Big Fat Love Bomb

  1. ANYTHING

  2. LOVE BOMB

  3. TWO IS BETTER THAN ONE

  4. BLESSED ARE THE ELDERS

  5. WE CYAH REST

  6. REVOLUTION RELOADED

  7. WHERE IS THE FIRE

  8. MOMENT TO PRAY

  9. OSHAY BABA

  10. LONDON CALLING

  11. TO THE PUB, BABYLOVE

  12.  LOVE BOMB (LIVE)

  13.  BE WISE

  14. GIVE LOVE A CHANCE

Credit and Acknowledgements

ANYTHING

Chant:

Ay ay ay ay ay ay ay (repeat)

Verse:

Never underestimate the power of your mind

Never underestimate the power of your will, oh no

Never underestimate the power of your mind

Never underestimate the power of your choices

We have the greatest power

We have the greatest power

Dwelling in our hands, aye aye

We have the greatest power

We have the greatest power, power, power, power

 

Chorus:

We can do anything we want

We just have to want to do it

Anything we want, really

We just have to want to do it

 

Chant

 

Verse:

Never put a limit to the things you can achieve

Never ever doubt yourself; you just have to believe, oh yeah

Never put a limit to the things you can achieve

Never ever doubt the gift of life you have received

I AM the greatest power gave unto us his power

Don’t you understand?

I AM the Godhead power

Gave unto us his power, power, power

 

Chorus/ Chant

.

 Back

LOVE BOMB

 

Intro:

The only bomb we need is love

The only bomb we need is peace

 

Chorus:

Who again dem gonna bomb, bomb, bomb,

Who again dem gonna bomb, bomb, bomb,

Cause when ah puit on meh tv,

Dem fellas busy busy busy

And when ah put on meh telly,

Meh head get dizzy dizzy dizzy,

Who again dem gonna bomb

 

Verse:

Don’t tell me that war is a solution,

Don’t tell me that that’s your only intention,

Don’t tell me oh that war’s your resolution

Don’t tell me, don’t tell me

 

Chorus

 

Verse:

Don’t tell me that yuh not seeing

Don’t tell me, cause I know that yuh know what yuh doing,

Don’t tell me that yuh not seeing,

Cause is only yourself that yuh fooling

 

Chorus

 

Millions of people look dey dying,

Another million done starving,

Millions of people, oh gosh, look dey homeless,

And billions even the whole world

It in a mess, it in a mess

 

Chorus

 

Verse:

Terrorists, come on, stop your terror,

And Mr. America, war is not the answer,

Terrorists, come on, stop your terror,

And Mr. America, oh gosh please forgive your brother

 

Chorus / Outro

  Back

 

TWO IS BETTER THAN ONE

 

Where is the fire, the fire in my people

Where is the fire, the fire in my people

Where is the fire, oh God

 

Chorus:

Two is better than one

And a threefold cord is not easily broken

Two is better than one

The strength of few could mean death of a nation

Two is better than one

And a threefold cord is not easily broken

Two is better than one

Ooh yeah, yeah (repeat)

 

Verse:

When yuh walking with your load

Don’t be ashamed, seek help my brother

When yuh walking with your load

Don’t be ashamed, we need one another

When yuh walking with your load

Don’t be ashamed, seek help my brother/sister

When yuh walking with your load

One is a flame, two is a fire

 

Chorus

 

Where is the fire, the fire in my people

Where is the fire, the fire in my people

Where is the fire, oh God

Where is the fire, oh God

 

Verse:

Just as Christ took hold of the cross

Soon came a man to give him a hand

Just as Christ took hold of the cross

Soon came a man to show us a plan

To understand

Ooh yeah yeah yeah

 

Chorus

  Back

 

BLESSED ARE THE ELDERS

 

In communities must have babies and elderlies

Beyond their fifties

No lie, no lie

And even mommy and meh daddy

Learn from grandpa and from granny

No lie, no lie

They say wisdom comes with age

And youth with bursting energy

Just remember this philosophy

Without the root you don’t have a tree, you see

 

Chorus:

Blessed are the elders

For they hold the keys of experience,

Blessed are the elders

For they are like trees of endurance

Blessed are they, blessed are they

So we appreciate their opinion

We celebrate their wisdom

Blessed are they, blessed are they

 

Verse:

When an elder and a youngster

Work together they bound to prosper

No lie, no lie

New technology has credibility

And experience is maturity

No lie, no lie

So if you want productivity

Then we must live in harmony

Promote the right of equality

And respect for all humanity, you see

 

Chorus

 

Verse:

Every generation has emotion

They need love care and attention

No lie, no lie

We must consider love for the elder

As a culture to teach the youngster

No lie, no lie

Respect those who have gone before

And endeavour to contribute more

For when you lift up the elderly

You enrich the society, you see

 

Chorus

 

Bridge:

Listen, we each have a responsibility to ourselves and to God, to show love, compassion and to ensure the safety of the elderly. Remember, today you’re young but tomorrow you’re old. Now to the elders, we need you to talk to us. Come and share your knowledge and experience with us. Share with us.

 

Verse:

Determination, perseverance

From each person makes a difference

No lie, no lie

So the nation could be number one

With hard work and dedication

No lie, no lie

The elders they were tried like gold

Look how they shining now that they old

They didn’t have we technology

But they made it with dignity, you see

 

Chorus

  Back

WE *CYAH REST

Ah have a chant, right, and ah want you to share it with me. When I say Arise, I want to hear you say “arise” after me

 

Chorus:

Ah say Arise Arise

Arise arise, arise arise

Ah say arise, arise, arise

We cyah rest, no no, we cyah rest

We cyah rest, no no, we cyah rest, no, no

We cyah rest, no no, we cyah rest, oh no

We cyah rest, no no, we cyah rest, no no

Ay ay ay ay ay, oh oh oh oh oh

 

Yuh sittin down, ah say we sleeping man

And ah find we doing that a little too long,

Ah find we doing that a little too long,

Too long, too long

How yuh could sit down and so much thing going wrong, eh?

How yuh could rest and the whole place in a mess

Ah say how yuh could rest

Brotherman how yuh could rest

But listen this Jamoo Rapso-man say arise arise

This jamoo rapso man say arise arise

When the problem of race hittin yuh in yuh face

Big smiling tooth in the place

And yuh know is only toothpaste

Yuh think yuh could rest

No we cyah rest, we cyah rest, we cyah rest

Ah say no we cyah rest, we cyah rest, we cyah rest

When yuh in yuh house and hear knock knock

Yuh fraid to open d door

Because since 1864, like safety walk out the door

Yuh think yuh could rest

No we cyah rest, we cyah rest, we cyah rest

Ah say No no no no no no

So . . .

 

Chorus

 

Verse:

It’s time for awakening

It’s time for some serious soul searching

It’s time, ah say it’s time

It’s a serious thing because the time we living in

Eh no time to be sleeping

This Jamoo Rapso-man say stop

Ah say STOP

WAKE UP

Or else the whole place go erupt

When love is not seen

Violence and oppression is king and queen

Ah say when love is not seen

Violence and oppression is king and queen

Yuh think yuh could rest?

No we cyah rest, we cyah rest, we cyah rest

Ah say, no we cyah rest, we cyah rest, we cyah rest

Ah say muh women being brutalized,

Brutal rape have them traumatised

The children mentally and spiritually paralyzed

Yuh think yuh could rest?

No we cyah rest, we cyah rest, we cyah rest

Ah say no no no no no

So. . .

 

Chorus

 

Verse:

Man, how yuh could rest when soca regress

How yuh could rest when soca regress

And accept mess as the best

Ah say tah-tah tah-tah

Yuh think yuh could rest

No we cyah rest, we cyah rest, we cyah rest

Ah say no we cyah rest, we cyah rest, we cyah rest

Man, drugs and prostitution

All manner of abomination

Which destroys our human relation

Inhabit our nation

Yuh think yuh could rest

No we cyah rest, we cyah rest, we cyah rest

Ah say no we cyah rest, we cyah rest, we cyah rest

  Chorus

  *can’t

  Back

REVOLUTION RELOADED

(Featuring Shabaka Kambon)

(With excerpts from Martin Carter’s “Looking at your hands”, dedicated to Kwame Ture)

 

Speech:

Wherever the revolution begins, that’s where I want to be and tonight this is the revolution brethrens and sistrens, yuh know what ah mean. I want to call my beloved brethren, Shabaka, to share this song with me. This one is Revolution Reloaded.

