Terry Linen is easily one of reggae music's greatest talents to have emerge… Read Full Bio ↴Terry Linen is easily one of reggae music's greatest talents to have emerged in the new millennium. Blessed with a brilliantly distinctive voice, this diminutive singer has cemented a place in the hearts of reggae lovers worldwide with his hit songs, with their haunting melodies and wonderful songwriting.

Born Kiplin Simpson, Linen grew up in the district of Red Bank, where he attended the Red Bank Primary and Red Bank High schools. Being the first child for his mother, his grandparents raised him, while his mother went out to hustle to put food on the table for him and his five siblings. In his early years, Linen’s father migrated to England. Eventually, Terry moved from the quiet district of Red Bank, to the sleepy bustle of Mandeville, to live with his mother who had remarried.

After graduating from school, Linen hooked up with the legendary Black Kat sound system where he cut dubs. It was during those inspirational Black Panther days, that Linen became good friends with local artistes who were on the rise, including General Degree, Tony Rebel and Garnet Silk, who had a tremendous influence on the impressionable singer. Linen also met two of the most influential people of his career, Tyrone Taylor & Courtney Melody. Eventually, Linen's close bond with General Degree began to pay dividends, as Degree invited Linen to the studio with him on several occasions, introducing him to influential movers and shakers in the music business. In the meantime, Linen also met a wealthy local bus owner from Southfield, St. Elizabeth called 'Million' who persuaded him to join his sound of the same name, where he went on to cut the tune Sweet Cassandra on Million's own label. It was not until 1996, when he recorded Rainbow Never Touch the Ground on the Kutchie rhythm for producer/songwriter Anthony Red Roze that people began to take notice of the young singer. After moderate success with this song, Anthony Red Roze began to take on the mantle as Terry Linen's manager.

With Red Roze managing Terry Linen, Linen began to put out numerous reggae gems such as the ultra-popular Couldn't Be the Girl for Me and Jah Jah You Save Me. In 1999, he recorded his monster hit, a cover of Whitney Houston's Your Love Is My Love. On this project, Linen received assistance from the musicians Sly Dunbar, Robbie Shakespeare, Gitsy, Jazzwad and Dean Fraser. Your Love Is My Love hit the top of the reggae charts in Miami, and in New York for 12 straight weeks. The song also hit reggae charts in the Caribbean.

With all that chart success, Terry Linen had still not become a household name. "The problem is", said Linen, "is that I did not get the proper promotion, even with my hit songs, there was no video done, people did not know me because is not everyone attends stage shows, even though people loved the songs." Later on, on his musical journey, Terry did a collaboration with the German star Gentleman on the single Jah Jah Never Fail, which appeared on Gentleman's 1999 album, Trodding On. Linen then recorded another popular single with Capleton entitled, Love is Coming at You. More and more, Linen would be heard on the radio in Jamaica.

In 2001, Linen’s first full album, self-titled Terry Linen, distributed by VP Records, received rave reviews from music critics and fans. On the strength of this album, Linen toured North America and Japan. He performed on many major stage shows such as True Juice Rebel Salute, Western Consciousness, Stars in Action and the Love Symbol Show. He distinguished himself at the True Juice Rebel Salute show in 2001 earning two encores, with the songs such as Call On A Friend and the perennial crowd favorite, Couldn't Be The Girl For Me. Terry continued to work hard, and in the year 2004, he scored again with his song Counting Hours, which was produced by Beres Hammond's on his Harmony House Records label. This song has been featured on many reggae compilation albums worldwide.

Terry Linen continued working hard, residing in Junction, St. Elizabeth and his beloved Mandeville, in the parish Manchester, Jamaica. Signed to Uplifting Music International in the latter part of 2007, Terry Linen witnessed the rising of his stocks. His new single Mood For Love, was number one on the Richie B Reggae chart for three weeks, and is still getting heavy rotation on FM radio in Jamaica. Internationally, the song No Time To Linger on the Joe Fraser label was number one for three weeks on the South Florida Reggae charts, and also number one on the New York Reggae charts. His new hit single A Better Man, is also the name of his upcoming album. A Better Man is getting heavy rotation all over, and is climbing the Richie B charts. Indeed, Terry Linen has become "a better man", and he continues to grow musically and please his fans. "I can see where my career is moving forward once again, and connecting the right way. I feel like my career is rejuvenated," he said. People, who have been to Jamaica, know first hand how Terry Linen is dominating the airwaves more and more. Destiny is now smiling on the artist Terry Linen, as his songs are loved and embraced by his people in Jamaica, and more and more, the people of the world.

