Vampire
Sinéad O'Connor Lyrics


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Obadiah Obadiah
Jah Jah sent us here to catch vampire
Obadiah Obadiah
Jah Jah sent us here to catch vampire
We have the chalice to lite up Jah fire
When I am nigh catch them vampire
I am nigh I go set them on fire
I-man troddin' down the unity lane
See a deadlocks running down a rasta man
Swear that if he catch him he will kill him dead
The deadlocks couldn't catch the rasta man

Obadiah Obadiah
Jah Jah sent us here to catch vampire
Obadiah Obadiah
Jah Jah sent us here to catch vampire
We have the chalice to lite up Jah fire
When I am nigh catch them vampire
I am nigh I go set them on fire

A true rasta man
No go shop no bin shop ?
A true rastaman
Does not gamble
A true rastaman
Does not play card pack
A true rastaman
Always humble

Obadiah Obadiah
Jah Jah sent us here to catch vampire
Obadiah Obadiah
Jah Jah sent us here to catch vampire




We have the chalice to lite up Jah fire
When I am nigh catch them vampire
I am nigh I go set them on fire

A true rastaman
No firing they a gun
A true rastaman
No throwin they a bomb
A true rastaman
E no drink the drum ?
A true rastaman
Does not gamble

Obadiah Obadiah
Jah Jah sent us here to catch vampire
Obadiah Obadiah
Jah Jah sent us here to catch vampire
We have the chalice to lite up Jah fire
When I am nigh catch them vampire
I am nigh I go set them on fire

Babylon a man they sing
And they blame it on the rastaman
Babylon a man they sing
They blame it on the rastaman
Obahiah Obadiah
Jah Jah sent us here to catch vampire

Overall Meaning

The song "Vampire" by Sinéad O'Connor is a reggae-inspired song with a clear message about the principles and values of Rastafarianism. The lyrics contain references to Jah, the Rastafarian name for God, and the idea of catching vampires, which represents those who are not true to the Rastafarian way of life. The chorus states that Jah sent the Rastafarians to catch vampires, implying that it is their mission to bring those who are not living up to Rastafarian ideals to justice.


The song highlights the importance of being humble and living a clean life, as mentioned in the lyrics about not shopping at a bin shop, not gambling, not playing card games or drinking alcohol. The true Rastafarian is contrasted with those who engage in violent behavior or participate in Babylon, which refers to the corrupt and oppressive systems of power that oppress Rastafarians.


The chorus is repeated throughout the song, emphasizing the importance of catching vampires and setting them on fire. The use of fire suggests a cleansing, purifying act that rids the world of those who do not live up to Rastafarian ideals.


Overall, "Vampire" is a song about the importance of staying true to oneself and living a peaceful, humble, and clean life. It is a call to action for Rastafarians to catch those who do not follow these principles and to work towards a better, more just world.


Line by Line Meaning

Obadiah Obadiah
The repetition of the name Obadiah signifies the gravity and urgency of the mission.


Jah Jah sent us here to catch vampire
The singer is on a quest to apprehend and eliminate vampires, who represent negative forces in society.


We have the chalice to lite up Jah fire
The chalice symbolizes the spiritual strength and purity of the singer, and Jah fire represents divine power.


When I am nigh catch them vampire
The artist is confident in their ability to capture the vampires when they are nearby.


I am nigh I go set them on fire
The artist plans to use Jah fire to destroy the vampires upon capturing them.


I-man troddin' down the unity lane
The singer is walking on a path that promotes unity and solidarity.


See a deadlocks running down a rasta man
The singer sees someone who adheres to a different belief system but is being attacked by those who judge him by his appearance.


Swear that if he catch him he will kill him dead
The person chasing the rastaman is willing to use violence to eliminate their target solely based on prejudiced assumptions.


The deadlocks couldn't catch the rasta man
Despite the prejudices and violence directed towards him, the rastaman escapes unharmed.


A true rasta man No go shop no bin shop ?
A true rasta man does not engage in materialistic pursuits or waste time on frivolous activities.


A true rastaman Does not gamble
A true rasta man does not rely on chance or greed to achieve success.


A true rastaman Does not play card pack
A true rasta man does not engage in any activity that does not align with their beliefs or values.


A true rastaman Always humble
A true rasta man does not brag or boast about their accomplishments and remains modest.


A true rastaman No firing they a gun
A true rasta man is peaceful and does not resort to violence or weapons.


No throwin they a bomb
A true rasta man does not believe in using explosives or other harmful means to achieve his goals.


E no drink the drum ?
The meaning of this line is unclear and could be interpreted in different ways.


Babylon a man they sing And they blame it on the rastaman
Society blames the rastaman for its problems and wrongdoings, yet he is innocent and pure-hearted.




Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc., Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: BETH NICOLE HOPKINS, PETER KARROLL, DOUG MCCARVELL

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Comments from YouTube:

@stills821

rest in peace sinead, this will remain the most beautiful cover of this song in my eyes!

@fuzzilu

I'm gutted.. RIP 😢

@dawnavalentine8355

My favorite of hers

@dudeperson7000

I'm hooked on this song now, so weird but really nice to hear my own name in something... that never happens for me lol

@pipermcfarlane

+Obadiah Goodrich enjoy :-)

@crlchs

I love the name Obadiah!

@tookourjobs7541

original by Lee Perry

@magogmarsmantugorma7678

Go read your Bible.

@thedevinefeminine

Haha awesome. Like for me, Im too sexy for my shirt lol

6 More Replies...

@SphericSenseS

This is one of the best musically produced albums I've heard in a long time.

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