Joseph Hill gave hope

Culture came to prominence in Jamaica four decades ago.

Culture musically is probably to reggae what Shadow is to calypso, with both artistes ironically performing at last month’s gig. Both have a very earthy, wholesome, rustic sound. They have heavy, jamming instrumental music backing, coupled with a casual ease of mouthing words. Culture has a simplicity about the music, such that you get what you see, with no hidden sophistication.

Culture like Shadow may not be everyone’s cup of tea but they each certainly found their own strong following. They each showed an amazing self-belief which surely drove the songs to the extent that they would likely have fallen flat if performed by anyone else.

Culture’s reggae songs gave voice to the aspirations of Rastafarians. Predicting apocalypse on July 7 1977 or 7.7.77, the Two Sevens Clash album gave hope for a better world to come for people living very hard lives, such as the song “Get Ready.” The refrain, “Get ready to ride a lion, get ready to go to Zion”, speaks of the animal on the imperial flag of Ethiopia and so likely also refers to the Conquering Lion of the Tribe of Judah, HIM Haile Selassie, whom Rastafarians revere as the Messiah. Zion is paradise. Culture repeatedly refered to going home, sometimes as a physical journey back to Africa such as in the song “Black Starliner must come” or sometimes as a spiritual journey such as wanting to look upon “Jah pretty face.”

Culture espoused Rastafari’s unique mix of pride and humility, in songs like “See dem ah come”. Here Culture defiantly sang: “Jah Jah see dem ah come hey, I and I a conqueror; Dey are coming to accuse I of things I know not about, They are coming to lock I up and tell I dat they suspish (suspect) I yeah.” A similar but calmer message of Rastafarian pride came in a song praising the growth of the movement, “Natty dread taking over.”

A great song of worship was “I’m alone in the wilderness” which says: “Great Jah will provide bread and wine Jah far-I, I’ve got to praise him.”

Combining Rastafarian pride and religious praise was “I’m not ashamed.”

“I’m not ashamed, I’m not ashamed, I’m not ashamed to hold Jah Ja, oh no; For when I was down and out, He was the one who help me out, stretch forth His hands for I when I’m in distress;

For even when my mother hide, And my father forsake I yeah;

He said “come on son, come on, I’ll take thy hand.”

The single “Two Sevens Clash” which gave its name to Culture’s most memorable album predicted that Jamaica would be destroyed by cataclysm on July 7 1977 or 7/7/77, seemingly as foretold by Marcus Garvey. Although the prophesy was never fulfilled, it made a great song.

A later song, “Natty never get weary”, resignedly told an incident that had happened where Hill was arrested for no apparent reason.

“I was standing on a street corner reasoning with one, reasoning equal rights and justice for all; Along come a babylon to hold and arrest I, Weary, Natty never get weary.” In the song although a bit annoyed, Hill seems to calmly accept that such things happen and takes it in his stride.

Culture pleaded for an end to violence plaguing Jamaica in their song, “Stop The Fussing And Fighting.”

Although very high-tech for its era and with a party-like mood, “How can I leave Jah?”, was a song of worship asking “How could I possibly go on; Without Jah?”.

So while Joseph Hill may not have attained the prophet status of Bob Marley, he was certainly a messenger whose music and lyrics strongly helped craft reggae music and Rastafarian identity. May he rest in peace.