U-Roy's musical career began in 1961 when he began DJing at various sound systems, eventually working with King Tubby. Tubby was then experimenting with his equipment, in the process of inventing dub music. With U-Roy as his most prominent DJ, King Tubby's new sound became extraordinarily popular and U-Roy became a Jamaican celebrity. He recorded Dynamic Fashion Way, his first recording, in 1969 for Keith Hudson and then worked with almost every producer of the island: Lee Perry, Peter Tosh, Bunny Lee, Phil Pratt, Sonia Pottinger, Rupie Edwards, Alvin Ranglin and Lloyd Daley.
In 1970, Jamaican singer John Holt became enamoured of U-Roy's technique. Working with Duke Reid, U-Roy's fame grew through a series of singles, including Wake the Town and "Wear You to the Ball".
U-Roy's success continued throughout the 1970s, most famously with the album Dread in a Babylon with its iconic picture of him disappearing in a cloud of cannabis smoke while holding an enormous pipe, and a song called Chalice in the Palace, fantasising about smoking with Queen Elizabeth II in Buckingham Palace. He had become one of the island's biggest stars by the early 1980s, also garnering significant acclaim in the United Kingdom. His latest album is 2000's Serious Matter.
Man Next Door
U-Roy Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Well I'm talking 'bout
The man that lives next door in my neighborhood
All he do is fuss and fight as I will say
He fuss in the days and fuss in the night
Straight from the top to the very last drop
Like a wood key
Well I'll tell you people
You got to stop destroying and mucking up
There's a man that lives next door
In my neighbourhood
In my neighbourhood
He gets me down
He gets in so late at night
Always a fuss and fight
Always a fuss and fight
All through the night
Armigideon iwah
Said ah one serious iwah
Ah dis 'ya time ah Armigideon time
Yes, yes, I said you haffi mind
Well I'll tell you
I've got to get away from here
And find a quiet place
Said ah one serious iwah
Ah dis 'ya time ah Armigideon time
Well I'll tell you
Hear the pots and pans they fall
Bang against the wall
Bang against the wall
No rest at all
Ah one serious iwah
He gets in so late at night (I tell you on terrible iwah)
Always a fuss and fight (ah dis 'ya time ah Armigideon time)
Always a fuss and fight (well I'll tell you people)
All through the night (you've got to stand, be strong inna Babylon)
It's Armigideon
I've got to get away from here
This is not a place for me to stay
I've got to take my family
And find a quiet place
Yes, ah one dangerous time
Said, I said one terrible iwah
There's a man that lives next door
(What I say is you fi love Jah)
In my neighborhood
In my neighborhood
Well, I tell you 'bout the time come
Ah Gideon time as I was saying
He gets in so late at night
Always a fuss and fight
Always a fuss and fight
All through the night (well I'll tell you)
Gotta get away (ah one terrible iwah)
You gotta get away, now (gotta get away)
Gotta get away (serious time ah come, ah gon' kill you)
You gotta get away, now (gotta get away)
You gotta get away (dangerous time like I was saying)
You gotta get away, now (gotta get away)
But ah anyhow where you go, di human ah kill you
Ah Armigideon time, now
Ah one serious time
I said no more fussing and no fighting
There's a man that lives next door
In my neighbourhood
In my neighborhood
In my neighbourhood (you haffi fit inna this Armigideon)
In my neighbourhood (you haffi ready inna this Armigideon)
In my neighbourhood (head ah go dread inna this Armigideon)
In my neighbourhood (fire ah go bun' inna this Armigideon)
In my neighbourhood (blood ah go run inna this Armigideon)
In my neighbourhood (ah one terrible time, I tell you people)
In my neighbourhood
(Yeah, you got to stand strong and watch weh they do this ting)
In my neighbourhood
(Said, dis ah everyting you do, me seh dat a weh you knew)
In my neighbourhood
(Kill the people now, I tell you, hey)
In my neighbourhood
(Ah one terrible time, yeah)
In my neighbourhood
(Serious iwah)
In my neighbourhood
('Migideon iwah)
(This Armigideon)
The song “Man Next Door” by Santigold and U-Roy talks about a man who lives next door who is constantly fighting and disturbing the peace in the neighborhood. The lyrics describe how the man fusses and fights both during the day and at night, leaving the singer and those around him feeling drained and frustrated. U-Roy speaks of Armigideon time throughout the song, suggesting that the man next door’s behavior is a reflection of the dangerous times in which they live in. He stresses the need to stop destroying and mucking up, indicating that the man next door’s behavior is detrimental to the neighborhood and that it is crucial to find a quiet place away from this Armigideon time.
