This might be a challenging post for some Jamaicans and Bob Marley fans! Good :)
But if you are "challenged", please write a comment-- and tell me what you think Bob is singing about!
Ive talked about this song to friends for years, and how it seems to be dealing with homosexuality and cunnilingus (another Jamaican taboo, sigh... maybe that is another post to deal with this issue! It is definitely a product of Jamaican patriarchy though, clear in the language... songs tell men not to "bow" and advises us to keep our "heads high", because i guess men should not bow to women. I suspect that it may also have something to do with not teaching "your woman" to enjoy "lesbian sex"). For years I sung along to this song, practically thinking it was just a silly, almost nonsensical song really. Then I really listened to the words:
Kinky Reggae by Bob MarleySee what i mean? It looks like Bob put a message out there on these subjects the only way he could so it could be assimilated by a mainstream Jamaican audience, as a cryptic allegory. I remember wondering if Bob was operating from a different usuage of the word "kinky" that would have him declare that this song was "kinky, kinky, kinky as kinky can be", because the song seemed extremely tame sexually. But then, upon a second look, it would seem this really is some Kinky Reggae!
I went downtown
I saw Miss Brown
She had brown sugar
All over her booga-wooga.
I think I might join the fun
But I had to hit and run.
See I just can't settle down
In a kinky part of town.
Ride on;
Don't you know I've got to ride on.
Ride on; see I just can't settle down.
Oh, I'm a leavin' town.
Kinky reggae
Kinky reggae, now!
Kinky reggae; all I've got to say,
kinky reggae, now!
Kinky reggae, oh baby!
Kinky reggae, now!
It's gonna be kinky reggae.
Kinky reggae, now!
An' I would say: ride on, ride on, ride on
Oh, ride on, baby!
Ride on, ride on.
I went down to Piccadilly Circus
Down there I saw Marcus:
He had a candy tar
All over his chocolate bar.
I think I might join the fun,
But I had to hit and run.
See I just can't settle down
In a kinky, kinky part of town.
Nice one; that's what they say,
But I'm leavin' you today.
Oh, darlin', please don't play
Mama say - mama say.
Kinky reggae
Kinky reggae, now!
Take it or leave it!
Kinky reggae
Believe it!
Kinky reggae, now!
Kinky, kinky, kinky as kinky can be ! Reggae! Eh!
Miss Brown has "brown sugar all over her booga-wooga" is clearly a code for being invited to go down on a woman. Some Jamaicans may argue that "boogas" is our slang for sneakers, which is true. But this is booga-wooga thang... think its something else people. Besides, lets remember, the name of the song is "Kinky Reggae"! Not sure Bob was trying to take this to shoe fetishism...
In the song, Bob also muses "i think i might join the fun, but i had to hit and run, see i just can't settle down in a kinky part of town." What is great about this is that Bob actually contemplates accepting the invitation! He has an open mind on the issue. He just knows for himself where the boundaries of his preferences lie.
Ok. Here is the arguably more controversial stanza! Here, Marcus approaches Bob with "candy tar all over his chocolate bar." Woy! Now, this is controversial for multiple reasons. Not only because it is a coded invitation for Bob to perform fellatio, but because, of ALL names to use... Marcus?? Bob, yu well kinky fi true. Anyway, AGAIN Bob actually takes a moment to contemplate accepting the invitation, he doesn't fly off the handle, he calmly mulls it over, which is something a lot of us hetero men DO NOT DO. So much of male hetero posturing is around reflexively reacting with disapproval to male homoerotic situations without actually thinking about it in a deep way. This is where the root of the word homophobia really comes to light. Fear That You Are The Same. Many hetero men cannot tolerate really thinking about these issues for fear of their own sexuality. This fear is then acted out and projected onto queer folks, some of whom may actually have more fully engaged themselves in the quest for knowing oneself. More so than a person who cannot even honestly dialogue about the spectrum of sexuality without starting to feel angry.
Anyways, after some open minded contemplation ("think i might join the fun") Bob again decides that it is not his thing. No violent reaction, just "ride on."
Bob continues, saying "mama say, mama say", which gives testament to the passing on of the conditioning around these issues, which he acknowledges in himself. He concludes with "Take it or leave it! Believe it!" Which is the most beautiful message in the song. An acknowledgment that this "kinkiness" is not for everyone. An invitation to really allow yourself to contemplate where you stand, and if it is for you, take it. If it is not for you, leave it. And leave others alone who choose it. And you best Believe It!
"Take it or leave it" makes so much sense to me in terms of dealing with sexuality, and also as a slogan directed towards actively homophobic people who may be abusive to queer folks. It reminds me of a hilarious bumper sticker I saw that read: "Don't like gay folks? Then don't f**k any!!" That is so perfect. The preoccupation of supposedly hetero folks with what queer folks are doing is a suspect activity. It is bordering on fetishization.
My dad, rest his soul, always maintained that he never understood this preoccupation, this energetic overcompensation. Why care so much about what other people are doing, that has nothing to do with you? I am proud to say that after my dad passed, I found out that he had intervened in a gay bashing in downtown Kingston sometime in his 20's. My sister related it to me as he told her; he apparently came upon a scene with a man getting beaten. My dad, always with a heart that loathed injustice and loved building Jamaican community, shouted for them to stop. The men said in not too kind words that the man was gay. My dad maintained that this was a stupid reason to hurt a human being, and somehow broke up the bashing. I am proud that my dad, a man born in rural Jamaica (Manchester) and lived most of his life in Kingston, was somehow able to discard years of cultural taboos and see things in terms of justice and humanity. Giving thanks for that dad. Nuff love and respect.
If you know some yardie people, beg yu fowad dis to dem! I am well curious as to what my fellow Jamaicans have to say about this one! Gonna close out with a video of Bob Marley and the Wailers performing "Kinky Reggae" with a rather eccentric variety show host :) Enjoy! As for me, riding on, riding on....
Posts
71 comments:
wow I never look at it like that, lol hhhmmmm candy tar over his chocolate bar, dayum.
That just...oops let me stop lol
Interesting point man
peace
Howard
Piccadilly Circus in London is one of the traditional places to pick up rent boys. Just sayin'.
