Israelites

Juist ja, 't leek me wel aardig Koby Israelite te laten volgen door Desmond Dekker (1941-2006), de man met de goed-Nederlandse achternaam heette overigens Desmond A. Dacres,  scoorde in 1968 de eerste internationale reggaehit met "Israelites". Ergens in de jaren tachtig sprak ik hem twee uur lang in de studio: aardige man, die goed kon vertellen hoe de muziek  op Jamaica zich twee decennia eerder had ontwikkeld. Dit zijn de woorden:

I get up in the morning slaving for bread sir

so that every mouth can be fed -- poor me Israelites

I get up in the morning slaving for bread sir
so that every mouth can be fed -- poor me Israelites
my wife and my kids they pack up and a-leave me
darling she said I was yours to be seen -- poor me Israelites

Shocked then I tear up chose as I go
I don't want to end up like Bonny and Clyde -- poor me Israelites
after a storm there must be a calming
you catch me in your farm you sound your alarm ---

poor me IsraelitesI get up in the morning slaving for bread sir
so that every mouth can be fed -- poor me Israelites
my wife and my kids they pack up and a-leave me
darling she said I was yours to be seen -- poor me Israelites

Shocked then I tear up chose as I go
I don't want to end up like Bonny and Clyde -- poor me Israelites
after a storm there must be a calming
you catch me in your farm you sound your alarm -- poor me Israelite

Poor me Israelites poor me Israelites poor me Israelites