I read today that reggae musician Desmond Dekker died of a heart attack at the age of 64. I don't know much about reggae music (outside of the number of tunes by Bob Marley which I love) but I do know that Desmond Dekker's song The Israelites is about as cool as it gets.
It's another example of the hundreds of different cool songs that my oldest brother Joe has introduced me to over the years (which include but aren't limited to Anarchy in the UK (Sex Pistols), Lust for Life (Iggy Pop), Gone Daddy Gone (Violent Femmes), I Need You (the Replacements & even Brazil (Frank Sinatra)...every one of them absolute classics).
Here are the lyrics, they don't so much jump off the page, but the song is irrestible the first time you hear it. If you don't have it, download it, you won't be disappointed:
Get up in the morning, slaving for bread, sir,
so that every mouth can be fed.
Poor me, the Israelite. Aah.
Get up in the morning, slaving for bread, sir,
So that every mouth can be fed.
Poor me, the Israelite. Aah.
My wife and my kids, they are packed up and leave me.
Darling, she said, I was yours to be seen.
Poor me, the Israelite. Aah.
Shirt them a-tear up, trousers are gone.
I don't want to end up like Bonnie and Clyde.
Poor me, the Israelite. Aah.
After a storm there must be a calm.
They catch me in the farm. You sound the alarm.
Poor me, the Israelite. Aah.
Poor me, the Israelite.
I wonder who I'm working for.
Poor me, Israelite,
I look a-down and out, sir.
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