Interesting post. Thank you.
haha! thanks for the props Howard.
and hmmm spiralsheep, that's a verrry interesting insider tip!
glad that people are responding to this post, hope to hear from more folks too... including people who disagree.
Ok youve gotten the words wrong in the first place. Its Chocolate Tart not tar as you would have people believe. Tart is an english slang term for a loose woman. So tek dat out of your mind and stop trying to poison the people. So, thinkking of joining Marcus is to also have sexual relations with this loose woman, but Bob relents and decides to ride on,i.e. move along without having associations with the loose woman. Ok now to the subject of booga-woogas. Booga-woogas was a slang term for a type of sandal worn by sugar cane field workers. So having brown sugar all over her booga-woogas means that she was coming in from the fields having worked for the day. its putting a sexual twist on it yes but not the twisted way in which you are portraying it. To speak this way of the Prophet is terrible and perhaps telling of yourself. Perhaps you secretly want somehow for the Prophet to be a homosexual as they did in the days of Sodom and Gomorrah when the Angels appeared in town. With as many children as the Prophet had blessed the world with , I think to a person with common sense it would be apparent Bob's sexual orientation. But as most homosexuals try to twist Jah's world to fit their own evil devices and to make people who would never accept this evil mental illness to become weakened to a point to accept mental illness as normal in the name of not wanting to be as gays seem to label it homophobic. gays like to deem their actions "love" based and call fine upstanding people hateful. which is just reverse radicalism. Gays only purpose is to seem to want to confuse matters and put their gay stamp on the beautiful things of this Earth and to want to destroy Jah's Chosen Children. Shame on you for trying to project your homosexuality off on one of the most purest human beings who ever walked this planet. You indeed could never walk in the shoes of the Prophet.
"How long shall they kill our Prophets while we stand aside and look?"
Rastafari Ites of Livity,Jah Key
was wondering how long before the irate comments would start!
yes Anonymous one... woy. wish you could just discuss this without reverting to namecalling and fire and brimstone and whatever. And i am not getting the lyrics wrong, go pick up a copy of "Catch A Fire" and look for yourself.
Second of all, i am actually not gay, i am a heterosexual man who is secure enough in my sexuality and masculinity to speak out against oppression of our brothers and sisters and talk about these taboo issues. I am also not a religiously fundamentalist person, which probably adds to how i am able to discuss these topics.
I am also RELATED to Marcus Garvey. And i find it telling that you would find it ok for Marcus Garvey to be associated as a pimp or trying to engage Bob in a threesome or something. Furthermore... who said this was about Marcus Garvey?!? is not him one name Marcus bredrin. I did think it was an interesting choice of names tho.
If you are gonna quote the Bible with me, i hope you are ready! Cuz us heteros also perished in Sodom and Gomorrah. And like I quoted in my last post that dealt extensively with homophobia in Jamaica, should we also use the bible to justify slavery?
"If a man strikes his male or female slave with a rod and he dies at his hand, he shall be punished. If, however, he survives a day or two, no vengeance shall be taken; for he is his property."
- Exodus 21:20-21
I would recommend perhaps doing some travelling if you can, to the motherland, other places. It might be eye-opening, other perspectives on homosexuality and masculinity, including all the men, gay or straight who walk down the streets of Senegal and Ghana holding hands in business suits. i believe that Bob was a worldly man, worldy enough to move past local taboos.
I am a man that believes in building community, not trying to hate and point while there is a log in my own eye. Do onto others as you would want them to do onto you. Words of brotherly and sisterly love. Where is all that chat? You only bring community dividing words that cannot bring healing to our country. We were all damaged in slavery and the process of colonization by the Victorian British and this is one of its manifestations: our virulent brand of homophobia. Some decolonization therapy is definitely needed if we are to make it.
"Dem a cut cut cut 'gainst dem one another, though they preach to love one another... see the Hypocrites them a galang deh..."
~Bob Marley "Hypocrites"
couple more things Anonymous...
no where in this post do i make allegations that Bob was gay! Not sure where you got that from. Perhaps it is inconceivable to you that someone hetero could experience compassion, One Love if you will, for all brothers and sisters. Perhaps you might be the type of person who would think they were doing the right thing by withholding love from your own child if they turned out to be gay.
I invite you to respond, but you are going to have to rewind and come again with a completely new argument. I'm pretty sure Bob is not singing about "joining the fun" working in a cane field, or about wanting to have sex play with her sandals. And most importantly the video that is at the bottom of the post clearly shows Bob himself saying "Chocolate Bar." at the 1:51 marker, to be exact. I am not twisting anything at all here. If anything, you are evidencing why Bob made this song so cryptic. People cyah handle it. "stop trying to poison the people"... hear dis one! too much iyah.
Last of all, all human beings love and desire love. Full stop, end of story. Where sickness comes in, as far as i am concerned, is with some straight men who believe that women are inferior to men, but still seek women for love. How can you love someone you think is inferior to you? Heh. That actually leaves these men in a situation where they can only find a love that matches them on an equal level with other men. Funny eh?
Alright, So lets take a look at the situation. I never said Bob said Marcus Garvey. Marcus is the name for many people in this world besides Marcus Mosiah Garvey. And Bob saying the Marcus in question indeed had a candy tart all over his chocolate bar is nothing other than Bob saying that a man named Marcus had a woman pushing up on him. Ok and on the facts of the Motherland, I have business contacts in Ethiopia which carry me there quite a bit. I have seen how a proper society as in Ethiopia shuns homosexuals. So as far as dragging the Motherland into this your argument doesnt hold much water there either.
