Joe Higgs

Joe Higgs (June 3, 1940 ? December 18, 1999) was a reggae musician from Jamaica.

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Higgs knew Bob Marley from the early 1960s. In fact, Marley acknowledged later on that he had been an influential figure for him. Most people interested in classical reggae do not recognize his name, however Higgs has been regarded as the "Father of Reggae' by Jimmy Cliff. For a while Higgs toured with Cliff as well as The Wailers when Bunny Wailer refused to go on the tour in mid 1970s while The Wailers were having disputes.

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A majority of Higgs' songs were connected to his impoverished life in Trenchtown where he grew up. Higgs considered that it was out of the poverty and violence of Kingston's shantytowns such as Trenchtown and Johnstown that the reggae music had grown. Before reggae hit big on the western music scene with elated Bob Marley, it was understood as a "ghetto music". Higgs was the very first artist out the ghetto music scene to have lyrics which primarily dealt with every day troubles. In his own words, "the music orginated from the confrontation of the struggle... It's not even going to be known as the Jah from Trenchtown. It is the kind of strength that you have to accumulate. Reggae is the confrontation of the soul, man. Reggae has to have a basic vibrant song which is... to be heard in a ghetto is like playin' the bass very loud and the drum. Those harbor the basic songs. A classical reggae should be accepted in a part of the world in the same sense; freedom, that's what it's askin' for; acceptance, that's what it means. An understanding. That's what the reggae says."

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"A certain love comes from hard struggle, long suffering. A certain love that through pain, gorge yourself with that hope for freedom. Not to give up."

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The following lyrics from "There's a Reward" (Life of Contradiction, 1975) reflect this attitude. Higgs commented on this song as being his anthem and biographical song, detailing a life of often being mistreated and overlooked, yet still holding strong and having hope for his future:

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:Everyday my heart is sore

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:Seeing that I'm so poor

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:But I shall not give up so easy

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:There's a reward for me, there's a reward for me

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:Though I'm bordered down with shame

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:There's no one for me to blame

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:But I shall not give up so easy

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:There's a reward for me, there's a reward for me

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:Sometimes I feel like a motherless child

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:You know no one cares for me

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:I've never known sympathy

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:Sometimes I look to this world with a smile

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:Man you hear what I say...

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Higgs died of cancer on December 18, 1999.

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June 3: June 3 is the 154th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (155th in leap years), with 211 days remaining....

1940: 1940 was a leap year starting on Monday (link will take you to calendar)....

December 18: December 18 is the 352nd day of the year (353rd in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar. There are 13 days remaining....

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