Midnight Ravers
The Wailers Lyrics


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(You can't tell the woman from the man)
No, I say you can't, 'cause they're dressed in the same pollution
(Dressed in the same pollution)
Their mind is confused with confusion
With their problems since they've no solution
They become the midnight ravers

Someone say (please, don't let me down!)
Oh, please, don't let me ee-ya-bab, oh, please don't let me down!
(Midnight) midnight ravers (ravers), midnight ravers!
(Please don't) oh, please, please
Don't let me down, down, down, down, down!
Don't let me down
Don't let me down

I see ten thousand chariots (ah-ah-ah-ah)
And they coming without horses (coming without horses)
The riders, they cover their face (ah-ah-ah-ah)
So you couldn't make them out in smoky place (make them out in smoky places)
In that musical stampede, where everyone is doing their thing
Musical stampede, people swingin'
Musical stampede, someone say
People, ride on! (Keep a-ridin'!)
(Keep a-ridin'!) ride on!
(Keep a-ridin' midnight ravers!)
People, ride on! (Keep a-ridin'!)
(Keep a-ridin' ridin'!) ride on!
(Keep a-ridin' midnight ravers!)

I can't tell my woman from the man
She is dressed in the same pollution (dressed in the same pollution)
Her mind is confused with confusion
To my problem seems there's never, never no solution!

I've become a night-life raver
And I'm beggin' you, (please) please, please
Oh, beel-ya-ba-ba, please don't ya let me down!

(Night-life ravers) night-life ravers! Night-life ravers!
Oh, please, please, please, please, don't let me down
Don't let me down
Don't let me down!

I see ten thousand chariots (ah-ah-ah-ah)
And they coming without horses (coming without horses, yeah)
The riders they cover their face (ah-ah-ah-ah)
So you couldn't make them out in smoky place (make them out in smoky place)
In that musical stampede, oh!
It's the musical stampede. Ride on!
It's the musical stampede, some preacher say

People ride on! (Keep a-ridin'!)
(Keep a-ridin'!) Ride on!
(Keep a-ridin', midnight ravers!)
A-ride on! (Keep a-ridin'!)
(Keep a-ridin'!) Ride on!
(Keep a-ridin', midnight ravers!)
Ride on, y'all! (Keep a-ridin'!)
(Keep a-ridin'!) Ride on!
(Keep a-ridin', midnight ravers!)
Ride on! (Keep a-ridin'!)
(Keep a-ridin'!) don't let me down, midnight ravers!
(Keep a-ridin'!)
Midnight ravers, don't let me down! (Keep a-ridin'!)
Don't let me down, don't let me down! (Keep a-ridin'!)




Well, I'm comin' (keep a-ridin'!)
I got too much problems, midnight ravers!

Overall Meaning

The Wailers' song Midnight Ravers is a commentary on the confusion and chaos of urban life. The opening lines express the difficulty of distinguishing between people in the polluted city; their minds are also confused by their problems with no apparent solutions. The refrain "midnight ravers" implies that these people seek refuge from their problems through wild, uninhibited nightlife.


The second verse introduces the image of ten thousand chariots coming without horses, a metaphorical representation for countless people crowding the city streets without clear direction or purpose. The stampede-like music that follows reinforces this feeling of chaos and confusion. Despite these problems, the singer appears to ask for the party to continue, requesting not to be let down by the music and the crowd.


Overall, the song captures the feelings of desperation and confusion that can characterize city life, especially for marginalized or oppressed communities. The "midnight ravers" seek escape and release from their problems, but ultimately find themselves caught up in the same cycles of struggle and frustration.


