Music and British Identity: Steel Pulse


Primary members: David Hinds, Basil Gabbidon, Ronnie "Stepper" McQueen, Steve "Grizzly" Nisbett, Selwyn "Bumbo" Brown, Alphonso "Fonso" Martin, and Michael Riley
Band Biography
Albums of focus: Handsworth Revolution (1978)
Songs for study: "Ku Klux Klan," "Handsworth Revolution," "Bad Man"

From Handsworth Revolution (1978):
  1. "Handsworth Revolution"
  2. "Bad Man"
  3. "Soldiers"
  4. "Sound Check"
  5. "Prodigal Son"
  6. "Ku Klux Klan"
  7. "Prediction"
  8. "Macka Splaff"

 

 

"Handsworth Revolution" - from Handsworth Revolution (1978)

I say the people of Handsworth, know that
One hand wash the other so they say
So let's join hands my bredren
Make the way for our children
(our children, our children)
And their children
(their children, their children)
Ensuring that they get life's fair share of...
Equality...

Doesn't justice stand for all
Doesn't justice stand for all
Doesn't justice stand for all mankind
We find society putting us down
Crowning us, crowning us, crowning us
A place of Evil, OH, OH
Handsworth means us the Black People
Handsworth means us the Black People
We're talking now
Speaking Jah Jah language!

It's a long, long way we're coming from
To send this message across, across
It's been hidden, forbidden, concealed, unrevealed
It's got to come out
In the open that
BABYLON IS FALLING
BABYLON IS FALLING

It was foolish to build it on the sand
Handsworth shall stand firm,
like Jah rock, fighting back

We once beggars are now choosers
No intention to be losers
Striving forward with ambition
And if it takes ammunition
We rebel in Handsworth revolution

Dread town, dread town, dread town,
Dread town, dread town, dread town,

Dread we are for a cause
Deprived of many things
Experienced phoney laws
Hatred Babylon brings
We know what we got to offer
We know what's going on
Don't want no favours
'Cause there is still hunger
Innocent convicted
Poor wage, hard labour
Only Babylon prospers
And humble suffer
They are my brothers in South Africa
One Black represent all,
all over the world
Can't bear it no longer
Blessed with the power
Of Jah Creator
We will get stronger
And we will conquer
And forward ever, and backward never
Handsworth Revolution (3x)
Revo- Revo- Revolution (5x)

"Bad Man" - from Handsworth Revolution (1978)

Note: This song contains a major allusion at the end: "strange fruit" references Abel Meeropol's song, "Strange Fruit" (1937), made famous by Billie Holiday's recording from 1939 (listen here).

Dem dread seh
Dem dread seh
Dem dread seh
Dem dread seh
No matter how you bad,
I man badder than you
No matter how you dread,
I man dreader than you
No matter how you hard,
I man harder than you
No matter how you raw,
I more-weak heart back way so

A bad man no want go back into captivity
A bad man no want go back to slavery
Uprising from the claws of the wicked

Two bulls can't reign in one pen
Two lions can't roar in a small den
Two scorpions don't sting at the same spot
Two guns can't fire the same bullet shot so

Move right out now
Move right out now
Move right out now
Move right out now

Two kings don't wear the same crown
Two beauties don't have the same gown on
Tomorrow is too late to leave town
If you're still here at noon,
There'll be one big, big, big showdown so

Uprising, uprising
Uprising, uprising

I give you till noon to go
On your way to survival where
Your heart will beat more fonder
With life
And breath still enters your body

(Repeat verse one)

If you still coming, me nah run
If you still coming, me ah go, drop you
If you still coming, me nah run
So better stop running before I break you
So run and hide before I find you
Woe betide if I catch up on you
If you still coming, I box you down
If you still coming, I clart you down

Long time we deh under backraw...

Four hundred years (many, many years)

Slavery days...
Slavery days...
Slavery days...

Oh you've been bought
Oh you've been sold
Oh cast over me
Got strung up for nothing at all
Strange fruit...

