@vladaigor

9y↑2

1992., 15 years old back then, this track was unfortunately unknown to me, although I was listenning to this type of music...but, it FEELS like it HAS to be in the remembrance of that era to me. Great freeminded song. THANX !!!

@duncantherevross7802

9y↑8

had the pleasure of playing after these guys at the welly club in Hull..........awesome fcuked up days of yore and more. Thanks for posting this one my vinyl went ' walkies ' around 98.

@Terrr05

10y↑268

Somehow this vaguely reminds me of old school Prodigy.

@kembowhite1903

9y↑55

Everybody in the place.

@gokuzx7r

9y↑23

The video seems similar to that of everybody in the place.

@sinsin69fifty

9y↑8

gokuzx7r what, people raving?,THATS WHAT IT WAS , EVERYBODY

@keithsherwin64

9y↑4

kembo white dam right

@invade81

9y↑23

Terry Sawyer all from the same massive UK rave scene. There are endless amounts of similar tunes that came out of it, but Prodigy and SL2 both went clear into the pop charts, as well as a few others.

7 More Replies...

@blackpoolacer

12y↑1

Thumbs up if you was tripping on something whilst listening to this in 92.

@eddiemanuk1983

1y↑4

One of my first introductions to proper music aged 9. I also heard other SL2 tunes for the first time on the Rave Anthems album which I bought in '95.

@evonne_

8y↑16

What a tune!!! Still great to hear in 2015!!! 😁 😁 😁

@Sonicshadow191

12y↑3

18 and still would listen to this and 90's over most modern stuff

@28DAYS77

42w↑2

haven't heard this tune in so long classic!👏👏

@jamieholliday9925

9y↑4

This tune is STILL one of my all time classics..

@Kosh2971

15y↑7

Slipmatt, you rule the decks when it comes to Happy Hardcore tunes. Most of my adult life is spent remembering what you did as far as creative music can bring us and the Happy vibes you sent to all of my generation can't be neglected. The +ve vibe lives in all of us and the X- factor should feature DJ's of the early 90's like yourself. OLD SKOOL rules and you are the greatest mate !! Especially the scratch mixing. DJ's now can't compare to the magic of you mixes!! they all sound crap lol !!

@Fiercewid

10y↑4

My first time hearing this and some other songs. I am a huge Prodigy(Liam Howlett) fan and the dancing and style of this reminds me of them so I love this.

@manmellow

12y

From Todd Terry 2 A Guy Called Gerald 2 SL2......Quality trip down memory lane with these timeless grooves...Next Stop is Searching for my rizlas' with with the Ragga Twins.....The music of late 70's the 80's & early 90's Following the birth of a break beat n with DJ's sampling cutting and scratchin' a hole new groove, 4 me Music peaked and will never come close to the phat old Skool tune.........I Know ya bobbin' ya head.......

@Kosh2971

14y↑6

Greetings Slipmatt, You are a true legend of the decks , I can remember in my uni days in the early 90's , listening to all your tunes tunes and wishing i could use my Amiga (with octamed software) to produce or re-create such up-lifting tunes such as :- On A Ragga Tip or Way In My Brain but failed lol, these tunes shall always be close to me and so many of my friends. Thanks for all your happy and uplifting tunes, you would put any of the new so called new dance DJ's in primary skool lol !

@92Milk

14y↑4

Brings me back in the days when i`m was 14. Really good rave tune which still hits the floors. Thank you for this tune!!

@Bocomusic

13y↑22

Seen SL2 last night in The Twisted Pepper in Dublin, easily the best gig I was at in my life, the place was fuckin mental, it actually felt like it was 1992, emotional!!!

@Deedee-ee1sg

Absolute knock-out of a dance Choon! Used to love dancing to this.

@DjGlenJon

11y↑8

anybody else go stark raving when this tune plays?

@mrjasonrowland1986

15y↑4

Never get bored of this track. Superb.

@morpheusNI

11y↑2

i can still remember the first time i ever heard this tune as a 16 yr old at my mates house,a warm sunny spring day,bouncing about his back yard with a moronic grin on my face:)) at 37,thankfully it still has the same effect...great times,great tunes,great clubs & great mates:)

@amandacolleysutcliffe6523

4y↑2

I still think of summer 92 when I hear this great time for music 🔣 🎶

@firestarter66677

11y↑5

20 years later and i still love it!

@kawaiisis86

13y↑3

One of the best dance songs of all time. Just brilliant and I'm glad to say I was old enough to skank to this when it first came out.

@euphorikbeats

9y↑46

I've had this tune on every format apart from CD in the 90's lol. 7", 12" and Cassette (one of those RAVE titled compilations).

Still one of my faves.

@LosAngelesRaiders

14y↑13

Yo DJ Slipmatt. Thanks for putting this up. I grew up hearing stuff like this and its certainly a tune that puts a smile on face and takes me back to good times when everyone seemed to be happy and having a good time. Thanks again.

@ScuddDNB

11y↑5

had the pleasure of hearing this LIVE PA in 2011 at mindwarp! was immense

@danphobic

10y↑222

Where do SL2 dump their old furniture? On a ragga tip.
( i'm pretty proud of that one tbh)

@desitiger1474

12y↑1

This was what London was about in the early 90's.. best place on the planet!

@MayaGuytutorials

13y↑4

This tune sums up the feeling of my teenage years. Amazing, always brought the house down.

@Teen31Keegan54

12y↑5

loving this tune danced to this one so many times, brings back so many good memories of the best rave days ever.

@GBHsect18

10y↑5

love this tune and boy these were the days, makes me feel young again

@jamiewarriorwarlordmccallu5712

9y↑7

90's classic from sl2 reggae mixed with dance magic. on a dance trip to this one hell yeah.

@ashleyrayner6716

10y↑34

I was 3 years old when this came out my dad use to play it it has taken me to now to find it im 25 now this tune makes me wanna go crazyyyy miss music like this I love old skool It was the best music of any generation. :-D

@charlesarmstrong1888

10y↑14

I love this track. I played it many times; dancefloor brilliance.

@lash2ash

9y↑29

Why do I do this to myself? I start listening to music I listened to as a kid, then it dawns on me that I am getting old hahaha

@mightymathers5111

16w

This tune never gets old. It's a frick'in belter 👌

@carmenbingaman4477

9y↑22

I love this ish...(2:39) maps before the advent of the smartphone and gps. I vaguely remember this track. I was in second grade in '92, but it definitely brings me back. :)

@MFCG01

12y↑4

I kneeeeeeew I'd find it in the end! For the last few days my bf and I have been 'singing' this because our little boy's incomprehensible blabbering (he's 15 months old) sounds a lot like, "eh eh, budday... ing budday". But we just couldn't remember who it was as we were both 18 when this first came out, plus, well, our memories might not be as good as they should be on account of the raving! ANYWAY, I finally pulled "SL2" out of the memory banks, woo hoo! Good times, excellent tune!

@ThePaulius

10y↑14

I loved this! I remember just how massive this track was! Memories!!!

I challenge you not to move, cut shapes, rave or sing along - you own me an Umbungo (or even a 5Alive) if you do.

smiling

@Bocomusic

13y↑1

SL2 are playing in Dublin this weekend, they're doing an '88-'92 set...yesh!

@markoneill3553

9y↑2

love this tune so much, proper sets the rave off this one, slipmatt your ledge and was an honor to work in the clubs with djs such as yourself playing.