Sizzla Kalonji (real name Miguel Orlando Collins) is a Jamaican reggae musi… Read Full Bio ↴Sizzla Kalonji (real name Miguel Orlando Collins) is a Jamaican reggae musician. He was born on 17 April 1976, in St Mary, Jamaica, of devout Rastafari parents and raised in August Town. He is unusually prolific, even by Jamaican standards. Sizzla has worked with such artists as Mobb Deep.

Sizzla, along with reggae recording artists such as Capleton, Buju Banton, and Anthony B, are credited with leading a movement toward a re-embracement of Rastafarian values in contemporary reggae music by recording material which is concerned primarily with spirituality, social consciousness, explores common themes, such as Babylon's corrupting influence, the disenfranchisement of ghetto youth, oppression of the black nation and Sizzla's abiding faith in Jah and resistance against perceived agents of oppression. Sizzla has over 40 full completed albums sold in record stores to date, the most popular which have been "Black Woman & Child" and "Da Real Thing" on the Digital B label, "Praise Ye Jah" on Xterminator, and "Rise to the Occasion" on Greensleeves.

Recently, however, he has come under fire for the homophobic content of many of his lyrics, and the advocacy of violence against gays.

Teach the Little Children
Sizzla Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

(Can't make out 1st line maybe Swahili or Amharic)
And let King Selassie I rise and all His enemies be scatter
Whoa oh oh oh burn them burn them burn them

All you need is love to make you happy and free (happy and strong)
Praise King Selassie I His majesty
All you need is love to make you happy and strong (happy and strong)
Praise King Selassie I the Conquering Lion

All you need is love and you'll have to survive
Proper education keep the children alive... oh yea
I see the sparkles in your eyes

Igziabeher, most high gets my praise
I sing it for the girls on stage
Play this on the airwaves
Rasta man come free up the slave
Whoa oh hail the ancient of days

All you need is love to make you happy and strong (happy and strong)
Praise King Selassie I the Conquering Lion
All you need is love to make you happy and free (happy and strong)
Hail King Selassie I His majesty
All you need is love for the people survive
Proper education and the children survive
Oh Black woman I see the sparkles in your eyes yea

Whoa oh oh ey
I never leave Black woman no way
Not for criticism nor for what people say
She's my ey Black Queen and she's so clean and
She surely pleases me
Queen mother earth my Black lady
You bring my baby whoa whoa whoa

All you need is love to make you happy and strong (happy and strong)
Praise King Selassie I the Conquering Lion
All you need is love to make you happy and free (happy and strong)
Burn Babylon and set the captives free
All you need is love for the youths to survive
Proper education keep the children alive whoa oh
Black woman I see the sparkles in your eyes yea

Whoa oh oh oh burn them burn them yea eh
Igziabeher, the most high gets my praise
I sing it for the children on stage
Play this on your airwave
Rastafari come free up the slave
Hail up the ancient of days little children

All you need is love to make you happy and strong (happy and strong)
Praise King Selassie I the Conquering Lion
All you need is love to make you happy and free (happy and strong)
Praise Rastafari His majesty
All you need is love for the youths to survive
Praise King Selassie and keep the youths them alive whoa oh
Black woman I see the sparkles in your eyes yea

Whoa oh oh oh yea, Tadias ok
Look at yourself observe your nation
Protect yourself from all these devastation
Just be joyful and burn them frustration
Rasta man a chant repatriation
Smoke the herbs and hold the meditation
Big up the motherland sing mi song

All you need is love to make you happy and free (happy and strong)
Praise Rastafari His majesty
All you need is love to make you happy and strong (happy and strong)
Praise King Selassie I the Conquering Lion
All you need is love for the youths to survive
Education keep the youths them alive
Black woman well I see the sparkles in your eyes yea eh

Whoa oh yea eh ey uh huh
Igziabeher yo most high gets my praise
I sing it for the children on stage
Tell them play this one your pon the airwave

Emanuel free up the slave
Hail up the ancient of days

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Sizzla's song Teach the Little Children feature themes of love, education, and the Rastafarian belief in King Selassie I as a figurehead of empowerment and liberation. The lyrics also allude to the struggles faced by Black people and the importance of repatriation to Africa. The song begins with an almost unintelligible line, possibly in Swahili or Amharic, though it may not hold crucial meaning and instead add to the overall African roots element.