 

Intro:

Dearly beloved brothers and sisters, it has become necessary for us to gird ourselves mentally, physically, financially, spiritually. . .to be able to stand against the injustice and imbalance that exists in our midst. We must, I say we must reinstall justice, equality, balance, harmony, and the highest principle ever known unto man – Love, love, love, love

 

Chorus:

This time we talking revolution, this time, this time (repeat)

Revolution, revolution, revolution (x2)

 

Speech:

No I will not still my voice

I have too much to claim

If you see me walking in the sun

Marching in your ranks

Know that I look for fire

I have learnt from books

Of men hungering and dreaming

In a room without light

Who could not die since death was far too poor

Who did not sleep to dream but dreamed to change the world

 

Dreamed to change the world, dreamed to change the world

 

Verse:

Ah had enough, this have to stop (forward ever, backward never)

Ah had enough, this have to stop

No longer shall we stand for this injustice

No longer shall we accept this foolishness

We gonna hunt you down and torment you until you perish

And we shall have the victory

Because we are standing and fighting for righteousness

Revolution

 

Chorus

 

Speech:

My father is the original thinker

Civilization came directly from the womb of my mother

I am the personification of Simba and Anansi,

Imperialism you cyah school nor fool me

CNN, Fox, BBC

Why must life be like a game of chess?

Civilization against civilization

The west against the rest

There’s only one solution

In this time we fight, we unite

To change the world

People

Fear not legions of soldiers, politicians, police and priests

Nor terrestrial demons with weapons of mass destruction

Because none of them can stop this time this time

This time the spook who sat by the door is not sitting there any more

We out, out in the road warrior

We talking revolution, we about justice brother and sister.

Revolution, revolution, revolution

 

Wherever the revolution begins, it’s there I want to be

Oh wherever the revolution begins, it’s where I want to be

 

Tell me, tell me are you ready?

Are you ready for the revolution? (x2)

 

Revolution! Revolution! Revolution. . .!

  Back

 

WHERE IS THE FIRE

Where is the fire

The fire in my people

Where is the fire, the fire in my people

Where is the fire, oh god

Where is the fire, my god

 

More fire, let the energy flow

More fire, more fire man

More fire

 

Where is the longing, the longing in my people

Where is the fire, oh God

Show me some fire, oh yeah

 

Where is the faith, the faith of my people

Where is the vision, the vision of my people

 

MOMENT TO PRAY

(by Madge-Bernice Blackman-Mohammed)

 

Where’s the love?

No one seems to know

It seems like it has gone awhile

And no one realised

Ah see a need of change, Oh Lord

We can’t take a war now; we don’t need a war now, ah-hah

There must be a way now, to turn things around now, oh-oh

 

Chorus:

So if you can

I’m asking you to please take a moment to pray

We need it now, we need it now

Please take a moment to pray

It would be nice, it would be nice

To take a moment to pray

We need it now, we need it now

Please take a moment, mmm

 

Verse:

Where’s the peace?

Like no one seems to know

It seems like things will never cease

Is this the way to go?

Ah see a need of change oh Lord

We can’t take a war; we don’t need a war now, ah-hah

There must be a way now, to turn things around now, oh-oh

 

Chorus

 

Oooh, oooh yeah, yeah

It would be nice

It would be so sweet, yeah, yeah, yeah

Just take a moment

 

OSHAY BABA

 

Intro.:

Oshay Baba, Oshay

Thank you Father, thank you

Oshay Baba, Oshay

Thank you Father, thank you

 

Verse:

For centuries

We have been separated

But we Father pleaded

For we to be reunited

Some came from far, some from near

From Asia, from Africa,

The Caribbean, Europe and Americas

To celebrate freedom

And to remember the existence of Mother Africa

 

Chorus:

Ooooh Africa/Africans

My mother’s children, heed the call of their Father

My mother’s children, heed the call to come together

My mother’s children finally came together

Everybody walking together,

Everybody loving each other

’Nuff a people chanting together

What we chanting

Oshay Baba, Oshay, Oshay Baba

Emancipation

Oshay Baba, Oshay, Oshay Baba

Ah say Emancipation!

