By the time the album was released, Tenor Saw had relocated to Miami, joining the Skengdon crew, where he recorded "Dancehall Feeling" and "Bad Boys". He recorded "No Work On a Sunday" for Donovan Germain, before moving to New York, where he recorded with Freddie McGregor ("Victory Train"). His last recording, "Chill Out Chill Out", was a duet with General Doggie.
In August 1988 he was killed by a speeding car in Houston, Texas. He died at 22 years of age. Tenor Saw is regarded as one of the most influential singers of the early digital reggae era of the mid-1980s.[1]
Ring The Alarm
Tenor Saw Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Ring the alarm, another sound is dying, woh-oh, hey
Ring the alarm, another sound is dying, woh-oh, hey
Some sound, sound like a big drum pan
Listen this sound it a champion
Ram the dance inna any session
Rock up the woman and we rock up the man
Ring the alarm, another sound is dying, woh-oh, hey
Ring the alarm, another sound is dying, woh-oh, hey
Tee ta toe we beat them all in a row
Donkey want water but you hol' him Joe
Tee ta toe we beat them all in a row
Dark horse more water but, hol' him Joe
Ring the alarm, another sound is dying, woh-oh, hey
Ring the alarm, another sound is dying, woh-oh, hey
Four big sound inna one big lawn
The don sound a play the other three keep calm
Four big sound inna one big lawn
De boom sound a play the other three keep calm
Ring the alarm, another sound is dying, woh-oh, hey
Remember this sound it the talk of the town
Talk of the country, hey
Rock Mr. Charlie, rock Ms. Munchy
Talk of the country, so
Ring the alarm, another sound is dying, I know, I know
Ring the alarm, another sound is suffering, woh-oh, hey
Watch the sound man a tremble
Watch the sound man a pray
Watch the sound man a tremble
Watch the sound man a pray
Ring the alarm, another sound is dying, I know, I know
Ring the alarm, another sound is suffering, woh-oh, hey
Little a this and a little a that
Rock sister Carmen, we rock sister Pat
Rock the white and we rock up the black
Sweet reggae music gone 'pon the attack yes
'Pon the attack, it gone 'pon the attack
Sweet reggae music gone straight non-stop
Ring the alarm, another sound is dying, woh-oh, hey
Ring the alarm, another sound is suffering, woh-oh, hey
Some sound sound like a big drum pan
Listen this sound it a champion
Ram the dance inna any session
Rock the woman and we groove up the man
Ring the alarm, another sound is suffering, woh-oh, hey
Ring the alarm, another sound is dying, woh-oh, hey
Beat them here and we beat them there
We beat them all over this atmosphere
Champion sound we just don't care
Kill all pan sound anywhere
The lyrics of Tenor Saw's song "Ring the Alarm" are a call to action, alerting listeners to the demise of a sound system that has been overpowered by another one. The lyrics use metaphors to describe the sound of the rival system, noting that it "sounds like a big drum pan" and "it's a champion." The song suggests that the system is so powerful that it has the ability to "ram the dance inna any session," meaning that it can take over any party or gathering without resistance.
The lyrics also describe the competitive nature of the sound system culture, where the different systems would compete against each other to see who had the best music and sound quality. The lines "Four big sound inna one big lawn, The don sound a play the other three keep calm" illustrate the intensity of the competition, where one sound system can overpower the others.
The song also highlights the importance of reggae music in the culture, with lines such as "Sweet reggae music gone 'pon the attack." The song is a reminder that reggae music has a powerful impact, and it can be used to convey messages of social and political resistance.
Line by Line Meaning
Hey, ring the alarm, hey, woh-oh
Calling for attention to sound the alarm.
Ring the alarm, another sound is dying, woh-oh, hey
Another sound is dying, and we need to take action to address it.
Some sound, sound like a big drum pan
Some sounds in music are reminiscent of big drum pans.
Listen this sound it a champion
This sound is exceptional and stands out among the rest.
Ram the dance inna any session
The music pumps and energizes the dance floor in any session.
Rock up the woman and we rock up the man
The music excites and moves both men and women equally.
Tee ta toe we beat them all in a row
We have conquered all our opponents in a row, game after game.
Donkey want water but you hol' him Joe
An expression of humor, meaning that one should not give in to everything that is desired.
Dark horse more water but, hol' him Joe
An expression meaning that an unexpected competitor still needs to be defeated.
Four big sound inna one big lawn
Four sound systems compete on one big lawn.
The don sound a play the other three keep calm
One of the fours runs the show while the others remain poised and ready to compete.
Remember this sound it the talk of the town
This sound system is talked about throughout the town.
Talk of the country, hey
This sound system is talked about throughout the country.
Rock Mr. Charlie, rock Ms. Munchy
The music is enjoyed by people of all ages and backgrounds.
Watch the sound man a tremble
The sound system operator is tense and nervous.
Watch the sound man a pray
The sound system operator is praying for success and victory.
Little a this and a little a that
A collection of different musical styles and techniques.
Rock sister Carmen, we rock sister Pat
The music excites and moves people of different backgrounds and ethnicities.
Rock the white and we rock up the black
The music is enjoyed by people of all races and backgrounds.
Sweet reggae music gone 'pon the attack yes
The music is powerful and aggressive.
'Pon the attack, it gone 'pon the attack
The music is assertive and bold.
Sweet reggae music gone straight non-stop
The music is an unstoppable force.
Beat them here and we beat them there
We have defeated our opponents in various locations and settings.
We beat them all over this atmosphere
We have conquered all areas and regions with our music.
Champion sound we just don't care
Our sound system is the best and we are not concerned with the competition.
Kill all pan sound anywhere
We will defeat any and all competitors in the music industry.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: Clive Anthony Bright, Damon Hayes, Keshia Chante Harper, Kristal Oliver, Michelle Kuteyi, Rupert Lloyd Gayle, Scott Macfarland Carter, Winston Delano Riley, DANIEL ROLAND LANOIS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@jan1061
4 big sound in a 1 big lawn 🔉
The boom sound a play🔊🔊
The other 3 keep calm.
Listen this sound, it a champion🏆
Ram the dance in a any session.
Sweet reggae music gone straight nonstop🎶
Tenor Saw🎙🎵🌟
@samanthabuchanan507
If you listening this song in 2024 give me a like🎉
@Immareal1
4/2/24❤❤❤❤❤
@sammytee70
❤
@topshatta3202
11.04.24
@daviddunkelheit9952
🤙🏾🙏
@TheReverendJones-lv5bz
Yes I
@anniethechosen7779
Jamaica produced some of the best artist ever!
@BrownsvilleBaby_Est
Black people in general was born with it.
@alainp1020
Definitely Jamaicans brought with ska, dancehall, roots.
@jaciobe
Still do.. problem is people just dance instead of listening and understanding the lyrics