Sugar Minott (born Lincoln Barrington Minott, May 25, 1956 in Kingston, die… Read Full Bio ↴Sugar Minott (born Lincoln Barrington Minott, May 25, 1956 in Kingston, died Saturday July 10, 2010 in Kingston) was a Jamaican reggae singer, producer and sound-system operator known for his sweet roots dancehall style.

Sugar Minott spent his youth hanging around the legendary "Studio 1" listening to the artists that recorded there, such as Alton Ellis, Ken Boothe, The Heptones, Dennis Brown and others.

Sugar began his career with the formation of the African Brothers, along with Tony Tuff and Derek Howard (and later Triston Palmer) in the early 1970s. The African Brothers were a harmonious roots act, of which Sugar became the most popular member. By 1979, Sugar had been invited by Studio 1 to record a solo album.

When recording at Studio 1, he chose not to use a backing band as in conventional recording, but elected to sing over instrumental versions of old Studio 1 classics. This is considered to be the birth of "dancehall," which lead to countless artists making new hits out of old classics, a tradition that continues in Jamaica today.

Sugar was also well-regarded for hard work on his Youthman Promotion sound system and Black Roots & Youthman Promotion labels into the 1980s, which brought forth such artists as Tenor Saw, Nitty Gritty, Yami Bolo, Junior Reid, Tony Rebel, Garnett Silk, and many more to the industry. Up until his death, he was still working with young artists both in Jamaica and the US, including his daughter Pashon Minott.

Give The People What They Want
Sugar Minott Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Ooh, well, well

Give the people
Give the people, whoa

Give the people what they want
They want justice
Give the people what they want

They want freedom, yes
Give the people what they want
They want love inside now
Give the people what they want
They want equal rights

Look how long you been trying to breathe, well
Look how long you've been trying your mockery
Tried it from the first generation
You spread the germ of sinfulness
Upon this here land, but no

Just can't work
No longer
Just can't work
No more
Just can't work
No longer my friends

So here me say:
Give the people what they want
They want justice
Give the people what they want
They want love inside

Oh won't you keep them down

Keep them down
Keep them down
Oh won't you give them

Look how long we've been-a fighting
Look how long you've been fighting

The time has come
The time has come
The time has come and you're gonna pay
Oh well, oh well,
But I'm gonna give you one last warning
So change
So give the people what they want

Give the people what they want
They want justice, oh well
Give the people what they want
They want love inside
Give the people what they want
They want freedom, oh well

Give them
So won't you give them now
Won't you give them

Give them, oh give them
Oh give them the love
Give them, oh give them
Oh give them the love
That they need
Oh well

Give the people what they want
They want justice

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Sugar Minott's "Give The People What They Want" is a call and demand for justice, equality, and freedom. The first verse declares that the people want justice - this could refer to social justice or judicial justice, a system where everyone has equal rights despite their race, gender, and social status. The second verse emphasizes the need for freedom, which could mean different things depending on the context of the song, but generally refers to liberation from any form of oppression or injustice. The third verse reveals a desire for love, meaning that the people are tired of the hate that surrounds them and seeks from others to be treated with compassion and kindness. Lastly, the fourth verse talks about a plea for equal rights, where the people demand that they be granted fairness, no matter what their social standing may be.

The chorus of “Give the people what they want” emphasizes the urgency and importance of the demands being made. Sugar Minott talks about how long people have been fighting for their rights and the importance of the time having come for change to happen. The song talks about the struggles and fights that have been happening and how it's important for all to work together in order to make things better. The lyrics hope that if they keep training and challenging the ruling class, they will be given what they want.

The song is a plea for justice and freedom that was prevalent in Jamaica during the time it was written. Sugar Minott understood the pulse of the people who were fighting for their rights and saw that his music could be a medium to amplify their voices. The song became a favorite of many people who wanted change, and it remains relevant in today's society where injustices and inequalities still exist.

Line by Line Meaning

Give the people
Let's focus on the needs of the people.

Give the people what they want
Let's fulfill the people's demands.

They want justice
The people seek fairness and righteousness.

They want freedom, yes
The people desire to be liberated and independent.

They want love inside now
The people need care, affection, and emotional support.

They want equal rights
The people are craving for impartial and unbiased treatment.

Look how long you been trying to breathe, well
You've been struggling for a long time.

Look how long you've been trying your mockery
And you have been ridiculing and scorning the people's demands for a long time.

Tried it from the first generation
This fight for justice and freedom has spanned generations.

You spread the germ of sinfulness
Your wickedness and inhumanity have affected and influenced society.

Upon this here land, but no
However, this land will no longer tolerate your evil actions.