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THE ISRAELITES-- Song by Desmond Dekker and the Aces--


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THE ISRAELITES-- Song by Desmond Dekker and the Aces--

 

I heard this song a few weeks ago on a dvd I bought for one dollar from a local Dollar Tree store. I loved the movie, it was awesome. And this song was at the beginning of the movie. 

At first,  I did not understand the lyrics at all, but it just stuck in my mind and I found myself listening to it over and over again. 

 

The film was a UK film called "Made in Daghenam" and it's based on a true story set at the time this song became very popular. I loved that movie so much, I have watched over and over again! 

 

Finally after hearing that song at the beginning of the movie, I finally heard and understood, the word "Israelites" and I thought, WOW! I know that certain Jamaicans especially the Rastas and other people of the West Indies identify themselves as Israelites and the fact that this song became a big hit in the UK and even here in America amazes me. 

 

This song is so famous that it was remade a couple of times decades later.

 

 

 

Again, this song was so popular that Desmond Dekker performed this Reggae song many times before he died. And, it became popular in many other countries across the world. 

 

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Desmond Dekker 

 

Ha! And when I researched this song, I found out that Desmond Dekker knew Bob Marley and he was one of the first Jamaicans to become popular for Reggae. Also, I found out that I was not the only one to not understand what the lyrics expressed! There were reports of how the meaning was mis-understood.

 

Desmond wrote this song based on the experiences of the Jamaicans of that time period:

 

the single was the first UK reggae #1 and among the first to reach the US top ten (peaking at #9).[3] It combined the Rastafarian religion with rude boy concerns,[4] to make what has been described as a "timeless masterpiece that knew no boundaries".[5]

The title has been the source of speculation,[8] but most settle on the Rastafarian Movement's association with the Twelve Tribes of Israel. 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Israelites_(song)

 

"Israelites" was one of the first truly international Ska hit singles, peaking at #9 in the US and #1 in the UK. There were fears that Dekker's heavy Jamaican accent on the recording would limit international appeal as listeners would find it difficult to understand the lyrics, and indeed jokes abound about the many mis-hearings of the lyrics of the song. "Get up in the morning, slaving for bread sir" was misheard as "Get up in the morning, baked beans for breakfast" for example, and comedian Lenny Henry famously joked about how many people thought the "ooh, mi Israelites" line was actually "oooh, mi ears are alight"! Despite this and indeed because of the humor from the misheard lyrics, the song became a huge hit singl

 

Israelites by Desmond Dekker - Songfacts

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

More about the song, THE ISRAELITES, written by Desmond Dekker:

 

 

The Israelites were the inhabitants of Israel descended by Jacob. The word can also be used to describe one of God’s chosen people. Dekker uses the meaning in this later context, as he sings about his struggles while repeatedly invoking the term.

Israelites by Desmond Dekker - Songfacts

 

 

Again, the movie that played this song in the beginning is based on a true story about women machinist working for the Ford Industry in UK and became so popular that it became a musical as well:

 

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I didn't know they even SOLD movies at the Dollar Tree.
You're making me want to run down to the nearest Dollar Tree and browse for some movies...and other items while I'm there.


I LOVE Dollar Trees.
First of all the products tend to be BETTER than Family Dollar or Dollar General and MUCH cheaper.
Plus the stores are usually bigger and laid out much better and more open.

Family Dollar and Dollar General are rip offs. 
I don't even know why they're open or why people shop in them.

 

As far as this brother goes.............


Jamaicans speak English; I don't know WHAT language that brother was singing in.
Was it Hebrew?
It certainly didn't sound like Hebrew or any Jamaican Patois that I've heard of.

Sounds like he was just making rhythmic sounds for White folks to bop to.

 

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On 9/3/2021 at 12:27 PM, Pioneer1 said:

Jamaicans speak English; I don't know WHAT language that brother was singing in.
Was it Hebrew?

 

LOL! Guess what!?

 

It was English! @Pioneer1

 

As I wrote earlier, I listened to the song over and over again, but never even understood one word! Than after so many times of listening, I heard the radio announcer in the movie say, "Desmond Dekker" and "ISRAELITES" and then, I listened afterwards, and sure enough, then I heard the word "Israelites"! LOL.

 

At first, I thought the singer was a European woman, but later, I thought, no, it's a black woman. It was only after I researched that I realized it was a Black Jamaican man!

Desmond Dekker. And I didn't realize it was REGGAE!

 

Now, I want to listen to more Reggae and also research it. I just love that song.

 

On 9/3/2021 at 12:27 PM, Pioneer1 said:

I LOVE Dollar Trees.
First of all the products tend to be BETTER than Family Dollar or Dollar General and MUCH cheaper.
Plus the stores are usually bigger and laid out much better and more open.

 

You know what: I think that Dollar Tree and Dollar General are owned by one company; they may have merged. I agree, I think that Family Dollar and Dollar General are too cluttered! Dollar General has a aisle for items for a dollar, and I like that aisle!

 

Sometimes though, especially during the busy holidays, I like to go to those two stores more so than Walmart because I can get in and get out faster. But they can be more expensive!

 

 

 

 

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