Desmond Dekker & The Aces – Israelites (Official Lyrics Video)
Video Overview & Insights
Between 1967 and 1975, Desmond Dekker, Jamaica’s first recording superstar, graced the UK pop charts on no less than 7 occasions.
Ohhhh Me ears are Alight
His ground-breaking hit, ‘Israelites’, was the first Jamaican-produced song to top the UK chart in April 1969.
Its popularity led to a reggae explosion that took the genre into the mainstream and opened the way for the likes of Bob Marley, Jimmy Cliff, and Toots & The Maytals to follow.
I think this is a subversive work of counterculture.
This song is still relevant in 2026.
"Get up in the morning, slaving for bread, sir
So that every mouth can be fed
Poor, me Israelites"
Consequently, despite his tragic death over decade ago this year, he remains one of a handful of reggae artists who are readily identified with the genre.
And now, over half a century since 'Israelites' forever changed the sound of popular music, it is celebrated once more with a brand new lyrics video.
Absolute genius
If you don’t know the lyrics, you can now sing along with the confidence that you’re getting it right – word for word!
ISRAELITES LYRICS:
Who were D Decker Israelites⁉️ ➖ read the Israelites were a gang in Jamaica or somewhere... ➖ Never knew who were they.
Get up in the morning, slaving for bread, sir
So that every mouth can be fed
Who's here in 3156?
Poor, me Israelites
Get up in the morning, slaving for bread, sir
Please correct me if I am wrong, but isn't this the very first Reggae song ever? I have always loved this beat.
So that every mouth can be fed
Poor, me Israelites
Okay...so we all finally learned the actual lyrics...so WTF do they mean?
My wife and my kids, they packed up and leave me
Darling, she said, I was yours to receive
👏🏿👏🏿👏🏿👏🏿👏🏿👏🏿🌹👏🏿
Poor, me Israelites
Shirt them a-tear up, trousers a go
Summer of 1969..the 3 best months in pop music history
I don't want to end up like Bonnie and Clyde
Poor, me Israelites
July 2026
After a storm there must be a calm
They catch me in the farm
This was in the jukebox at a A&W rootbeer in Conrad Montana in 1969. And very popular with the locals.
You sound your alarm
Poor, me Israelites
Here 2026
I said I get up in the morning, slaving for bread, sir
So that every mouth can be fed
We used to sing , get up in the morning , baked beans for breakfast. Haha , still happy to listen to music from that wonderful time , now 71.. to old to dance .
Poor, me Israelites
I said my wife and my kids, they are packed up and leave me
After my awakening of who my people are. The ones who were captured, taken on ships to various places, and enslaved with harsh labor and cruelty. This song is clearly singing of our experiences while telling who we really are, "poor me, Israelite".
Darling, she said, I was yours to receive
Poor, me Israelites
I met this straw hat guy that owns a farm guess what when he takes his hat off it's still on he still has a straw hat😅🎉🎉🎉
Look me shirts them a-tear up, trousers a go
I don't want to end up like Bonnie and Clyde
My ears are alight
Poor, me Israelites
After a storm there must be a calm
They telling us that we are the Israelites for quite a long time now but we only hear a song but not the message in the song that always was our problem we indeed are the Israelites 😢😢😢😢
They catch me in the farm
You sound your alarm
We went to see Desmond on scooters in Scotland when we were teens, great drive and Desmond didn’t turn up to the dance, still great night and Desmond a legend.
Poor, me Israelites
Poor me Israelites, poor me Israelites, poor me Israelites
Heard this song every weekend of my childhood
Listen to more from Desmond Dekker and other Trojan records artists here : https://open.spotify.com/user/trojan-records?si=08lpf3dUQaOrphO3i697kg
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Back in 1984 I was flying home on KLM, and there were two song on that where played over and over on the flight: Tom Jones singing "It's Not Unusual, and Desmond Dekker singing 'Israelites.'
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gosto de mais desse som
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#Israelites #DesmondDekker #ska #rocksteady
The guitar in the beginning sounded like Liquid Swords
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Who listening June 2026 from Jamdown😂
More User Perspectives
This song's lyrics aged like milk, but the music aged like wine.
@javitotitoRet
@JEtAl-c6rAlright Sher
@JEtAl-c6rOh B
@JEtAl-c6rRe
@JEtAl-c6rOh. T T
@JEtAl-c6rGo A
@JEtAl-c6rC Where
@JEtAl-c6rWHAT B
@JEtAl-c6rA
@JEtAl-c6rGO.
@JEtAl-c6rWK
@JEtAl-c6rL
@JEtAl-c6rButter Child A
@JEtAl-c6rSet M A
@JEtAl-c6rHear
@richardgabell3660I'm fear but I love the song ❤🎉😊
@richardgabell3660Bible clearly states that the curses are a SIGN for who they’re in 2026. Here’s the main curse
Deuteronomy 28:68
King James Version
68 And the Lord shall bring thee into Egypt again with ships, by the way whereof I spake unto thee, Thou shalt see it no more again: and there ye shall be sold unto your enemies for bondmen and bondwomen, and no man shall buy you.
Deuteronomy 28:68
King James Version
68 And the Lord shall bring thee into Egypt again with ships, by the way whereof I spake unto thee, Thou shalt see it no more again: and there ye shall be sold unto your enemies for bondmen and bondwomen, and no man shall buy you.
It's the jumping dance of that base line that makes you get up and start jump'n!
@DaStoneboatAs a kid I thought it was me ears are alight 🤭
@AJ-qn6gdI'm 72 and listening to this song
@Jeffrey-l9f4gSummer '69!
@kerryclare1952One of the benchmarks of our lives!! Where did it go?
@edwardbuist8917Who here discovered this song because of the movie "Drugstore Cowboy"?
@TheRTD420Is it possible to be here for any other reason than Drugstore Cowboy 😆😆😆💊 🤠
@JFeldman22Fck the 🧃
@Ralphy0815