Ok, the subject of the catch a fire album lyrics. As with this early album the lyrics were transcribed by the white owned record label known as Island Recods. They are very apt to make mistakes when it comes to patwa translations. If you listen keenly to the record you will hear Bob actually saying candy tart and not candy tar. In the context of the sentence it makes no sense "he had a candy tar all over his chocolate bar" and now for the true lyric "he had a candy tart all over his chocolate bar" which makes more sense anyhow either in english or patwa. So, with that being said we will move along to the next part. "I think I might join the fun, but I had to hit and run" One does not join another in fun. As fun in this context would be an action. Unless Marcus was doing something alone that was fun there would be no joining the fun. The name Marcus happens to rhyme with Picadilly Circus which might be the main reason why he chose to use this name. I wouldnt think that in some way as you seem to suggest that Bob is somehow contemplating preforming oral sex on your relative Marcus Garvey. The lyric is as it is a play on words about kinkiness in terms of sharing a woman. Which as we know as Jamaicans is a social ill of our country. Which is all it is. If you think Bob would ever mix up in foolishness such as the degraded lifestyle of a homosexual you are sadly mistaken. Bob had so many women in his life that nothing like that would have ever occured. Bob was a simple country man who enjoyed many ladies as most Jamaican men do still to this day. As a matter of fact this social ill was born out of slavery too. Breeding people for the use of slavery. It also has its roots in African Tradition as well as more than one wife is seen as a higher placement among people still to this day in parts of Africa. With that being said I would like to ask you to stop trying to pry non-intended meanings from the words of the Prophet in order to further displace our people and portray us as some sort of society full of closeted homosexuals. When to be honest this social illness is still a practise among a minority as it will always be. This in turn doesnt justify it into something that is right. Ok now to the subject of this word "homophobic". If you have grown up in Jamaica you will see that no man,woman or child is afraid of any homosexual. This can be seen in our social customs and laws. Do you really think some like Buju is afraid of them? He was almost charged along with some others of beating a homosexual man. I dont think being afraid of someone means that you can overpower them and attack them. That would mean the opposite. If you are referring to the idea and that people are afriad of it you are also wrong on that point too. People in Jamaica have no plans to let foolishness such as that into their minds and being open to such things are not a way of life as it is in most westernised countries.
We just dont put up with fooliness and that in no way means we are not open to good ideas it just means we are closed to bad ideas. That in turn does not make one afraid of something it only makes one non-accepting of the idea. The roots of the words are homo-phobic or phobia. Phobia is to be afraid of something. Which as I have seen with stonings to be quite the oppsite of being afriad. I think our idea of it in Jamaica is both Bible based and based in down right disgustingness. Man and Man can not produce children as woman and woman can not produce children. Sex is something that is born out of love and co-operation with the opposite sex. Not same sex. A same sex mistake of not knowing which is the right partner and somehow trying to justify it as love is alos a mistake. Love comes from the Father and doing right is part of that. When 2 or more (as some homosexuals have it) people get together for some sort of sexual gratification (in their monds only) it is only that. Vanity satisfaction, satisfying only sexual need and not fulfilling ones role of a human being. Homosexuals lean towards sexual gratification only and know not of a true love. They try to replace something Holy and pure with this animal style lust which has its roots in self satisfaction. Living for ones self and ones own gratification is the highest form of selfishness which has its roots in vanity. Vanity is sin. The classic right versus wrong. To say that somehow the Creator has made a mistake is not something to blame on the Creator it is something to blame on ones self because the Creator is perfect unlike man and his foolish ideas. No one is calling down fire and brimstone other than the sinners themselves. The righteous will be spared and have no need to judge others but by trying to make them wallowing in the mud with sinners is only a device of sinners and not one of the righteous. So to say that I was calling down Fyah and Brimstone is a mistake on your part. Please re read my comments more carefully before responding to them. I happened to come across this blog today on my search for a blog for Mr.Perfect the dj-singer. I saw the topic from the google page and decided to see what kind of foolishness this was, but when people drag the Prophet into matters I felt I had to comment on this, nuff said.
Rastafari Ites of Livity,
Jah Key
In No way did I say that women are inferior to men. In the context of one love it would mean equalness in the eyes of the I-rator. With this being said sinners are excluded from this "one love" by their own hand and not the hand of others. It means that they will not reap the full rewards of living an upright and just lifestyle. Going against the grain of the Creators plan for men and women to live as equals and in love is to remove and pry ones self from the natural order of things. Man or women can never know more than the Creator who is perfect in all ways. And the way in which He set the balance of all things. This one love that you speak of is the sort of things that one can only be a part of if they are following the natural order of things. Murderers, homosexuals, and all other forms of sinning will fall into this category including people such as men and women who consider themselves higher than their counterparts i.e. man and woman relations. The I-rator states that until the colour of a mans skin is of no more significance than the color of his eyes and until there are no longer first and second class citizens of all nation then there will be war. This too is so with man and woman relations. The I-rator also states that apart from the Kingdom of God that no nation is higher than another. This too would be true when discussing man and woman. But when you have people such as homosexuals who are confused already and now trying to confuse matters of higher significance such as sexual orientation or marriage it is a little foolish to listen to thier argument as they are going against the grain of the plan of the Creator. I hope this clears up matters for you or anyone else who may read this.
Rastafari Oneness,
Jah Key
alright den Jah Key...
obviously, no one is going to budge on this one, not much productivity will come from this conversation.
Will try to be brief.
I haven't been to Ethiopia, which is, as we know a different country than Senegal and Ghana, which i have been to.
And lastly, i did not define homophobia as you being scared of homosexulas. i definied it as people being afraid that they themselves might be gay, so they shut down any conversation around homosexuality, beat up and bad talk those who represent what they do not understand, and display bravado around how many women they have sexually conquested to assert to others and themselves that they are straight. All while never having a soul searching, real, look at themselves. Instead the religion of not entertaining "foolishness". This "foolishness" of self introspection is what scares people. I am very secure in myself because i have thought deeply about these things and not dismissed them, or get angry and defensive when someone brings up the topic homosexuality.
yep.
so, i'm curious, why did your God, which i assume is a God of love (not so sure...) create people who weren't in His "plan"? Was he bored? Looking forward to burning em up?
Do you have a belief system where you love a female diety? Or do you only love male dieties?
I also never said that Bob would want to jion the woman in the fields. I gave the defintion of booga woogas and how they would have brown sugar on them. He wants to join the woman in sexual relations, not her work with the cane fields. Please re read the comment to see the clearer statement. You were suggesting that she was perhaps trying to invite him for some sort of oral sex and as it is with the other it is a play on words. He never said anything about eating the sugar, only that it was on her booga wooga. Merely a play on words concerning her condition wether it be a wet vagina or her work and its relevance to kinkiness.
