Steel Pulse originally formed at Handsworth Wood Boys School, Birmingham, and comprised David Hinds (lead vocals, guitar), Basil Gabbidon (lead guitar, vocals) and Ronnie McQueen (bass).
However, it is Hinds who, as songwriter, has always been the engine behind Steel Pulse, from their early days establishing themselves in the Birmingham club scene onwards. Formed in 1975, their debut release, 'Kibudu, Mansetta And Abuku" arrived on the small independent label Dip, and linked the plight of urban black youth with the image of a greater African homeland. They followed it with 'Nyah Love' for Anchor.
Surprisingly, they were initially refused live dates in Caribbean venues in the Midlands because of their Rastafarian beliefs. Aligning themselves closely with the Rock Against Racism 1 organisation, they chose to tour instead with sympathetic elements of the punk movement, including the Stranglers, XTC etc.: "Punks had a way of enjoying themselves - throw hordes at you, beer, spit at you, that kind of thing".
Eventually they found a more natural home in support slots for Burning Spear, which brought them to the attention of Island Records. Their first release for Island was the 'Ku Klux Klan' 45 rpm, a considered tilt at the evils of racism, and one often accompanied by a visual parody of the sect on stage.
By this time their ranks had swelled to include Selwyn 'Bumbo' Brown (keyboards), Steve 'Grizzly' Nesbitt (drums), Fonso Martin (vocals, percussion) and Michael Riley (vocals). Handsworth Revolution was an accomplished long playing debut and one of the major landmarks in the evolution of British reggae.
However, despite critical and moderate commercial success over three albums, the relationship with Island had soured by the advent of Caught You (released in the US as Reggae Fever). They switched to Elektra, and unveiled their most consistent collection of songs since their debut with True Democracy, distinguished by the Garveyeulogising 'Rally Around' cut.
A further definitive set arrived in Earth Crisis. Unfortunately, Elektra chose to take a leaf out of Island's book in trying to coerce Steel Pulse into a more mainstream vein, asking them to emulate the pop-reggae stance of Eddy Grant. Babylon Bandit was consequently weakened, but did contain the anthemic 'Not King james Version', which was a powerful indictment on the omission of black people and history from certain versions of the Bible.
Their next move was id Hinds of Steel Pulse to MCA for State Of Emergency, which retained some of the synthesized dance elements of its predecessor. Though it was a significantly happier compromise, it still paled before any of their earlier albums.
Rastafari Centennial was recorded live at the Elysee Montmarte in Paris, and dedicated to the hundred year anniversary of the birth of Haile Selassie. It was the first recording since the defection of Fonso Martin, leaving the trio of David Hinds, Steve Nisbett and Selwyn Brown.
While they still faced inverted snobbery at the hands of British reggae fans, in America their reputation was growing, becoming the first ever reggae band to appear on the Tonight television show. Their profile was raised further when, in 1992, Hinds challenged the New York Taxi and Limousine Commission in the Supreme High Court, asserting that their cab drivers discriminated against black people in general and Rastas in particular.
Drummer Steve "Grizzly" Nisbett (15 March 1948 – 18 January 2018) died in 2018.
The band are still recording and touring.
Dub To My Roots
Steel Pulse Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Hey, Yeh, Yeh, Oh, Yeh.
This is to whom it may concern,
Raggamuffin rastaman return.
Says we all got a lesson to learn.
This is the reason that...
I'm back to my roots,
I'm back to my roots.
We took that commercial road,
Searching for some fame and gold,
And gained the whole wide world,
And almost lost our souls.
Some say we should have lead the way;
Take it over from Bob Marley.
Got brainwashed by the system, yeah,
What a heavy price we paid.
It's time to go back,
The way we was;
Reggae Raggamuffin rub-a-dub.
Back to my roots.
Back to my roots.
Back to my roots.
There ain't no turning back,
We pon de culture track.
Some a say that we gone soft;
Whatever happened to the pulse so hard?
They used to take a militant stance;
Now all we're hearing is a song and a dance.
Well, we tried all the pop and jive,
To keep the band and the music alive.
So here's my promise to everyone:
I'll serve the sufferers from this day on.
