Eleven Long Years
Us3 Lyrics
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Callaloo, di box juice, and di sensimillia
Givin' thanks and praise to almighty jah jah
Glad fi reach now mi safe, mi have fi seen mi father
Di sun it a beat and mi a get well para
'cause a many many tings a di Yoot man now I would like to know
Was he fat, was he slim, did he drink or did he smoke?
These are di type a di tings a weh a di Yoot man a want fi know
[Chorus]
It's been eleven long years since mi seen mi father
Ay ay mi father
Thank God, bless God, mi a go see mi father
Now mi know mi reach know mi know mi safe
Now mi see mi father a come
'cause a many many years since him gone
When him tek a tek a house and land
Fi go better himself, big up himself
For weh him did dream a weh did he plan
'cause di ting I remember di most he was ambitious man
So him build up a house, build up a land, buy up a car and a minivan
Fi go settle himself and a wait fi di day when a Yoot man come along
So everything set, everything fly
Now mi know cool and go blow my mind
Because mi ready fi go see my father
And dat's di only thing upon my mind
The lyrics of "Eleven Long Years" by Us3 tells the story of a man who has returned to Jamaica after many years of absence in order to see his father. He expresses his gratitude for being able to return safely and feel at home again, as he indulges in the local cuisine and the relaxation brought on by smoking sensimillia. The song highlights a longing to reunite with his father after years of separation, asking questions about his father's appearance and habits in anticipation of their reunion.
The chorus of the song emphasizes how long it has been since he has seen his father, exemplifying the distance that has grown between them over time. The verse continues by describing how the father had worked hard to establish a life for himself, building a house, buying a car, and setting the stage for their eventual reunion. The son reminds himself of his father's ambition, his drive to improve his quality of life, and his willingness to wait for his son's eventual return.
Line by Line Meaning
Mi tek off mi land down now in Jamaica
I left my country to go to Jamaica
Callaloo, di box juice, and di sensimillia
I am enjoying the local food, drinks, and marijuana
Givin' thanks and praise to almighty jah jah
I am expressing gratitude and worshiping God
Glad fi reach now mi safe, mi have fi seen mi father
I am happy to have arrived safely and to be able to see my father
Di sun it a beat and mi a get well para
The sun is scorching and I am feeling a bit overwhelmed
'cause a many many tings a di Yoot man now I would like to know
Because there are many things I would like to learn as a young man
Was he fat, was he slim, did he drink or did he smoke?
I am curious about my father's physical appearance and habits
These are di type a di tings a weh a di Yoot man a want fi know
These are the things a young man would like to know
[Chorus]
Refrain
It's been eleven long years since mi seen mi father
It has been a long time since I saw my father
Ay ay mi father
Oh, my father
Thank God, bless God, mi a go see mi father
I am grateful to God for the opportunity to see my father
Now mi know mi reach know mi know mi safe
Now I am sure that I have arrived safely
Now mi see mi father a come
Now I can see my father approaching
'cause a many many years since him gone
Because it has been many years since he left
When him tek a tek a house and land
When he took the opportunity to acquire a house and land
Fi go better himself, big up himself
To improve his life, to build himself up
For weh him did dream a weh did he plan
Because he had a dream and a plan
'cause di ting I remember di most he was ambitious man
Because what I remember the most about him is that he was ambitious
So him build up a house, build up a land, buy up a car and a minivan
So he built a house, acquired land, and bought a car and minivan
Fi go settle himself and a wait fi di day when a Yoot man come along
To establish himself and wait for the day when a young man would come along
So everything set, everything fly
So everything is prepared and running smoothly
Now mi know cool and go blow my mind
Now I can relax and enjoy myself
Because mi ready fi go see my father
Because I am ready to see my father
And dat's di only thing upon my mind
And that is the only thing I am thinking about
Lyrics © Downtown Music Publishing
Written by: GEOFFREY WILKINSON, HERBIE HANCOCK, HORACE SILVER, MEL SIMPSON, ROBERT TAYLOR
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind