Lyrics!: Lutan Fyah

For years now and easily from ever since we started this blog, I’ve tried to stress the genius level writing of the one, Lutan Fyah (I even wrote An Article about it). To my opinion, he’s rather clearly the most gifted Roots Reggae wordsmith to emerge since the great Sizzla Kalonji and, these days, unless the famous August Town resident is at the absolute height of his strength, I might even be inclined to rank the Fyah over him in that department as well. What makes Lutan Fyah so powerful, in my opinion, is a variety of different things, with a major key being is his ability SIMPLIFY his typically complex ideology. When you listen to a tune, it comes through as this kind of serene stream of concepts, united to make one thought, but if you stop it at almost anywhere along its trod and take a very educated look, you’re likely to notice that the things that he REALLY means, are very well thought out and crafted messages which are, when they make it to song, not nearly as complicated and are very easy to understand. Take this and combine it with a subtle, but ever-present, passion for what he is saying and an undeniable conviction - And you have one of the greatest (if not THE greatest) lyricists of the modern era of Roots Reggae music. To honour that, we now observe ten extremely random journeys through the mind of one of the current lyrical PILLARS of Reggae music - Lutan Fyah.

“Even the church haffi bow at his feet
The Pope of Rome and Elizabeth, the Queen
Lawyers, doctors and judges seh dem nah blaspheme
BUN DEM IF DEM NAH COME CLEAN!”
-‘Genesis’

“Heathen ah get vaporize
Dem caan even look inna di Lion’s eyes
Yes, a long time mi deh and wi ah analyze
Mi si seh babylon dem mentally paralyzed
Yes, a only di ghetto youths dem waan monopolize
Dem ah gwaan lak dem wise
So let dem deh be crucified!”
-‘Mama Africa’ w/Ras Shiloh

“Mi have a nice likkle ting ah gwan
Dem ah try stop it and -
Drive mi like fast car
And turn ‘round and crash it
As mi get day pay
Gone raise inna mi pocket
Any road weh mi tek dem try block it!
Hey, mi got mi locks upon mi head
Mi haffi wash it
Hey, mi nah be no giggalo
Mi nah go g-spot it
Mi no seaside dread
Mi no rental fi tourist
Hypocrites, dem betta know dis!”
-’Trial & Crosses’


“Don’t be ungrateful
Jah love for you is kind
Live and be faithful
Get this in your mind
Don’t be ungrateful
Jah love for you is kind
Even though you trod it through test of time
Walk straight and be wise

It no pretty out deh
Inna everything just improvise
Give thanks for the little Jah provide
Take what is rightfully yours, without compromise
Di world is fulla tricks and bribe
What no concern you -
Just leave it
And what is for Ceasar -
Mek him keep it
Your skills and your talent is your best kept secret
Use it, nah lose it, believe it”
-‘Ungrateful’

“Mi know seh dat no man no perfect, so occasionally I -
Gone wrong, made mistake and I haffi wonder why
Nuff a dem, dem caan give yet dem waan tek di breath of life
Now him siddung and ah cry
I tell yah seh di truth is how wi live
Dem lock in captive
Dem live dem life so negative
Dem neva positive
Oh!
Him waan fi past and longtime him burn him bridge
Yet still . . .

Yow him get 15 years to life
3 strikes!
Locked inna prison for the rest of his natural time
Neva waan fi tek di counsel of wise
Now him ah peep through bars at night”
-’15 Years to Life’

“Seems like they gotta plan to keep us under
Dem ah look some easy victim fi slander
Stumbling block inna mi way -
Dem spread dem propaganda
Dem waan provoke I to anger!
Seh mi nah take no blame
You caan figure me out
Badmind ah kill di wicked, dem ah slander mi down
I no got no bag of riches, so mi nah linger around
I nah go suffer no more”
-’Overcome Dem’


“Dem innocent ah dead inna di old Capitol
Hey, peer blood shed inna di old Capital
Dem shirt ah run red inna di old
Mi si dem spread dem corruption bed inna di old . . .
Ah tru dem guilty trigga finga!
Dem all guns pointing and dem aiming to shoot
Dem license dem guilty trigga finga!
You name recognition seeking, wreckless youth
Dem license dem guilty trigga finga!
Di way dem gun big, it caah hold inna dem trousers loop
Dem guilty trigga finga yeah!
Mi si dem inna dem massive, dem posse and crew!
-’No Peace In Spanish Town’

“Doesn’t it hurt to see a likkle youth with a gun under him shirt -
‘Nobody move, nobody get hurt’?
Yes - It seems like worst come to worst
A lot of attitude and dem well blood thirst
Dem no care if a blessing or curse
Yes, dem tell you dem no pet neither nurse
Dancehall or Church!
Anyweh dem go is war dem put first yes

Dem ah ask what made us vex
Only di poverty, di pain and di distress
They ask what made us vex
Tru di ghetto youths, totally different from di rest

They ask what made us vex
Only di poverty, di pain and di distress
They ask what made us vex!
Cause there is no hope, for the unfortunates”
-’What Made Us Vex’

“Di love of Selassie I affection is so real
Give I di vision inna every faculty
Vitalize, give I strength and energy
Life power keep breath inna mi body
Most High power is like vitamin and enzymes
Vegetables and essential oils -
Clean mi bloodstreams and renew my mind
Maintain mi hormones, not a negative sign

Nah sell out fi no dollars and cents, dem caan tear down mi fence
None a dem can break I down
Most High Jah is my defense
And a love a fi mi strength
None a dem can break I down”
-’Break I Down’


“Hey, dem seh money is essential
First education come
Dem pay di price, on di GSAT curriculum
And if you fail di literacy test, dem seh yuh dumb
And yet you send di youths to learn di language and di sum
What a ting inna society!
Dem no provide di people wid no job opportunity
So dem lock wi in di ramshackle community!
Rob di people of their liberty!

Deep in di garrison!
Di Garrison!
People ah face Sufferation caan done
Dung inna di garrison
Di garrison!
Nuff youth caan tek it so dem turn to di gun

Deep in di garrison!
Di Garrison!
People ah face Sufferation caan dun
Dung inna di garrison!
Di Garrison!
Nuff gone six feet deep under ground

These leaders go hard fi demselves
Fi di people, dem no care
Dem ah bruk di bread
And wid di youths dem, dem no share
These false promises, getting nowhere
Di youths dem inna doubt and fear
Words without commitment
And I no see no upliftment
All I can, is peer detriment
Boardhouse and zinc fence!”
-’Garrison’ [MAD!]