It's time to go back to the way we was,
Reggae Raggamuffin rub-a-dub.
Back to my roots.
Back to my roots.
It's time to go back to the way we was,
Reggae Raggamuffin rub-a-dub.
Back to my roots.
Back to my roots.
This is to whom it may concern,
Raggamuffin rastaman return.
Says we all got a lesson to learn.
Help I and I make babylon burn, yeah!
Back to my roots.
There ain't no turning back,
We pon de culture track.
Steel Pulse's "Back to My Roots" is a song about rediscovering one's cultural heritage and musical roots. The reggae band expresses regret over having taken the "commercial road" in search of fame and money, which almost led to the loss of their souls. They acknowledge that they were "brainwashed by the system," and that they paid a heavy price for it. In the chorus, the band sings that they are "back to my roots," as they return to their beloved reggae music in its purest form.
The song acknowledges that some people criticized the band for having gone soft and abandoned the militant stance they had taken earlier. The band tried to stay relevant in the music industry by experimenting with pop and jive, but they realized that they needed to serve the sufferers, the people who needed their music the most. The band promises to go back to their roots, to the reggae raggamuffin rub-a-dub that made them famous, and to make sure that they use their music to help change the world.
Line by Line Meaning
Woe, Na, Na, Na.
Introduction sounds.
Hey, Yeh, Yeh, Oh, Yeh.
Introduction sounds.
This is to whom it may concern,
The song is addressed to everyone.
Raggamuffin rastaman return.
The singer urges Raggamuffin rastaman to come back.
Says we all got a lesson to learn.
The singer wants everyone to learn from their experiences.
This is the reason that...
The singer is going back to his roots for a reason.
I'm back to my roots,
The singer has returned to his roots.
Back to my roots.
The singer has returned to his roots.
We took that commercial road,
The band pursued commercial success.
Searching for some fame and gold,
The band was seeking fame and fortune.
And gained the whole wide world,
The band achieved global success.
And almost lost our souls.
The band came close to losing their true identity.
Some say we should have lead the way;
Some people believe the band should have been leaders in the industry.
Take it over from Bob Marley.
Some people believe the band should have continued Bob Marley's legacy.
Got brainwashed by the system, yeah,
The band was influenced by the mainstream music industry.
What a heavy price we paid.
The band suffered as a result of being swayed from their roots.
It's time to go back,
The time has come to return to their roots.
The way we was;
The way the band used to be.
Reggae Raggamuffin rub-a-dub.
The band is returning to their reggae roots.
Back to my roots.
The singer has returned to his roots.
There ain't no turning back,
There is no going back to the commercial route.
We pon de culture track.
The band is back on track with their cultural roots.
Some a say that we gone soft;
Some people feel the band has become too mainstream and commercial.
Whatever happened to the pulse so hard?
Whatever happened to the band's original, powerful sound?
They used to take a militant stance;
The band used to take a revolutionary and political stance.
Now all we're hearing is a song and a dance.
The band's music has become too focused on commercial appeal.
Well, we tried all the pop and jive,
The band experimented with popular and commercial styles of music.
To keep the band and the music alive.
The band tried to stay relevant in the industry.
So here's my promise to everyone:
The singer makes a promise.
I'll serve the sufferers from this day on.
The singer promises to use his music to serve those in need.
It's time to go back to the way we was,
It is time to return to the band's original sound.
Reggae Raggamuffin rub-a-dub.
The band is returning to their reggae roots.
Back to my roots.
The singer has returned to his roots.
This is to whom it may concern,
The song is addressed to everyone.
Raggamuffin rastaman return.
The singer urges Raggamuffin rastaman to come back.
Says we all got a lesson to learn.
The singer wants everyone to learn from their experiences.
Help I and I make babylon burn, yeah!
The singer wants to see Babylon (corrupt society) destroyed with the help of the people.
Back to my roots.
The singer has returned to his roots.
There ain't no turning back,
There is no going back to the commercial route.
We pon de culture track.
The band is back on track with their cultural roots.
Lyrics © Peermusic Publishing
Written by: DAVID ROBERT HINDS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind