The Abyssinians are a Jamaican roots reggae group, famous for their close h… Read Full Bio ↴The Abyssinians are a Jamaican roots reggae group, famous for their close harmonies and promotion of the Rastafari movement in their lyrics.
The vocal trio was originally formed in 1968 by Bernard Collins and Donald Manning. Their first song was "Satta Massagana", which was strongly influenced by Carlton Manning's "Happy Land". "Satta Massagana" is a Rastafarian hymn sung partly in the ancient Ethiopian Amharic language. They recruited a third vocalist, who was still at school and often unable to attend rehearsals; he was soon replaced by Donald's brother Lynford Manning, who had previously been a member of their brother Carlton Manning's group Carlton and The Shoes.
"Satta Massagana" was first recorded for producer Clement "Coxsone" Dodd in March 1969, but he decided against releasing it, seeing no commercial potential for what he saw as a song constituting cultural subversion. In 1971, the group purchased the master tapes from Dodd for £90 and released it on their own Clinch label, the single becoming a massive success, prompting Dodd to release his own instrumental and deejay versions. The group released further takes on the song on Clinch by Tommy McCook, Big Youth, and Dillinger, as well as their own "Mabrak", featuring the group reciting passages from the Old Testament. It has since been recorded by dozens of artists. The group's second release, "Declaration of Rights", featured Leroy Sibbles on backing vocals, and like their first was a huge hit in Jamaica, (and subsequently in the international market) and has been covered several times since. Their 1973 single "Y Mas Gan" was similar to "Satta" in its use of Amharic.
The group continued to record throughout the 1970s for producers including Lloyd Daley, Tommy Cowan, and Geoffrey Chung, and their debut album, Forward on to Zion was produced by Clive Hunt and released in 1976. The follow-up, Arise (1978), was recorded under stressful conditions with internal rivalries threatening to break up the group, and after the album's release, Collins left the band, to be eventually replaced by Carlton Manning. This line-up performed at the 1979 Reggae Sunsplash festival, but split up the following year.
Donald Manning had a brief solo career in the early 1980s, in which he recorded as Donald Abyssinian.
Bernard Collins launched his own version of the group in the late 1980s, with two versions of the group existing for a time. The original line-up reunited in 1998 and went on to record new material, including the singles "African Princess" and "Swing Low" and the album Reunion, although Collins was not involved in songwriting at this time. Collins left again in 1999 and released material as Bernard Collins & the Abyssinians, releasing an album the same year.
The Abyssinians are credited on "Slave Song", from Sade's 2002 album, Lovers Live.
Discography
Studio albums
1976 : Satta Massagana - Jam Sounds (reissued 1988 on Clinch, 1993, 2007 on Heartbeat, also released as Satta and Forward on to Zion)
1978 : Arise - Tuff Gong/Virgin/Clinch
1998 : Reunion - Artists Only
Compilation albums
1982 : Forward - Alligator
1994 : Best of the Abyssinians - Musidisc
1996 : 19.95 + TAX
1998 : Satta Dub - Tabou 1
1998 : Declaration of Dub - Heartbeat
1999 : Last Days - Clinch (credited to Bernard Collins)
2003 : Abyssinians & Friends Tree of Satta vol. 1 - Blood & Fire
Live albums
2002 : Live in San Francisco - 2b1 II
The vocal trio was originally formed in 1968 by Bernard Collins and Donald Manning. Their first song was "Satta Massagana", which was strongly influenced by Carlton Manning's "Happy Land". "Satta Massagana" is a Rastafarian hymn sung partly in the ancient Ethiopian Amharic language. They recruited a third vocalist, who was still at school and often unable to attend rehearsals; he was soon replaced by Donald's brother Lynford Manning, who had previously been a member of their brother Carlton Manning's group Carlton and The Shoes.
