The reggae vocalist trio formed 1969 in Kingston, Jamaica by lead vocalist … Read Full Bio ↴The reggae vocalist trio formed 1969 in Kingston, Jamaica by lead vocalist Donald "Tabby" Shaw, and Fitzroy "Bunny" Simpson and Lloyd "Judge" Ferguson. They had major success 1976 with the hit Right Time. The trio continued to produce hits in later years, e.g. the classic Pass The Kouchie (1982). That song was covered by the English group Musical Youth, known as the international hit Pass The Dutchie. Similar groups are The Heptones, The Gladiators.
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Mighty Diamonds are a Jamaican trio who had major success during the 70's at the 'Channel One' studio and record label at Maxfield Avenue, Jamaica.
Despite their heyday at Channel One, the trio continued to produce sublime work in later years, notably for 'Gussie Clarke' with the classic 'Pass The Kouchie' which rode an updated cut of an old Studio One instrumental called 'Full Up'. The tune was also covered by the English group 'Musical Youth' but was known as 'Pass The Dutchie'.

Heads of Government
The Mighty Diamonds Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Ooooh noooo you are the one no one no one
Ain't no place that you can go
Where the badness do not flow

You hafe run like beast of the East
You hafe chuck like you're ace of the West
You hafe wrath when your boss turn North
Down South you hafe run up your mouth

Heads of government are friends
So why can't you and I be friends

So remember when we were in school
We used to play till we almost fools
And there will come lunch time
How we used to stand in line

You hafe run like beast of the East
You hafe chuck like you're ace of the West
You hafe wrath when your boss turn North
Down South you hafe run up your mouth
Oooh yeah now, uuuh it serious
Oooh yeah

So remember when we were in school
We used to play till we almost fools
And there will come lunch time
How we used to stand in line
There ain't no place that you can go
Where the badness do not flow

You hafe run like beast of the East
You hafe chuck like you're ace of the West
You hafe wrath when your boss turn North
Down South you hafe run up your mouth

Heads of government are friends
So why can't you and I be friends

So remember when we were in school
We used to play till we almost fools
And there will come lunch time
How we used to stand in line

You hafe run like beast of the East
You hafe chuck like you're ace of the West
You hafe wrath when your boss turn North
Down South you hafe run up your mouth

Heads of government are friends
So why can't you and I be friends
There's no place that you can go

---INSTRUMENTAL---

Overall Meaning

The song "Heads of Government" by The Mighty Diamonds speaks to the universal concept of friendship and peace, urging people to put aside their differences and end conflict. The repeated refrain, "Heads of government are friends, so why can't you and I be friends?", highlights the fact that even leaders who were once adversaries can resolve their differences and become allies.

The opening lines of the song, "Ooooh noooo you are the one no one no one / Ain't no place that you can go / Where the badness do not flow", suggest that negativity and conflict are ubiquitous and inescapable. The following verses present different scenarios in which the singer has either been aggressive or confrontational, emphasizing the futility of such actions. The lines "You hafe run like beast of the East / You hafe chuck like you're ace of the West / You hafe wrath when your boss turn North / Down South you hafe run up your mouth" suggest that the singer has tried to outrun or overpower others, but has ultimately failed to achieve the desired outcome.

The song then harks back to a simpler time – childhood – when friendships were easily made and maintained. The lines "So remember when we were in school / We used to play till we almost fools / And there will come lunchtime / How we used to stand in line" evoke feelings of nostalgia and innocence, contrasting sharply with the harsh realities of adulthood. The final instrumental section, without any lyrics, seems to provide listeners with a moment of reflection and contemplation, allowing the soulful melody to evoke emotions and encourage empathy.

Line by Line Meaning

Ooooh noooo you are the one no one no one
You are alone, no one is with you.

Ain't no place that you can go Where the badness do not flow
There is no place where negativity does not exist.

You hafe run like beast of the East You hafe chuck like you're ace of the West You hafe wrath when your boss turn North Down South you hafe run up your mouth
You have made moves like an animal in the East, you have shown confidence like a winner in the West, you have become angry when the situation turned North, and you have talked too much in the South.

Heads of government are friends So why can't you and I be friends
The leaders of countries are friends, so why can't we be friends too?

So remember when we were in school We used to play till we almost fools And there will come lunch time How we used to stand in line
Think back to when we were in school, where we had fun and played until we nearly became fools. And during lunchtime, how we stood patiently in line.

Oooh yeah now, uuuh it serious Oooh yeah
Oh yeah now, things have become serious.

There's no place that you can go
There is nowhere you can escape.

Writer(s): Lloyd Anthony Ferguson

Contributed by Liam I. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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