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Soldiers
Steel Pulse Lyrics


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Dutallee!
Dutallee!
Dutallee!
Dutallee!

And when soldiers came
Them say them come to make us tame
And from that day until now on
We were jeered and laughed to scorn

Things used to be ire (before the soldiers came)
Things used to be nice, so nice now
Things used to be ire
Things used to be nice, so nice

Our country them did enter, yeah
Troops trodding left right and center
Everywhere
One moment at peace with Nature
Now victims of a massacre
We got our spears
We got our shields
But their guns were greater
Prepare for a slaughter

Give I back I witch doctor
Give I back I Black Ruler
Me no want no dictator
Me no want no tyrant on yah

Dutallee!
Dutallee!
Dutallee!
Dutallee!

Way down in Africa
Where the backra still rules day after day
The Black Man is suffering now far more
Than when he was a slave
Is there a need for war?
No.
Peace my bredren, here them bawl
Bodies in mutilated condition
Faces scarred beyond recognition
Is this what civilization means to me?
Then without it I prefer to be
So

Give I back I witch doctor
Give I back I Black Ruler
Me no want no dictator
Me no want no tyrant on yah

Dutallee!
Dutallee!
Dutallee!
Dutailee!

Overall Meaning

The song 'Soldiers' by Steel Pulse addresses the invasion of Jamaica by foreign soldiers who claim to be there to bring order to the island, but in reality are brutalizing the locals. The repetition of "Dutallee" throughout the song is a Jamaican expression of protest against something that is perceived to be unjust. The lyrics describe how the soldiers came to Jamaica and proceeded to treat the locals with disdain, making them the butt of their jokes, and constantly jeering them.


The song speaks to the fact that before the soldiers came, Jamaica was a peaceful place where everyone coexisted amicably. However, with the arrival of the soldiers, things took a turn for the worse. The locals were made to feel like they didn't matter, and even their culture was disregarded. The line "Give I back I witch doctor, Give I back I Black Ruler" speaks to the way in which colonization attempts to suppress traditional cultures and replace them with Western norms.


The lyrics then move to other parts of Africa and uses the experiences of other Black people on the continent to make a statement about the universal nature of Black suffering under colonialism. The song argues that there is no need for war, and that peace should be pursued, but not at the expense of one's dignity or culture. The song concludes by restating the demand for the return of Jamaica's traditional cultural leaders and rejecting the imposition of dictators or tyrants.


Line by Line Meaning

And when soldiers came
When the soldiers arrived


Them say them come to make us tame
They said they came to make us submissive


And from that day until now on
Since then, until now


We were jeered and laughed to scorn
We were mocked and laughed at


Things used to be ire (before the soldiers came)
Things used to be good (before the soldiers arrived)


Things used to be nice, so nice now
Things used to be wonderful, but now they aren't


Our country them did enter, yeah
They entered our country


Troops trodding left right and center
Soldiers marching everywhere


One moment at peace with Nature
We were living in harmony with nature


Now victims of a massacre
Now we are being killed in large numbers


We got our spears
We have our traditional weapons


We got our shields
We have our traditional shields


But their guns were greater
But their guns were more powerful


Prepare for a slaughter
Get ready to be killed


Give I back I witch doctor
Return our traditional healer


Give I back I Black Ruler
Give us back our leader


Me no want no dictator
We don't want a dictator


Me no want no tyrant on yah
We don't want any tyrant here


Way down in Africa
In Africa


Where the backra still rules day after day
Where the white man still dominates day after day


The Black Man is suffering now far more
Black people are suffering more now


Than when he was a slave
Than when they were slaves


Is there a need for war?
Is there a reason for war?


No.
No, there is no reason for war


Peace my bredren, here them bawl
People are calling for peace


Bodies in mutilated condition
Dead bodies in terrible condition


Faces scarred beyond recognition
Faces are so damaged that they can't be recognized


Is this what civilization means to me?
Is this what we consider civilization?


Then without it I prefer to be
Then I'd rather live without it




Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: DAVID TAYLOR, ROB DOWNES, ALEX MUNGO, JASPER JOHN NIELSON STAINTHORPE, STEPHEN WREN, MARK ROBERT TIPLADY

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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