Joseph Hill schreef Two Sevens Clash n.a.v. een profetie van Marcus Garvey dat de zevende dag van de zevende maand van het zevenenzeventigste jaar (when the two sevens clash) de eerste dag van de apocalyps zou zijn. De song maakte onder Rastafari’s op Jamaïca zoveel indruk dat veel winkeliers op 7 juli 1977 hun winkel dichtgooiden en half Kingston de luiken voor de ramen deed. De voorspelde ondergang bleef – zoals altijd – uit, maar het maakt de song niet minder indrukwekkend. Mooiste apocalyptische chant ooit.
Noot: Wat a liiv an bambaie = wat zal er overblijven
Wat a liiv an bambaie,
When the two sevens clash.
Wat a liiv an bambaie,
When the two sevens clash.
My good old prophet Marcus Garvey prophesize, say:
“St. Jago de la Vega and Kingston is gonna meet.”
And I can see with mine own eyes,
It’s only a housing scheme that divide.
Wat a liiv an bambaie – it dread,
When the two sevens clash,
Wat a liiv an bambaie,
When the two sevens clash.
Look up a cotton tree out by Ferry police station,
How beautiful it used to be,
And it has been destroyed by lightning,
Earthquake and thunder, I say, what?
Wat a liiv an bambaie,
When the two sevens clash – it dread,
Wat a liiv an bambaie,
When the two sevens clash.
I take a ride sometimes,
On Penn Overland and Bronx,
And sometimes I ride on bus X-82, say what?
Wat a liiv an bambaie,
When the two sevens clash.
Wat a liiv an bambaie,
When the two sevens clash.
Marcus Garvey was inside of Spanish Town district Prison,
And when they were about to take him out,
He prophecied and said:
“As I have passed through this gate,
No other prisoner shall enter and get through”
And so it is until now,
The gate has been locked, so what?
Wat a liiv an bambaie,
When the two sevens clash – it dread,
Wat a liiv an bambaie,
When the two sevens clash – it bitter, bitter, bitter,
Wat a liiv an bambaie,
When the two sevens clash – a man a go feel it,
Wat a liiv an bambaie,
When the two sevens clash – you better do right.