One God,One Aim,One Destiny,
Jah Key
Well as there being only one God there is no room for paganism which would involve the inclusion of and or other dieties. Jah Created people in his likeness and image. Not in His ways. It is up for them to decide which way to go when faced with the proverbial fork in the road when faced with the option of right or wrong. I do not advocate the killing of anyone unless it is in self defense or capital punishment. Murder is in no way an ok thing to do. Which is to say the taking of an innocent persons life. I leave all Judgement up to H.I.M. but as I live my life I choose to stay clear of those who are clearly not in the ways of the plan of the I-rator. So to conclude this egment I will say that Jah makes only people and it is their decions which lead to either life or death.
"some are leaf some are branches some are dry wood for the fyah, I-an-I ah de roots" Roots-Bob Marley
ONE LOVE,ONE HEART,
Jah Key
oh, hello Jah Key! back at your favorite website i see :) How's the family? Good, good...
Thanks for evidencing how the sexual taboos of homosexuality and cunnilingus are subjects that someone like Bob would have to approach with caution and code. Appreciated!
And c'mon. surely you've been curious about licking some pum pum. c'mon. just a little. just one tiny lick. What's wrong with kissing the Door Of Creation? A beautiful ting dat iyah... :)
Thats ok Idren you can have it all to kiss and lick. Some of us dont need to to get the point across and to satisfy a woman. Mek sure unu brush unu teet afta dat and floss out de hair from between unu teet.....
i can have it all to kiss and lick?? NICE!! wah show you, it sweet me cyah done, feelin her clit button throbbing unda mi tongue, punani lips sweet salty and soft, ah just suck it up and kiss it up, juices runnin all down mi front and we just mix up and slide up in alla dat.... woy!!
Lawd God Man yuh mussi love it like de man dem pon de blue movie dem.lol mine yuh nuh lick de batty doh. dat no good fi yuh health.
idren, mi love it MORE dan dem man deh fi true! mi nuh ramp fi kiss ooman any rass place! chuh, woulda probably lick out 'ar nosehole if she did like dem ting deh to blertneet
but FI REAL. the sweet part now, after yu dun nyam out di punani and pum pum juice jus' a glisten pon yu mout and face and neck, is when you just start kiss well deep and suck out each odda tongue... all di juices dem jus' mix up and it just MAD you and she... and everting already slick and juice up, an' she tek yu hood and jus' slide it een easy an' yu feel her hips and punani muscles dem suck you een more... wooooooooeeee! one piece a hotness mi a TELL YU
Hey Heeeeey, Alrite den mi bredda. Lick any raaas place unu want. Some a di ooman dem nuh like fi partake inna dem own juice. But if unu did waan fi lick out de batty,Noseole or any raas place yuh best fi check wid di ooman first an mek sure dat a weh shi waan too. Perhaps unu coulda lend some more lines to Bob famous song bout a kinkiness and lick out batty an ting.
Jah Key
www.haileselassieiarchives.blogspot.com
true, consensuality is always key and paramount, a good talk dat still
but wait... yu come back fi more? you come and fight mi down and now yu waan more kinkiness? rhaatid..! lol... well aiight den, yu waah some kinky Bob rimjob remix, ah gwine try a ting, code up same way:
I went up to Papine (ooo hoo hoo)
I saw Sherline (ooo hoo ooo)
She had jelly plum
Between her cinnamon buns
I tink i might join the fun...
ummm...
so i did!
whappen to mi post dread? it gone unu remove it cuz yuh no seh it a betta dan unus?
Hey Richard!
This is an interesting dialogue!
Anonymous 4:40PM
I am cracking up that Bob Marley is referred to as "THE PROPHET" with some connotation that he is a spiritual leader... but okay...if that is what people want to believe... every person can embrace whatever belief they want...
Just so you know... to MANY Americans however, Bob was a weed junkie who was an absolute genius in his artistry who had an out-of-control personal life... he was NO Jamaiacan messiah in the minds of the American people... when there are images of him on t-shirts in this country you will usually see a depiction of his drug of choice right along with the image and that is because Bob Marley was always associated with his drug use ...
As for your take on that song, Richard... it is an interesting take...
I am wondering though...WHAT is it that is so repulsive to men about other men who have different ways of expressing themselves sexually? Why does a man feel that he has to get violent with a man if a man asks him for sex?
Half of the black women in America would be ex-cons if we got violent anytime we were asked for sex....
But I digress... (smiles)
Thanks for this post!
Peace, blessings and DUNAMIS!
Lisa
ok how bout this one?
Richie did gone a Papine ooo ohh ooo
weh him a do a ting with Sherline
ooo ooh ooo
but half weh thru a bamboo pop out from tween Sherline's knees ooo ooh ooo
and she seh in a deep voice her name really Mista Green.
ooo ooh ooo
Richie neva did stop to run ooo oooh ooo
so Richie tun round an give Mista Green some ah him bun
Now him go back twice a week ooo ooh ooo
jus fi join de fun....
hmm... well Jah Key, i guess its a little better than the one i deleted... you stepped it up from someone getting rocks thrown at them which by the way, rule of thumb, isn't very sexy... to one that doesn't quite stay to the form of the song, and is putting more energy in trying to harass me than actually make a tune. But an improvement! And definitely kinkier than the one i erased.
Lisa, welcome! thanks for the props on the dialogue. My only criticism was feeling myself wince when you said you were "cracking up" over someone elses belief system... I am not Rasta, but grew up around Rastas, and have cultural ties. I would also wince if someone said they were cracking up around people who believe some guy who got nailed to some wood is God.
You also said:
"WHAT is it that is so repulsive to men about other men who have different ways of expressing themselves sexually? Why does a man feel that he has to get violent with a man if a man asks him for sex?
Half of the black women in America would be ex-cons if we got violent anytime we were asked for sex...."
feelin you on the part about what would happen if women got violent everytime they were propositioned for sex!
and I would love to hear if Jah Key has an answer to the first part of your quote...
