Before joining forces, Sly was drumming for the Skin Flesh and Bones band and Robbie was the bass player for the Aggrovators. They also used to play in clubs (Sly at Tit for Tat and Robbie at Evil People), and used to check each other out. They found out that they had the same ideas about music in general (both are huge fans of Motown, Philly Sound and Country & Western, in addition to Jamaican legendary labels Studio One and Treasure Isle), and Reggae production in particular. They first worked together for the newly created Channel One label and studio, operated by the Hoo Kim brothers.
They changed the face of Reggae several times: in 1976, they introduced a harder beat called "Rockers", which quickly replaced the then prevalent "One drop" style, then introduced the "rub a dub" sound in the early 1980s. Sly and Robbie were important in developing the trend towards computer assisted music and programmming in the mid 1980s.
Also in the early 1990s they introduced a novel sound with the hits "Bam Bam" and "Murder She Wrote" by Chaka Demus & Pliers. Chaka Demus' rough DJ vocals were matched with Pliers' sweet, melodic, soul-influenced singing; this unusal vocal pairing was championed by Sly and Robbie. This formula has since been used with great success by the likes of Shaggy (who teamed up with singers Rayvon or Rik Rok), Shabba Ranks, Maxi Priest and others. This predates and may have influenced the recent trend in some rap music where a song's "hook" or chorus is sung by a guest, while the verses are rapped.
Sly & Robbie continued to innovate during the 1990s and early 2000s, fusing Dancehall and Latin music sounds (La Trenggae) or Dancehall and hip hop/R&B (their 2004 Big Up riddim). In 2001, their "Strip to the Bone" album paired them with electro producer Howie B, and together they explored new dub territories.
Far from restricting themselves to the Jamaican scene, (in which they have played for virtually every prominent Jamaican musical artist from Beenie Man to Sean Paul to Peter Tosh, Black Uhuru, Gregory Isaacs, Dennis Brown and others), they have been one of pop music's most sought after rhythm sections, playing for and producing superstars such as Bob Dylan, Mick Jagger, the Rolling Stones, Grace Jones, Joan Armatrading, Gilberto Gil, Joe Cocker, Serge Gainsbourg, Simply Red, Michael Franti, Sting, Khaled, Tricky, Doug E. Fresh, Carlos Santana, Sinéad O'Connor, and many more.
They have produced No Doubt's hits 'Hey Baby' and 'Underneath it All'. They also produced some tracks off Suggs first album 'The Lone Ranger' including the hit version of Cecilia featuring Louchie Lou and Michie One which sold over 500,000 copies in the UK alone.
After 30 years together, they still tour and record relentlessly. Their last US tour was with Tony Rebel and Half Pint, during the Spring of 2005. During the Summer of 2005, they toured Europe and the UK with Bunny Rugs, lead singer for Third World. During the Fall of 2005 they were on the road with Sinéad O'Connor and in August 2006, they appeared with Don Carlos at the Reggae on the River Festival, while they backed Cherine and Queen Ifrica in 2007 and early 2008.
They have produced several new Jamaican artists for their TAXI label, including Kibaki, Mynimoo and Zennlocc, as well as confirmed superstars such as Elephant Man. They have also recorded with their original group, the Revolutionaries, to produce Horace Andy's new album "Livin' it up" (2007). They recently signed the lovers rock sensation Bitty McLean to their TAXI label and are planning to release "MOVIN' ON", Bitty's new album, during 2008.
http://www.myspace.com/slyandrobbie
Sly & Robbie on iTunes
Ghetto Girl
Sly & Robbie Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
That little girl was born on the ghetto side of town
She knows every trick in the book and she certainly gets around
She's been with many men since she was only ten
She never stay at home she 's always on the town
Your mamma is wondering where you are
What do you see at night when you're under the stars
Stay at home
Sister stay at home
Don't let your mamma down
Don't be a run around
Stay at home
Sister stay at home
Don't let your mother down
Don't be a run around
Stay at home now
That little girl was born on the ghetto side of town
She knows every trick in the book and she certainly gets around
She's been with many men since she was only ten
She never stay at home she's always on the town
Your mamma is wondering where you are
What do you see at night when you're under the stars
Baby keep on running and you won't get far
You like to travel with all those movie stars
You like a hangin' in the big long shiny cars
Sister stay at home
Don't let your mamma down no no no no
The lyrics to Sly & Robbie's "Ghetto Girl" are an empathetic plea to a young girl who choses to live a wild life on the streets instead of at home where she belongs. The song begins by acknowledging that the girl was born on the "ghetto" side of town which implies that her early years were already difficult. The lyrics suggest that she "knows every trick in the book" and has been with many men since she was only ten years old. It is clear that she is running away from a difficult home environment, but the consequences of her choices could be much worse.
The chorus of the song repeats the phrase "Stay at home, sister stay at home" as a desperate plea to the young girl. It is clear that her mother is worried about her and wants her to come back home. The lyrics ask the young girl "what do you see at night when you're under the stars?" implying that she might be looking for something that she cannot find at home. However, the chorus repeats the words "Don't let your mother down" and "Don't be a run around" to remind the young girl of her responsibilities and the importance of family.
The song serves as a reminder that sometimes running away from home is not the best solution. The lyrics are empathetic, and the chorus is a plea to the young girl to come back home to a safer and more stable environment. The song is a reflection of the realities of life in the inner city where young girls often face difficult choices and their innocence is taken away too soon.
Line by Line Meaning
Stay at home now
The singer urges the girl to stay at home and avoid being promiscuous.
That little girl was born on the ghetto side of town
The girl was born and raised in a poor neighborhood.
She knows every trick in the book and she certainly gets around
The girl has a lot of sexual experience for her age and is not faithful to one partner.
She's been with many men since she was only ten
The girl has engaged in sexual activity with numerous men since a very young age.
She never stay at home she 's always on the town
The girl is always out and about, never staying at home.
Your mamma is wondering where you are
The girl's mother is concerned about her whereabouts.
What do you see at night when you're under the stars
The singer questions the girl about what she does when she is out at night.
Stay at home
The singer repeats the earlier plea to the girl to stay at home.
Sister stay at home
The singer addresses the girl as a sister, emphasizing the need for her to stay at home and not engage in promiscuity.
Don't let your mamma down
The singer reminds the girl to consider her mother's feelings and not disappoint her by engaging in reckless behavior.
Don't be a run around
The singer warns the girl against being promiscuous and avoiding sexual encounters with multiple partners.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, BROADWAY MUSIC CORPORATION, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: DENNIS BROWN, ERROL THOMPSON, OZZIE ROBINSON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind