Admiral Tibet

When Admiral Tibet recorded Serious Time at King Jammy's Waterhouse studio in 1986, he knew it was a good song. That was confirmed by the recording engineer, Bobby 'Digital' Dixon, and producer King Jammy's, who said the song "have it".

However, Tibet had to wait five years for Serious Time, a roots reggae song recorded about a year after the birth of reggae's digital era with the Sleng Teng (also done at Jammy's), to become a hit.

He told The Sunday Gleaner he wrote Serious Time in 1985 because of the "day-to-day livity and your surroundings, you listening to the news and you a hear so much thing going on that is terrible".

So he sang:

"We're living in a serious time

Don't let the devil control your mind

The time is so serious, cantankerous and dangerous

All over the world everyone is in heated rush

The time is so serious, cantankerous and dangerous

Is only in the father, do I put my trust."

"At the same time, inspiration plays a big role in most of my songwriting," Tibet told The Sunday Gleaner. "The lyrics just come to me and I put them down." Of course, there was also the worldly influence, as he laughed when he said he used to hear people use 'cantankerous' a lot, often when referring to a troublesome boy.

Tibet heard the rhythm on the same day he recorded the song and it was somewhat of a natural fit, as all that was required was to "adjust the melody".

'it come out powerful'

While Serious Time did not chart when it was released in its original format, it still went and carried Admiral Tibet places, as he told The Sunday Gleaner that "the first time I went to England in 1987, it was the song that made me get that opportunity. So it come out powerful".

Then he adds, "it was in the early '90s it remix and create a storm".

That remake came after the clash at Sting 1990, when Ninja Man beat Shabba Ranks soundly in front of a capacity crowd at the National Stadium. To have a record coming out with them both after the thrashing was remarkable; the quality of the performances made it outstanding. Naturally, there were comparisons between the two, fans debating which one did better on the track.

Both stuck to the theme, Shabba deejaying "each an' every yute waan fe big up ...", but advising them that they should "tink bout God fus". And Ninja Man chimed in memorably "revelation a reveal, an it a open to de people dem".

Tibet said Bobby Digital came up with the idea right after the clash. "Me and Bobby talk 'bout it and he said he is going to contact them". Tibet did not hear the recording until after it was finished. And, Ninja Man and Shabba did not meet in the studio, as they did their parts separately.

"The first time I heard it was when I went by Bobby and he said him have something for me to listen to," Tibet said.

a hit song

He told The Sunday Gleaner that when he heard it he said, "Bobby," and he laughed. "It was so clear and plain to see that it was a hit song," Tibet said.

The remake of Serious Time did not hit the top of the charts, but it has stamped its mark on Jamaican music. And, Tibet continues to benefit from the song, doing it over and over again as a special for various sound systems.

"Me give thanks. That's how I know is inspiration ... This is bigger than me. This is coming through the Father," Tibet said.

Ninja Man

Shabba Ranks