'Pipe' and 'Bread' teamed up with two other singers after that, Oswald Downes and Norman Davis, and recorded the single "Gold Digger" for producer, Lloyd "Matador" Daley. From there they went on to work with Coxsone Dodd's famous Studio One label recording label, considered the "Motown" of Jamaica.
They recorded a number of singles there, and were also billed as the Classics, in addition to their Wailing Souls name. In the early 70's, the Souls recorded for Bob Marley's Tuff Gong label, as Pipe and The Pipes. There at Tuff Gong they had hits with "Harbor Shark" and "Back Biter". The groups vocal power, and song writing ability has kept the group in the spotlight, and in 1974 the group changed again when Downes and David left and 'Buddy' Haye rejoined. The 'godfather of reggae', Joe Higgs, also worked with the group in the mid-70's, but left to work with Jimmy Cliff as his musical director on tour.
The group entered another era of their careers as they began work with famed producer "Jo Jo" Hookim and his Channel One label. With Hookim, they recorded more classics like "Things and Times," "Joy With Your Heart," and "Very Well." Shortly after in 1976, Rudolph 'Garth' Dennis one of founding members of Black Uhuru, joined the group.
The Souls then started their own label in 1977 called Massive, and hit with their first singles "Bredda Gravilicious" and "Feel The Spirit." In the early 80's the quartet worked with a number of hot producers including Sly and Robbie recording "Old Broom"on their Taxi Label, "Fire House Rock" for "Junjo" Lawes' Volcano Label, and for producer/singer Linval Thompson.
Their touring and recording continued throughout the 80's. After recording these classic tracks for genius producer King Jammy in 1988-89, the group broke up again, but Pipe and Bread have continued the Wailing Souls on their own throughout the 90's recording (two Grammy nominated albums included) and touring worldwide. 'Garth' Dennis rejoined Black Uhuru to work with them in the early/mid 90's and "Buddy" Haye has taken a leave from singing since.
Sweet Black Angel
Wailing Souls Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Got a pin up girl,
Got a sweet black angel,
Up upon my wall.
Well, she ain't no singer
And she ain't no star,
But she sure talk good,
And she move so fast.
Yeah, de gal in chains,
But she keep on pushin',
Would ya take her place?
She countin' up de minutes,
She countin' up de days,
She's a sweet black angel, woh,
Not a sweet black slave.
Ten little niggers
Sittin' on de wall,
Her brothers been a fallin',
Fallin' one by one.
For a judges murder
In a judges court,
Now de judge he gonna judge her
For all dat he's worth.
Well de gal in danger,
De gal in chains,
But she keep on pushin'
Would you do the same?
She countin' up de minutes,
She countin' up de days,
She's a sweet black angel,
Not a gun toting teacher,
Not a Red lovin' school mom,
Ain't someone gonna free her,
Free de sweet black slave,
Free de sweet black slave.
The lyrics to Wailing Souls' Sweet Black Angel depict the story of a woman of color who is in chains and danger of being judged by a court for a crime presumably committed by her brothers. The singer of the song is a male who has a pin-up girl on his wall, but his real admiration and respect are reserved for the woman he calls his sweet black angel. Although the woman is not a singer or a star, she has powerful words and movements that have captivated the man's admiration. The man urges listeners to take the woman's place and help to free her from the chains that bind her. He emphasizes that the woman is not a slave but a powerful figure deserving of respect and freedom.
The song can be interpreted as a commentary on the injustice and oppression faced by Black people in the United States. The line "Ten little niggers sittin' on de wall, her brothers been a fallin'" refers to the Ten Little Niggers nursery rhyme, which has historically been used in racist and derogatory contexts. The song's depiction of a judge unfairly judging the woman echoes the experiences of many Black people who have been subject to discriminatory sentencing and treatment in the justice system. The song's title, "Sweet Black Angel," is a term that has been used to refer to Black women who have been a source of inspiration and strength in the face of adversity.
Line by Line Meaning
Got a sweet black angel,
I have a poster of a black woman on my wall.
Got a pin up girl,
The woman on my wall is meant to be sexually attractive.
Got a sweet black angel,
Again, I have that same poster of a black woman.
Up upon my wall.
The poster is hung on my wall.
Well, she ain't no singer
The woman in the poster isn't a famous musician.
And she ain't no star,
She's not a celebrity.
But she sure talk good,
She's articulate and has a lot to say.
And she move so fast.
She's full of energy and action.
But the gal in danger,
This black woman in the poster is in peril.
Yeah, de gal in chains,
She is literally restrained or confined in some way, probably as a result of institutional racism.
But she keep on pushin',
Despite her situation, she remains resilient and determined to persevere.
Would ya take her place?
The song asks the listener to imagine being in her shoes and confront the harsh reality of racism and injustice.
She countin' up de minutes,
She's keeping track of time.
She countin' up de days,
She's counting down the days until her liberation or release.
She's a sweet black angel, woh,
The song title again emphasizes the dignity and grace of this black woman who is being brutally mistreated.
Not a sweet black slave.
The song is rejecting the idea that black people are meant to be relegated to servitude and subjugation.
Ten little niggers
This is a reference to an offensive nursery rhyme about black people.
Sittin' on de wall,
The song seems to be invoking this rhyme to imply that black people are being systematically exterminated.
Her brothers been a fallin',
Her fellow black people have been dying or being executed.
Fallin' one by one.
They're dying at an alarming rate.
For a judges murder
One of the reasons this woman is at risk is because she's being falsely accused of murdering a judge.
In a judges court,
Her fate rests with a legal system that is biased against her.
Now de judge he gonna judge her
A white man with power is going to arbitrate the fate of a black woman who has none.
For all dat he's worth.
He's going to use his influence to punish her as harshly as he possibly can.
Not a gun toting teacher,
The song is rejecting the stereotype of black militants who are violent or abusive.
Not a Red lovin' school mom,
It's also rejecting the stereotype of black radicals who are Communist or Socialist and therefore un-American.
Ain't someone gonna free her,
The song is expressing a sense of desperation and hope that someone will come to this woman's rescue.
Free de sweet black slave,
The song is calling for an end to the oppression and exploitation of black people.
Contributed by Aria O. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Newton
on File For Your Machete
File your machete
Newton
on File For Your Machete
Kindly lyrics
Mnati
on Lawless society (version)
Lawless society its a big tune
thomas
on Cherry Ripe
i really like it coz it reminds me of my high school days