Long before the Itals were a spark in their producer’s eye, Keith Porter recorded his first hit single, “Hitey Titey”, with the Westmorelites on the Studio One label in 1967. Around 1969, Keith became lead singer for a band named Soul Hermit, backed by Eugene Gray and Wignal Henry on guitars, and Reginald Seewell and Nash on base and drums. They played in numerous entertainment sectors of Jamaica until Owen Sinclair put together a new band in 1971. Called Future Generation, the band was composed of Dalton James and Roy Hilton on drums, Devon Henry on keyboards, Eugene Gray, guitar, Scott on sax, and Keith on vocals. They performed all over Jamaica for X amount of years, singing all styles of music, American R&B and love songs and native Jamaican songs.
Tiring of the club scene around 1975, Keith ran into Ronnie Davis on Orange Street in Kingston and asked him who was auditioning. Ronnie gave him a cassette with a rhythm he’d just had a hit on. “I was so happy with that rhythm I didn’t look any further,” says Keith. “In less than a week I had written Ina Disa Time and came back to Kingston to record it for Lloyd Campbell’s SpiderMan label. Lloyd felt it needed some harmonies with my lead, so Ronnie and I both added harmony parts. There was no intention of forming a group called the Itals; the record first came out as Keith Porter. After the song was on its way to becoming a hit in Jamaica, we all went out to do some promotion. Lloyd, Ronnie, myself and Brian Thomas of RJR were sitting out back in the cantina, when Brian said ‘why not call them the Itals’, because now there was more than one person singing. Everyone liked that name. It sounded good, so all of a sudden, Itals was a group. It was never intentional. I’ve always wondered if the name was the result of Brian noticing how strict I was about the food I ate, strictly Ital.”
Campbell quickly repressed the record as ‘the Itals’ to meet demand. Today the song remains the Itals' signature tune, and has been described by Keith Richards of the Rolling Stones as “the perfect reggae track”. It is included on the Rolling Stones’ Artist Choice cd, released in 2003, available through Starbucks Coffee from Hear Music, a division of EMI, and in selected major chains.
The success of "Ina Disa Time" saw the group return to the studio with the addition of Lloyd Ricketts singing a third harmony part on a series of superb recordings for the SpiderMan label. Tunes like "Don't Wake The Lion," "Brutal," and "Temptation" followed on 7” release in Jamaica and New York in ’77 and ‘78, establishing the Itals among the best Jamaican singers and songwriters. The Itals were twice finalists in the Jamaica Festival Song Competition, and their 1981 tune, "Jamaican Style," earned them a place at Reggae Sunsplash that year. 1982 saw the release of the first Itals' album, "Brutal Out Deh" on Nighthawk Records. The Itals toured the US and Canada backed by the Roots Radics. Their second album, "Give Me Power," was released to critical acclaim and hit #1 on CMJ's Reggae Route chart. In 1985, Pollstar Magazine placed them in the top 100 artists of the year.
Their third album, "Early Recordings," gathers together all the Itals' early singles and several rare pre-Itals tracks for a collector's feast from Nighthawk. The Itals' fourth recording, "Rasta Philosophy," won a Grammy nomination for best reggae album in 1987, followed by "Cool And Dread." Next came the Rhythm Safari album “Easy to Catch”, followed by “Modern Age” on Ras Records, and continued touring throughout the U.S., Canada and Europe. With the release of “Mi Livity,” in 2003, Mr. Porter steps a little further out front and demonstrates why good reggae music allows no labels or limitations.
Over the years, the Itals have performed countless shows worldwide. Although the background harmonies sometimes change, they always sound as sweet as ever, backing the original Itals lead vocalist, Keith Porter. Now, Let Dem Talk reunites the original Itals, Keith Porter, Ronnie Davis, David Isaac and later addition, Kada Porter, Keith's daughter.
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Don't Blame It On Me
The Itals Lyrics
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Against your brother, sister,
Or even your greatest enemy
And if you do it, don't blame it on me,
Don't blame it on me, oh no
Don't blame it on me,
Don't blame it on me at all
Back arise in poverty,
Jah Jah let them rule my destiny
'Cause I've never yet dipped my hand in iniquity
Don't blame it on me
Don't try to belittle me
So a one thing can so easy
And these are the words of prophecy
What will be is got to be
Don't blame it on me, don't blame it on me
I'm not of that quality
Don't blame it on me, don't blame it on me
Poverty 'cause people to live in misery
Sometime let them forget dem history
Tell them equal rights and justice stand for one and all
And I will never ever like to see my brethren fall
There's a long book of life
And it's wide open
And whosoever name is not written there
Whosoever name is not written there
Sorry for you oh yea
Sorry for you oh I yea
Don't blame it on me.
Don't try to belittle me.
So a one thing can so easy and these are
The words of prophecy
What will be is got to be
Don't blame it on me. Don't blame it on me;
I'm not of that quality
Don't blame it on me.
Don't blame it on me.
The Itals's song, Don't Blame It on Me, is a powerful message about taking responsibility for one's actions and not placing the blame on others. The song begins by emphasizing the importance of not harboring envy towards others, including one's own enemies. It encourages listeners to take responsibility for their own actions and not to blame others for their mistakes. The lyrics also express the idea that one's circumstances in life do not define them, as the singer, despite coming from poverty, has never engaged in wrongdoing.
The song stresses the importance of treating others with equality and justice, and the consequences of not doing so. The lyrics also urge people not to forget their history, and to acknowledge that every individual has the potential to succeed, regardless of their current situation. The song's message aligns with Rastafarian beliefs and values, which emphasize the importance of self-accountability, compassion, and social justice.
Line by Line Meaning
You should never keep any envy against your brother, sister, or even your greatest enemy
Never hold grudges against anyone, not even those closest to you or those you dislike
And if you do it, don't blame it on me, don't blame it on me, oh no
You are responsible for your own actions and cannot shift blame onto others
Though I might be from worlds of poor, back arise in poverty, Jah Jah let them rule my destiny
Even if I come from a poor background and faced difficult circumstances, I believe in a higher power controlling my fate
'Cause I've never yet dipped my hand in iniquity, don't blame it on me, don't try to belittle me
I have never engaged in immoral or unethical behavior, so do not accuse me of wrongdoing or underestimate me
So a one thing can so easy and these are the words of prophecy, what will be is got to be
Things can happen quickly and easily, and sometimes the outcome is predetermined by fate
Poverty 'cause people to live in misery, sometime let them forget dem history
Poverty leads to suffering, and sometimes people forget their past struggles and hardships
Tell them equal rights and justice stand for one and all, and I will never ever like to see my brethren fall
Everyone deserves equal treatment and opportunities, and I do not want to see my fellow humans suffer or fail
There's a long book of life and it's wide open, and whosoever name is not written there, sorry for you oh yea
Life is long and unpredictable, and those who do not make the right choices may suffer the consequences
Don't blame it on me. Don't try to belittle me
I am not responsible for your problems, and do not underestimate me or my abilities
I'm not of that quality, don't blame it on me, don't blame it on me at all
I do not possess the negative traits you are assigning to me, so do not blame me for your problems or mistakes
Lyrics © SUELION MUSIC, Spirit Music Group
Written by: ALVIN HENRY PORTER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind