The song lyrics were written by the band Van Halen, as they were asked to write a song for the 1979 movie "Over the Edge" starring Matt Dillon. The movie (and the lyrics, although more obliquely) are about bored, rebellious youth with nothing better to do than get into trouble. If you see the movie, these lyrics will make more sense. It's a great movie if you grew up in the 70s/80s you'll definitely remember some of these characters from your own life. Fun fact, after writing the song, Van Halen decided not to let the movie use it.
JAH RASTAFARI
~and I saw an I-ngel ascended from the east. having the seal of the living
King, Emperor Haile Selassie I, the Most High. And He cried out with a loud
voice, sayin~
chorus:
well, it's a raggy road
road is so rough
raggy road
road is so tough
raggy road
a road is so rough
raggy road
well I been troddin this road for the longest while
and me career nuff a dem want fi soil
troddin this road for the longest while
and never yet try profit off all another man toil
troddin this road for the longest while
a long time in this house and me no stop till the soil
troddin this road for the longest while
and give away more than one tenth of the spoil
troddin this road for the longest while
and still me lamp never run outa oil
this the one you have fi feel
tell dem a no bargain
tell dem a no deal
nuff a dem nah want put dem shoulder to the wheel
so dem go rape.. dem go rob.. and dem go kill and steal
all a try eat all a another man meal
onu deaf, onu dumb, onu blind fi go feel
one man was worthy to open the seal
Emperor Selassie I I know is real
Babylon get trampled under me heel
Chorus:
Well, nuff a dem go get throw overboard
Like Henry Morgan with the pirate code
Nuff a dem a trod upon corruption road
Nuff a dem a trod with Satan heavy load
True dem promote that dem and
The bingi man no
Bingi man no pose
Bingi man no wear up dem Babylon clothes
In a me turban and me asian robe
Well dem a come see
We come fi expose
The righteous works nuff try oppose
I see judgement a take dem evil at the sword
Judgement take dem and then dem explode
Chorus:
Immanuel road so rough
Selassie I road so tough
Well Babylon dem have fi run
Now dem see the hour and how come dem a go run
I'm like the lightning and the thunder
Come fi conquer dem gun
I'm like the rain I'm like the breeze
I'm like the river that run
I'm like the star I'm like the moon
I'm just like the sun
And dem give the ghetto youth dem gun
Fi shoot dem brother down
Babylon you judgement a fi come
Chorus:
~and I saw an I-ngel ascended from the east. having the seal of the living
King, Emperor Haile Selassie I, the Most High. And He cried out with a loud
voice, sayin~
chorus:
well, it's a raggy road
road is so rough
raggy road
road is so tough
raggy road
a road is so rough
raggy road
well I been troddin this road for the longest while
and me career nuff a dem want fi soil
troddin this road for the longest while
and never yet try profit off all another man toil
troddin this road for the longest while
a long time in this house and me no stop till the soil
troddin this road for the longest while
and give away more than one tenth of the spoil
troddin this road for the longest while
and still me lamp never run outa oil
this the one you have fi feel
tell dem a no bargain
tell dem a no deal
nuff a dem nah want put dem shoulder to the wheel
so dem go rape.. dem go rob.. and dem go kill and steal
all a try eat all a another man meal
onu deaf, onu dumb, onu blind fi go feel
one man was worthy to open the seal
Emperor Selassie I I know is real
Babylon get trampled under me heel
Chorus:
Well, nuff a dem go get throw overboard
Like Henry Morgan with the pirate code
Nuff a dem a trod upon corruption road
Nuff a dem a trod with Satan heavy load
True dem promote that dem and
The bingi man no
Bingi man no pose
Bingi man no wear up dem Babylon clothes
In a me turban and me asian robe
Well dem a come see
We come fi expose
The righteous works nuff try oppose
I see judgement a take dem evil at the sword
Judgement take dem and then dem explode
Chorus:
Immanuel road so rough
Selassie I road so tough
Well Babylon dem have fi run
Now dem see the hour and how come dem a go run
I'm like the lightning and the thunder
Come fi conquer dem gun
I'm like the rain I'm like the breeze
I'm like the river that run
I'm like the star I'm like the moon
I'm just like the sun
And dem give the ghetto youth dem gun
Fi shoot dem brother down
Babylon you judgement a fi come
Chorus:
Lyrics submitted by SongMeanings
Raggy Road Lyrics as written by Bobby Digital Dixon Clifton Bailey
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
Add your thoughts
Log in now to tell us what you think this song means.
Don’t have an account? Create an account with SongMeanings to post comments, submit lyrics, and more. It’s super easy, we promise!
More Featured Meanings
Light Up The Sky
Van Halen
Van Halen
Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
Tracy Chapman
"Fast car" is kind of a continuation of Bruce Springsteen's "Born to Run." It has all the clawing your way to a better life, but in this case the protagonist never makes it with her love; in fact she is dragged back down by him.
There is still an amazing amount of hope and will in the lyrics; and the lyrics themselve rank and easy five. If only music was stronger it would be one of those great radio songs that you hear once a week 20 years after it was released. The imagery is almost tear-jerking ("City lights lay out before us", "Speeds so fast felt like I was drunk"), and the idea of starting from nothing and just driving and working and denigrating yourself for a chance at being just above poverty, then losing in the end is just painful and inspiring at the same time.
The Night We Met
Lord Huron
Lord Huron
This is a hauntingly beautiful song about introspection, specifically about looking back at a relationship that started bad and ended so poorly, that the narrator wants to go back to the very beginning and tell himself to not even travel down that road. I believe that the relationship started poorly because of the lines:
"Take me back to the night we met:When the night was full of terrors: And your eyes were filled with tears: When you had not touched me yet"
So, the first night was not a great start, but the narrator pursued the relationship and eventually both overcame the rough start to fall in love with each other:
"I had all and then most of you"
Like many relationships that turn sour, it was not a quick decline, but a gradual one where the narrator and their partner fall out of love and gradually grow apart
"Some and now none of you"
Losing someone who was once everything in your world, who you could confide in, tell your secrets to, share all the most intimate parts of your life, to being strangers with that person is probably one of the most painful experiences a person can go through. So Painful, the narrator wants to go back in time and tell himself to not even pursue the relationship.
This was the perfect song for "13 Reasons Why"
Cajun Girl
Little Feat
Little Feat
Overall about difficult moments of disappointment and vulnerability. Having hope and longing, while remaining optimistic for the future. Encourages the belief that with each new morning there is a chance for things to improve.
The chorus offers a glimmer of optimism and a chance at a resolution and redemption in the future.
Captures the rollercoaster of emotions of feeling lost while loving someone who is not there for you, feeling let down and abandoned while waiting for a lover. Lost with no direction, "Now I'm up in the air with the rain in my hair, Nowhere to go, I can go anywhere"
The bridge shows signs of longing and a plea for companionship. The Lyrics express a desire for authentic connection and the importance of Loving someone just as they are. "Just in passing, I'm not asking. That you be anyone but you”
Holiday
Bee Gees
Bee Gees
@[Diderik:33655] "Your a holiday!" Was a popular term used in the 50s/60s to compliment someone on their all around. For example, not only are they beautiful, but they are fun and kind too ... just an all around "holiday".
I think your first comment is closer to being accurate. The singer/song writers state "Millions of eyes can see, yet why am i so blind!? When the someone else is me, its unkind its unkind". I believe hes referring to the girl toying with him and using him. He wants something deeper with her, thats why he allows himself to be as a puppet (even though for her fun and games) as long as it makes her happy. But he knows deep down that she doesnt really want to be serious with him and thats what makes him.