The Journey

by Mt. Zion Soundsystem

The Journey cover art
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about

Three years in the making, Milwaukee-area native Saskia Pretorius has produced her second CD for Mt. Zion Soundsystem, The Journey, just in time for the fresh start of a new year.

Built around original reggae music with deeply thoughtful lyrics, Pretorius inspires and exhorts us – to be better, to love more, to find our better selves and to appreciate the beauty of our world. Also a professional African dancer, she found inspiration in ancient West African rhythms and has infused them into her unique sound.

In the opening song, “Big People,” through layers of acoustic guitars, she urges listeners to “shake off your fears and see the light.” Big People are those who are “big in your heart and big in your soul.”

Under an African rhythm called Lamban- a rhythm and dance from Mali that dates back thousands of years and is about the pilgrimage to the holy city of Mecca- Pretorius takes us on a spiritual journey back through time in her title song, “The Journey.” She also takes a swipe at the effects of industrialization.
“Take a little journey back in time. Go back to the beginning, before there was crime.
When we go back, we see there was no industry, no pollution, no thinking this is just for me...We don’t need cars, we don’t need planes. We don’t need their poisons coursing through our veins...We don’t need prepackaged goods and contamination. The food supply is an abomination....”

But it is in “Only Love” where her originality really shines.
“I wanted to paint a picture using words and music -- to create a space you can be in,” Pretorius said. This aim is especially evident where we find ourselves “standing on the top of Mt. Zion.” In your imagination, if only for a moment, you are “breathing air so clean, living as if in a dream. The birds fly by in spirals, bells a-ring, hear the angels sing...”

credits

released 26 December 2009
All songs written, recorded, and produced by Saskia Pretorius,
except The Rivers of Babylon and Chant, which is a collaboration
written by P. Nassalang,S. Pretorius, D. Robinson, M. Levie, Z. Perry,
S. Natarajah, and Jah D.Tafari.

Mastered by Guy Fiorentini.

Special thanks to these artists for their contributions:
-Patrice Nassalang for: percussion on The Journey, Only Love, Chant, and The Rivers of Babylon, vocals on Chant, and for co-producing the final mix.
-Miriam Levie for: vocals on Big People, The Journey, Wisemaster, Planet Dread, Chant, and The Rivers of Babylon; flute on Wisemaster.
-David Robinson for vocals on Chant.
-Nils St. Cyr for guitar solo on Jah Calling.
-Jeff Stehr for guitar solo on Big People.
-Yaya Kambaye for percussion on The Journey and Only Love.
-Elhadji Muhammed Sene for percussion on Be Good.
-Caryl Sewell for vocals on The Rivers of Babylon.
-Zonia Perry for vocals on Chant and The Rivers of Babylon.
-Souljah Natarajah for vocals on Chant.
-Jah DwayneTafari for vocals on Chant.

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Track Name: Big People
May the moon shine so bright upon you on this heavenly night.
And may the breeze caress your face so gently as you walk barefoot through the leaves.
And the dog barking in the distance doesn’t bother you at all.
And the smell of the Rasta’s sweet burning fire is taking you higher.
Higher the birds them sing, yes and higher- the mountain spring.
Higher stars in the sky, yes and higher- won’t you give it a try? And I know
Big people gonna rise tonight, shake off your fears and see the light.
Oh Yeah. The power of Love is stronger than the love of Power.
And may the children bless you life with laughter and sweet gentle hugs.
And may the night end happily ever after, crickets and lightening bugs.
And may you dream of special sacred rites of passage- they were waiting for you.
And now you’re home- and you’re feeling like you belong here, one of the chosen few.
Chosen to lead a better way, chosen for a brighter day
Chosen to reach the highest high, yes, and chosen- won’t you give it a try? Cause I know
Big people gonna rise tonight, shake off your fears and see the light.
The power of Love is stronger than the love of Power.
Rise up, now, Big People- calling out to all the big people.
Big big people, small big people, big in your heart and big in your soul yeah.
Shine bright now, big people. Show your light now, big people. Come on yeah.
The power of Love is stronger than the love of power.
Track Name: The Journey
We gonna take a little journey back in time. Go back to the beginning, before there was crime. As it was in the beginning, it will be in the end. If you don’t want to break, you must learn how to bend.
Every man is an African. Got to know your culture. Know traditional culture- the roots of the human culture.
When we go back, we see there was no industry, no pollution, no thinking this is just for me. We’ve got to share what we’ve got- liberally. Love Mother Nature eternally.
We don’t need cars. We don’t need planes. We don’t need their poisons coarsing through our veins. No no we gonna walk and walk and walk and walk and walk
We don’t need computers. We don’t need TV. We don’t need the media telling us who to be. No no we gonna drum and dance and drum and dance and drum.
We don’t need prepackaged foods and contamination. The food supply is an abomination. No no we gonna plant and grow and reap and cook and eat.
As it was in the beginning it will be in the end. In the beginning there was no war- only creation. Focus on creation. Find your salvation.
Track Name: Wise Master
Envision yourself a wise master, not a paranoid fool.
Envision your mind can move faster. Education is cool.
Bring Beauty to the world. Fill it with Love and Grace.
We don’t need no more negativity in this place.
Try not to focus on the sususu
Rise up above it and let Jah guide you through.
Greed is the root of all evil- too much vanity.
What we Rastas like is originality.
Bring Beauty to the world. Fill it with Love and Grace.
We don’t need no more negativity in this place.
Track Name: Jah Calling
It’s good to be loyal, it’s good to be true. You better know who you’re being loyal too.
You better know what’s true. Better make sure they’re not lying to you,
Using you to do what they don’t want to do. Give I the strength to get the message through to you.
Games that people play are all nothing new. Not a lot of good friends, just a few.
Oooh. Talking ‘bout misguided loyalty- power-hungry, seeking royalty.
There’s only One God, One Love, One Destiny- the rule of international morality.