Line by Line Meaning

You can't tell the woman from the man
The pollution they're dressed in makes it difficult to differentiate gender


Their mind is confused with confusion
They are extremely troubled and disoriented mentally


With their problems since they've no solution
They are overwhelmed by their problems, with no solutions in sight


They become the midnight ravers
As a result, they resort to staying up late and partying all night


Oh, please, don't let me ee-ya-bab, oh, please don't let me down!
A plea to not be disappointed or let down


I see ten thousand chariots (ah-ah-ah-ah)
A reference to a vision or hallucination


And they coming without horses (coming without horses)
The chariots defying the laws of physics and logic


So you couldn't make them out in smoky place (make them out in smoky places)
The riders of these chariots being impossible to recognize in a hazy environment


In that musical stampede, where everyone is doing their thing
A chaotic and anarchic atmosphere of people partying and enjoying themselves


Musical stampede, people swingin'
The wild and frenetic dancing of the people in the party


People, ride on! (Keep a-ridin'!)
An encouragement to keep having fun and let loose


I can't tell my woman from the man
The pollution they're dressed in confuses the artist in identifying their partner's gender


To my problem seems there's never, never no solution!
The singer expressing a sense of hopelessness in solving their issues


And I'm beggin' you, (please) please, please
The singer pleading with someone to not let them down


I see ten thousand chariots (ah-ah-ah-ah)
A continuation of the vision/hallucination referenced earlier


It's the musical stampede. Ride on!
The wild partying atmosphere continues


People ride on! (Keep a-ridin'!)
Encouraging everyone to keep having fun and enjoying themselves


Ride on, y'all! (Keep a-ridin'!)
A final encouragement to keep having fun and dancing


Well, I'm comin' (keep a-ridin'!)
The singer joining in the partying


I got too much problems, midnight ravers!
Despite joining in, the artist is still weighed down by their problems




Lyrics ยฉ Peermusic Publishing
Written by: BOB MARLEY

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Most interesting comments from YouTube:

@cristobelbren5400

Do-do-do. do-do-do. do-do-do.
No, i say you can't, 'cause they're dressed in the same pollution;
Their mind is confused with confusion
With their problems since they've no solution:
They become the midnight ravers.
Someone say:
Oh, please, don't let me - ee-ya-bab, oh, please don't let me down!
(Midnight) midnight ravers! (ravers) midnight ravers!
(Please don't) oh, please, please,
Don't let me down, down, down, down, down!
Don't let me down;
Don't let me down.
I see ten thousand chariots (ah-ah-ah-ah)
And they coming without horses; (coming without horses)
The riders - they cover their face, (ah-ah-ah-ah)
So you couldn't make them out in smoky place -
In that musical stampede, where everyone is doing their thing.
Musical stampede



@ninjah3952

TRADUCTION EN FR
(Tu ne peux pas distinguer les femmes des hommes)
Non, je dis que tu ne peux pas
Parce que tous portent les mรชmes fringues polluรฉes
Leur esprit se confond en confusion
A leurs problรจmes il nโ€™y a plus de solution
Ils deviennent des รฉgarรฉs de minuit
Quelqu'un dit : ยซ (S'il vous plaรฎt, ne me laissez pas tomber!)
Oh, s'il vous plaรฎt, ne me laissez pas - ee-ya-bab, oh, s'il vous plaรฎt, ne me laissez pas!
Egarรฉs de minuit ! (S'il vous plaรฎt, ne le faites pas)
Oh, s'il vous plaรฎt, s'il vous plaรฎt
Ne me laissez pas tomber, bas, bas, bas, bas!
Ne me laissez pas tomber !
Ne me laissez pas tomber ! ยป

Je vois dix mille chars
Et ils arrivent sans chevaux
Les cavaliers - ils se couvrent le visage
Alors tu ne peux pas les reconnaitre en lieu enfumรฉ
Dans cette ruรฉe musicale, oรน chacun fait ce quโ€™il a ร  faire
La ruรฉe musicale ! Les gens tanguent
La ruรฉe musicale !
Quelqu'un dit :
ยซMontez, les gens ! (Nโ€™arrรชtez pas de monter!)
(Nโ€™arrรชtez pas de monter!) Montez !
(Nโ€™arrรชtez pas de monter!) Egarรฉs de minuit !
Montez ! (Nโ€™arrรชtez pas de monter !)
(Nโ€™arrรชtez pas de monter!) Montez !
(Nโ€™arrรชtez pas de monter!) Egarรฉs de minuit ! ยป

Je ne peux pas distinguer ma femme des hommes
Elle porte les mรชmes fringues polluรฉes
Son esprit se confond en confusion
A mes problรจmes il semble nโ€™y avoir aucune solution !
Je deviens un รฉgarรฉ nocturne
Et je vous supplie : (s'il vous plaรฎt) s'il vous plaรฎt, s'il vous plaรฎt โ€“
oh, beel-ya-ba-ba - s'il vous plaรฎt, ne me laissez pas tomber !
(Egarรฉ nocturne) Egarรฉ nocturne ! Egarรฉ nocturne !
Oh, s'il vous plaรฎt, s'il vous plaรฎt, s'il vous plaรฎt, ne me laissez pas tomber !
Ne me laissez pas tomber !
Ne me laissez pas tomber !

