The version of the song sung by Musical Youth is about having no food while being poor and dealing with that.
The original version of the song, which is sung by the group The Mighty Diamonds, is about the spirituality of sharing marijuana in a “koutchie,” which is a Jamaican-style pipe. Of course, during the Thatcher years in Britain, kids between the ages of 11 and 16 singing about marijuana would have caused an unreasonable furor, so the group changed the lyrics to remove the drug references. The group members never had any inkling that the song would be as much of a hit as it was. They even decided not to say anything about it when they were in school in case the song flopped. They didn’t want to be on the receiving end of mocking and teasing if that wound up being the case.
Stunning Popularity
Aside from the United States, where the song only reached No. 10 on the Billboard 100, the song sold 4 million copies and reached No. 1 in Canada, the Netherlands, Ireland, the United Kingdom, Switzerland, Belgium, New Zealand, Spain, and Australia. It reached No. 2 in West Germany.
Troubles
Unfortunately for the group, its producer was crooked and tried to bilk the children out of their earnings. The group eventually sued and lost. The court said that the group hadn’t written the song and that it, therefore, wasn’t entitled to the royalties. The group sued MCA thereafter, and the two parties settled out of court. The members of Musical Youth didn’t get any royalty checks for other folks using “Pass the Dutchie” for 18 years after its release in 1982.
In addition to that, the stress of performing fractured the bonds between the group members. They broke up in 1985, and some members had bad fates. Frederick Waite Jr. died at age 55 in a mental health unit. Patrick Waite died at just 24 after suffering heart failure from a previously undetected heart condition. At the time, he was awaiting trial for drug crimes. Kelvin Grant became a recluse after a stint in drug rehab and swore off of performing forever. The story of Musical Youth became an example of music industry exploitation of young performers.
Other Media
For a song that was No. 1 in time zones 12 hours apart at the same time, it’s only been used sparingly in soundtracks. Tunefind only lists two movies: “The Wedding Singer” and “Get Rich, or Die Tryin’.”
Lyrics
This generation
Rules the nation
With version
Music happens to be the food of love
Sounds to really make you rub and scrub
I say
Pass the Dutchie ‘pon the left hand side
Pass the Dutchie ‘pon the left hand side
It a go bun (give me the music, make me jump and prance)
It a go dung, ya know? (Give me the music, make me rockin’ at the dance)
It was a cool and lonely breezy afternoon
(How does it feel when you’ve got no food?)
You could feel it ’cause it was the month of June
(How does it feel when you’ve got no food?)
So I left my gate and went out for a walk
(How does it feel when you’ve got no food?)
As I pass the dreadlocks camp, I heard them say
(How does it feel when you’ve got no food?)
Pass the Dutchie ‘pon the left hand side (I say)
Pass the Dutchie ‘pon the left hand side
It a go bun (give me the music, make me jump and prance)
It a go dung, ya know? (Give me the music, make me rockin’ at the dance)
So I stopped to find out what was going on
(How does it feel when you’ve got no food?)
‘Cause the spirit of Jah, you know he leads you on
(How does it feel when you’ve got no food?)
There was a ring of dreads and a session was there in swing
(How does it feel when you’ve got no food?)
You could feel the chills as I seen and heard them say
(How does it feel when you’ve got no food?)
Pass the Dutchie ‘pon the left hand side (I say)
Pass the Dutchie ‘pon the left hand side
It a go bun (give me the music, make me jump and prance)
It a go dung, ya know? (Give me the music, make me rockin’ at the dance)
Now me say, listen to the drummer, me say listen to the bass
Give me a little music, make me wind up me waist
Me say listen to the drummer, me say listen to the bass
Give me a little music, make me wind up me waist, I say
Pass the Dutchie ‘pon the left hand side (I say)
Pass the Dutchie ‘pon the left hand side
It a go bun (give me the music, make me jump and prance)
It a go dung, ya know? (Give me the music, make me rockin’ at the dance)
You play it on the radio
And so me say, we a go hear it on the stereo (stereo)
And so me know we a go play it on the disco
And so me say we a go hear it on the stereo, whoa
Pass the Dutchie ‘pon the left hand side (I say)
Pass the Dutchie ‘pon the left hand side
It a go bun (give me the music, make me jump and prance)
It a go dung, ya know? (Give me the music, make me rockin’ at the dance)
On the left hand side (I say)
On the left hand side (I say)
On the left hand side (idiot)
On the left hand side (feel it)
On the left hand side
And I say east, say west, say north and south
This is gonna really make us jump and shout
And I say east, say west, say north and south
This is gonna really make us jump and shout
I say
Source: Musixmatch
Songwriters: Dwayne Carter / Carl E. Lilly / Aubrey Drake Graham / Donat Roy Jackie Mittoo / Jesse Woodard Iv / Huford Benjamin Brown / Fitzroy Ogilvie Simpson / Leroy Anthony Sibblis / Lloyd Anthony Ferguson / Charleston Duane Davis / Headley George Bennett / Robert Bernard Lyn
Pass the Dutchie lyrics © Universal Music Corp., Bling Bling Music Publishing, F Block Music Publishing, Sparta-florida Music Group Ltd, Songs Of Universal Inc., Keep On Kicking Music Inc, U Can’t Teach Bein The Shhh Inc.
Listeners of Rock music, might also appreciate the song Let it be by The Beatles.
