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, SinΓ©ad 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 SinΓ©ad 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.
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On & on
Sly & Robbie Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You know I never expected, no I never suspected that
You came to me to seal my love away
You said I've always been a dreamer
`Cos dreaming is all I've ever done
Just like our summer, I thought it would last forever
But as the autumn came, you had gone away
All the promises you broke meant more to me than gold
And the winter will be cold without you
Rosalita, now our summer`s gone and you've left me all alone
You know I never expected, no I never suspected that
You came to me to seal my love away
You said I was a born loser
`Cos losing is all I've ever done
Like when I lost you, it proved that all you said was true
And now without you I feel I`m being used
All the promises you broke meant more to me than gold
Now I`m all all one in the heartbreak zone
And the winter will be cold without you my Rosalita
All there is left is a photograph
You smile and the ice cream`s meltin` down your pants
And I keep living on, you`re in the past, it`s been so long
Since the Ice Cream Summer, it`s forgotten now it`s gone
Rosalita, now our summer`s gone and you've left me all alone
You know I never expected, no I never suspected that
You came to me to seal my love away
Now you`re just a memory, don`t mean nothing more to me
A photo among others of my old friends and my lovers
And the winter is gone, a new summer`s coming on
A new summerΒ΄s coming on for you as well somewhere Rosalita
The song On & On by Sly & Robbie is a melancholic tune that depicts a love story that ends up in a heartbreak. The singer named Rosalita had come to the singer and "sealed his love away". The singer "never expected" her to leave him all alone as the summer ended. He realized soon that he was just a dreamer and losing is all he has ever done. Now with Rosalita gone, he feels used and betrayed. He reminisces about the Ice Cream Summer and how it's all forgotten now that she's gone. All that is left is a photograph and memories that don't mean anything to him. However, he hopes a new summer would come for Rosalita as well, somewhere.
Line by Line Meaning
Rosalita, now our summerβs gone and youβve left me all alone
The summer season ended and Rosalita left me alone.
You know I never expected, no I never suspected that
I did not think you would leave me or break your promises.
You came to me to seal my love away
You entered into a relationship with me but you broke your promises and left.
You said I've always been a dreamer
You said I was unrealistic and always dreaming.
βCos dreaming is all Iβve ever done
I have always been a dreamer and lived in my imagination.
Just like our summer, I thought it would last forever
Just like the summer season, I believed our relationship would never end.
But as the autumn came, you had gone away
As the autumn season came, you left me and our relationship ended.
All the promises you broke meant more to me than gold
The promises you broke were more valuable to me than material wealth.
Now Iβm all all one in the heartbreak zone
I am alone and heartbroken.
And the winter will be cold without you
The upcoming season will be lonely and difficult without you by my side.
You said I was a born loser
You told me that I was destined to fail.
βCos losing is all I've ever done
I have always lost or failed in my life.
Like when I lost you, it proved that all you said was true
Losing you validated everything you said about me being a loser.
And now without you I feel I'm being used
Without you, I feel like I was being used in our relationship.
All the promises you broke meant more to me than gold
The promises you broke were more valuable to me than material wealth.
All there is left is a photograph
The only remaining reminder of you is a photograph.
You smile and the ice cream's meltin' down your pants
The photograph shows you smiling with melted ice cream on your pants.
And I keep living on, you're in the past, it's been so long
I am still alive and moving forward without you, even though it has been a long time since we were together.
Since the Ice Cream Summer it's forgotten now it's gone
The memorable summer we shared when we had ice cream is now forgotten and in the past.
Now you're just a memory, don't mean nothing more to me
You are now just a memory, and have lost all meaning to me.
A photo among others of my old friends and my lovers
The photograph of you is now a part of my collection of old friends and past lovers.
And the winter is gone, a new summer's coming on
The winter season is over, and a new summer season is approaching.
A new summer's coming on for you as well somewhere Rosalita
A new summer season is also coming for you, wherever you are Rosalita.
Lyrics Β© Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: ANDY MCCOY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Red Bull Music Academy
You can read more about Sly & Robbie here...
https://www.redbullmusicacademy.com/lectures/sly-and-robbie-twins-peak
Colin Williams
SLY AND ROBBIE DESERVE TO BE IN THE ROCK AND ROLL HALL OF FAME.... and that's THAT!!
river nile bank nya om
@Ariana DOyen rockers galore. You ain't got a clue
Ariana DOyen
But reggae music is not Rock and Roll, why should Rock and Roll claim their success? America never promoted reggae or Sly and Robbie.
Roger Peachey
Totally agree.massive to the world of reggae.
Manny Rasco
Maximum respect to this dynamic duo. Rest In Peace to the Bassman Robbie Shakespeare.
Amunra
Sly and Robbie, reggae music would not be what it is without you guys. Thanks for your contribution to reggae and world music. Hotep.
Eileen & Henry selby-smith
Their influence goes way beyond reggae
Miguel Anderson
RIP to one of the greatest bass players of all times
#Genius #Jamaica #Reggae
James Malloch
R.I.P. Robbie. Amazing grooves.