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.
Tribute To The Martyrs
Steel Pulse Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
To take on
To make us all believe
To rescue us from evil cause
They wanted to achieve
Avenge to gain respect
Defend ourselves to the end
Patriots of dark continent
I give all of my confidence
Redemption
(2) Weh dem gone
weh dem deh
Tribute to the martyrs
Which part dem gone
A weh dem deh, Heh
When Martyrs died they save our lives
They had an early grave
Sacrifice has taken place
For the chosen race heh
(2) Which part dem gone
Which part dek ...
There was one they crucified
Dead man tell no tales
There were some they hung so high
We know the reason why
Caught, and tried, bound and beat
Locked, locked away inside
But won their war of words
Patriots lost their lives
Yet no-one cries
The whole world stands accused.
(2) Which part dem gone
Which part dem deh
A multitude of people
Dem try dem best to convince
Only to capture the heart of a few
The truth you can't dismiss
They are telling me silent waters run deep
So their knowledge I'II always seek
They are telling me,
A nation without its past history
Is like a tree without roots
(2) Which part dem gone
Which part dem deh ...
Best to strike when irons hot,
It will not bend when cold....
Not to late to learn my friend
Wisdom ripes with old age, if you got it
Now wake up you distressed, yeh yeh yeh
Under, under oppressor man affliction
Hell fire can't be quenched with water no sah!
Though it once had a dreadful shower of rain
We who are blessed they just can't put us under
Martyrs golden text is bondage never again
If not by free will it then by force
Break the bondage plot that course.
Remember.........
Message preach to all, you hear something
Doctrine for the soul, you feel something
The story has been told, you know something
Now answer, martyrs call, do something -
Prophesise the fall
Backs against the wall no more, be something
(2) Which part dem gone
Which part dem deh
Dialogue:
GOOSENECK
INITY
GOOSENECK
SIZE 9
STEPPER
SIZE 9
STEPPER
GOOSENECK
STEPPER
GREYSEED
INITY
GOOSENECK
GREYSEED
BUMBO
GREYSEED
BUMBO
INITY
GOOSENECK
INITY
SIZE 9
GOOSENECK
SIZE 9
GOOSENECK
SIZE 9
BUMBO
INITY
GOOSENECK
GRIZZLY
GOOSENECK
BUMBO
(2) INITY
GOOSENECK
STEPPER
GOOSENECK
INITY
GOOSENECK
INITY
Homage to the Martyrs
Tribute to the Martyrs
Love it, it suit a man
To set example like
Toussaint L'Overture chase all
Oppressor man out of his land.
Quick.
Hey stepper is what happen to Bogle?
Morant Bay rebellion
Standing up feh 'I'm rights
Dem decide fe hang 'I'm up
WHAT?
Truly
865
So Greyseed what you hear
'bout Jackson.
George Jackson
Imprisonment
- solitary confinement.
Pow! Pow! Aaaaakhhhhhh!
197I
Bumbo ....
Yes Greyseed?
WHAT happen to Marcus?
Marcus say a thing sah.
ONE GOD, ONE AIM,
ONE DESTINY
Starliner
Black
Hey is wha happen to Biko
Biko detainee
In detention - Vank
What?
1977
South Africa
The Black Panthers
Freedom Fighters!
They tried them died
Luther King
He had a dream grizzly -
He had a dream
Believe you me
Malcolm X
LIFT STRUGGLE
In pool of blood I965
But wait -
Nobody don't leave?
Is only we Rasta.
Yes I
I and I was not born
Rich nor poor.
I and I was born naked.
You hear something
Feel something
Know something
Do something
See something
BE SOMEONE ....
.... (fade)
The Steel Pulse song "Tribute To The Martyrs" is a powerful tribute to those who have sacrificed their lives in the fight against oppression. The song begins with a recognition of the difficulty of this task, which is to make people believe that they can be rescued from evil causes. The lyrics refer to the need for avenging and defending oneself against oppression, with a call to patriotism in the face of struggle. With the repetition of "Which part dem gone, which part dem deh," the song recognizes those who have lost their lives in the struggle for freedom, and for whom we owe a debt of gratitude.
The song continues with a recognition of the sacrifices of those who have died for the chosen race, despite the fact that their deaths may have been unnecessary. The lyrics also recognize that the world has stood accused of failing to recognize the sacrifices of these martyrs. The final verse of the song encourages the listener to be something and to do something, to feel and know something, to see something and be someone - in order to continue the fight against oppression and pay tribute to those who have made sacrifices.
Overall, the song is a powerful call to remembrance, recognizing the importance and value of those who have given their lives for a greater cause. The song encourages listeners to take inspiration from the martyrs, to listen to their stories and carry on their legacy of struggle and resistance.
Line by Line Meaning
It was a hard task
It was challenging
To take on
To tackle
To make us all believe
To convince us all
To rescue us from evil cause
To save us from wicked intentions
They wanted to achieve
That's what they aimed for
Avenge to gain respect
Retaliation to earn admiration
Defend ourselves to the end
Protect ourselves until the last moment
Patriots of dark continent
Loyalists of the African continent
I give all of my confidence
I have complete faith
Redemption
Deliverance from past sins
(2) Weh dem gone
Where have they gone?
weh dem deh
Where are they now?
Tribute to the martyrs
Paying homage to the deceased heroes
Which part dem gone
Which direction have they headed?
A weh dem deh, Heh
Where have they gone, brothers?
When Martyrs died they save our lives
The sacrifice of the Martyrs saved us
They had an early grave
They died young
Sacrifice has taken place
A significant act of selflessness occurred
For the chosen race heh
For the selected group of people
(2) Which part dem gone
Where did they go twice?