Richie Im sorry if you feel like I was harrassing you. It was all in fun mi bredda. Ok to comment on her first remarks. I guess anyone as even you have done can twist something into something it is not. Perhaps she doesnt know what Bredda Marley did for Jamaica while he was walking this earth and directly supporting so many Jamaican families through his works.I think Peter Tosh would have been a better target for her Ishen agrument but she might not know him. Her first remarks are a bit confusing as I am not fully seeing her point. I mean is she saying that americans think bad and good about Bob or just plain confused about him? As he was the one to tell us certain things would happen after his departure he can be considered a Prophet. Just as Garvey was. Being That Bredda Marley carried the Message of H.I.M. Emperor Haile Selassie I to the four corners of the globe he can be seen as our Prophet. As Mohammed carried the message of Islam and Iyasus of the Christians. So in that context her comments are a bit lude and repulsive. As were her comments on why a man would feel offended if a booga-man asked him to lay down with him. Some people including myself take the Bible very seriously and dont dismiss it as easily as some people allow themselves to do. So, in that context one would feel offended when propositioned into some form of unnatural sex and as I stated taking things out of the natural order of things. As in an invitation to sin. So, I dont think that argument holds much water. Ok Richie once again sorry if you feel like I was harrassing you. I feel like you and I could sit down and share a cup of tea and find much common ground on many issues and share many good belly laughs. As in the old saying on this one we will have to agree to disagree. Which is fine and thats what makes freedom so special, especially the right to free speech which I feel is the basis of and essential to blogging in the first place.(even tho you waan steal and hide mi good lyrics from de people dem bout de second city) A forum where one can have their own say. Raspect mi Bredda, who is not being a part of this one love now????HMMMM????
but Jah Key... what yu have against booga-man now? can't a man wear sandals after a long day of work? ;)
and thank you for the heartfelt apologies. nuff blessings mi bredda
Lisa! I hope you aren't feeling ganged up on. I know you are a grown woman that can handle herself, just checkin in tho! :) Again, thanks as always for sharing your perspectives.
nuff blessings to you too, Lisa!!
Richard you are a top blogger takin all this on. I always find the homophobia expressed in dancehall quite amusing, but it doesn't affect me so I can laugh.
I am like you, securely hetro and from a culture which prosecutes people for homophobia. In my culture it is fairly much accepted that those who make it their buisness to go on and on about what gay people get up to are actually gay inside but they can't admit it to themselves.
Brotha Richard, I've played Bob all week and this song came up when I was pretty high and then I knew I had to check out your blog. It appears that sexuality point is well taken in response to the hetero/homo or the erotic. The breakdown of Marcus part or the second verse is well taken and explains that Bob response was all about vibration, in the moment and real to transgress with his experience or without the candy tar experience. Now if it was Marcus Garvey or not, the invitation to the gender term "Marcus" and the phallic representation in the lyrics definitely support the kinkiness aspects that brings up in your sexuality point. What I do gather from Bob is that is word are used with precision--a brilliant writer, composer , poet, etc--he seems to walk with truth. Therefore, he pushes radical rasta princples with a message and "Kinky reggae" has that appeal to educate us on sexuality and challenge homophobic perspectives. Now the question is, does Bob have any history with same sex relations or was this song masking some other lives of brotha Bob experience? One love
Dave Bones, thanks for contributing! may i ask which culture you are referring to?
Brotha Nile! good to see your sensi-fied self here :) re: your last question, i tend to think that the song puts Bob in the category of being a relatively open minded heterosexual. Anything beyond that, i don't think i could truthfully comment on...! I also think i have some wariness postulating on Bob's sex life, but no prob postulating on his politics.
did the wife get to peep this??
I need to check if she peeped it out. We are extremely busy but definitely "walking like a champion". Soon come when we connect but digging the blogging vibe. We are going to launch one soon. Bless
The Candy Tar and chocolate bar are codes in reference to the drugs Bob was encoutering while living in London. The candy tar is heroine and the chocolate bar is Hashish. While Bob has heard this is a "nice one" he is "leaving you today". This part of the song is non-sexual in nature and is showing that not everything that is "kinky" is sex related. The name Marcus merely rhymes with Picadilly circus which was the center of drugs action in the 70s in London. Not everything in this song is sex related but merely proving the kinkiness of babylon. Babylon Must Fall!
first of all, your alias is hilarious, Prime Minister Bruce Golding!!
and hmmm... candy tar as heroin and chocolate bar as hashish. interesting theory! i could see how that code could work. Especially chocolate bar. i am also sure that heroin and hashish were/are as readily available as what spiralsheep referred to as "rent boys" in Piccadilly Circus. Possibly drugs and sexual favors were offered to Bob all at once!
at the same time... heroin on top of hashish doesn't sound like the usual drug cocktail to offer. tobacco, maybe even cocaine with hashish... i'm extremely naive around heroin usage tho, but that seems like a strange combo.
Since the name of the song is "Kinky Reggae", and its as "kinky as reggae can be", i am pretty sure that the song is wholly sexual in nature. its probably hard for most yardies to entertain that Bob was singing about being approached for man to man fellatio, even if he didn't accept it in the song... and i think that is one of the reasons why the song is so coded. We are told that the song is kinky as kinky can be though.
and i'm with you, i think Bob was just trying to rhyme with "Piccadilly Circus" when he came up with "Marcus".
I have lived in London for 12 years or more. I was In Jamaica filming with my then girlfriend two Christmases ago. I watched that "Hardtalk" program with the gay vicar on it etc. There is so much I love about Jamaican culture. It is only being there that I got how much an epicentre of culture the place actually is. I love the expresivity of the language and the tough beauty of the people. The homophobia is such a shame. People who are secure in their sexuality have no need to fear other peoples sexuality.
Dave Bones, so is the culture you align yourself with British then? Or more specifically London culture? Your (very mesmerizing!) art seems to draw from Middle Eastern and South Asian influences, but i am not sure if you would say that those are "your culture"?
Homophobia is definitely in most cultures. It seems that it is only some indigenous cultures that have inherent respect for queer folks (ie, some Native Americans refer to them as "two-spirit", Native Hawaiians call them "mahu"... which also translates into two-spirit... and in both, two-spirit folks can take on roles of conducting spirit work since they are thought to be more balanced in feminine and masculine energy).
If you are interested, i have a post which postulates on why Jamaica has the brand of homophobia we do. Some folks have shared that it felt humanizing for them once they saw the roots of it, and not just "Jamaicans are hateful people", or something. Cause we sure aren't hateful people! Not saying that you think that however. let me know what you think! here is the link.
