CREDITS
Composed and recorded by Larry Armony, 2020-21
Recording engineer (at his studio), Glenville Leader
Glenville Leader, keyboards, elec bass and guitar, rhythm
programmimg; and assisted with arrangement.
Elroy (Sports) Browne, Kettle drum; Uric (Ricci) McCall, guitar.
Unoma Allen, H E Rucas, back up vocals
LYRICS
They were young and bright
And ready to face the world
Feeling strong to fight for the right
And make theirs a better world
Their people gathered round
Chanting the welcome songs
The maidens demure yet proud
Dancing to the new warriors
Then suddenly — mayhem
Gunmen attacked and surrounded them
To take robust young folks
To trade to the foreigner
Force-marched them to the coast
To the boats of the foreigner
Their world turned upside down
The future tumbling to the ground
You see, the guns were brought to Africa
For those who sought more wealth and power
Thus engendering the monster of violence
Pervading the mother continent
Hail Hail Mother Africa
Hail Hail our Progenitor
Hail Hail Human Nurturer
Hail Hail Mother Africa
You’ve imparted
You have granted
Given freely
To humanity
You’ve been plundered
And brutalised
Children captured
Dehumanised
Hail Hail Mother Africa
Hail Hail our progenitor
The sea was dark and flat
The sun was blazing bright
They were forced past the hatch
Down where candles could not light
No air to ventilate
Nowhere to defecate
Men, women and children
The living, the sick and the dead
Then one day for exercise
They were brought up to the deck
Some jumped over the sides
Others formed up to attack
The heavy gun was turned and fired
And a hundred proud warriors died
They were so bold and young
When they sacrificed their lives
You see, For every ten slave-ships, there was one rebellion
Some gained full control and personal freedom
But over three millions arrived in these lands
And gave their sweat, blood; and many lives, for liberation
Hail Hail to the Ancestor
Brought here from Africa
Hail Hail to the Ancestor
Come here from Africa
You were captured
You suffered
Separated
You suffered
Incarcerated
And tortured
Pushed down
You rebound
Hail Hail to the Ancestor
Come here from Africa
We will build you a monument
For now and forever
To connect to the present
The past and the future
We will build you a monument
For now and forever
To connect to the present
The past and the future
Confined to plantations
Our people were forced to work
Deprived of their traditions
Naked in a hostile world
Yet holding to the will to survive
And spiritual integrity
Finding the skills to build new lives
Filled with physical energy
Strong and courageous
Many patient and wise
The struggle long and arduous
In the noble enterprise
Of total liberation
And cultural regeneration
To create a bold new world
For future generations
You see, The people we are as Caribbeans
Of whatever ethnic, cultural or geographic origins:
Our way of life and livity had their beginnings
In the struggles for human rights and dignity
In the quest for justice and equality
Hail Hail to the Ancestor
Come here from Africa
Hail Hail to the Ancestor
Hero and Progenitor
You resisted
You fought back
You retreated
And wheel back
Healer
Helper
You’re a Builder
And Protector
Hail to the Ancestor
Come here from Africa
We must build you a monument
For now and forever
To connect to the present
The past and the future
We shall create a monument
For now and forever
To celebrate your achievement
And elevate your accomplishment
We will build you a monument
For now and forever
To connect to the present
The past and the future
HAIL!