THE NEW ISRAELITES

 by Charles Carreon

11:01pm, September 19, 2005

Desmond Dekker's "Israelites" is one of my favorite songs going back to my youth. The song has been haunting me, as I work on my essay about the New Orleans diaspora, that I've decided to call "The New Israelites." I downloaded the song from eMusic.com, that seems to have a very nice system and some good tracks among the 600,000 they advertise. Here's the lyrics and the tune in mp3 format, plus an image of a beautiful Ethiopian girl who will cheer you with her smile.

Desmond Dekker wrote:

Israelites

Get up in the morning, slaving for bread, sir, so that every mouth can be fed. Poor me, the Israelite. Aah.

Get up in the morning, slaving for bread, sir, So that every mouth can be fed. Poor me, the Israelite. Aah.

My wife and my kids, they are packed up and leave me. Darling, she said, I was yours to be seen. Poor me, the Israelite. Aah.

Shirt them a-tear up, trousers are gone. I don't want to end up like Bonnie and Clyde. Poor me, the Israelite. Aah.

After a storm there must be a calm. They catch me in the farm. You sound the alarm. Poor me, the Israelite. Aah.

Poor me, the Israelite. I wonder who I'm working for. Poor me, Israelite, I look a-down and out, sir.

 

» Click here to download ISRAELITES

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