♫ The Israelites ♫ (Redux)

Posted on by under Bits 'n Pieces, History, music

I’ve played this one here on Filosofa’s Word twice, in 2018 and 2019, but yesterday after playing “I Can See Clearly Now” by Johnny Nash, rawgod responded with a comment and included a link to this song, “The Israelites”, and BAM!  I knew I had my song for today!  I always loved this one, despite the fact that until I first researched it for my blog, I never got the lyrics right … but then, from previous comments, I don’t think anybody else did, either!

Released in October 1968, this song, written by Desmond Dekker and Leslie Kong, became a hit for Dekker’s group, Desmond Dekker & The Aces.  According to Dekker …

“It all happened so quickly. I didn’t write that song sitting around a piano or playing a guitar. I was walking in the park, eating corn. I heard a couple arguing about money. She was saying she needed money and he was saying the work he was doing was not giving him enough. I relate to those things and began to sing a little song – “You get up in the morning and you slaving for bread.” By the time I got home it was complete. And it was so funny, that song never got out of my mind. It stayed fresh in my head. The following day I got my little tape and I just sang that song and that’s how it all started.”

Dekker (born Desmond Dacres) was raised in Kingston, Jamaica and trained as a welder before singing. He formed the Aces and teamed up with hit producer Leslie Kong in 1966 (with whom he worked until Kong’s death in 1971). He has over 20 Jamaican #1 hits and 2 other UK Top 10 hits: “It Mek” and “You Can Get It If You Really Want.” He enjoyed a revival in the UK in the early 1980s thanks to the two-tone movement. Dekker died of a heart attack in 2006 at age 64.

As is usual, I’ve sang this song many times, and never once gotten even the first line right.  I always, until tonight, thought it was “Wake up in the morning, baby for breakfast”.  Oops.

Israelites
Desmond Dekker

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

Songwriters: Desmond Dekker
Israelites lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group

15 thoughts on “♫ The Israelites ♫ (Redux)”

  2. A great song, a real pop classic. It has always struck me how sad the lyrics are for such a jaunty tune, even before I realised the last line of the verse wasn’t “me ears are alight” – that ad David shared yesterday has a lot to answer for!

    Liked by 1 person

    • Being partly deaf all my life, I rarely pay much attention to lyrics and have only started being more aware of them since I started doing these music posts. I’ve always just judged songs by whether I found them pleasing, by the emotions they stirred inside. I’m glad you liked this one!

      Liked by 1 person

  4. As I ßaid yesterday, even knowing the words barely helps. But that doesn’t matter onè bit. The music is so happy it overcomes the words — at least for me. Great choice!

    Liked by 1 person

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