"Satta Massagana" was first recorded for producer Clement "Coxsone" Dodd in March 1969, but he decided against releasing it, seeing no commercial potential for what he saw as a song constituting cultural subversion. In 1971, the group purchased the master tapes from Dodd for £90 and released it on their own Clinch label, the single becoming a massive success, prompting Dodd to release his own instrumental and deejay versions. The group released further takes on the song on Clinch by Tommy McCook, Big Youth, and Dillinger, as well as their own "Mabrak", featuring the group reciting passages from the Old Testament. It has since been recorded by dozens of artists. The group's second release, "Declaration of Rights", featured Leroy Sibbles on backing vocals, and like their first was a huge hit in Jamaica, (and subsequently in the international market) and has been covered several times since. Their 1973 single "Y Mas Gan" was similar to "Satta" in its use of Amharic.
The group continued to record throughout the 1970s for producers including Lloyd Daley, Tommy Cowan, and Geoffrey Chung, and their debut album, Forward on to Zion was produced by Clive Hunt and released in 1976. The follow-up, Arise (1978), was recorded under stressful conditions with internal rivalries threatening to break up the group, and after the album's release, Collins left the band, to be eventually replaced by Carlton Manning. This line-up performed at the 1979 Reggae Sunsplash festival, but split up the following year.
Donald Manning had a brief solo career in the early 1980s, in which he recorded as Donald Abyssinian.
Bernard Collins launched his own version of the group in the late 1980s, with two versions of the group existing for a time. The original line-up reunited in 1998 and went on to record new material, including the singles "African Princess" and "Swing Low" and the album Reunion, although Collins was not involved in songwriting at this time. Collins left again in 1999 and released material as Bernard Collins & the Abyssinians, releasing an album the same year.
The Abyssinians are credited on "Slave Song", from Sade's 2002 album, Lovers Live.
Discography
Studio albums
1976 : Satta Massagana - Jam Sounds (reissued 1988 on Clinch, 1993, 2007 on Heartbeat, also released as Satta and Forward on to Zion)
1978 : Arise - Tuff Gong/Virgin/Clinch
1998 : Reunion - Artists Only
Compilation albums
1982 : Forward - Alligator
1994 : Best of the Abyssinians - Musidisc
1996 : 19.95 + TAX
1998 : Satta Dub - Tabou 1
1998 : Declaration of Dub - Heartbeat
1999 : Last Days - Clinch (credited to Bernard Collins)
2003 : Abyssinians & Friends Tree of Satta vol. 1 - Blood & Fire
Live albums
2002 : Live in San Francisco - 2b1 II
Satta Dub
The Abyssinians Lyrics
We have lyrics for these tracks by The Abyssinians:
19.95 plus Tax Can you lick my wounds please? Can you make it numb? And…
Abendigo Abednego lyrics Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego Working dead(…
Africa Race We are the slave descendants of the African race, African…
African Dub We are the slave descendants of the African race, African…
African Race We are the slave descendants of the African race, African…
Black Man Why, why, why, oh yeah now, Must the black man…
Black Man Strain Why, why, why, oh yeah now, Must the black man…
Black Man's Strain Why, why, why, oh yeah now, Must the black man…
Declaration Of Right Look, oh Lord, they brought us down here Have us…
Dem A Dub And - the meaning for one Hulätt - the meaning for…
Forward Jah Forward Jah Jah forward Forward Jah Jah forward Forward Jah…
Forward on to Zion We walk, we walk fe forward on a yard …
Forward Onto Zion We walk, we walk fe forward on a yard We walk,…
Forward Unto Zion We walk, we walk fe forward on a yard …
Good Lord People, people can't you see and know What is really going…
Hey You Hey you (hey you) I don't love you no more (hey…
