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.
Sufferer's Time
The Upsetters 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 Upsetter's song "Sufferer's Time" reflects on the struggles of the African diaspora, specifically the black community's simultaneous experience of oppression and economic hardship. The song opens with the lyrics "Time is slippin' away/And I and I no reach high oh yeah," which speak to the idea that time is fleeting and opportunities for upward mobility are sparse. The next lines continue the theme, saying "Dis a sufferer's time/Fe we time, children, fe we time." Here, the lyrics suggest that the present moment is one of suffering, and that it is a time for the black community to come together and support one another.
The chorus of the song repeats the phrase "A time for sufferer's drive big car/A time for sufferer's live it up," which is a commentary on the desire for material wealth and status that is present in the black community. The repetition of "Fe we time, fe we time/Dis a sufferer's time" reinforces the idea that the black community is united in their experiences of hardship and that this is a time for solidarity.
The lyrics later shift to a reflection on the impact of colonialism, with the lines "Four hundred years of colonialism/And I and I no get high oh yeah." This suggests that the legacy of colonialism continues to impact the black community's ability to prosper.
Overall, "Sufferer's Time" is a powerful commentary on the black experience and the challenges that come with it. The song uplifts the struggles of the community while also acknowledging the desire for upward mobility and material wealth.
Line by Line Meaning
Time is slippin' away
The time is passing quickly
And I and I no reach high oh yeah
We have not achieved success yet
Fe we time, fe we time
It's our time, our time
Dis a sufferer's time
This is the time for those who suffer
A time fe sufferer's drive big car
It is a time for those who suffer to own luxurious cars
A time fe sufferer's live it up
It is a time for those who suffer to enjoy life
Now that rasta ???
Now that Rastafarians have gained recognition
Time fe rasta ???
It's time for Rastafarians to shine
Now that dreadlocks ???
Now that people wear dreadlocks more commonly
Time fe dreadlocks ???
It's time for those with dreadlocks to thrive
Because
The reason for this is
Four hundred years of colonialism
For four centuries, we have been under colonial rule
I and I no get high oh yeah
We have not achieved true freedom yet
‘Cause too much ism and skism, children
Because there are too many divisions and conflicts among people
Too much ism and skism
There is too much conflict between people
Too much ism and skism, taking over
The conflicts are becoming more widespread
A so we stay
This is how we have continued to live
A so we go
This is how we will continue to live
Stop the ism and skism
Put an end to the conflicts among people
It's a sufferer's time
This is the time for those who have suffered
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: LEE PERRY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Clarence Wright
That sound that Lee Perry gave us was so beautiful for reggae music, Notice the Barrett brothers, the original makers of reggae music
joneyri
Barrets no there anymore, Bass Boris Gardener(or Lerot Sibbles)Dryms Mikey Boo
Elizabeth Tapia
Simplemente hermosa!!!!!
Desde México 🇲🇽
sye lee
Love this song brought a new look out to life for me .....thank you
Stephen Whittle
Just can't decide whether to listen to vocal or version? No problem: take both! Heptones peerless harmonizing, and The Upsetter in unstoppable form at the desk. :-)
bongosero11
this issss music !! this is reggae music!!!
Ben Mayhew
Unbelivable ,The Upsetter conjured such music on a simple 4 track music maker with more technology available on a Nokia 3310 moblile phone
martin1984
respect from poland