At Least
Terry Linen Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Hace tanto que no hablamos que no se porque empezar,
Quizás fue ese tonto orgullo que no me dejó llamar
Y ahora no se que pensar, cómo volver a empezar
Dijiste pá vencer el miedo al agua debía lanzarme al mar.
Y aquí estoy, que mejor, que decirlo cantando
Expresar con letras lo que no haré llorando.
Para que hecharte de menos, yo sé que la gente viene y va
Estuve enfado con la vida, ella quita y da

Inhalación, exhalación, quien dicta el tic-tac de cada pulsación
La cara arrepentida de este homicida corazón
Pá vencerla tuve que caer en la tentación, no busques la razón
Sopa de lluvia y ron
Yo sé, que todo cambia y también se,
Que lo que siento no ha cambiado y ¿sabes porque?
¿Porque estamos mirándonos? Sin saber porque,
Por qué no haré una canción de lo que pudo haber sido y no fue.

Que nose apague el sol que no se aleje demasiado la luna
Esta noche decidido beberme la locura
Y si te encuentro en el camino wuay te llevo conmigo no hay duda.

Que no se apague el sol que no se aleje demasiado la luna
Esta noche decidido beberme la locura
Y si te encuentro en el camino wuay te llevo conmigo no hay duda

Estás tan cerca de ganar, como de perder
Estás tan lejos de avanzar,
Como de retroceder estás tan cerca de fallar, no puede ser
Estás tan lejos que ya ni siquiera te puedo ver y a veces me pregunto
Si tú también te preguntas que cuando se juntan los malos
Pensamientos juran, te vuelves un Judas y la pagas con los demás
Dedícate aprender de lo que la vida te da
Ya sabes que conmigo, yo, te llevo por el camino
Ya sabes que yo siempre me he portado bien contigo
Y aunque las olas nunca demoran,
Ya has aprendido que sin ella está sola, sin ella está sola
Cuando nada te salva de ti sólo te queda aprender a sentir
Que no se apague el sol
Que no se aleje demasiado la luna
Esta noche decidido verme la locura
Y si te encuentro en el camino wuay te llevo conmigo no hay duda
Que no se apague el sol
Que no se aleje demasiado la luna
Esta noche decidido beberme la locura Y se te
Encuentro en el camino wuay te llevo conmigo no hay duda

Soy fuerte por qué, fuerte me ah hechó mi destino recto,
En el camino siempre tengo todo lo que no tiene sentido,
Tengo tanto por contar que nos empezar, que no sé pensar.
Escribo mi historia, sólo pienso en Gloria.
El tiempo pasa lento como el fuego en mi memoria,
Ardo por dentro siendo el sentimiento
Siento, se derrite mi interior A fuego lento

Que no se apague el sol
Que no se aleje demasiado la luna
Esta noche decidido beberme la locura
Y si te encuentro en el camino wuay te llevo conmigo no hay duda

Que no se apague el sol
Que no se aleje demasiado la luna

Esta noche decidido beberme la locura
Y si te encuentro en el camino wuay te llevo conmigo no hay duda

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Terry Linen's song "At Least" speak to the complexity of relationships and the difficulty of trying to start over after a period of distance. The singer reflects on the reasons they stopped talking, wondering if it was due to foolish pride. They acknowledge the ebb and flow of life, recognizing that people come and go, while expressing regret for having been angry with life itself. The lyrics describe a desire to express oneself through art, and a wish to avoid dwelling on what could have been. The chorus implores the darkness not to take over, urging the listener to hold onto the sun and the moon, and the hope that someone they care about will stay by their side.

