They recorded for the major Jamaican producers at the time, including Coxsone Dodd of Studio One fame. The Heptones had a number of Jamaican hits for Studio One, including "Pretty Looks Isn't All", "Fattie Fattie" and "I Hold the Handle." They went on to record with Joe Gibbs, Harry J (Harry Johnson), and Rupie Edwards. In 1977, they recorded "Party Time" for Lee Perry, one of Perry's finest productions, which included a version of Bob Dylan's "I Shall Be Released."
Sibbles left the group in 1977 to start a successful solo career. He was replaced by Naggo Morris. After Sibbles left, the group's popularity waned. The original trio reunited in 1995 and released Pressure! produced by Tappa Zukie
Sufferer's Time
The Heptones Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And I and I no reach high oh yeah
Fe we time, fe we time
Dis a sufferer's time
Fe we time, children, fe we time
Dis a sufferer's time
A time fe sufferer's live it up
A time fe sufferer's drive big car
A time fe sufferer's live it up
Fe we time, fe we time
Dis a sufferer's time
Fe we time, children, fe we time
Dis a sufferer's time
Now that rasta ???
Time fe rasta ???
Now that dreadlocks ???
Time fe dreadlocks ???
Because
Fe we time, oh lord, fe we time
Dis a sufferer's time
Fe we time, children, fe we time
Dis a sufferer's time
Four hundred years of colonialism
And I and I no get high oh yeah
I and I no reach high oh yeah
‘Cause too much ism and skism, children
Too much ism and skism
Too much ism and skism, taking over
Too much ism and skism
A so we stay
A so we go
A so we stay
A so we go
A so we stay
A so we go
A so we stay
A so we go
Fe we time, fe we time
Dis a sufferer's time
Fe we time, children, fe we time
Dis a sufferer's time
A time fe sufferer's drive big car
A time fe sufferer's live it up
A time fe sufferer's drive big car
A time fe sufferer's live it up
Fe we time, oh lord, fe we time
Stop the ism and skism
Fe we time, children, fe we time
It's a sufferer's time
Fe we time, children, fe we time
Stop the ism and skism
Fe we time, oh lord, fe we time
Dis a sufferer's time
The Heptones's song Sufferer's Time discusses the struggles and hardships faced by the Jamaican people. The lyrics convey the message that despite the passage of time, the difficulties faced by the people remain unchanged. The song begins with the haunting line "time is slippin' away, and I and I no reach high, oh yeah". The lyrics suggest that time is forever moving forward, but progress is elusive for the people of Jamaica.
The chorus, "fe we time, fe we time, dis a sufferer's time", is a call to action. It is an acknowledgement that the current era is a time of great hardship for Jamaica, and that something must be done to alleviate the situation. The repeated line "stop the ism and skism" is a plea for unity and an end to division amongst the people. This is further emphasised by the lines "too much ism and skism, taking over", which suggest that Jamaica is being torn apart by internal conflict.
The third verse refers to the struggles of Rastafarians and those with dreadlocks in society. The mention of Rasta and dreadlocks suggests that the people of Jamaica are not just facing economic hardship, but also social discrimination. The final verse is a bleak indictment of the colonial legacy of Jamaica, as the song laments that "four hundred years of colonialism, and I and I no get high". The song concludes that "sufferer's time" must end, and a brighter future must be forged.
Line by Line Meaning
Time is slippin' away
Time is passing quickly and we are not achieving our goals.
And I and I no reach high oh yeah
We have not been successful and have not achieved what we wanted.
Fe we time, fe we time
This is our time, our moment.
Dis a sufferer's time
This is a time of struggle and hardship.
A time fe sufferer's drive big car
There is a time when even people who are struggling financially can afford luxuries.
A time fe sufferer's live it up
There is a time when even people who are struggling financially can enjoy life to the fullest.
Now that rasta ???
Now that people have embraced Rastafarianism and its values.
Time fe rasta ???
It is the time for Rastafarians to shine and be recognized.
Now that dreadlocks ???
Now that dreadlocks have become a symbol of Rastafarianism.
Time fe dreadlocks ???
It is the time for those who wear dreadlocks to be respected and appreciated.
Because
The following lines give the reason for what was just mentioned.
Four hundred years of colonialism
Colonialism has caused great suffering for centuries.
And I and I no get high oh yeah
Despite efforts to improve our situation, we have not been successful.
‘Cause too much ism and skism, children
The presence of division and conflict among us has made progress difficult and slow.
Too much ism and skism
There is too much division and conflict among us.
Taking over
It is becoming more and more prevalent and problematic.
A so we stay
This is how we live, how we continue to suffer.
A so we go
This is the path we are on, the direction we are headed in.
Stop the ism and skism
We need to put an end to the division and conflict that is hindering progress.
It's a sufferer's time
This is a time of hardship and struggle for us.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: LEE PERRY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
teamjdb
Rest easy Lee "Scratch" Perry.
Elizabeth Hann
[05 July 2022] How sheerly brilliant Lee Perry was...The great Mutator Of Sounds.
Shireen BX
ARKOLOGY ALBUM............. A MASTERPIECE.........SUFFERERS TIME A JEWEL.
Cheikh Tidiane NDAO
@Shireen BX Much much Blessings:)
Jean Julien Randrianasolo
La souffrance de ce monde ma doubles à 200 km , mais pour notre Père 1000 ans c'était un jour, Guide, Love, Blees
Fivio Smoke
😢❤
Leandro Vendramini Vieira
roots!