The Melodians are a Jamaican rocksteady band, formed in the Greenwich Town … Read Full Bio ↴The Melodians are a Jamaican rocksteady band, formed in the Greenwich Town area of Kingston in 1963 by Tony Brevett, Brent Dowe and Trevor McNaughton. Renford Cogle assisted with writing and arranging material. Trevor McNaughton had the idea of putting a group together and contacted the then 14-year-old Tony Brevett (nephew of The Skatalites bassist, Lloyd Brevett), who had already had success in local talent shows. Brevett recruited his friend Brent Dowe and the group was formed, with Brevett taking on lead vocal duties. Bramwell Brown and Renford Cogle also had short stints in the group in its early days, and Cogle became one of the group's main songwriters.

The group recorded some material with Prince Buster before Ken Boothe introduced them to Coxsone Dodd's Studio One label where in 1966 they recorded "Lay It On" (one of the first records to reflect the shift from ska to rocksteady), "Meet Me", "I Should Have Made It Up" and "Let's Join Hands (Together)". Lead vocal duties were now shared between Brevett and Dowe. From 1967 to 1968 they had a number of hits on Duke Reid's Treasure Isle label, including "You Have Caught Me", "Expo 67", "I'll Get Along Without You", and "You Don't Need Me". After recording "Swing and Dine" for record producer Sonia Pottinger, they had further hits with "Little Nut Tree" before recording their biggest hit, "Rivers of Babylon" for Leslie Kong. This song became an anthem of the Rastafarian movement, and was featured on the soundtrack of the movie The Harder They Come. In the early 1970s Brevett also recorded as a solo artist, having his greatest success with "Don't Get Weary". After Kong's death in 1971, they recorded for Lee Perry and Byron Lee's Dynamic Studios. In 1973, Brent Dowe left the group for a solo career. The group reformed briefly a few years later, and again in the early 1980s.

The Melodians regrouped again in the 1990s as part of the roots revival. In 1992 they recorded "Song of Love", which was issued on the Tappa Zukie label. Throughout the later 1990s they continued touring internationally, including appearing at the Sierra Nevada World Music Festival in California in 2002. In 2005 The Melodians embarked on a West Coast tour.

The death of Tony Brevett in 2013 left McNaughton as the only surviving original member. McNaughton toured as a solo artist in 2014 and subsequently recruited Taurus Alphonso (formerly of the Mellow Tones) and Winston Dias (formerly of The Movers) to form a new Melodians line-up. As of February 2015, the group were recording a new album in Florida with producer Willie Lindo. The Return of the Melodians was released in May 2017 and went on to reach no. 19 on the Billboard Reggae Albums chart.

In February 2017, the Melodians received an 'Iconic Award' from the Jamaica Reggae Industry Association (JaRIA).

Brent Gayford Dowe (29 June 1946 - 29 January 2006) after a rehearsal in preparation for a performance to take place the following weekend at the Jamaican Prime Minister’s residence, Brent Dowe suffered a fatal heart attack at the age of 59. The remaining original members Tony Brevett and Trevor McNaughton continued touring in Europe and the U.S. backed by the Yellow Wall Dub Squad.

Tony Brevett (1949 - 25 October 2013) died from cancer after being admitted to hospital in Miami in August.

Trevor McNaughton (James Augustus McNaughton, December 16, 1940 - November 20, 2018) was the last surviving original member of the group.

Swing And Dine
The Melodians Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

I can't believe you want to leave so soon
The party's just begun, don't go away-ay
The music is sweet for your dancing pleasure
Hmm ! Baby, have-no-mea-sure
Swing & dine & dance for your money
Swing & dine & dance for your money

Hey, Mr DJ, play this song for me,
Hey, Mr DJ, play this song for me,
The music has got me, rocking my soul,
Oh Lord I pray I'll never grow old
Swing & dine & dance for your money
Swing & dine & dance for your money

Hey, Mr DJ, play this song for me,
Hey, Mr DJ, play this song for me,
The music has got me, rocking my soul,
Oh Lord I pray I'll never grow old

Swing & dine & dance for your money
Swing & dine & dance for your money

Overall Meaning

The Melodians’s song Swing And Dine is a lively, upbeat tune that invites its listeners to enjoy the party and dance all night long. The lyrics express disbelief that someone would want to leave so soon because the party has only just started, and the music is sweet for their dancing pleasure. The singer urges the listener to swing and dine, which is to dance and have a good time while enjoying food and drink. There's even a mention of having no measure, suggesting that people should let loose and have fun without worrying about their actions. The chorus repeats the phrase "swing & dine & dance for your money," emphasizing the importance of enjoying oneself to the fullest.

The second verse is addressed to the DJ, requesting that he plays the song again. The music has got the singer rocking their soul, and they pray that they'll never grow old. They want to enjoy this moment forever and keep the music playing so they can keep dancing. The emphasis on the enjoyment of the music continues here, and the message is clear: don't let the festivities end.

Overall, the song is about the joy of living in the moment and having fun without worrying about tomorrow. It encourages people to let loose and enjoy themselves, and the upbeat tone and catchy chorus make it a perfect addition to any party.

Line by Line Meaning

I can't believe you want to leave so soon
I'm surprised that you already want to go

The party's just begun, don't go away-ay
The celebration has just started, please don't take your leave

The music is sweet for your dancing pleasure
The melody is pleasing to you for dancing

Hmm ! Baby, have-no-mea-sure
Hmm! Baby, the pleasure you're experiencing has no limits

Swing & dine & dance for your money
Swing, have a good meal, and dance as much as you like, you've paid for it

Hey, Mr DJ, play this song for me
Hey, DJ, please play this song for me

The music has got me, rocking my soul
The music has stirred my emotions deeply

Oh Lord I pray I'll never grow old
Oh Lord, I hope I never lose the joy and energy of youth

Swing & dine & dance for your money
Swing, have a good meal, and dance as much as you like, you've paid for it

Hey, Mr DJ, play this song for me
Hey, DJ, please play this song for me

The music has got me, rocking my soul
The music has stirred my emotions deeply