 

Verse:

The struggle

That we encounter daily

Could not dismantle

Our hope for freedom and victory

We were faced with despair

Sometimes fear

But the healing of our people

Was indeed inevitable

Like the glitter of a gold medal

So was/are the celebrations of my people

 

Chorus

 

Bridge:

Oshay Baba, Oshay

Thank you Father, thank you

Oshay Baba, Oshay

Thank you Father, thank you

 

The future

Has plenty for us together

And together

Plenty we offer the future

Like the rising sun when it comes

We have yesterday to remember

We have today to discover

So let’s move on, oh let’s move on

Offering love to the people of other race and cultures

 

Chorus

  Back

  LONDON CALLING

 

Christmas and New Year’s ah spend in the Caribbean

Sweet Trinidad

Carnival come and gone

Ah jump up like ah mad

Christmas and New Year’s ah spend in the Caribbean sun

Sweet Trinidad

Carnival come and gone

Ah had fun in dem panyard

Ah tell yuh March, April, May bound to find me Maracas Bay

But as soon as June hit the corner

Ah like a fish outta water

Ah get a pulling, a tugging, yearning, and a urging

Tell meh where it coming from

London calling

Pack meh bags now and ah coming

Calling

Ah on the Piccadilly line and ah zooming

Calling, calling

Ah had to answer

Calling, calling, oh yeah

’Cause in the summer time, London is the place to be

In the summer time, London is the place to be

Ah want to see you dance, dance

Dancing in London

Want to see you wave, wave

Wave in a London

Want to see you groove, boy, groove

Groove in a London

Ah want to see yuh, wanna see yuh, wanna see yuh dance in a London

 

Look, ah sit down in muh house just so muh phone ring

Ah say “Hello”,

muh crew in a London, in a jam session in Brixton

Ah sit down in muh house,

Just so muh phone ring

Ah say “Hello”, muh crew in a London, in a jam session in Brixton

Well ah tell dem wait, people wait,

Doh want to know how great the lime great

Only when I clear Heathrow customs

Will I accept invitations

This phone-calling is compelling

It is urging, and mind-boggling

Tell meh where it coming from

London calling

Ah pack meh bags now and ah coming

Calling

Ah on the picadilly line and ah zooming

Calling, calling

Ah had to answer

Calling, calling

 

’Cause in the summer time, say London is the place to be

In the summer time, London is the place to be

Ah want to see you dance, dance, dance in a London

Wanna see yuh wave, wave, wave in a London

Ah want to see yuh groove, boy, groove boy, groove in a London

Ah wanna see yuh. . . .

London ah call meh, London ah call meh

Back

TO THE PUB, BABYLOVE

Well, this song is about the pub

Baby, baby, baby

Singing ooh baby, baby

Isn’t it a lovely day, oooh

Can we have a date baby, oooh

Even if it’s cold outside, oooh

Baby we can take a ride, oooh

And if it’s a warm summer evening, baby

Then we could sit outside, oooh

Baby, baby, baby

 

Chorus

To the pub together

Let’s have a meal

We can have a pint/some wine together

Oooh baby baby, baby I love yuh

To the pub together

Let’s have a meal

Maybe we can dance together

Oooh baby baby, baby I love yuh

Baby, baby, baby

Baby, singing ooh baby, baby

 

Honey, if you say okay, oooh

You will truly make my day, oooh

I’m ready anytime you say, oooh

Baby whether night or day, oooh

And if it’s miles in the countryside baby,

Surely I would make my way, oooh

Baby, baby, baby

 

Chorus

  Back

LOVE BOMB (LIVE)

 

Intro:

Want to do a song that I wrote in Norway, and I left Norway and I come back to England and I went up by Paul, and this song is recorded under that kind of collaborative vibe and it’s called Love Bomb.

