Stephen Robert Nesta Marley, (⋆20 Apr 1972 in Wilmington, Delaware; raised… Read Full Bio ↴Stephen Robert Nesta Marley, (⋆20 Apr 1972 in Wilmington, Delaware; raised in Kingston, Jam) is a reggae artist and producer, son to Bob Marley and Rita Marley and a 6-time Grammy award winner. 8-20 years old, he was a part of Ziggy Marley & The Melody Makers. His solo debut Mind Control came 2007 (acoustic version 2009). He has produced much of his half brother Damian Marley's albums, as 2005's Welcome to Jamrock, and also for half brother Julian Marley. 2011 Stephen begun release a series of albums benamed Revelation...

Jo-Ann Greene writes about "Mind Control" AllMusic.com: "Stephen has continued to grow, adding new sounds and styles to his repertoire over the years. A conduit to the past and a bridge to the future, his music -- like his father's -- sounds timeless: reggae that embraces the world."

2004 he started the 27-city Bob Marley Roots, Rock, Reggae Festival tour with his four brothers and sons of Bob – Ziggy, Julian, Damian and Ky-Mani – each of whom have their own professional recording careers. The tour was the first time the brothers have officially performed together on stage.

Every February in Miami, Marley and his brothers perform at his family's annual Caribbean Festival in honour of their late father Bob Marley.

Can't Keep I Down
Stephen Marley Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

They just can't keep I down
And I'll always be around, yeah
Never will they get I down
And I'll always be around

I work real hard yeah
Night and day
Can't let no one just take that away

I try and lie to do my best
But some of them love
To see me stoop to less

They just can't keep I down
And I'll always be around, yeah
Never will they get I down
And I'll always, you'll always
She'll always, yeah

Some would love to sweep
Your feet off the ground
Every time you get up
They keep pushing you down

The shortest way home
Is the long way round
The deepest rivers
Never make a sound

They just can't keep I down
And I'll always be around, yes
Never will they get I down
And I'll always be around

I say they just can't keep I down, eh
And I'll always be around, eh
To the powers of Jah, Jah, Jah, Jah, yeah

[Reapeat: x15]
Can't keep I down

They just can't keep I down
No, I said they just keep I down

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of "Can't Keep I Down" by Stephen Marley are about his resilience and determination in the face of obstacles and adversity. He asserts that nobody can keep him down, and that he will always be around, continuing to work hard day and night to achieve his goals. He acknowledges that some people would like to see him fail or give up, but he refuses to "stoop to less" and instead remains steadfast in his commitment to his work.

The second verse expands on this theme, noting that some people are constantly trying to pull others down and prevent them from succeeding. However, the shortest path to success is not always a direct one, and sometimes the most challenging roads lead to the greatest rewards. The final verse reinforces Stephen's faith in Jah (God), expressing his belief that he will always be able to overcome his hardships with divine guidance.

Overall, the lyrics are a testament to Stephen Marley's perseverance and commitment to his craft, and they encourage listeners to remain steadfast in the face of adversity and maintain faith in their abilities.

Line by Line Meaning

They just can't keep I down
I refuse to be oppressed or defeated by anyone or anything that tries to bring me down.

And I'll always be around, yeah
I will persist and be present, despite any obstacles or attempts to discourage me.

Never will they get I down
No matter how hard some may try to bring me down, they will never succeed.

I work real hard yeah
I put in a lot of time and effort to achieve my goals.

Night and day
I am dedicated to my work and will put in long hours to accomplish my objectives.

Can't let no one just take that away
I won't let anyone take away what I've worked for and earned.

I try and lie to do my best
I always strive to do my best, even if it means pretending to be someone I'm not.

But some of them love
Some people delight in seeing me fail and falter.

To see me stoop to less
They want to witness my moral and ethical standards drop to their level.

Some would love to sweep
There are those who would like nothing more than to trip me up and send me crashing to the ground.

Your feet off the ground
They want to take away my self-assurance and self-confidence.

Every time you get up
Every time I try to get back up and keep going, they knock me right back down.

They keep pushing you down
They persist in trying to beat me down and break my spirit, no matter what.

The shortest way home
It's often easier to take shortcuts to achieve your goals, but the most meaningful victories come from the long, hard road.

Is the long way round
Ultimately, the path to success takes longer and requires more effort, but it's worth it.

The deepest rivers
The most difficult and challenging obstacles in life can be overcome with perseverance and determination.

Never make a sound
Success is often achieved in silence, without fanfare or acknowledgement.

To the powers of Jah, Jah, Jah, Jah, yeah
With the help and support of a higher power, I can overcome any obstacle and persevere through any challenge.

Can't keep I down
No matter how hard they try, no one can defeat me or prevent me from achieving my goals.

No, I said they just keep I down
Despite their efforts, I will keep fighting and never give up.

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: DESMOND SMITH, STEPHEN MARLEY

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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