Desmond Dekker – Israelites

February 8, 2019 Video & Lyrics

 

Desmond Dekker – Israelites

 

Get up in the morning, slaving for bread, sir
So that every mouth can be fed
Poor me Israelites, ah
Get up in the morning, slaving for bread, sir
So that every mouth can be fed
Poor me Israelite
My wife and my kids, they packed up and leave me
Darling, she said, I was yours to be seen
Poor me Israelites
Shirt them a-tear up, trousers is gone
I don’t want to end up like Bonnie and Clyde
Poor me Israelites
After a storm there must be a calm
They catch me in the farm
You sound your alarm
Poor me Israelites
I said I get up in the morning, slaving for bread, sir
So that every mouth can be fed
Poor me Israelites
I said my wife and my kids, they are packed up and leave me
Darling, she said, I was yours to be seen
Poor me Israelites
Look me shirts them a-tear up, trousers are gone
I don’t want to end up like Bonnie and Clyde
Poor me Israelites
After a storm there must be a calm
They catch me in the farm
You sound your alarm
Poor me Israelites
Poor me Israelites, poor me Israelites, poor me Israelites

MEANING:

Desmond Dekker talks about his song “The Israelites” at the Empire Pool (now The Wembley Arena), in 1970. Critics didn’t’ understand what Israelite means if it refers to jew from Israel, but Desmond explains that Israelite is a word that they use to refer to poverty. The government did not help poor people to defeat the starve and poverty like abandoned to themselves.

Get up in the morning, slaving for bread sir” was misunderstood as “Get up in the morning, baked beans for breakfast”, nevertheless became the first hit in the UK.  DD had inspiration for this song while he was walking home and he heard people arguing in the street because of money. So he relates those things that he wrote ” Wake up in the morning and you slaving for bread …” to the state of poverty that Jamaica was facing during this time.

There is more than one translation of the verse “Shocked then I tear up chose as I go” or ” Look me shirts them a-tear up, trousers are gone“. I leave that to your interpretation, let me know what you think.

” I don’ t want to end up like  Bonnie and Clyde” is a very mean-full phrase. I could be wrong but according to my perception, he intends that If the government won’t help these people, they would end up to be “criminals”, and to steal get food to survive as a consequence of the indifference of government.

Comments

  • Jew from Israel sounds inappropriate, especially since the term Israelite refers to the ancient Hebrews, including their time of enslavement under the pharaohs. “Jew from Israel” sounds kind of vulgar, like “Anglo from England.”

    • Hi Lowel, I apologize if I was inappropriate it was an involuntary mistake. Thanks for pointing it out. If you have any clarifications in this regard, I will be happy to receive and treasure them.

  • Good post. Nobody mentions the words at the very end of the song, after the verses. I wonder what they’re about. As the music is about to fade out, he says some more things unlisted in the lyrics.

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