Duppy Conqueror

Bob Marley and the Wailers

Yes, me friend, me friend
Dem set me free again
Yes, me friend, me friend
Me deh 'pon street again

The bars could not hold me
Force could not control me now
They try to keep me down
But God put me around. Yeah!

Yes, I've been accused
Wrongly abused now
But through the powers of the Most High
They've got to turn me loose

Don't try to cold me up on this bridge, now
I've got to reach Mount Zion
The highest region
If you a bull-bucka
Let me tell you that
I'm a duppy conqueror, conqueror

Yes, me friend, me good friend
Dem set me free again, mm
Yes, me friend
Dem turn me loose again

Don't try to cold me up on this bridge, now
I've got to reach Mount Zion
The highest region
If you a bull-bucka
Let me tell you
I'm a duppy conqueror, conqueror

Yes, me friend, me friend, me friend, me friend
We deh a street again
Yes, me friend, me friend, me friend
Dem set me free again

Don't try to show off
Fi make you friend dem laugh, what a la-la!
For i will cut you off
And i will take the last straw

I'm crying, yes me friend
We deh a street again
Yes me friend, me friend, me friend
Dem set me free again

The bars could not hold me
Force could not control me now


Lyrics submitted by kevin, edited by xensyria, zelenaya

Duppy Conqueror Lyrics as written by Bob Marley

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.

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Duppy Conqueror song meanings
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13 Comments

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  • +1
    General CommentI believe that Bob used to be scared to play / sing in front of people, so before they started performing on stage, they decided to play in a cemetery and perform for the spirits. They figured if they could play in such a 'scary' place, that playing for live people would be easy, hence the name of the song. Yes Duppy means evil spirits etc...so they were performing for the spirits and he conquered his fears.
    alphadog007on September 19, 2014   Link
  • 0
    General CommentI don't know if Mr. Kevin here got the words right to this song, I'll find out the lyrics and post them.
    Elyjane420on March 04, 2002   Link
  • 0
    General Commentthis song was written after he was released from jail on a ganja charge, i think he is trying to tell the world that pot is ok and that its his right to smoke it. and the lyrics on here are wrong.
    rootsrockreggaeon August 13, 2002   Link
  • 0
    General CommentIm a Duppy Conqueror, Conqueror.
    nicknockon October 22, 2004   Link
  • 0
    General Commentnot to b critical or nethin but ur sorta misin partsa a da song
    feelin da rithimon March 27, 2005   Link
  • 0
    General CommentAccording to Paul Theroux's Mosquito Coast, a Duppy is your exact opposite; incarnated as a person right now also walking the earth. Therefore, it can be assumed that you and it would probably not get along very well - and actually destroy each other. Bob is saying quite a lot when he says he has the power to defeat such a person!
    PaliSteveon September 18, 2005   Link
  • 0
    General CommentA duppy is like an evil spirit... Bob had the spiritual power to conquer them. It talks about this in "Catch the Fire", his biography.
    javamanon January 25, 2006   Link
  • 0
    General CommentYes - catch a fire talks about a duppy that visited Bob while he was sleeping. Rita was in the room with him. I think in the song it can also mean conquering ones own demons - the negitive things that make you worry so !
    nobsteron March 28, 2006   Link
  • 0
    General CommentI've been to Jamaica a couple of times and have become aware of some of their slang terms. A duppy is an evil spirit that comes to you in your dreams. It can haunt your soul and try and defeat you as a person. Such dreams are considered to be bad luck in Jamaica. Bob said when he was alive that he had the same ghost visit him several times and then all of the sudden he conquered it and the dreams stopped. This song is about conquering duppy's which not many people have said they have done.
    dggttyon April 03, 2006   Link
  • 0
    General CommentActually it was Lee Scratch Perry who wrote this song. because Bob was down and tiered and Scratch believed it was an evil spirit. But to tell Bob that he was strong enough to conquer his duppy.(see dgtty's comment) he wrote him this song.
    MrRaggamuffinon April 02, 2009   Link

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