"King" Yellowman as he is known, is one of the most popular reggae artists … Read Full Bio ↴"King" Yellowman as he is known, is one of the most popular reggae artists to have come from Jamaica. Born as Winston Foster in 1959, in Kingston, Jamaica, he was also an alumnus of the Alpha Boy's school where many reggae artists and musicians got their early musical training. Yellowman, nicknamed for his albino appearance, got his start in the late 1970's as a young DJ (toaster or rapper). He built his early career around the fact that he was an albino, and his audiences accepted him for his self-effacing humor and lyrical cleverness. He won the annual Tastee Talent contest held in Jamaica in 1978, and within a matter of months became a headlining act on Jamaican stage shows. His records were both witty and relevant, and his slack lyrics were as prevalent as the strong social commentary he could record. His first few albums recorded with (the recently late) producer Henry "Junjo" Lawes were released internationally on the UK label, Greensleeves in the early 80's. After Bob Marley's death in 1981, Yellowman became one of the most popular Reggae artists, and the new "dancehall" style that he performed was taking hold in Reggae. He was successful with tours in the UK and US, and in the mid 80's, his success led to a recording contract with CBS/Columbia Records for his album "King Yellowman." His popularity waned a bit in the late 80's but he continued to work hard by releasing an album a year and constantly touring the world gaining new fans. In the early 90's he fought and won a bout with cancer, and today is as strong and fit as ever, performing in front of sold-out crowds on tour 4-5 months per year with his long time backing band, the Sagittarius Band. His last release in 1997, "Freedom Of Speech," on RAS Records gained Yellowman his first Grammy nomination. Here on this all new CD, "Yellow Fever," King Yellow is produced by another member of Reggae royalty, King Jammys.

Oh Carolina
Yellowman Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

There's a cabin in a valley,
My grandpa built on your land.
Your mountains are a canvas,
For the makers hand.

Tonight I'm fishing up a river,
If only in my mind.
No, I haven't seen her banks in such a long, long time.

I carry you in my heart
Your memory comes over me like the dark and

(Refrain)
Like a phone call from my baby,
Sayin' honey I miss ya like crazy.
Like the sound of a siren song,
Oh Carolina, ya keep callin me home.
Callin' me home.

Sometimes I grow weary,
From goin' all the time.
I love to take a minute,
Let you ease my mind.

I'd love to see my mama

Maybe go for a drive
But I gotta play the star in some little town again tonight

Don't get me wrong
I love what I do
It's just another song about missing you

(Refrain)

Callin' me home
Callin' me home
Callin' me home, yeah

Oh, oh, we're almost home

Like a phone call from my baby
Sayin honey I miss ya, I miss ya like crazy
Just like the song of a siren song

Oh Carolina,
Carolina,
Carolina,
Keep callin me home,
Callin' me home,
Callin' me home,
Callin' me home

Carolina,
Carolina,
Keep callin' me home.

Overall Meaning

Yellowman's song "Oh Carolina" is an ode to his home state and all the memories he has associated with it. The lyrics are filled with nostalgia for his childhood and the places he used to visit. The cabin in the valley that his grandpa built on someone else's land seems to be a symbol of his connection to the state, despite not owning any of it. The mountains are described as a canvas, suggesting the beauty and artistry of the natural landscape.

Yellowman goes on to describe a scene where he is fishing in a river, but admits that he is only doing so in his mind because he hasn't been able to visit the river in a long time. The theme of distance and nostalgia for home is reinforced with the refrain "Oh Carolina, ya keep callin me home." No matter where Yellowman is in the world or what he is doing, his home state continues to tug at his heartstrings and beckon him back.

In the second verse, Yellowman mentions that he occasionally grows weary from his travels and would like to take a break and visit his family. However, he acknowledges that being a musician means he has to keep moving and playing shows. The second refrain of the song reinforces the idea that no matter how busy Yellowman gets, he can't forget his home and the memories he has associated with it.

Line by Line Meaning

There's a cabin in a valley, My grandpa built on your land.
My grandfather built a cabin on the land that belongs to you in the valley.

Your mountains are a canvas, For the makers hand.
Your mountains are like a blank canvas, waiting for someone to come and create something beautiful.

Tonight I'm fishing up a river, If only in my mind. No, I haven't seen her banks in such a long, long time.
I'm fishing in my own thoughts and imagination because it's been a long time since I've actually been to the river.

I carry you in my heart Your memory comes over me like the dark
I hold your memory close to my heart and your thoughts come to me as naturally as darkness does.

Like a phone call from my baby, Sayin' honey I miss ya like crazy. Like the sound of a siren song, Oh Carolina, ya keep callin me home.
Your voice is like a sweet phone call from my lover who tells me how much she misses me. Your calling feels like the sound of a siren's song that takes me back to my home, Carolina.

Sometimes I grow weary, From goin' all the time. I love to take a minute, Let you ease my mind.
Sometimes, I get exhausted from traveling so much, and that's when I take some time to relax and let my mind wander to you.

I'd love to see my mama Maybe go for a drive But I gotta play the star in some little town again tonight
I would love to see my mother and go for a ride, but I have to perform as the star in some small town tonight.

Don't get me wrong I love what I do It's just another song about missing you
Don't misunderstand me, I love what I do, but this song is just another way of expressing how much I miss you.

Oh, oh, we're almost home
Oh, we're almost at home.

Like a phone call from my baby Sayin honey I miss ya, I miss ya like crazy Just like the song of a siren song Oh Carolina, Carolina, Carolina, Keep callin me home, Callin' me home, Callin' me home, Callin' me home Carolina, Carolina, Keep callin' me home.
Your sweet phone call feels like my lover saying how much she misses me, and your voice is like a siren song that keeps calling me back to Carolina. You always call me back to my beloved home, Carolina.

Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: JOHN FOLKES

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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