There was one they crucified
One of them was crucified
Dead man tell no tales
Dead people never reveal secrets
There were some they hung so high
Some of them were hanged high
We know the reason why
We are aware of the cause
Caught, and tried, bound and beat
Captured, judged, restrained, and assaulted
Locked, locked away inside
Enclosed and confined indoors
But won their war of words
Emerged victorious in their verbal battle
Patriots lost their lives
The loyalists died
Yet no-one cries
No one weeps
The whole world stands accused.
The entire world is to blame
A multitude of people
Many individuals
Dem try dem best to convince
They tried their hardest to persuade
Only to capture the heart of a few
Only to reach a small group of people
The truth you can't dismiss
You can't deny the truth
They are telling me silent waters run deep
They tell me that still waters conceal much
So their knowledge I'II always seek
Hence, I will always seek their wisdom
A nation without its past history
A country without its previous events
Is like a tree without roots
Is analogous to a tree without roots
Best to strike when irons hot,
It's best to make a move at the right moment
It will not bend when cold....
It won't bend when it's cold
Not too late to learn my friend
It's not too late to learn, my friend
Wisdom ripes with old age, if you got it
Wisdom matures with age, if you possess it
Now wake up you distressed, yeh yeh yeh
Now awaken, you troubled people
Under, under oppressor man affliction
Under the burden of oppressive actions
Hell fire can't be quenched with water no sah!
Hades cannot be extinguished with water
Though it once had a dreadful shower of rain
Although it was previously subjected to a severe storm of rain
We who are blessed they just can't put us under
They cannot overthrow us who are blessed
Martyrs golden text is bondage never again
The Martyrs' golden rule is never to be enslaved again
If not by free will it then by force
If not by voluntary choice, then by compulsion
Break the bondage plot that course.
Defeat the scheme to enslave
Message preach to all, you hear something
A message preached to all, did you hear anything?
Doctrine for the soul, you feel something
A belief system for the soul, did you feel anything?
The story has been told, you know something
The tale has been related, do you know anything?
Now answer, martyrs call, do something -
Now respond to the call of the Martyrs, take action -
Prophesise the fall
Predict the fall
Backs against the wall no more, be something
No more backs against the wall, become something
GOOSENECK
Unknown
INITY
Unknown
SIZE 9
Unknown
STEPPER
Unknown
GREYSEED
Unknown
BUMBO
Unknown
GRIZZLY
Unknown
(2) INITY
Unknown
Homage to the Martyrs
Paying tribute to the Martyrs
Tribute to the Martyrs
Honoring the Martyrs
Love it, it suit a man
It suits a man, he loves it
To set example like
To be a role model
Toussaint L'Overture chase all
Toussaint L'Overture drove all
Oppressor man out of his land.
The oppressor out of his land.
Quick.
Unknown
Hey stepper is what happen to Bogle?
Unknown
Morant Bay rebellion
The Morant Bay rebellion
Standing up feh 'I'm rights
Standing up for his rights
Dem decide fe hang 'I'm up
They decided to hang him up
WHAT?
Unknown
Truly
Certainly
865
Unknown
So Greyseed what you hear
Greyseed, what did you hear?
'bout Jackson.
About Jackson.
George Jackson
George Jackson
Imprisonment
Incarceration
- solitary confinement.
In solitary confinement
Pow! Pow! Aaaaakhhhhhh!
Sounds of gunfire
197l
1971
Bumbo ....
Unknown
Yes Greyseed?
Unknown
WHAT happen to Marcus?
What happened to Marcus?
Marcus say a thing sah.
Marcus said something
ONE GOD, ONE AIM,
One God, one objective
ONE DESTINY
One destiny
Starliner
Unknown
Black
Unknown
Hey is wha happen to Biko
Unknown
Biko detainee
Biko was detained
In detention - Vank
In detention - Van Deventer
What?
Unknown
1977
1977
South Africa
A place in Africa
The Black Panthers
The Black Panthers
Freedom Fighters!
Liberators!
They tried them died
They tried them and died
Luther King
Martin Luther King
He had a dream grizzly -
He had a dream, Grizzly
Believe you me
Believe me
Malcolm X
Malcolm X
LIFT STRUGGLE
Unknown
In pool of blood I965
In a pool of blood in 1965
But wait -
Wait a minute -
Nobody don't leave?
Nobody left?
Is only we Rasta.
Only us, Rastafarians.
Yes I
Yes, me
I and I was not born
I wasn't born
Rich nor poor.
Rich nor poor.
See something
See something
... (fade)
Unknown
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: ALPHONSO MARTIN, BASIL GLENDON GABBIDON, DAVID ROBERT HINDS, MICHAEL RILEY, RONNIE MCQUEEN, SELWYN DELRAINZE BROWN, STEPHEN VINCENT NISBETT
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
c o
The importance of this album and it's impact in the education of many young people in the UK about the Black struggle in the 70s/ 80s should never be understated, along with the teachings of the Two-Tone movement.
Marley - ite
Rip Terry Hall.
Ramatoulai_Victorious
I immediately go emotional when I heard this song. It brings back so many memories...This is a blessing to the soul.
Soul Pointe
Bad man pulse
Roscoe.P ColdChain
I saw aswad the summer before covid struck..They did a few Steele pulse numbers, also a great band...☮️☮️💜💜
Roscoe.P ColdChain
Beautiful song ☮️
rzorrillajohn
Hands down one of the best albums ever to be created. All songs bring awareness on tolerance, love and unity. The performance is as pure as you can have. Thank you Steel pulse for a story that will forever live on this songs.
Wendell Williams
Absolutely!
Owen Modeste
My favorite song of all time, Steel Pulse was crucial in my development as a black man, and I was able to tell David at the San Francisco Airport, and sang his lyrics for him. Jah!!
monkymonk6
This song blew me away. Loved it within the first 10 seconds of hearing it.