Music · Clarendon · written in Patois with an English translation
Clarendon gi di worl some a di sweetes voice inna reggae. Toots Hibbert baan a May Pen inna 1942, di younges pickney inna one church family, an yu can hear di church inna every note weh im sing. Inna 1968 im an di Maytals put out one song name 'Do the Reggay'. A di fus time di word reggae come pon a record, an a so di whole music get i name — one Clarendon man christen reggae! Toots voice big an warm like Sunday dinna. Im win Grammy inna 2005 fi di album True Love, an when im pass weh inna 2020, di whole a Jamaica an di whole worl baal fi im. Freddie McGregor a Clarendon pickney to. Im baan inna 1956, an im start sing a Studio One when im a jus seven year ole — likkle bwoy pon big people stage! Dem did call im 'Little Freddie' when im deh wid di Clarendonians. Im grow come tun one a di steadies, sweetes voice inna reggae; album like Bobby Babylon an Big Ship still a play everyweh till now. So when yu hear sweet reggae a play anyweh pon earth, memba seh nuff a dat deh sweetness start right ya so — inna di farming parish, Clarendon.
Clarendon gave the world some of the sweetest voices in reggae. Toots Hibbert was born in May Pen in 1942, the youngest child in a church family, and you can hear the church in every note he sang. In 1968 he and the Maytals put out a song called 'Do the Reggay'. It was the first time the word reggae appeared on a record, and that is how the whole music got its name — a Clarendon man christened reggae! Toots' voice was big and warm like Sunday dinner. He won a Grammy in 2005 for the album True Love, and when he passed away in 2020, all of Jamaica and the whole world wept for him. Freddie McGregor is a Clarendon child too. He was born in 1956, and he started singing at Studio One when he was just seven years old — a little boy on the grown-ups' stage! They called him 'Little Freddie' when he was with the Clarendonians. He grew up to become one of the steadiest, sweetest voices in reggae; albums like Bobby Babylon and Big Ship are still playing everywhere today. So when you hear sweet reggae playing anywhere on earth, remember that plenty of that sweetness started right here — in the farming parish, Clarendon.
Clarendon gi di worl som a di swiites vais iina rege. Toots Hibbert baan a May Pen iina 1942, di yonggis pikni iina wan chorch fambili, an yu kyan ier di chorch iina evri nuot we im sing. Iina 1968 im an di Maytals put out wan sang niem 'Do the Reggay'. A di fos taim di wod rege kom pan a rekaad, an a so di uol myuuzik get i niem — wan Clarendon man krisn rege! Toots vais big an waam laik Sonde dinna. Im win Grammy iina 2005 fi di albom True Love, an wen im paas we iina 2020, di uol a Jamieka an di uol worl baal fi im. Freddie McGregor a Clarendon pikni tu. Im baan iina 1956, an im staat sing a Studio One wen im a jos sevn ier uol — likl bwai pan big piipl stiej! Dem did kaal im 'Little Freddie' wen im de wid di Clarendonians. Im gruo kom ton wan a di stediis, swiites vais iina rege; albom laik Bobby Babylon an Big Ship stil a plie evriwe til nou. So wen yu ier swiit rege a plie eniwe pan ort, memba se nof a dat de swiitnis staat rait ya so — iina di faamin parish, Clarendon.
The history and the figures come from the sources above. The Patois is mine.
Hear this read aloud in Clarendon →