54-46 Was My Number – English Lyrics

• By: Toots & The Maytals
• Album: In The Dark

Lyrics & Translation

Dive into the vibrant world of Jamaican patois and the soul-stirring rhythms of reggae with "54-46 Was My Number" by Toots & The Maytals. This classic song offers a unique window into Jamaican history and culture, rooted in a personal story of resilience against injustice. Its raw emotion, distinctive vocal delivery, and groundbreaking musical style make it an ideal track to appreciate the linguistic nuances and cultural depth of reggae music.

[English]

Stick it up, mister!

Hear what I say sir, yeah yeah

Get your hands in the air, sir!

Then you will get no hurt, mister, no no no

I said yeah (I said yeah)

What they say (listen what they say)

Don't you hear? I say, yeah (yeah yeah)

Listen what they say (listen what they say)

Do you believe I would take such a thing with me

And give it to a police man?

I wouldn't do that (ooh, ooh)

And if I do that, I would say "Sir

Come on and put the charge on me"

I wouldn't do that, no (ooh, ooh)

I wouldn't do that (ooh, ooh)

I'm not a fool to hurt myself

So I was innocent of what they done to me

They was wrong

They were wrong (ooh, ooh)

Give it to me one time (huh)

Give it to me two times (huh-huh)

Give it to me three times (huh-huh-huh)

Give it to me four times (huh-huh-huh-huh)

54-46 was my number

Right now, someone else has that number

54-46 was my number, was my number

Right now, someone else has that number

I said yeah (I said yeah)

Listen what they say (listen what they say)

Oh I say hear me now (yeah yeah)

Listen what they say (listen what they say)

Give it to me one time (huh)

Give it to me two times (huh-huh)

Gimme, gimme, gimme, gimme, gimme, gimme

Gimme, gimme, gimme, gimme

No, no, no, no

...

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
say /seɪ/ A1	verb - to utter words
hear /hɪər/ A1	verb - to perceive with the ear
get /ɡet/ A1	verb - to receive or obtain
hands /hændz/ A1	noun - the terminal part of the arm
air /eər/ A1	noun - the invisible gaseous substance surrounding the earth
hurt /hɜːrt/ A2	verb - to cause pain or injury noun - emotional or physical pain
believe /bɪˈliːv/ A2	verb - to accept as true
take /teɪk/ A1	verb - to seize or get possession of
give /ɡɪv/ A1	verb - to freely transfer possession of something to someone
police /pəˈliːs/ A2	noun - a civil force responsible for the prevention and detection of crime
charge /tʃɑːrdʒ/ B1	noun - a formal accusation verb - to accuse someone formally of an offence
fool /fuːl/ B1	noun - a person who acts unwisely or imprudently
innocent /ˈɪnəsnt/ B1	adjective - not guilty of a crime or offence
wrong /rɔːŋ/ A2	adjective - not correct or true
number /ˈnʌmbər/ A1	noun - a symbol or word indicating quantity

Key Grammar Structures

• Hear what I say sir, yeah yeah

  ➔ Imperative verb + object clause: "Hear what I say..."

  ➔ Using the imperative form "Hear" to give a direct command. The phrase "what I say" acts as the object of the verb "Hear".

• Then you will get no hurt, mister, no no no

  ➔ Future simple with "will": "you will get no hurt". Use of "no" to negate the verb

  ➔ Expresses a future consequence. Note: grammatically "get no hurt" is less common than "not get hurt" but conveys the same meaning in this context.

• Don't you hear? I say, yeah (yeah yeah)

  ➔ Negative interrogative with "Don't you hear?": Forming a question with negative polarity.

  ➔ This structure is often used to express surprise or disbelief. It implies the speaker expects the listener to be hearing something.

• Do you believe I would take such a thing with me

  ➔ Conditional "would" in indirect question: expressing a hypothetical action or intention within a question.

  ➔ The "would" implies the speaker is questioning whether the listener thinks they *are capable* of doing such a thing. It is not a question about a factual action in the past but a hypothetical possibility.

• And give it to a police man?

  ➔ Ellipsis in questions: missing verb and subject, common in informal speech.

  ➔ This is a shortened form of "And (would I) give it to a police man?". The missing parts are understood from the context.

• And if I do that, I would say "Sir Come on and put the charge on me"

  ➔ Second conditional: "If I do that, I would say..." Expressing a hypothetical situation and its likely consequence.

  ➔ This describes an unlikely future scenario. "If I do that" refers to taking something and giving it to the police, which the speaker says they wouldn't do. The result would be saying "Sir Come on and put the charge on me."