Doors Of My Heart is a tune that hits all the classic ska/reggae themes: unity and love. It’s a shameless, pure declaration of love, plain and simple. It’s also got a great groovy beat, and the dance hall break in the middle by Ranking Roger really gives the song a flair of coolness.
From the Rolling Stone review:
“Doors of Your Heart” comes closest to blending sauciness and sage advice. Ranking Roger struts and strolls through the vocal, savoring the wickedly catchy chorus. His toast-rap break pitches for brotherly love by drawing sly parallels between eros and agape: everybody looks the same when the lights are out.
And of course, the lyrics:
Every story has to be about something, I suppose
This one says I lose my head
As the feeling starts to grow, you know
I can feel love thumping at the doors of my heart
Feel love thump as it tears me apart
Feel blood punp as the worrying starts
I can feel love thumping
At the doors of my heart again
At the doors of my heart again
I can feel love thump
Bom-bom, be bom-bom
Everybody needs someone
They can cling to now and then
No more defense, no more pretense
No reasons for explaining
You can feel love thumping at the doors of your heart
Feel love thump as it tears you apart
Feel blood pump as the worrying starts
You can feel love thumping
At the doors of your heart again
At the doors of your heart again
You can feel love thump, bom-bom, be bom-bom
Bom-bom, be bom-bom
This one, your unity rocker, Lord
Stick him in your living room and turn off the light, eh
Bet you wouldn’t know if he was black or white, boy
Say what’s the use in fighting?
Man say, I say you shouldn’t really fight
Take him to a discotheque
Take him to a pub, eh
Take him to a blues and then you play him rub a dub, eh
Say you shouldn’t really fight, man say
I say you shouldn’t really fight
Everytime it happens, seem to act a little touched
In this at least, you’re just like me
I think we think too much, why can’t we just
Feel love thumping at the doors of our heart
Feel love thump as it tears us apart
Feel blood pump as the worrying starts
I can feel love thumping
At the doors of my heart again
At the doors of my heart again
I can feel love thump, bom-bom, be bom-bom
I can feel love thump, bom-bom, be bom-bom
At the doors of my heart again
At the doors of my heart again
I can feel love thump, bom-bom, be bom-bom
Bom-bom, be bom-bom….
—————-
Now playing: My Life With the Thrill Kill Cult - Sex on Wheels
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The Bed’s Too Big Without You was always one of my favorite Police songs, for a number of reasons. First of all, it’s about a subject that pretty much anyone can identify with–at least anyone who’s ever been dumped. Secondly, it’s got that cool reggae beat–Sting, Andy Summers and Stewart Copeland really mesh well here despite a rhythm that almost sounds like each is playing a different song. Also, I really love Andy Summers’ guitar work here–as always, subtly brilliant. Finally, Sting’s slightly off key plaintive crooning really gives you the feel of someone in pain.
And of course, the lyrics:
Bed’s too big without you
Cold wind blows right through my open door
I can’t sleep with your memory
Dreaming dreams of what used to be
When she left I was cold inside
That look on my face was just pride
No regrets, no love, no tears
Living on my own was the least of my fears
Bed’s too big without you
The bed’s too big without you
The bed’s too big without you
Since that day when you’d gone
Just had to carry on
I get through the day, but late at night
Made love to my pillow, but it didn’t feel right
Every day just the same
Old rules for the same old game
All I gained was heartache
All I made was one mistake
Now the bed’s too big without you
The bed’s too big without you
The bed’s too big without you
A Party is a pretty cool song about Africa–and specifically South Africa–before the end of Apartheid. There are many references to colonization, the Boer War, the ineffectiveness of USA for Africa and the Sun City debacle, and the general conditions after years of domination by British and Dutch settlers taking over.
It’s also got a cool beat and a pretty neat dance hall bit towards the end.
You can listen to the song below.