I can hear Jah calling. I can hear Jah calling. Jah is the voice of creation, compassion, and love.
Can you hear Jah calling? Can you hear Jah calling? Calling for wisdom, calling for joy, and love.
Jah Jah. Please children, don’t fight. Let’s have some fun tonight.
Come out and dance under the stars. You can see Venus and Mars.
Track Name: Only Love
Mt. Zion not a place on Earth.
But we’re trying to find it here on Earth
‘Cause we know what some people worth.
And we know we want Peace on Earth.
So we calling down Mt. Zion.
We singing loud to Mt. Zion.
‘Cause we the Conquering Lion.
There is only Love on Mt. Zion.
There is only Love on Mt. Zion, yeah.
Standing on the top of Mt. Zion
Breathing air so clean
Living as if in a dream
The birds fly by in spirals
Bells a ring
Hear the angels sing,
“There is only Love on Mt. Zion.”
Track Name: Be Good
You get another chance to be good.
You get another chance to do good.
Be good.
Do good.
Jehovah Jehovah Jehovah
Be good.
Do good.
Jehovah Jehovah Jehovah- Jah! Jah!
Track Name: Planet Dread
Where you coming from Natty Dread?
Revolution up in your head
You wanna go where no man has tread.
Watch what you say or you’ll end up dead.
Say you come from planet dread.
Revolution up in your head.
Don’t you know what the wise ones said?
Can’t rest till every pickney fed.
Planet Dread.
See me come from planet dread.
Everything green, gold, and red.
Some of us where locks pon de head
We all know that the earth a run red.
Born with 30 bullets and a pound of lead
Feeling heavy when you lie in bed
Thought you’d feel lighter from the tears you shed
Keep on moving for your daily bread.
Planet Dread.
It haffi get worse before it gets better.
The dread is getting dread and the dread is getting dreader.
But it’s gonna get better whether you're a rich man or a debtor
In a bikini or a sweater
We will all come together.
Track Name: The Light
Let it shine, yeah yeah! Shine on down! Yeah yeah.
Let the Light shine down upon you.
It’s a beautiful world around you.
I surrender everything to you.
I know you hear me calling you.
Put it into Spirituality.
Let it spread from city to city.
Track Name: Praise Jah
Don’t forget the source where everything come from.
Don’t forget the greatest miracle of creation.
Oh Jah Jah! Oh Jah Jah! Jah!
Only time to praise Jah Itinually.
Thank you for the sun, Jah.
Thank you for the moon, Jah.
Thank you for the evening, night, and noon, Jah.
Thank you for the feast and for the fasting.
Thank you for eternal life everlasting, yeah!
Praising Jah Itinually.
Thank you for the children,
The love and the laughter.
Thank you for the happily ever after.
Thank you for the Sea, Jah.
Thank you for the mountain.
When I’m thristy, you’re my water fountain yeah!
Praising Jah Itinually.
Praise Jah Itinually yeah yeah yeah yeah.
Thank you for the raindrop.
Thank you for the flowers.
Thank you for the good times that last for hours.
Thank you for the North, South, East, and West, Jah.
Thank you, Almighty, ‘cause we’re so blessed, Jah!
Track Name: The Rivers of Babylon
By the rivers of Babylon,
Where we sat down,
And there we wept
When we remembered Zion.
Cause the wicked carried us away captivity,
Required from us a song.
How can we sing King Alpha song
Inna strange land?
So let the words of our mouths
And the meditations of our hearts
Be acceptable in thy sight
O Fari-