First off Who said it was an alias? Both heroin or opium can be smoked just as (gum) hashish. Opium or heroin is very hard to smoke alone and can be added to hashish to make it burn longer and smoke easier. I mean we arent speaking of the westmoreland high grade tampee here we are talking about hardened liquids. Both of which are hard to keep burning.Also, Jamaica has quite a history of adding cocaine to hash oil and hash to increase the effects not to mention the breadfruit gum used to increase volume and weight.
JLP Forever! or Till I can find a better party!,
P.M. Bruce Golding O.M. O.D. P.H.D. OB-GYN
i love it....keepin the mind open eh? gotta expand the perspectives...so me + farenheit were talkin about it...and his perspective is that the ms.brown part is def about goin down...seems pretty straightforward...the Marcus part can be interpreted as his bredren saying "hey i got all these girls on my dick, come get some" like an invitation to an Orgy...then Bob thinks about it and decides just to "hit and run"...which is Entertainent speak for a quickie, with no names taken.
wow Prime Minister Bruce Golding, that was quite an education on illicit drugs! i stand schooled...
...however, it still doesn't strike me as being particularly kinky :)
Steve! whaa?! was wondering when you would get here!! niceness! big up Faren for me!
So you are with me on the Ms. Brown part. I agree, seems quite straightforward. Faren brings a new perspective which could open up a whole NEW can of worms! Getting to that, but first- I would be more in agreement about his assessment of the Marcus scenario if Bob did in fact say what Jah Key was trying to defend... that Bob said "candy tart" instead of "candy tar". As derogatory as both would sound as a code for a woman, "candy tar" ...wooo... that sounds pretty more loaded as a code for any human being...! could see "tart" more as referring to a sex worker. I could also more see "candy tar" being a woman's juices on his "chocolate bar" more than being a woman. In that sense, i could make a jump to say that Marcus had punani juice on his hood, and was inviting Bob to join in the fun.
All that said, i am inclined to believe that the format is consistent throughout the song: sweet edible food toppings on genitalia.
Where the can of worms opens up now, is around the assessment of "hit and run"... that makes full sense to me as possibly being a quickie, without a full committment into a "kinky lifestyle"(!) but now, that would make the song about Bob having quick forays into these experiences... yuh mussi wah Jah Key come an' bun di whole a wi down! lol...
c'est possible... who knows... Bob was a worldy man...
woy... really started out trying to assess the politics of this song, not postulate on the man's personal life!! the trajectory of this thread never ceases to amaze me. wish Bob was here to discuss this and make everything clear about this cryptic song... maybe Bunny knows??
hey Steve, why don't you ask one of the Marley son dem to come and comment??
!
No Problem Richard, The JLP party will come to the rescue to help its constituents when they have a problem. BTW it was Portia (Sista P) who schooled me on the illict drugs use. It is a widely known fact that my son is a Rastaman maybe he would know? I will ask him. It is also a misconception that I like to wrap up a draw. That is totally unfounded and is propaganda unleashed by the PNP party to discredit my cabinet and Prime Ministership. It is a bold face lie that I would wrap up a draw when many already know that I prefer the coconut chalice and bamboo steam pipe over rizla any day. We as a nation should band together to stop propaganda from the hills to the level!
JLP Forever! or who ever has the most money!,
P.M. Bruce Golding O.M.,O.D.,P.H.D.&OB-GYN
woy p.m.!
sorry they were maligning you with such pedestrian accusations. so, which one is better? coconut chalice or bamboo steam pipe?
an' beg yu sen two barrel of ackee, curry goat, oxtail, bulla and grater cake. it nuh easy fi get in california. an' fling two coconut chalice in deh wit di westmoreland macka beg yu do please sah.
Mas Richard,
It depends on what kind of medi you are seeking. Coconut Chalice for the restless nights when you need sleep and steam pipe for that all day medi. Sista P on the other hand uses the chillum. I dont want to say too much and draw her tongue.
P.M.Bruce Golding K.O.K.,L.O.L, P.H.D. & OB-GYN
Mas Brucey,
I didn't know you were such a roots man. Thank you for the valuable herbalist information. Are you the Minister Of Agriculture as well? Please can we legalize and free up the herbs, beg yu do.
Also, I was wondering if you could share any good guzu remedies to science some positive abundance and love into my life?
Give thanks Blessed.
-Mas Rich
Mas Richard,
This hustle is not working on the ladies? I mean its a good one too. You may be the only man I have ever known to be able to get girls that would probably never think of sharing pum pum with a man to actually consider it and perhaps may be the only man I have known to actually interest lesbians or maybe even bring them back from the edge. I think its a great hustle. I cant believe I or another constituent of our great party didnt think of it before. This "fem.men.ist" thing is a great idea! This is a way to appeal to an "untapped" audience. Mas Richard I have a feeling you need no science help in this department. In my opinion you must be the biggest "Gal-ist" I have ever seen! Pimp On My Brother!
Mi an Mi Nieghbor Voting fi Labor!,
Space Commander P.M. Bruce Golding Esq.
who is this? not sure i know anyone in Bear Creek, Pennsylvania. Which is where my likkle science is telling me you are writing from. Is that where the new Prime Minister residence is?
I'm sure you must feel you are complimenting me and just bonding with me (this is where me and other hetero guys knock heads a lot) but i am not really feeling your assessment of my ideological stances being a "hustle" for me to get my "pimp" on ("pimp" is the furthest thing from a compliment for me bredin!), or transforming my connections with queer women into some sexual conquistador agenda... or to assess that my lesbian friends need to be "brought back from the edge." whew. bredrin...
i think its safe to say we have different ideas around relating to women, and that you have imbued the fact that most of my trusted *friends* are women, into a fantasy of what you might attempt to do if you had a lot of female friends (of whatever sexuality). your ting dat.
like i said, me and guys butt heads a lot, so most of my friends are women. that is only one of the reason i write this blog. this may come as an overreaction to you, and i hope you can hear this. the time worn male bonding ritual of belt notching simply makes me very uncomfortable, whether it is based in fact or fiction.
damn man, all i asked for was some roots!!!! woy....
Mercy! It took a lot of time to read all the comments. Good topic and discussion all.
Daddy M
yes Daddy M! this thread is a piece ah werk eh??
