Tony Rebel
Jah Is By My
Side /
Si Jah Esta Lado De Mi
RAS 7071
Release Date: May 15, 2001
‘Yea
thou I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no
evil for thou art with me…
Psalm 23:4
Often times on the journey towards self-actualization the traveler
encounters a path which leads him away from himself. He forgets what
keeps him grounded, and he loses sight of the significance of his
creator. Tony Rebel’s "Jah By My Side" recording is no
less than a spiritual incarnation of Psalms 23 and 91. It is a
compelling reaffirmation of one’s faith in the prevailing protection
of Jah, and like King David, Tony Rebel sought to proclaim this
reassurance tangibly, in melody.
Inspired by a series of events which transpired on his way to Montego
bay for a showcase in honor of DJ Capleton on the night of April 10,
1996, the lyrics of the song issued from an unflinching fearlessness,
with which the Rebel was imbued in the face of the threat of danger.
He recalls that the journey to St. James was long and exhausting.
Weary—all except Rebel—who was at the wheel, gave in to their
tiredness and slept.
Suddenly aware that the vehicle had made two violent swerves, Rebel
realized that he too was pricked by the contagion of sleep. Vibes of
togetherness and community, previously present in the vehicle,
appeared to have been replaced by a feeling of isolation and exhale.
Negative thoughts of his mother’s tragic death in a motor vehicle
accident, and of meeting a similar fate himself, occupied Rebel’s
consciousness. However, this was quickly replaced by a more powerful
force—his faith.
Strengthened by his resolve to reach his destination safely, Tony
Rebel was bolstered by the words, "if Jah is by my side, why
should I be afraid…," which echoed like a hail of thunder in
his head. The song was not to be recorded until April 21,
approximately 14 days after the incident, but what was more heartening
to the man imbued with the tenets of Rastafari was that April 21
represented the anniversary of the visit to Jamaica of former Emperor
of Ethiopia, His Imperial Majesty Haile Selassie.
Hitting the airwaves only a few days after the recording, the
confident piousness of the tune and the potency of its lyrical content
raged like wildfire throughout Jamaica’s entertainment industry.
"Jah by My Side" would soon become a source of inspiration
for many Jamaicans and a musical rallying cry for the Jamaican
football team, "The Reggae Boyz" on their road to World Cup
‘98.
Officially released on the Flames label, "Jah By My Side"
has to date been accorded five awards, with four being in 1997 alone.
The recording obtained the award for "Song of the Year"
twice in 1997; one from the Tamika Reggae Awards and the other from
the Miami Reggae Soca Music Awards. Rebel went on to receive the
Jamaica Music Awards for "best Musical Composition" and the
Rockers Reggae Awards for "Most Conscious Lyrics" in 1997.
The final award for Rebel’s "Jah By My Side" came in 1996
from the Martin’s International Reggae and World Music Awards in the
category, "Most Gospel-Oriented Song."
Lauded now as an unofficial anthem, "Jah By My Side" has
maintained a prestigious position, not only because of its magnetic
appeal but also according to the singer/songwriter, "because of
the resonance and universality of its meaning to the common man."
Tony Rebel asserts that "the song embodies a commitment to the
knowledge that Jah is hovering over us despite the obstacles that we
encounter on a daily basis."
So…you thought the story was over! With very little prompting and an
enormous desire to spread the message of faith to open hearts on every
continent, Tony Rebel solicited the assistance of his publicist Hume
Johnson and her friend Spanish Guru Nickesia Gordon in translating the
words of the song into Spanish. Rebel, who had never uttered a word of
Spanish before, devoted several hours every week for intense lessons
in pronunciation and Spanish grammar. With a patient Nickesia and a
student willing to learn, in only a matter of weeks "Jah By My
Side" became "Si Jah Esta El Lado De Mi.’
Recording the melody in Spanish proved to be a challenge. But, armed
with a rhythm blended by both Latin and Reggae harmonies and his two
Spanish tutors and producer (Donovan Germaine, who embraced the
concept), Rebel recorded the song in 1999 (and succeeded in setting
another record—the first reggae artist to record and perform an
entire song in a foreign language!) And don’t think that it has not
been tested on the Spanish speaking market. On the invitation of Prime
Minister of Jamaica, Hon. P.J. Patterson, Rebel got the unique
opportunity to give a live rendition of the Spanish version of the
song to Latin American delegates attending the Fifth Ministerial
Conference on Children and Social Policy in the Americas, held in
Jamaica in 2000.
So, whether it’s "Jah By My Side" or "Si Jah Esta Al
Lado De Mi," Rebel’s song in praise of Jah’s protection is,
undeniably, a fervent message of hope and an indisputable proof of
Tony Rebel’s versatility and superb artistry.
Hume Johnson/Nickesia Gordon - 2001
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