A weh yu ben deh gal, mek me no get nuh tea A weh yu ben deh gal, mek me no get nuh tea Me go a gully, me go a gully Me go a gully, mek yu no get no tea A weh yu go fa gal, mek me no get nuh tea A weh yu go fa gal, mek me no get nuh tea Me go fe wata, me go fe wata Me go fe wata, mek yu no get no tea Wah mek yu tan long gal, wen yu go a gully Wah mek yu tan long gal, wen yu go a gully Me cyan talk a tall, me cyan talk a tall For weh me go do i’ sweeter dan de tea
Bad Mind People
Chorus: I don’t know, I don’t know why some people bad minded so
I don’t know, I don’t know why some people bad minded so If you hol’ yuh head in de air dem sey you fasty and fresh me dear
And if yu friendly wid dem mi love, dem sey a dry yaws yu waan fi scrub
If yu got nuff money fe spen, dem sey a tief yu tief it an den, If yu bruk and out a yu luck, dem sey a witless whey mek yu bruk
If yu single and by yu self, bad minded people sey yu pan shelf And if yu married yu mek big catch, or else de two a oono no match
If yu fat an yu looking well, bad minded people sey yu da swell An if yu maga and looking t’in, dey sey consumption a ride yu skin
If yu dress up and wear good clothes, bad minded people sey yu a pose And if one day yu no change yu frok, dem call yu poting and naked back
If yu go church a Sunday time, dem sey a axe yu da try fe grind And if yu stay home an take a rest, dem sey poor hypocrite im a confess
Chorus: I don’t know, I don’t know why some people bad minded so
I don’t know, I don’t know why some people bad minded so
Before Me Married
Before me married an go hug up mango tree Me we live so me one Before me married an go hug up mango tree Me we live so me one A jus month before las de gal Liza married An she magha yu see Everynight a she one deh a yard She nuh see im till daylight An poor Liza, er husband nuh give er a cent An she ha fe pay de rent She ha fe fine money fe buy food and clothe An fe mine di pickney Rose Me say before mi married an go bite me finga Me we live so me one Me say before mi married an go bite me finga Me we live so me one Me say before mi married an go bite me finga Me we live so me one Me say before mi married an go bite me finga Me we live so me one
Brown Girl in the Ring
Dere is a brown girl in the ring tra la la la la A brown girl in the ring tra la la la la la Dere is a brown girl in the ring tra la la la la Shi luk lakka sugar and a plum (Plum Plum)
Show mi yu motion tra la la la la Show mi your motion tra la la la la la Show mi your motion tra la la la la Show mi your motion tra la la la la la Shi luk lakka sugar and a plum (Plum Plum)
Skip across the ocean tra la la la la Skip across the ocean tra la la la la la Skip across the ocean tra la la la la Skip across the ocean tra la la la la la Shi luk lakka sugar and a plum (Plum Plum)
Stand before your lover tra la la la la Stand before your lover tra la la la la la Stand before your lover tra la la la la Shi luk lakka sugar and a plum (Plum Plum)
Dere is a brown girl in the ring tra la la la la A brown girl in the ring tra la la la la la Dere is a brown girl in the ring sha la la la la Shi luk lakka sugar and a plum (Plum Plum)
De Ribba Ben Come Dung
De ribba ben come dung, de ribba ben come dung De ribba ben come dung and me couldn come ova
Chorus: Wah oh, wah oh, wah oh an how you come ova
Me look in a de wata, me look in a de wata Me look in a de wata, see grangi, grange Me get piece a dealboard, me get piece a dealboard Me get piece a dealboard me trow i pan de wata Me jump pan de dealboard, me jump pan de dealboard Me jump pan de dealboard, me jump pan de banking
Chorus: Wah oh, wah oh, wah oh an how you come ova
Me glad yu come ova, me glad yu come ova Me glad yu come ova de dutty wata Wah oh, wah oh, wah oh, me glad yu come ova.