Dont worry Mas No-Rusty Richard, Your secret is safe with me. I understand you have to say those kinds of things to keep it up. I totally understand. I applaud you on keepin on keepin on. Game recognize game! I think Im going to start a"fem.men.ist" style blog. You have inspired me! As Mr.Marley would say " I think I might join the fun" P.S. I dont know anyone who lives in bear creek either, so its a mystery to both of us now.Your science is rusty.
Colonel P.M. Bruce "Is Loose" Golding OB-GYN
sigh. as a lot of my female friends would say with a wearied exhale, "men."
maybe you are just joking, but this is all too real of my experience, men who are very much consumed by their male conditioning who believe that this must be some sort of act on my part, because they can't imagine any other motivation than getting ass. my motivation is healing, justice, mutual respect and love.
i don't have any children yet, but when i have a daughter, i don't want her to absorb the idea that she is only valid company to a man (or valid period) if she puts out. plus tons of other objectifying patriarchal messages. do you have a daughter?
and PLEASE start a site for feminist men!! woy! i umpteen triple gazillion dare you!! i'll even give you a subject to start with, Jamaica's only female National Hero, Nanny of the Maroons. What could we learn from her today?
Maaas Richard,
Was I joking? Im not sure if I was or not. At any rate I will still keep your secret safe. Ok I accept your challenge. I will start a feminist mens blog. But can I get your help with it? I will only need a few pointers and some advice if thats ok with you. Also can I count on you as a constant viewer and to post on my blog as well? Make me a link on your link page? I will one up the challenge by not only making it a feminist mens blog but I will make it a Rastafari Mens Feminist blog. How bout dat fi a challenge? I think that might be a direction. I think Rastafari men seem to get a bad reputation when it comes to female views and relations. I think the male-female functions of Rastafari are very uplifting to women and I dont know any Rastafari Woman that wouldnt agree with me. Im sure that you can never recall hearing a Rastafari Wombman never complain about her role in life. I think perhaps I can deal with other womens issues that are not Rastafari related as well and how some relate to Rastafari world view. I think it might be a good exercise for not only me but others as well. I accept your dare. :) I never thought of doing it and was joking about it before but I think youre right on alot of things, not all, but alot(my opinion). But I think you may have something here. Yes I do have a daughter and a son and one on the way yet to be determined. So, I think maybe they could learn from this as well when they get older. We are a strong Rastafari family and always fight for the freedom of all man and woman kind dealing with righteousness. Everyone is equal in the I's of the I-rator and that means women too. So your dare makes sense. And since your stakes are so high I feel I must accept. Is there an email address or contact address on your site where I can write you directly to get some advice and direction? I think the Nanny idea is a good place to start. I used to live very close to Pumpkin hill. I could see it in the distance from the top of the mountain nearly level with the hill I was on. So Sound the Abeng! Nanny Go Deh!
P.M. Bruce Golding The Feminist
P.S.Hail Richard. I meant to say I bet you have never heard a Rastafari Wombman complain about her role in life. Its hard to spell check in a little box when you get to typing out your thoughts in it. Seen, Dread?
Bless Up, Bruce
Mas Richard,
Maybe I can get Jah Key to post on the blog too?
Bruce "De girl dem kissing and holding" Golding
huh! well, i am glad that you are taking me up on this! if only out of love for your daughter.
a nuh likkle ting dis tho you know!! although feminism is not a monolithic entity, bell hooks has a great definition: "feminism is a movement to end sexism, sexist exploitation and oppression." with that comes the understanding that we live in male dominated world, and that all men, regardless of race, religion, class, sexuality, etc, experience some permutation of male privilege. A man working to aid the feminist cause has to look very deeply at themselves and how they contribute to this hierarchy.
Also, we must understand that we cannot truly understand the experience of being a woman living under patriarchy. Just walking the streets, day or night, being grabbed by the arm by men who feel entitled to just touch them... is a radically different experience from ours. Major religions tell girls that the supreme being is male oriented. Women still get paid less than men. There are many levels. And we can help by listening, and acting on behalf of our sisters.
On the Rasta tip, a great dvd i saw is called Roots Daughters: The Women Of Rastafari, which features the voices of Rasta women, and the matriarchal roots of Rasta (such as the Nyabinghi, which were a group of Amazonian-esque female warriors that were appointed to protect Ethiopia)... this is something you could watch with your daughter. It is challenging for some Rastamen for sure, i'll tell you!
other than that, there are many resources on my page that you should look thru, Dads & Daughters, Men Against Sexual Violence, NewBlackMan... and so much more! a popular "Feminism 101" post on this blog is The Male Privilege Checklist, a subject discussed much more in depth on The Angry Black Woman, peep my post on Understanding Boys, Understanding Masculinity"..... and MOST DEFINITELY peep the Byron Hurt videos on black masculinity and anti-sexism featured on the top right part of my blog. this brotha is not rampin!
so yes, a nuh joke bizniz dis. liberation vibes. true nobody is free til all of us are free. it is hard for me to relate to men that do not understand this about sistas, just as it is hard for me to relate to white folks who aren't looking at their racism.
one thing that us men tend to do with each other is to circumvent actual reasoning, and to go straight into competition. so i want to actually retract my big big dare to make a feminist page unless you really want to dive into this. really. i would encourage you to, but don't want to dare you to. this isn't something to do because you were dared.
are you on myspace? you can hit my page thru my "about me" link and we can connect there. and uh... feel free to tell me whether we actually know each other if you really want to build!
last of all, a note around raising daughters. it is said that girls get told more about how "pretty" they are, and that boys are told how "strong" they are. an emphasis on valuing external qualities in placed on girls. i would encourage you to tell your daughter that she is strong, beautiful and smart. and your son too.
exponential blessings,
richard
Cho man now mi haffi sign up fi di myspace? lawd jesus! ok but yuh nuh know how it is when yuh have whole heapa pickney dem fi watch out fa. Mi will getti in a minute seen? mi will name it inna mi blog name but mi haffi come up wit name firss. Lawd Jezam. ok soon come.if yuh ave suggestion fi di name let I know. Mi raas,
Bruce"de girls dem booga wooga"Golding
Hail Mas Richard,
I Man did leave the I a message via myspace, but mi no see no reply as of yet. If de I has changed the I mind about giving I advice with the blog let I know and I will press along.