"Soldiers" - from Handsworth Revolution (1978)

Dutallee!
Dutallee!
Dutallee!
Dutallee!

And when soldiers came
Them say them come to make us tame
And from that day until now on
We were jeered and laughed to scorn

Things used to be ire (before the soldiers came)
Things used to be nice, so nice now
Things used to be ire
Things used to be nice, so nice

Our country them did enter, yeah
Troops trodding left right and center
Everywhere
One moment at peace with Nature
Now victims of a massacre
We got our spears
We got our shields
But their guns were greater
Prepare for a slaughter

Give I back I witch doctor
Give I back I Black Ruler
Me no want no dictator
Me no want no tyrant on yah

Dutallee!
Dutallee!
Dutallee!
Dutallee!

Way down in Africa
Where the backra still rules day after day
The Black Man is suffering now far more
Than when he was a slave
Is there a need for war?
No.
Peace my bredren, here them bawl
Bodies in mutilated condition
Faces scarred beyond recognition
Is this what civilization means to me?
Then without it I prefer to be
So

Give I back I witch doctor
Give I back I Black Ruler
Me no want no dictator
Me no want no tyrant on yah

Dutallee!
Dutallee!
Dutallee!
Dutailee!

"Sound Check" - from Handsworth Revolution (1978)

If anything should mash up my head Sah
Play the music me can't dead
Jah in music prolongs gives me life to
Praise Jah
In motion with music getting what we want
Getting what we need
In motion with music getting what we want
Getting what we need

Rock little children, rock
Rock little children, rock
Rock little children, rock
Rock little children, rock
Dancing, stepping in a ridim fashion
Dancing, go deh, go deh
Dancing, let the music rock me
Dancing away
I love Jah, I praise Jah
Forget me not, no
I love Jah, I praise Jah
Forget me not, no
I love Jah, I praise Jah
Forget me not, no
I love Jah, I praise Jah
Forget me not, no
No burdens to haunt me
No pressures to taunt me
'cause Zion is
'cause Zion I
'cause Zion is
'cause Zion I
Destiny yeh

A children rock (like so)
A children skank (like so)
A children rock (like so)
A children skank (like so)
I love Jah, I praise Jah
Forget me not, no
I love Jah, I praise Jah
Forget me not, no
I love Jah, I praise Jah
Forget me not, no
I love Jah, I praise Jah
Forget me not, no
No burdens to haunt me
No pressures to taunt me
'cause Zion is
'cause Zion I
'cause Zion is
'cause Zion I
Destiny yeh
Rock little children, rock
Rock little children, rock
Rock little children, rock
Rock little children, rock
A children rock (little children rock)
A children roll (little children roll)
A children rock (little children rock)
A children roll (little children roll)
A children rock me can't dead
Play the music me can't dead
Play the music me can't dead
Play the music me can't dead

I love Jah, praise Jah
I love Jah, praise Jah
I love Jah, praise Jah
I love Jah, praise Jah
Motion with music
Motion with music
In motion with music

"Prodigal Son" - from Handsworth Revolution (1978)

Woy! Desperation has return
Sodom and Gomorrah no deh yah so!
Woy desperation has return over yonder
Sodom and Gomorrah no deh yah so!

Wild one, you are like the Prodigal Son yeah
And if you're the Prodigal Son, my friend
Then you're the one, you
Left taking your only possession
Your culture
To enter a world known for hacklings
In abundance, yeah
The hustlers of life
Have hooked and drained you from the man
Form the man that you used to be, turn your back on us
Return Rastaman where you came from
The land of your forefathers

Reaching the gates with your two long hands
Searching out for clean water
Wild one

Prodigal come forth and rejoice with your voice
To the heavens
Chant some song, chant some song
Prodigal come forth and repent
Rastafari sins forgiven

Woy! Desperation has return

One has returned without one's soul
And has squandered all his possessions
Let us cleanse your body now
From your service to the swine, because
You've been dead and now to anoint your head
With wisdom, knowledge and over standing
A lesson has been taught unto you my friend
Time for a feast and rejoicing
Wild one
Woy! Desperation has return
Prodigal has returned to his culture
Prodigal has returned give him water
Prodigal has returned, has returned

