Whatever they're doing, it's probably not teaching English... from the looks of these gobbeldigook lyrics, I don't think either of the girls ever owned a dictionary!
I actually asked the owner of a Kingston record shop what the song
was all about and he gave me a rough translation which made complete sense.
I actually asked the owner of a Kingston record shop what the song
was all about and he gave me a rough translation which made complete sense.
"See me in me heels and ting" is a reference to a woman going out all
dressed to impress (high heels and things!). Similarly "see mi in a 'alter back, Sey mi gi' you heart attack" translates to "see me in a halter back (dress) will give you a heart attack!" (and so on).
"See me in me heels and ting" is a reference to a woman going out all
dressed to impress (high heels and things!). Similarly "see mi in a 'alter back, Sey mi gi' you heart attack" translates to "see me in a halter back (dress) will give you a heart attack!" (and so on).
Part of the allure of any popular record...
Part of the allure of any popular record depends on the listener's (in)ability
to "solve" or familiarise the content. The lyrics here are so obscure that
half the fun of listening is trying to guess the translation. Its a real
pity that Babel Fish doesn't have a plugin for Jamaican patios or we could
all follow and understand this wonderful song in all its glory.
(We could all go to Jamaica of course and look for an obliging record shop
owner ;-)
No I doubt they are teaching English! Haha! But you do realise these lyrics are an English dialect don't you? It's almost a different language. Just because you don't understand it, it doesn't mean it's not a proper language. You wouldn't criticise someone for speaking French would you?
No I doubt they are teaching English! Haha! But you do realise these lyrics are an English dialect don't you? It's almost a different language. Just because you don't understand it, it doesn't mean it's not a proper language. You wouldn't criticise someone for speaking French would you?
Colonial great britian owned jamaica for over 400 years of slavery.they speak english. Althea and donna was only 18 years old in 1978 and they blew up the UK reggae charts to # 1 with this song.what did you do when you was 18??
Colonial great britian owned jamaica for over 400 years of slavery.they speak english. Althea and donna was only 18 years old in 1978 and they blew up the UK reggae charts to # 1 with this song.what did you do when you was 18??
Whatever they're doing, it's probably not teaching English... from the looks of these gobbeldigook lyrics, I don't think either of the girls ever owned a dictionary!
what, i think they would make excellet english teachers. ;)
what, i think they would make excellet english teachers. ;)
It's not English they're singing, it's patois.
It's not English they're singing, it's patois.
Check it: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jamaican_Patois
Check it: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jamaican_Patois
youaresowrong's observation is spot on!
youaresowrong's observation is spot on!
I actually asked the owner of a Kingston record shop what the song was all about and he gave me a rough translation which made complete sense.
I actually asked the owner of a Kingston record shop what the song was all about and he gave me a rough translation which made complete sense.
"See me in me heels and ting" is a reference to a woman going out all dressed to impress (high heels and things!). Similarly "see mi in a 'alter back, Sey mi gi' you heart attack" translates to "see me in a halter back (dress) will give you a heart attack!" (and so on).
"See me in me heels and ting" is a reference to a woman going out all dressed to impress (high heels and things!). Similarly "see mi in a 'alter back, Sey mi gi' you heart attack" translates to "see me in a halter back (dress) will give you a heart attack!" (and so on).
Part of the allure of any popular record...
Part of the allure of any popular record depends on the listener's (in)ability to "solve" or familiarise the content. The lyrics here are so obscure that half the fun of listening is trying to guess the translation. Its a real pity that Babel Fish doesn't have a plugin for Jamaican patios or we could all follow and understand this wonderful song in all its glory.
(We could all go to Jamaica of course and look for an obliging record shop owner ;-)
No I doubt they are teaching English! Haha! But you do realise these lyrics are an English dialect don't you? It's almost a different language. Just because you don't understand it, it doesn't mean it's not a proper language. You wouldn't criticise someone for speaking French would you?
No I doubt they are teaching English! Haha! But you do realise these lyrics are an English dialect don't you? It's almost a different language. Just because you don't understand it, it doesn't mean it's not a proper language. You wouldn't criticise someone for speaking French would you?
Haha no I was only joking. I get that it's a dialect ting. (See what I did there?)
Haha no I was only joking. I get that it's a dialect ting. (See what I did there?)
Also - 6Music?? ;-)
Also - 6Music?? ;-)
Colonial great britian owned jamaica for over 400 years of slavery.they speak english. Althea and donna was only 18 years old in 1978 and they blew up the UK reggae charts to # 1 with this song.what did you do when you was 18??
Colonial great britian owned jamaica for over 400 years of slavery.they speak english. Althea and donna was only 18 years old in 1978 and they blew up the UK reggae charts to # 1 with this song.what did you do when you was 18??