Big Daddy Bruce " De Girls dem long to be Kissing and Holding" Golding
Mas Brucey
I and I will check I myspace and respond to de I pon di morrows.
bless,
Mas Richard
mi did a leave a next myspace message fi de I. Bless up mi Bredda,
Bruce "De Clay Mi Molding" Golding
yu sure iz me you leave it fa? nah see nuttin
interestin' indeed. I love to show this to my homophobic house mate who has a shrine to Bob in our house..this would make her pissed I'm sure...I milling over the line "I had to hit and run"....in america hit and run means: I did have sexual relations with that woman or man but I left when I was done. Understanding what hit and run means in jamacia would tell us a lot about this song as well as Bobs sexual activity...artist tend to be open in all areas of life....I'm just sayin'
i would love to know what your roommate would think of this!
the "hit and run" thing is a big question mark. Bob said "i tink i mite join the fun BUT i had to hit and run" as opposed to "i tink i mite join the fun SO i had to hit and run" so i tend to think that he considered the propositions calmly, but had to keep movin on, or "riding on". Perhaps Bob wanted to leave this part shrouded in double entendre, challenging us to consider that it doesn't matter whether he had a quickie or not. Fellow Jamaicans have said they can read that "hit and run" line either way, that it could be about a quick sexual tryst, or about just keepin it movin.
and i agree, world travelling artists do tend to be open in many ways :)
Chamyon blogger! So many points to address, issues and ideas I wanted to share, but they were lost once I got into the patois and your supreme descriptions. true dat! anyway, you seem clear-minded and articulate...infact, many of your rebuttals i shared.
i will return to say something meaningful...only if it hasnt been said.
RESPECT!
Champyon blogger...typos at 3am are to be expected...
how a song about the ongoing moment of "ridin on" to the kinky part of town but cant stay long .... its the rejection of the evils of modern society and the revolution and "kink" that would follow, but it cant stay long cause we got to ride on from the violence and death that this sort of revolution would cause.
as for preaching "preachin...(im blocking the BS out) blah blah blah boos)" i guess if thats what it means to you, you cant see how it has relevance to all tolerance, but its not specifically pointing out homo and taboo.
let me quote jah here.
"Until the philosophy which holds one race superior and another inferior
is finally and permanently discredited and abandoned...until there are no longer
first class and second class citizens of any nation...until the color of a man’s skin
is of no more significance than the color of his eyes...Until that day, the dream of
lasting peace and world citizenship will remain but a fleeting illusion to be
pursued, but never attained.”
add marleys "i say war" then hopefully you can meet me halfway and understand what im getting at, which is we got to get past war but well have to endure it
may be a complex description, but really needed to hopefully enlighten those that use little phrases to identify their struggle with a song of the upmost grace and world perspective. instead, you just bring to light the parts of the message that the majority of people find distasteful and they immediately ignore it.
@B: Well... i did find your comment to be complex, if not a bit incomprehensible... but i could tell you believed in it strongly...!
anyway, haffi go look mi woman an sprinkle sugar over her booga wooga. bless up
i loved the break down of this, i never really thought about it, and just loved the hell outta the song especially the remix on Chant down babylon. Thanks for this!!!
thank you Aisha! glad it resonated witcha. i haven't peeped this thread in a minute either, wow. thanks again!
No, this is incorrect because the first thing you should realize is that Bob took The Rastafarian Movement seriously and especially back then,in rasta culture, homosexuality was not tolerated and neither was going down on a woman . Think people, think.
Thanks for your input, Anonymous. As a thinking person, could you share your interpretation of the true meaning of Bob's song "Kinky Reggae", and what exactly made it so kinky?
just a tid bit lol since clearly i dont think this person who originaly posted this knows wtf there saying lol candy tar =Opium/heroin Chocolate bar is simply a hash bar/hash brownie (opium on his hash bar) picadilly was a big reason for Roberts Drug experimenting this is real simple stuff to research most of it has been actualy proven Piccadilly was a Huge drug spot in london in the 70s the song is mainly Being tempted bye stuff he knows is not ment for him which u did nail on the head with the mrs brown section and Booga wooga is a un offensive word for vagina ... and also sneakers lol she had brown suger all over her booga wooga ( her color is brown as surgar i.e her vagina is also lol ) simple stuff
this song didnt imply nothing with homo sexuality so u ppl need to leave that part alone this was more on drugs and being a woman lover which he clearly was 14+ kids (mostly his and adopoted) Cough* y most of them damian etc was born in UK!!!
thank you for your interpretation Rasta-Faria. I can definitely see the opium/hash reference since Picadilly Circus was a drug center, as well as a notorious center for picking up "rent boys".
I only ask what is so kinky about doing drugs? the name of the song is "Kinky Reggae", Bob is singing about "kinky" activities. Both which allude to using sweet edibles as a compliment to oral sex. I understand that the man-to-man oral sex situation is harder for most Rasta to accept, and many will go to great lengths to have it mean something else, but... imma need you to enlighten us as to what kinky activities Bob is talking about with his friend in Picadilly Circus before you simply discount the whole notion as a drug sinting. right now what yer pointing out is making me think the reference could also be about a combination of drugs and sex actually...
so yes, what exactly is the kinky activity happening in Picadilly Circus? making it "kinky as kinky can be?"
kinky activity *offered* in Picadilly Circus, rather.
Marley words give each person a different meaning !
That's also why he's consider a prophet !
He tell us that our felling are the eyes to see the world !
the real meaning of this songs is not really the words writed ! But what the word can get out of you
Check the words of His Majesty if u want to understand better the songs of the king of reggae !
I say :
kinky reggae drive myself away
so I can get out of this smokeyplaces
InI will not fall in temptations
lot of work to do to reach the final destinations
not wasting time on sexual experiment
or even to look for new drugs entertainment
everything is written nothing new under the sun
tollerance is important to unite all human
sorry for my english
respect for human kind
Great debate and dissection of the tune but your view seems more like a reach than a thing that Marley would imply considering his body of work. Kinky could mean risque in general for Bob on the song. Drug experimentation and sex with Ms. Brown can encompass "kinky" during the 70's. No? I salute you for this article regardless.
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