"Ku Klux Klan" - Live, London (1980); from Handsworth Revolution (1978)

Walking along just kicking stones
Minding my own business
I come face to face, with my foe
Disguised in violence from head to toe

I holla and I bawl
Ku Klux Klan
But dem naw let me go now
Ku Klux Klan
To let me go was not dem intention
Dem seh:
One nigger the less,
The better for the show;
Stand strong black skin and take your blow

It's the Ku, the Ku Klux Klan
Here to stamp out blackman yah
The Ku, the Ku Klux Klan, heh!

To be taught a lesson not to walk alone
I was waiting for the Good Samaritan
But waiting was hopeless
It was all in vain
The Ku Klux Klan back again

I holla and I bawl
Ku Klux Klan
Dem naw let me go now
Dem seh:
One nigger the less,
The better the show;
Stand strong blackskin and take your blow

The Ku, Ku Klux Klan
Rape, lynch, kill and maim
Things can't remain the same, yah no!

Blackman, do unto the Klan
As they would do to you
In this case, Hate they neighbour
Those cowards only kill who they fear
That's why they hide behind
The hoods and cloaks they wear

I holla and I bawl, Ku Klux Klan
Dem naw let me go no,
Ku Klux Klan
Oh no, oh no...
Ku Klux Klan
Here to stamp out black man yah
Rape, lynch, kill and maim
Things can't remain the same yah
No, no, no, no.

Here, here, here, everywhere

"Prediction" - from Handsworth Revolution (1978)

Prediction, prediction foretold
Prediction, yeah, from the days of old
Prediction, yeah, from way back when
The years Jah send, years Jah send
Prediction a long, long time ago
Selassie was neglected, tell me when?

Like the tales of the Messiah, yah
All over again
Garvey was rejected tell me when?
Unlike the Baptist he has kept his head

I said vank!
William Gordon and Paul Bogle led
A rebellion cause they used their heads
But had their necks in a noose

Martyrs of freedom, freedom condemned
But Jah Jah cut them loose. Hen heh
Prophesised that, we would suffer by
Those who think themselves superior to

Our colour, yes sah
Descendants of Naiman the Leper
Ask Elisha
Offsprings of Naiman the Leper

Ask Elisha
If a lie, ask Elisha, ask Elisha
If a lie, ask Elisha, ask Elisha
If a lie, ask Elisha, ask Elisha
If a lie, ask Elisha, ask Elisha
If a lie, ask Elisha, ask Elisha
If a lie, ask Elisha, ask Elisha

Tomorrow's what we're on about
Tomorrow's what we're on about
Not yesterday
It's up to man to understand

To have success upon this land
He better have some faith
Have
Some

Faith
Repeat
Have, some, have some, faith!
Have, some, have some, faith!

The impossible have a habit of happening
If you think a lie I atell ask Elisha
Ask Elisha... ask Ellsha...

"Macka Splaff" - from Handsworth Revolution (1978)

Hi
I just feel blockup on you
Hey bum bu
Hey Jah stab
Hey size nine
Hey grey seed
Is like seh grizzly ah folly
Him smoke off the collie

So, ma it, grizzly
Mash It!
Mister collie, collie collie man
Me want some herbs to smoke tonight
Mister collie, collie collie man
Me want some herbs to smoke tonight

Feeling high, high high
Feeling down, down down
Feeling high, high high
Feeling down, down down
Feeling high, high high
Feeling down, down down

Mister collie, collie collie man
Me want some herbs to smoke tonight
Mister collie, collie collie man
Marijuana smoke tonight
Mister collie man
Want some herbs to smoke tonight
Mister collie man
Ganja smoke tonight

Feeling high ... (chorus)

Mister collie man, plant of Jah Jah
Smoke tonight
Feeling high (chorus)

Block up feelings ire in I self