Dip an Fall Back
Chorus: Dip an fall back, dip an fall back
My advice there is nothing nice Like the dip an fall back
Now when the war was ovah an everything was scare An man was experimenting wid tings to fill dem space We had a lot of food, but de meat was out a stock So to get a blen, we recommend de dip an fall back Some people call it ‘dasheen’, some call it ‘fill mi up’
Some call it ‘rock an fall back’ but mi call it ‘full mi gut’
But how di ting so sweet, and how it mek yu fat Jus buy a tack an larn fe cook de dip an fall back
Yu get a shad or herring, an put it dung fi soak Get a bone dry coconut, yu doan need no pork
Yu grater dung de coconut, an put it on fe bwile Till de custard start sekkle dung pan de coconut ile
Now yu tek de shad or herring, an put in on fe steam Wid de peppa, tomatis, skellion until it form a cream
Now stew beef or mackerel, herring, pork or sprat Can be so sweet, when yu start fe eat de dip an fall back
Yu crush de bwile banana an yu eat it wid de dip Get a mug a bebrige an so yu dip yu sip
And if de war should come yah, an bum begin fed rap A would a face a tank or a long range gun fi mi dip an fall back
Mass John sey ‘tek mi lan, tek mi mule and tek mi dray Tek mi married wife an me tree sweetheart away
Tek away mi house an tek way mi burial spot But don’t skylark or a bus yu head
Fi mi dip an fall back.
Dis Long Time Gal
This long time gal me never see yuh Come mek me hold yuh hand This long time gal me never see yuh Come mek me hold yuh hand
Peel head John Crow sit upon the tree top Pick out the blossom Mek mi hold yuh han Gal Mek mi holdw yuh hand
Long time gal me never see yuh Come mek we walk and talk Long time gal me never see yuh Come mek we walk and talk
Peel head John Crow sit upon the tree top Pick out the blossom Mek mi walk and talk Gal Mek mi walk and talk Gal
Long time gal me never see yuh Come mek we wheel and Jig Long time gal me never see yuh Come mek we wheel and Jig
Peel head John Crow sit upon the tree top Pick out the blossom Mek mi hold wheel and Jig Gal Mek mi hold wheel and Jig Mek mi holdw yuh hand Mek mi hold wheel and Jig Gal Mek mi walk and talk Gal
I woke up with a song in my head that I used to v hear when I was small. Anyone can help.
It goes; everybody wondering why simeon gut so big,a kerosene pan him use fi put him nyam like ten a we..
Sep 23, 2018 Rating
Memory lane by: Reidie dawta
You bring me back my brotha .thank you,my family sitting here with them mouth a ground.mek mi go explain lyrics.
Wellesley's Note Love it! Glad it did my friend. Blessings.
Apr 08, 2017 Rating
Significance of Jamaican folk songs. by: Anonymous
Fantastic job. Keep it up. it's so important that we teach our youth about their heritage and bring back fond memories to those of us scattered around the globe.
Dec 27, 2016 Rating
I enjoyed this! by: Anonymous
Great resource - brings back great memories of the Jamaican Folk Singers and trips to little theatre!
Aug 04, 2015 Rating
I've been looking for something like this... by: Empress Afrika
Wellesley,
This was an awesome resource! These JA Folk Songs bring nothing but smiles to my face. My grandmother taught me Brown Girl in the Ring, so I am going to share this link with her because she knows so many of them. Thanks so much for sharing and keep up the good work Wellesley!
Nov 28, 2014 Rating
Great resource by: Anonymous
A great resource. would love to have the tunes to accompany the lyrics.or a link to U tube if they are on there.
Nov 06, 2014 Rating
Best Jamaican Folk Songs by: Tammy
All these folk songs certainly brought back fond memories of my childhood!!
Oct 21, 2014 Rating
Jamaican Folk Songs. by: Anonymous
This is a great collection. The best I have seen in a long time. Keep our rich heritage going.
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