007

• By: Desmond Dekker & the Aces

Lyrics:

Vocabulary in this song:

Vocabulary	Meanings
ocean /ˈoʊʃən/ A1	noun - a very large expanse of sea
rudeboy /ˈruːdˌbɔɪ/ Unknown	noun - a Jamaican slang term for a rebellious young man
jail /dʒeɪl/ A2	noun - a place for the confinement of people accused or convicted of a crime
bail /beɪl/ B2	noun - the temporary release of an accused person awaiting trial
loot /luːt/ B2	verb - to steal goods, typically during a war or riot noun - stolen goods
shoot /ʃuːt/ A2	verb - to fire a weapon
wail /weɪl/ B2	verb - to cry with pain, grief, or anger
shanty /ˈʃænti/ Unknown	noun - a roughly built hut or cabin
town /taʊn/ A1	noun - an urban area that has a name, defined boundaries, and local government
probation /proʊˈbeɪʃən/ C1	noun - the release of an offender from detention, subject to a period of good behavior under supervision
bomb /bɒm/ B1	verb - to attack with bombs
police /pəˈliːs/ A2	noun - a civil force, maintained by a state or community
taller /ˈtɔːlər/ A1	adjective - comparative of tall
soldier /ˈsoʊldʒər/ A2	noun - a person serving in an army
longer /ˈlɔːŋɡər/ A1	adjective - comparative of long
weep /wiːp/ B2	verb - to shed tears

Grammar:

• And now rudeboys have a go wail

  ➔ Use of "have a go"

  ➔ "Have a go" is an informal idiom meaning to attempt or try something. It suggests an attempt, often in a playful or experimental way. In this context, it suggests the rudeboys are going to 'try' a wail, possibly indicating participating in some form of riot or disturbance.

• 'Cause them out of jail

  ➔ Non-standard English: Omission of "are"

  ➔ The grammatically correct version is "Because they *are* out of jail." The omission of "are" is a feature of some dialects or creoles.

• Rudeboys cannot fail

  ➔ Modal verb "cannot" (negative ability/possibility)

  ➔ "Cannot" expresses a strong negative possibility or ability. Here, it suggests that the rudeboys are determined and will not be defeated or unsuccessful.

• Dem a loot, dem a shoot, dem a wail

  ➔ Non-standard English: Use of "a" before verbs to indicate continuous action.

  ➔ In standard English, this would be "They are looting, they are shooting, they are wailing." The use of "a" before the verbs is characteristic of certain dialects and creoles and creates a continuous and active image.

• Police get taller

  ➔ Simple Present: Lack of Subject-Verb Agreement (Police)

  ➔ "Police" is a plural noun, so the verb should be "get". The sentence should be "Police get taller." This lack of agreement can be common in colloquial speech or certain dialects.