Na een carriëre die werd gekenmerkt door de productie van bagger als “Pussy Watch Man” en “Wet Dream” nam niemand Max Romeo nog serieus. Dat veranderde in één klap toen Max de legendarische producer Lee Perry ontmoette. Geproduceerd door Perry, met Perry’s band The Upsetters als begeleiders creëerde Max Romeo “War ina Babylon”, één van de grote reggae standards. De tekst handelt over het geweld in de straten van Kingston tijdens de verkiezingen van 1972.
It sipple out deh!
War inna babylon, tribal war inna Babylon
Let me tell, it sipple out deh
A wha’ you seh, it sipple out deh, oh yeah
War inna babylon, tribal war inna Babylon
It sipple out deh, wha’ you seh, it sipple out deh, oh yeah
De baba men nuh like de dreadlocks man
De dreadlocks man nuh like de baba man, no
De po-lice men nuh like de dreadlocks man
De dreadlocks man nuh like de po-lice man, no
So war inna babylon, tribal war inna Babylon
Let me tell, it sipple out deh
A wha’ you seh, it sipple out deh, oh yeah
War inna babylon, tribal war inna Babylon
Let me tell, it sipple out deh
A wha’ you seh, it sipple out deh, oh yeah
When come pride then cometh shame
A man pride shall bring him low, yeah, oh yeah
Honour shall uphold the humble in spirit
And you know it’s true, yeah , oh yeah
War inna babylon, tribal war inna Babylon
A wha’ you seh, it sipple out deh
So wha’ fe do ? we slide out deh, oh yeah
War inna babylon, tribal war inna Babylon
A wha’ you seh, it sipple out deh
So wha’ fe do ? mek we slide out deh, oh yeah
True, true, true, it sipple out deh
So wha’ fe do ? mek we slide out deh, oh yeah
true, true, true, it sipple out deh
let me tell, we slide out deh
Marcus garvey prophecise, say:
“One mus’ live 10 miles away, yeah, in this time”
I-man satta at the mountain top
Watching Babylon burning red hot, red hot
War inna babylon, tribal war inna Babylon
A wha’ you seh, it sipple out deh
So wha’ fe do ? we slide out deh, oh yeah
War inna babylon, tribal war inna Babylon
A wha’ you seh, it sipple out deh
So wha’ fe do ? mek we slide out deh, oh yeah
True, true, true, it sipple out deh
So wha’ fe do ? mek we slide out deh, oh yeah
true, true, true, it sipple out deh
let me tell, we slide out deh