Line by Line Meaning

Hace tanto que no hablamos que no se porque empezar
It's been a while since we talked and I don't know where to start. Maybe it was my foolish pride that prevented me from calling. Now I don't know what to think about how to start again.

Quizás fue ese tonto orgullo que no me dejó llamar
Maybe it was my foolish pride that prevented me from calling.

Y ahora no se que pensar, cómo volver a empezar
And now I don't know what to think about how to start again.

Dijiste pá vencer el miedo al agua debía lanzarme al mar.
You said that to overcome the fear of water, I had to jump into the sea.

Y aquí estoy, que mejor, que decirlo cantando
And here I am, what better way to express it than singing.

Expresar con letras lo que no haré llorando.
Expressing through lyrics what I won't do in tears.

Para que hecharte de menos, yo sé que la gente viene y va
Why miss you when I know people come and go.

Estuve enfado con la vida, ella quita y da
I was angry with life, as it takes away and gives.

Inhalación, exhalación, quien dicta el tic-tac de cada pulsación
Inhalation, exhalation, who dictates the heartbeat of each pulse.

La cara arrepentida de este homicida corazón
The regretful face of this murderous heart.

Pá vencerla tuve que caer en la tentación, no busques la razón
To overcome it, I had to give in to temptation, don't look for a reason.

Sopa de lluvia y ron
Soup of rain and rum.

Yo sé, que todo cambia y también se,
I know that everything changes and so do I.

Que lo que siento no ha cambiado y ¿sabes porque?
What I feel hasn't changed, and you know why?

Porque estamos mirándonos? Sin saber porque,
Because we're looking at each other without knowing why.

Por qué no haré una canción de lo que pudo haber sido y no fue.
Why not make a song about what could have been but wasn't.

Que nose apague el sol que no se aleje demasiado la luna
Don't let the sun go down, don't let the moon get too far away.

Esta noche decidido beberme la locura
Tonight, I am determined to drink my madness.

Y si te encuentro en el camino wuay te llevo conmigo no hay duda.
And if I meet you on the way, I'll take you with me, there's no doubt.

Estás tan cerca de ganar, como de perder
You're as close to winning as you are to losing.

Estás tan lejos de avanzar, como de retroceder
You're as far from moving forward as you are from going back.

Estás tan cerca de fallar, no puede ser
You're so close to failing, it can't be.

Estás tan lejos que ya ni siquiera te puedo ver
You're so far away that I can't even see you anymore.

Y a veces me pregunto Si tú también te preguntas que cuando se juntan los malos Pensamientos juran, te vuelves un Judas y la pagas con los demás
And sometimes I wonder, do you also wonder when bad thoughts come together, you become a Judas and pay for it with others.

Dedícate aprender de lo que la vida te da
Dedicate yourself to learn from what life gives you.

Ya sabes que conmigo, yo, te llevo por el camino
You already know that with me, I'll take you on the journey.

Ya sabes que yo siempre me he portado bien contigo
You already know that I've always been good to you.

Y aunque las olas nunca demoran, Ya has aprendido que sin ella está sola, sin ella está sola
And even though the waves never delay, you've learned that without her, she's alone, without her, she's alone.

Cuando nada te salva de ti sólo te queda aprender a sentir
When nothing saves you from yourself, you can only learn to feel.

Soy fuerte por qué, fuerte me ah hechó mi destino recto,
I am strong because my straight destiny made me strong.

En el camino siempre tengo todo lo que no tiene sentido,
On the journey, I always have everything that doesn't make sense.

Tengo tanto por contar que nos empezar, que no sé pensar.
I have so much to tell that I don't know where to start and can't think.

Escribo mi historia, sólo pienso en Gloria.
I write my story, only thinking of glory.

El tiempo pasa lento como el fuego en mi memoria,
Time passes slowly like the fire in my memory.

Ardo por dentro siendo el sentimiento
I burn inside with this feeling.

Siento, se derrite mi interior A fuego lento
I feel it, my insides melting slowly like fire.

Writer(s): Robert S. Kelly

Contributed by Asher C. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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