Jamming – English Lyrics

• By: Bob Marley & The Wailers
• Album: Exodus

Lyrics & Translation

Dive into the vibrant world of Jamaican Patois and the powerful messages embedded within Bob Marley & The Wailers’ iconic song, “Jamming.” This track is more than just a feel-good tune; it's a testament to resilience and unity, offering insights into Jamaican culture and Rasta beliefs. By exploring its lyrics, you can learn common Patois phrases and understand how Marley used music to inspire hope and solidarity, making it a truly special song for language and cultural learning.

[English]

♪♪♪

♪ Ooh yeah ♪

♪♪♪

♪ All right ♪

♪ We're jamming ♪

♪ I wanna jam it with you ♪

♪ We're jamming ♪

♪ Jamming ♪

♪ And I hope you like jamming too ♪

♪ Aint no rules, ain't no vow ♪

♪ We can do it anyhow ♪

♪ I'n'I will see you through ♪

♪ 'Cos everyday we pay the price, we're the living sacrifice ♪

♪ Jamming till the jam is through ♪

♪ We're jamming ♪

♪ To think that jamming was a thing of the past ♪

♪ We're jamming ♪

♪ And I hope this jam is gonna last ♪

♪ No bullet can stop us now ♪

♪ We neither beg, nor we won't bow ♪

♪ Neither can be bought nor sold ♪

♪ We all defend the right ♪

♪ Jah, Jah, children must unite ♪

♪ Your life is worth much more than gold ♪

♪ We're jamming ♪

♪ Jamming, jamming, jamming ♪

♪ And we're jamming in the name of the lord ♪

♪ We're jamming ♪

♪ Jamming, jamming, jamming ♪

♪ We're jamming right straight from yard ♪

♪ Yeh ♪

♪ Holy Mount Zion ♪

♪ Holy Mount Zion ♪

♪ Jah, seated in Mount Zion ♪

♪ And rules all creation yeah we're ♪

♪ We're jamming ♪

♪ (Wotcha-wa) Wotcha-wa-wa-wa ♪

♪ We're jamming (Wotcha-wa) ♪

♪ See, I wanna jam it with you ♪

♪ We're jamming ♪

♪ Jamming, jamming, jamming ♪

♪ I'm jammed I hope you're jamming too ♪

♪ Jam's about my pride ♪

♪ And truth I cannot hide ♪

♪ To keep you satisfied ♪

♪ True love that now exist, is the love I can't resist, so ♪

♪ Jam by my side ♪

♪ We're jamming ♪

♪ Jamming, jamming, jamming ♪

♪ I wanna jam it with you ♪

♪ We're jamming, we're jamming, we're jamming, we're jamming ♪

♪ We're jamming, we're jamming, we're jamming, we're jamming ♪

♪ Hope you like jamming too ♪

♪ We're jamming, we're jamming, jamming ♪

♪ We're jamming, we're jamming, jamming ♪

♪ I wanna, I wanna, I wanna jam with you ♪

♪ I wanna jam with you now ♪

♪ We're jamming ♪

♪ We're jamming ♪

♪ Hope you like jamming too ♪

♪ Eh-Eh, I hope you like jamming ♪

♪ Jamming I hope you like jamming ♪

♪ 'Cause I wanna jam it with you ♪

♪ I wanna jam it with you ♪

♪ I like, I hope you ♪

♪ I hope you like jamming too ♪

♪ I wanna jam it ♪

♪ I wanna jam it ♪

♪♪♪

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
jam /dʒæm/ A2	verb - to play music together informally noun - a session of informal music-making
hope /hoʊp/ A2	verb - to want something to happen or be true noun - a feeling of expectation and desire
rules /ruːlz/ A2	noun - principles or regulations governing conduct or procedure
price /praɪs/ A2	noun - the amount of money expected, required, or given in payment for something
living /ˈlɪvɪŋ/ B1	adjective - alive
past /pæst/ A2	noun - the time before the present
bullet /ˈbʊlɪt/ B1	noun - a small piece of metal fired from a gun
right /raɪt/ A1	noun - a moral or legal entitlement to have or do something
children /ˈtʃɪldrən/ A1	noun - young human beings below the age of puberty or the legal age of majority
life /laɪf/ A1	noun - the condition that distinguishes organisms from inorganic matter, including capacity for growth, reproduction, functional activity, and continual change preceding death
gold /ɡoʊld/ A1	noun - a yellow precious metal
lord /lɔːrd/ B1	noun - someone or something having power, authority, or influence; a master or ruler.
mount /maʊnt/ B2	noun - a mountain
creation /kriˈeɪʃən/ B2	noun - the act of creating the universe or the world, especially by God
pride /praɪd/ B2	noun - a feeling of deep pleasure or satisfaction derived from one's own achievements, the achievements of one's close associates, or from qualities or possessions that are widely admired.
truth /truːθ/ A2	noun - the quality or state of being true.
love /lʌv/ A1	noun - an intense feeling of affection

Key Grammar Structures

• I wanna jam it with you

  ➔ Contraction of "want to" - "wanna"

  ➔ "Wanna" is an informal contraction of "want to". It's commonly used in spoken English and informal writing. Here, it simplifies the sentence and gives it a more casual, conversational tone. "I "wanna" jam it with you" means I want to jam with you.

• Ain't no rules, ain't no vow

  ➔ Double negative (Ain't no)

  ➔ "Ain't" is a colloquial contraction for "is not", "are not", "am not", "has not", or "have not". Using "Ain't no" is a double negative, which is grammatically incorrect in standard English but common in some dialects and informal speech. Here, it emphasizes the lack of rules and vows: There are "no" rules, there is "no" vow. Also using "ain't" shows a kind of old English used in this case for stylistic purpose

• I'n'I will see you through

  ➔ Use of "I'n'I" (Rastafarian term)

  ➔ "I'n'I" is a Rastafarian term that refers to the unity of all people with Jah (God). It's a complex concept that encompasses both "I" and "we", emphasizing the interconnectedness and shared divinity within each individual. The expression means I and God will see you through.

• Cos everyday we pay the price, we're the living sacrifice

  ➔ Use of "Cos" (contraction of because)

  ➔ "Cos" is a colloquial contraction of "because". It's often used in informal speech and writing to shorten the sentence and give it a more relaxed tone. The full phrase is "Because everyday we pay the price, we're the living sacrifice".

• We neither beg, nor we won't bow

  ➔ Neither...nor structure

  ➔ The "neither...nor" structure is used to indicate that two options are not true or do not happen. It's a correlative conjunction, connecting two negative alternatives. Here, it means "We do not beg, and we will not bow". Using "won't" after "nor" may sound redundant, but it adds emphasis.

• Jah, Jah, children must unite

  ➔ Use of "must" for emphasis/exhortation

  ➔ While "must" usually indicates obligation or necessity, in this context, it carries a stronger sense of exhortation and importance. It's not simply saying that uniting is a good idea, but rather that it is an essential imperative. It means Jah, Jah, children have to unite.

• Jam's about my pride

  ➔ Ellipsis/Omission of "is"

  ➔ The word "is" is omitted for a more informal and rhythmically pleasing flow. The sentence should read "Jam is about my pride". This is common in casual speech and song lyrics.