The repeated line "All you need is love to make you happy and strong" emphasizes that love is a powerful tool in achieving happiness and strength. The song goes on to reference proper education as a means of survival for children, while also praising the Black woman and acknowledging her value and beauty. There are also references to smoking herbs and meditation, elements commonly associated with Rastafarian culture. The chorus repeats the message that all one needs is love, education, and belief in King Selassie I to survive and reach liberation.

Sizzla's Teach the Little Children reflects his Rastafarian roots and belief in the teachings of Marcus Garvey and the empowerment of Black people. The song has been praised for its positive messages and encouragement of education for youth. The song also features African-inspired rhythms and is often classified as roots reggae. The importance of education as a means of empowerment is a strong theme in Sizzla's music, as he himself advocates for personal growth and development.

Line by Line Meaning

Can't make out 1st line maybe Swahili or Amharic
Unclear, as the first line is possibly in Swahili or Amharic, and its meaning is unknown.

And let King Selassie I rise and all His enemies be scatter
May King Selassie I rise and his enemies be scattered far away.

Whoa oh oh oh burn them burn them burn them
Exclamation of burning down the enemies of King Selassie I.

All you need is love to make you happy and free (happy and strong)
Love is the key to happiness and freedom, as well as strength.

Praise King Selassie I His majesty
Giving praises to the majesty of King Selassie I.

All you need is love to make you happy and strong (happy and strong)
Love is the key to happiness and strength.

Praise King Selassie I the Conquering Lion
Giving praises to King Selassie I as the Conquering Lion.

All you need is love and you'll have to survive
Love is what one needs to survive.

Proper education keep the children alive... oh yea
Proper education is crucial to keeping the children alive.

I see the sparkles in your eyes
Observing the sparkles or joy in someone's eyes.

Igziabeher, most high gets my praise
Giving praise to Igziabeher, the most high.

I sing it for the girls on stage
Singing for the girls who are performing on stage.

Play this on the airwaves
Requesting the song to be played on the radio.

Rasta man come free up the slave
A Rasta man should come and free the slave.

Whoa oh hail the ancient of days
Exclamation of hailing the ancient of days.

Whoa oh oh ey
Exclamation of excitement.

I never leave Black woman no way
Will never leave a Black woman no matter what.

Not for criticism nor for what people say
Won't be affected by criticism nor what people say.

She's my ey Black Queen and she's so clean and
The Black Queen is clean and beloved.

She surely pleases me
The Black Queen brings pleasure.

Queen mother earth my Black lady
Referring to the Black woman as the queen mother earth.

You bring my baby whoa whoa whoa
The Black woman brings another level of joy.

Burn Babylon and set the captives free
Desire to burn down Babylon and set the captives free.

All you need is love for the youths to survive
Love is what the youths need to survive.

Hail King Selassie I His majesty
Giving hail to the majesty of King Selassie I.

Praise King Selassie and keep the youths them alive whoa oh
Give praises to King Selassie I for keeping the youths alive.

Whoa oh oh oh yea, Tadias ok
Exclamation of excitement and acknowledgement.

Look at yourself observe your nation
Reflect on yourself and observe your nation.

Protect yourself from all these devastation
Protect oneself from all the devastation.

Just be joyful and burn them frustration
Be joyful and burn the frustration away.

Rasta man a chant repatriation
Rasta man chants for repatriation.

Smoke the herbs and hold the meditation
Smoke herbs and meditate.

Big up the motherland sing mi song
Praising and singing for one's motherland.

Emanuel free up the slave
Request to free the slave in the name of Emanuel.

Hail up the ancient of days little children
Exclamation of hailing the ancient of days, addressed to the little children.

Lyrics © THE ROYALTY NETWORK INC., DIGITAL 1 MEDIA SERVICES INC.
Written by: KEMAR MCGREGOR, MIGUEL COLLINS, SHELDON STEWART

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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