Throughout the song, U-Roy makes use of Jamaican patois, a language commonly used in Jamaica and other Caribbean countries. The lyrics and the message, while simple, touch on several important themes, including the importance of peace, the need for people to come together, and the power of community in tackling societal problems. The song expresses a sense of frustration and impotence in dealing with the situation, while also offering hope and a call to action to find a way out of the chaos.
Line by Line Meaning
Well I'm talking 'bout
I am referring to
The man that lives next door in my neighborhood
The man who is my neighbor
All he do is fuss and fight as I will say
He is always creating disturbances and brawls
He fuss in the days and fuss in the night
He raises conflicts during daytime and nighttime
Straight from the top to the very last drop
From beginning to end, he causes trouble
Like a wood key
Like he is keyed up and cannot control himself
You got to stop destroying and mucking up
Stop causing destruction
He gets me down
He makes me feel depressed and downhearted
Always a fuss and fight
He is always arguing and fighting
All through the night
All night long
Said ah one serious iwah
This is a serious situation
Ah dis 'ya time ah Armigideon time
This is the time of the Armageddon
Yes, yes, I said you haffi mind
You must be careful
I've got to get away from here
I need to escape this place
Hear the pots and pans they fall
Hear the sounds of clanging pots and pans
Bang against the wall
Hitting the wall with force
No rest at all
No opportunity to rest
What I say is you fi love Jah
You need to love and serve the Lord
Gideon time as I was saying
As I said before, it's Armageddon time
But ah anyhow where you go, di human ah kill you
No matter where you go, humans may harm you
Ah one serious time
This is a highly critical moment
I said no more fussing and no fighting
I say we should stop creating conflicts
In my neighbourhood
Within my community
You haffi fit inna this Armigideon
You need to be able to cope with Armageddon
You haffi ready inna this Armigideon
You need to be prepared for Armageddon
Head ah go dread inna this Armigideon
People will be afraid of Armageddon
Fire ah go bun' inna this Armigideon
There will be fire in Armageddon
Blood ah go run inna this Armigideon
There will be violence in Armageddon
Said, dis ah everyting you do, me seh dat a weh you knew
All of the situations that occur are due to people's choices
Kill the people now, I tell you
People are killing one another now
Ah one terrible time
This is a terrible time
Serious iwah
A serious situation
('Migideon iwah)
It's Armageddon
Lyrics © MUSIC SALES CORPORATION
Written by: Howard Anthony Barrett, John Holt, Tyrone Evans
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@mckinnna
'Man Next Door'.... one of my favourite reggae tunes particularly the Dennis Brown version, but OH my goodness, never heard this brilliant version before..... love it & of course love U-Roy with his amazing distinctive voice.... the father of 'rapping'/toasting! Massive shame U-Roy is no longer with us. Bless him. 🙏 Love the video too.
@leevuong8843
U-Roy rocks. Best talk-over.
@reggaeville
🔥🔥🔥
@leeroberts8114
I've just come across this. I'm a white English Skinhead in the Spirit of '69, Love my Reggae/Rocksteady, so love The Paragons, but....this riddim is HARD!! One Love...
@ryansalas2959
MASTERPIECE 🔥🔥🔥 We U ROY RIP prophet 🇨🇷🇯🇲🔥🔥🖤
@ShannonMac123
Been listening to Santigold since she went by Santogold, but somehow missed this track dropping altogether?! I caught it last weekend in my car and was so stoked. Shoutout KJAC 105.5 Fort Collins Colorado! Rest in paradise, U-Roy <3 <3 <3
@tabou1
Sly & Robbie & the TaXI Gang backing is flawless and sooooooo groovy, love those guys, best band in the world
@kingontv5738
Chuune
@faridaidir3192
Idir mliyi
@putitinder4595
Santigold nice on the track.. Rest w Jah URoy
❤💛💚