And of course, the lyrics:
Li-li-lion, lion’s in a jungle
Jungle’s in a cage
Tra-tra-trouble, trouble in the homelands
Trouble in the homelands makes front page
Zu-zu-lu come out to play
Bongo drums said today
Front page caption read like this
Natives dress as terrorists
Tribal war a perfect plan for the one that damned the land
Since that ain’t you or me tribal war continually
Mountain milk for mount nutrition send us some more ammunition
Never buy me ivy trade, let’s go plug a hand granade
Thank you boss for Red Cross
Apreciate good will
No no no, stomach for our loss
Yeah yeah yeah, I feel quite ill
I-I-I`d rally round the flag
Rally round the flag, but we got so many
I guess that’s why, why you act
Like we ain’t got any
Tarzan has come home again, heard the news diamond vein
Had to split no room to swing, Sun City wanted him to sing
Easy to see no unity, masses ruled by minority
When these guys come on the scene, ruined a good blues party
“I know I’ve heard the tune before”
I thought as I was kicked through the door
Something ’bout admission fee
But I was sure, house belong to me
They told us to go in stereo
Machine guns ‘gainst spear and bow
Egged on by TV cameraman
Someone called the teargas van
White knight write our wrongs, lyrics for the protest song
Number one top of the charts, rock ‘n’ roll bleeding hearts
They offer us a special patch, knew there had to be a catch
Family tree pulled at the root, they still bear that old strange fruit
Plenty reason, plenty reason to be glum
Living by the gun down in a slum
Stake your claim blow by blow
Saw my pals go flying through the window
Li-li-lion, lion’s in a jungle
Jungle’s in a cage
Tra-tra-trouble, trouble in the homelands
Trouble in the homelands, bosses in a rage
I know mister if it was you, it would be cut down like a flower
Some things never change, corporate crime gets free range
Only out for personal gain, grab the land and sieze the power
What’s all this about big game, don`t you know the lions tame?
If It Happens Again is your basic warning song. The singer’s lover has done something–most likely had an affair–and the singer is making it quite certain what will happen if the indiscretion is repeated.
What really makes this song for me is the flat horns, which make a really nice counterpoint to the beat. Combined, it makes for a really strong song.
And of course, the lyrics:
If it happens again I`m leaving
I`ll pack my things and go
If it happens again
There`ll be no looking back
I won`t say I told you so
You did what you were told
And you took the strain
Been left out in the cold
Got yourself to blame
But believe me,
If it happens again I`m leaving
If it stays the same I`m gone
When you`re stabbed in the back
And there`s salt in the wound
Then it`s time to move along
(Chorus)
No more spanners in the works,
All the works been done
Had your face rubbed in the dirt
On show for every one
But believe me
If it happens again I`m leaving
If it stays the same I`m gone
When compromise is the song you sing
It`s been going on to long
This was the first song I ever heard by 311, and it’s just a fun, cool, move your hips song. I could try to analyze it, but there’s no point. It’s not deep. It’s just a feel-good song.
And of course, the lyrics:
Passin’ the kind buds.
Kickin’ back in the sand in the sun.
To be alive is lovin’.
Where the shore meets the sea.
Man I’m hummin’ I’m hummin
I’m free as I stare at the sea.
And I’m not comin’ down.
The world is yours once you have found.
The good is to share.
Which is elsewhere.
[1]
The beauty of green is where light is now broken by what it touches.
Remembering what you once had told me hit home.
And hasn’t it always been so.
[Chorus:]
I’m free as I stare at the sea.
And I’m not comin’ down.
The world is yours once you have found.
The good is to share.
Which is elsewhere.
Like I said before I’ll say it once more.
Knew you would make me feel so good.
Wanna do you right.
Can’t get enough.
This is the stuff
life’s about and it trips me out.
Wanna do you right.
Bright mornings, days when I want so much.
I want nothing, just this life and no more.
I’ll come within this world
there’s only one for me.
She’s waiting, I’ll soon come.
[Chorus]
Free from the burn the burn that helps spite and
Free from the burn now baby dib your price
No buzz hack, no buzz hack
No buzz hack, no buzz hack
Swing the thing you bring check it out
How could you be so good to me
How could you be so good to me I want to be worth I want to be worth
Buzz hack hack hack buzz
Yea swing to the thing you bring
Check it out
Like I said before I’ll say it once more.
Knew you would make me feel so good.
Wanna do you right.
Can’t get enough.
This is the stuff life’s about and it trips me out.
Wanna do you right.