Je vois dix mille chars
Et ils arrivent sans chevaux
Les cavaliers - ils se couvrent le visage
Alors tu ne peux pas les reconnaitre en lieu enfumรฉ
Cโ€™est la ruรฉe musicale !
Oh, cโ€™est la ruรฉe musicale ! Montez !
Cโ€™est la ruรฉe musicale !
Un prรชcheur dit :
ยซ Montez, les gens! (Montez, les gens!)
(Montez, les gens!) Montez !
(Montez, les gens!) Egarรฉs de minuit !
Montez ! (Montez, les gens!)
(Montez, les gens!) Montez !
(Montez, les gens!) Egarรฉs de minuit !
Montez, vous tous ! (Montez, les gens!)
(Montez, les gens!) Montez !
(Montez, les gens!) Egarรฉs de minuit !
Montez ! (Montez, les gens!) ยป
(Montez, les gens!) Ne me laissez pas tomber, รฉgarรฉs de minuit !
(Montez, les gens!) Egarรฉs de minuit, ne me laissez pas tomber ! (Montez, les gens!)
Ne me laissez pas tomber - ne me laissez pas tomber ! (Montez, les gens!)
Bien, jโ€™arrive maintenant !
Jโ€™ai trop de problรจmes



@Nicolasdominguezcuencaecu

2024๐ŸŽ‰ Jah U always will guide us


Can't tell the woman from the man
No, I say you can't 'cause they dressed in the same pollution (they dressed in the same pollution)
And then their mind is confused with confusion (with confusion)
To their problems seems that never, never no solution
They become the midnight ravers
Someone say please, don't let me down (still a ba-bup, please don't you let me down)
Oh, midnight raver (midnight raver)
Oh, midnight raver (midnight raver)
Oh, please, don't you let me down
Yeah
And I see ten thousand chariots
And they coming without horses (and they coming in without horses yeah)
And then the riders they cover their face
So you couldn't make them out in smoky place (cover them with smoky faces)
In that musical stampede
Musical stampede
It's musical stampede
Oh, people ride on (people ride on, ride on)
Ride on (people riding on, I, I keep on riding on)
Ride on, you are a Midnight raver (keep on riding on, I, I keep on riding on)
Ride on, you are a Midnight raver
'Cause I can't tell my woman from a man
She is dressed in the same pollution
And then her mind is confused with confusion
To my problem seems there's never, never, no solution
I become a Night life raver
And I'm begging you (please, don't let me down)
Still a ba-bup, please don't you let me down
Night-life raver
Oh, oh, Night-life raver
Oh, please, don't you let me down
Yeah
No, no, no
Oh, there's a musical stampede
It's musical stampede (ride on)
Musical stampede (somebody check it)
People ride on (people ride on)
Ride on (keep on riding on, I, I keep on riding on)
You are a Midnight-raver (keep on riding on, I, I keep on riding on)
Ride on, you are a Midnight-raver



All comments from YouTube:

@guledsm

85 year old and still jamming with this song, Midnight Ravers!!!

@rachelmiller2719

Here's to 85 moreโค๏ธ

@bobbydigitaltraining1772

Jah bless ๐Ÿ’ฏ๐Ÿ’ช๐Ÿพ

@simonpierre6716

Reggae no have no age... blessings

@beksbeks7072

Respect to you man..one love

@sauaabreu8433

@@simonpierre6716 ,,

P

5 More Replies...

@eroningle1531

Hands down one of the best albums ever.

@coreybowen2352

U might be on to something with that statement beloved brother ๐Ÿ˜Š

@anthonyinsani9914

No doubt man.. for sure.

@JMeara

One of my favorite bass lines. Family man is criminally underrated.

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