 

The only bomb we need is love

The only bomb we need is peace

 

Chorus:

Who again dem gonna bomb, bomb, bomb,

Who again dem gonna bomb, bomb, bomb,

Cause when ah put on meh tv,

Dem fellas busy busy busy

And when ah put on meh telly,

Meh head get dizzy dizzy dizzy,

Who again dem gonna bomb

 

Verse:

Don’t tell me that war is a solution,

Don’t tell me that that’s your only intention,

Don’t tell me oh that war’s your resolution

Don’t tell me, don’t tell me

 

Chorus

 

Millions of people look dey dying

Another million done starving

Millions of people, oh gosh, look dey homeless

And billions even the whole world

It in a mess, it in a mess

  Back

 

BE WISE

 Intro:

Aye, yuh see this one. This one is for my people.

 

Oh, please politicians

Come on awake to the mission

The land in great tribulation

We need revival in the nation

Political power and responsibility

Must be shared equally

We live in a cosmopolitan society

Everyone deserve equal opportunity

 

Chorus:

One man by his wisdom could build a whole nation

But by the same token, one clown could bring a whole town down (x2)

Be wise, be wise

Be wise, be wise (repeat)

 

Verse:

Please fellow citizens

We have a duty to the nation

We have a duty to we children

Time to make a crucial decision

We live in a democratic society

A leader must be placed there by we

So before yuh hand get stain up with ink

The first thing ah want you do is think

 

Chorus

 

Come on, listen people

We have to get out of the rubble

Face our problems realistically

The answer is love and through harmony

Our nation is young emotionally

We just got independence quite recently

We only had five prime ministers to date

So is time to end all the racial hate

 

Chorus

 

Verse:

Last but not least

Oh, youth of muh nation

Ah depending on yuh vision

Without your participation

You know we doomed for stagnation

We can’t allow by any chance

For this to take place

So please come and claim allyuh space

So that when the elders dem dead and gone

Trinidad and Tobago go long live on

That’s what I’m talking about

Yeah!

 

Chorus

  Back

 

GIVE LOVE A CHANCE

 

Chorus:

I’ve made up my mind to give love a chance again

Made up my mind to give love a chance again

 

 

Verse:

I must admit that I was afraid to give my heart all over again

I must admit that I thought it insane

I lived in a world of freedom

No one to lay claim

And I felt like I’ve been hurt for too many times

Didn’t want to leave my past love behind

Oh no, yeah

But then you came along, made me feel so fine

The lovin’ that we shared made me change my mind

Change my mind, change my mind

 

Chorus:

I’ve made up my mind to give love a chance again

Made up my mind to give love a chance again

Oh yeah, yeah

Back

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS AND CREDITS

This compilation is a collection of some of my favourite works. It is a showcase for several modes of performance and reveals my spiritual and moral convictions, and my viewpoint on political events in my country and the world. It came together as I explored the realm of possibilities for the artistic contribution to societal change. In it are some ideas that I believe are worthy of your consideration. I hope that they can benefit the community by provoking positive thought and action.

All songs written, arranged, produced and performed by Sheldon Blackman, except tracks 3 and 7, produced by Sheldon and Isaac Blackman; and track 8, written, arranged and performed by Marge-Bernice Blackman-Mohammed.

All songs recorded and mixed by Paul Draper of Dead Frog Studio, Bickerstaff, England, except tracks 4, 5, 8 and 9 recorded and mixed by Kenny Phillips of KMP Music Lab, San Fernando, Trinidad; and tracks 3 and 7, recorded and mixed by Isaac Blackman of Jamoo Sounds, Tunapuna, Trinidad.

Mastering by Paul Draper of Dead Frog Studio and Isaac Blackman of Jamoo Sounds

Backcover  photo: David Wears

Cover design by Steven Doobal and REMY

For bookings, go to www.amentertainment.com , Paul Draper +44 07808 398827 www.deadfrogstudio.co.uk, and management, Nichola Niles +44 07984621574/ +44 0208 840 8802

sheldonblackmanmusic@yahoo.com

© COTT 2004 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

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