1) The Upsett… Read Full Bio ↴There are at least four bands with the name The Upsetters:
1) The Upsetters was the name given to the house band for Jamaican reggae producer Lee "Scratch" Perry.
2) The Upsetters was the name of Little Richard's backing band playing R&B and rock 'n' roll during the 1950s.
3) The Upsetters was a South African garage rock band active in the 1960s.
4) The Upsetters was a soul band.
1. "The Upsetters" was the name of the studio backing band of Jamaica Reggae producer Lee "Scratch" Perry, a.k.a. "The Upsetter". The members most associated with that name included guitarist Alva Lewis, organist Glen Adams and brothers Aston Barrett and Carlton Barrett on bass and drums respectively, a.k.a. The Hippy Boys. As Lee Perry's studio band, the Upsetters had three distinct line-ups, though, throughout the years 1968-1986.
1968-1969: Gladdy's All Stars with Gladston Anderson and Winston Wright (keyboards), Jackie Jackson (bass), Hugh Malcom and Lloyd Adams (drums). They recorded the UK hits Man from M.I.5, Return of Django and Live Injection. According to Perry, "in a spectacular case of bad timing, the original Upsetters couldn't make the trip" for a tour of Britain. He went with the Hippy Boys instead.
1969-1971: The Hippy Boys included Glen Adams (keyboards), Alva Lewis (guitar), Aston Barrett (bass) and Carlton Barrett (drums). They were collaborating with Bob Marley, Peter Tosh and Bunny Wailer a.k.a The Wailers during that time. Even though Marley and Perry didn't get along very well, musically wise, they laid the foundation of reggae music for years to come with classics like Small Axe, Duppy Conqueror or 400 Years. In the rise to superstardom the bands began to go their separate ways early in 1972. The Barrett brothers, the most creative reggae rhythm section before Sly & Robbie, joined Marley to become known as the new Wailers which Peter Tosh and Bunny Wailer left later on for successful solo careers. As a consequence Perry's Upsetters virtually didn't exist until he built his own Black Ark Studio.
1974-1979: Black Ark Players of which Boris Gardiner (bass), Mikey Richards, Sly Dunbar and Benbow Creary (drums), Earl "Chinna" Smith (guitar), Winston Wright and Keith Stirling (keyboards) can be considered the core of the band. They developed the new psychedelic sound unique to the Black Ark which was impressively captured on albums like Heart Of The Congos or War Ina Babylon.
Perry himself purported that he deliberately burned down the Black Ark one morning in 1983, to eventually turn his back on Jamaican Reggae for good. The story of the Upsetters ends around 1986 and can be told in various different ways.
2. "The Upsetters" was the name of Little Richard's backing band playing R&B and Rock'n'Roll during the 1950s. One of their instrumental tracks is The Strip.
3. The Upsetters was a South African garage rock band active in the 1960s.
4. The Upsetters was a soul band.
Curly Dub
The Upsetters Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
forget about the lyrics just smoke a bowl, dude
forget about the lyrics just smoke a bowl, dude
forget about the lyrics just smoke a bowl, dude
forget about the lyrics just smoke a bowl, dude
forget about the lyrics just smoke a bowl, dude
forget about the lyrics just smoke a bowl, dude
forget about the lyrics just smoke a bowl, dude
The lyrics of The Upsetters' "Curly Dub" encourages someone to "forget about the lyrics just smoke a bowl, dude" repeatedly throughout the song, emphasizing the idea of escaping reality and finding solace in substance abuse. This speaks to the societal issue of relying on drugs to cope with problems or escape from them, rather than facing them head-on. The repetition of this line is also a clever play on words, as it replaces the typical chorus of a song with a literal instruction.
The use of dub reggae in the music also adds to the overall undercutting message of the song. Dub reggae is characterized by heavy use of reverb, echo, and instrumental effects, creating an otherworldly, dream-like quality to the music. This further emphasizes the idea of escaping reality and immersing oneself in a cloud of smoke.
In conclusion, "Curly Dub" by The Upsetters is a commentary on the societal issue of substance abuse as a means of escaping reality. Through the use of repetitive and instructive lyrics, coupled with the dream-like nature of dub reggae music, the song speaks to the idea of finding solace in drugs as a way to cope with issues rather than facing them directly, highlighting the importance of addressing the root cause of such problems.
Line by Line Meaning
forget about the lyrics just smoke a bowl, dude
Don’t worry about understanding the lyrics, simply relax and enjoy with some marijuana.
forget about the lyrics just smoke a bowl, dude
Don’t concern yourself with understanding the lyrics, just relax and enjoy with some marijuana.
forget about the lyrics just smoke a bowl, dude
Don’t focus on understanding the lyrics, just enjoy yourself with some marijuana.
forget about the lyrics just smoke a bowl, dude
Do not worry about comprehending the lyrics, simply relax and enjoy some marijuana.
forget about the lyrics just smoke a bowl, dude
Do not be troubled with understanding the lyrics, just calm down and enjoy some marijuana.
forget about the lyrics just smoke a bowl, dude
Don’t stress about understanding the lyrics, simply kick back and enjoy with some marijuana.
forget about the lyrics just smoke a bowl, dude
Do not overthink about the lyrics, just chill and enjoy with some marijuana.
forget about the lyrics just smoke a bowl, dude
Do not worry about comprehending the lyrics, just unwind and enjoy some marijuana.
forget about the lyrics just smoke a bowl, dude
Don’t give too much thought to understanding the lyrics, simply relax and enjoy with some marijuana.
Contributed by Jordyn P. Suggest a correction in the comments below.