Shaggy is the name of, at least, two artists.
1, Shaggy (born October 22… Read Full Bio ↴Shaggy is the name of, at least, two artists.
1, Shaggy (born October 22, 1969, in Kingston, Jamaica as Orville Richard Burrell), is a Jamaican reggae artist who takes his nickname from his shaggy hair. He is especially notable for his distinctive sub-baritone voice.

His family immigrated to the United States and they settled in the neighborhood of Flatbush, Brooklyn, located in New York City, New York, USA.

In 1988, he joined the United States Marine Corps and served during Operation Desert Storm during the Persian Gulf War.

On his return from Iraq, he decided to pursue his music career and his first hit in 1993: "Oh Carolina", was a dancehall re-make of a ska hit by the Folkes Brothers. The same year, Shaggy appeared on Kenny Dope's hip hop album "The Unreleased Project". He worked together with producers such as Sting Intl., Don One (who cut his first track), Lloyd 'Spiderman' Campbell and Robert Livingston. He had further big hits, including "Boombastic" in 1995.

He then had a major comeback in 2001, featuring worldwide number-one hit singles "It Wasn't Me" and "Angel," the latter of which was built around Merrilee Rush's 1968 hit "Angel of the Morning" (which was remade in 1981 by Juice Newton). The album Hot Shot, from which those cuts came, would hit number one on the Billboard 200.

However, his 2002 release Lucky Day, and the 2005 album Clothes Drop failed to match Hot Shot's success.

Shaggy performed the theme for Showtime (film), a 2002 movie.

2, Shaggy, a swedish rock/blues rock band from the 1970's. Released one album, "Lessons for beginners"

Letter To My Kids
Shaggy Lyrics

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Ya, I gotta get real personal on this ya know, for me
[Incomprehensible] screamin' out two things

When I was young my ambition in life
Was to finish way ahead of the game
Such a shame ya'll payin' the price
In this race of fortune and fame

I really feel apologetic inside
Though you'd never think to give me the blame
It's when I look into your lives
I wonder if it was really worth all the pain

Now I know what it take in the heights of mistakes
Is it there in the mind of a child?
Though it's all for our sakes, still my heart, how it breaks
Every time that I see your smile, check it

Conversation on the phone is fine
But for me it could never replace
Being there to spend quality time
Tuck you in to see the smile on your face

So when you're old enough to read these lines
I hope you never find yourself in my place
I hope you never feel as lonely as I
And miss the warmth of your child's embrace

Now I know what it take in the heights of mistakes
Is it there in the mind of a child? No, no, no, no
Though it's all for our sakes, still my heart, how it breaks
Every time that I see your smile

Now I know what it takes, in the heights of mistakes
Is it there in the mind of a child? No, no, no, no
Though it's all for our sakes, still my heart, how it breaks
Every time that I see your smile

Now I know what it takes, in the heights of mistakes
Is it there in the mind of a child?

Though it's all for our sakes, still my heart, how it breaks
Every time that I see your smile

Overall Meaning

In "Letter To My Kids," Shaggy expresses his regret about not being present in his children's lives due to his ambition for fame and fortune. He acknowledges the pain and loneliness he has felt as a result and hopes that his children never have to experience the same isolation. Shaggy recognizes the importance of quality time with his children and wishes that he had made it a priority earlier in life.

The lyrics of "Letter To My Kids" are emotional and poignant, as Shaggy bares his soul and expresses his vulnerability. He admits to making mistakes and sacrificing his personal life for his career, but also acknowledges the joy and love that his children bring to his life. Shaggy's message is a reminder to prioritize the things that truly matter in life and to cherish the time spent with loved ones.

Line by Line Meaning

When I was young my ambition in life Was to finish way ahead of the game Such a shame ya'll payin' the price In this race of fortune and fame
As a young person, I aimed to excel in life and succeed early on. It's regrettable that you, my children, have to deal with the unfortunate consequences of a society that values money and fame above all else.

I really feel apologetic inside Though you'd never think to give me the blame It's when I look into your lives I wonder if it was really worth all the pain
I'm sorry for what you have to go through, although I know you wouldn't blame me for it. Sometimes, when I see the struggles you face, I question if it was worth pursuing what I did.

Now I know what it take in the heights of mistakes Is it there in the mind of a child? Though it's all for our sakes, still my heart, how it breaks Every time that I see your smile, check it
I've learned from my mistakes and realized that children don't inherently understand the consequences of actions. Even though I made those choices for our family's sake, it hurts to see you smile through the struggles we face.

Conversation on the phone is fine But for me it could never replace Being there to spend quality time Tuck you in to see the smile on your face
Although talking on the phone is nice, it can't replace actually being there to spend time with you and make lasting memories by tucking you in and seeing the joy on your face.

So when you're old enough to read these lines I hope you never find yourself in my place I hope you never feel as lonely as I And miss the warmth of your child's embrace
When you're older and read this, I hope you never face the same struggles as me or feel as alone as I have. May you always feel the love and comfort of a child's embrace.

Now I know what it takes, in the heights of mistakes Is it there in the mind of a child? No, no, no, no Though it's all for our sakes, still my heart, how it breaks Every time that I see your smile
Again, I've learned that children can't fully understand the consequences of our mistakes. Even though we make those choices for our family's sake, it still pains me to see you smiling despite it all.

Now I know what it takes, in the heights of mistakes Is it there in the mind of a child? No, no, no, no Though it's all for our sakes, still my heart, how it breaks Every time that I see your smile
Reiterating the fact that I now understand how children don't understand the consequences of mistakes, but seeing you smile through it all still breaks my heart.

Now I know what it takes, in the heights of mistakes Is it there in the mind of a child? Though it's all for our sakes, still my heart, how it breaks Every time that I see your smile
Once again, I understand that children can't comprehend the full consequences of our mistakes. Even though we make those choices for our family's sake, seeing you smile despite it all still hurts me.

Lyrics © THE ROYALTY NETWORK INC., Universal Music Publishing Group, Royalty Network
Written by: ORVILLE BURRELL, RICARDO DUCENT, SHAUN PIZZONIA, RICARDO GEORGE DUCENT

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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