I 'n' I Dub I and I and I and I (I and I…
Jah Loves [Repeat] Jah loves you man Ever know Jah needs you, woman An…
Jah Loves Dub Be strong, Are you surely gonna die… For greatest love (g…
Jah Marley Jah-ah-ah-ah Rastafari Jah Jah Jah Jah Rastafari Jah Marley…
Know Jah Dub Know JAH today and not tomorrow Know JAH today and…
Know Jah Today Know Jah today and not tomorrow Know Jah today and…
Leggo Beast Mmm... Here come some wicked men Coming fe hurt me and me…
Let Each morning before the sun comes shining (Comes shining, c…
Love Comes and Goes They say that love comes and goes Just like the rising…
Meditation [Repeat] Jah loves you man Ever know Jah needs you, woman …
Meditation Dub Meditation I've been doing my meditation I can feel this m…
Oh Lord *Refrain* Oh Lord Good Lord Who knows Everyone's struggle Pl…
Oh Lord - 2002 Digital Remaster refrain Oh Lord Good Lord Who knows Everyone's struggle Plea…
Oh Lord! *Refrain* Oh Lord Good Lord Who knows Everyone′s struggle Pl…
Peculiar Dub Yeaah yooyeah Yeaah yooyeah I wouldn't like to be there,…
Peculiar Number I wouldn't like to be there, no I wouldn't like to…
Reason Time You a mi sista, yeah Mi a yu bradda God love us…
Satta There is a land, far far away Where there's no night,…
Satta - Amassa - Gana There is a land far far away Where there's no night,…
Satta A Masagana There is a land, far far away Where there's no night,…
Satta Amassa Gana There is a land far far away Where there's no night,…
Satta Masagana There is a land, far far away Where there's no night,…
Satta Massa Gana There is a land, far far away Where there's no night,…
Satta Massagana There is a land, far far away Where there's no night,…
Shadrach Meshach and Abendigo Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego Working dead to be thrown in…
The Good Lord People, people can't you see and know What is really going…
The Right Look, oh Lord, they brought us down here Have us…
There Is No Dub Yes, my friend This is not the end You've got…
There Is No Dub (There Is No E There is no end lyrics Yes, my friend This is not the…
This Land Is for Everyone This land.. is for everyone. And I and I have prove,…
This Land Is For Everyone - 2002 Remaster This land. is for everyone. And I and I have prove,…
Thunderstorm There is a land far, far away Where there's no night,…
Thunderstorm (Satta Massa Gana There is a land, far far away Where there's no night,…
Wicked Men Here come some wicked men Coming fe hurt me and me…
Y Mas Gan Yim mas gan ulaghize Let him be praised continually Khibil…
Y Mas Gan Dub Yim mas gan ulaghize Let him be praised continually Khib…
Yi Mas Gan Yim mas gan ulaghize Let him be praised continually Khibil…
Zion I We walk, we walk fe forward on a yard …
Zion I Dub We walk, we walk fe forward on a yard We…
The lyrics are frequently found in the comments by searching or by filtering for lyric videos
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@karendobson9455
There is a land far far away, where there is no night there is only day. Those words alone takes you away spiritually to a higher dimension
@patsiebentley111
For real ! Bless.
@janicekerr520
8⁸⁸⁸no k IMOno@@patsiebentley111
@ikongchin3088
Classic from my boyhood friend BERNARD COLLINS N THE ABYSSINIANS. JAH BLESS.N GUIDE
@autiacrump5479
Listening this chune on repeat...it's 2023...Reggae the only music to match my heart beat💯✊🏾✊🏾🔥🔥🔥
@ikongchin3088
LOVE.that REGGAE TO MATCH YOUR HEARTBEAT. BLESSED LOVE TO ALL JAH PEOPLE UPON HIS EARTH
@wendybarrington3434
I only heard this version today... 10/10/2023 ..9.15am... and it's gonna be my tune for the day.... Sorry London Neighbours 🎉😅🎤🙏🏾💓🌹🎙️⭐
@themrblake876
Music and horns arranged by the great Leroy Sibbles.🔥🔥🔥
@tasheenafrancis538
Rest in eternal peace my baby daddy you bring me in the oldhits world i use to love watching select them tune after tune 😊❤
@shazookeemoon
No other version of this song comes close to this one.