Good Name [Song]

Uploaded by AceFabse
GOOD NAME
By Conqueror[1963] with Berti Inniss and His National Recording Band.

Good name is to men and to women
A very precious gem, so they say
And if you kind-hearted, friendly and gentle
Never despair, you must see your way
But I feel that they lying 'cause I tired trying
So correct me, I may be wrong
Charitable Rouse dead in the poor house
Honest John living Shanty Town.

Good name ain't for people who poor like me
That is for men who living in luxury
Wey the sense you have good name
Ah big set ah false fame
And still you catching your donkey
Better they call you bad, say you lousy and hard
And you living grand like a king
Than they pat you on your back, call you kind-hearted Jack
And you ain't got a blooming thing!

It is the best policy to be honest
I sure you hear this from since you small
But I want you to stop and take notice
Honest people don't prosper at all
If you get two out of twenty, well, say you get plenty
The balance, don't care how they try
Is a grin or a smile from the fellow with the pile
Who accustom living in style.

Good name is for men of society
They could afford to give because they have plenty
But a fella like me, well, I cyah spare a penny
'Cause I always broken, believe me
Better they say you bad, call you lousy and hard
And you living grand like a king
Than they fool you with deceit,
Say you friendly, kind and sweet
And you ent have a thing to eat!

What a very confusing quotation
To my opinion, take it from me
Well it doh worth the paper it write on
You don't believe it, you look and see
Alright, you kind and you friendly, you love everybody
But you poor like a blooming dormouse
And your neighbour Mr. Gruff who always rough and tough
Have he TV, he cars and he house.

Good name is for folks of the higher class
No sense having a good name and catching yuh ----
You will find out before long, good name is a keep down
A title for a perfect clown
Better they call you bad, say you lousy and hard
And you living grand like a king
Than they fool you with good name,
Keep you down with false fame
And you ent have a blooming thing!

Well, you make many friends when you friendly
But when you cashy, you making more
So wey the sense you have a good name and you broken
To buy a pants, you have to band your jaw
I learn from experience, good name is a hindrance
Keep this in the back of your head
To be poor and have good name
Nothing but is false fame
Believe me, better you dead.

Good name is a gem, well  that may be true
But I think is a jinx and a keep down too
Every charitable guy, somehow, I don't know why
Always end up with their pockets dry
Better they call you bad, say you lousy and hard
And you living grand like a king
Than you have a good name and a set of false fame
And beside that not a blooming thing!

Source: The lyrics posted on this blog are often transcribed directly from performances. Although it is my intention to faithfully transcribe I do not get all the words and I have a knack for hearing the wrong thing. Please feel free to correct me or to fill in the words that I miss by dropping me a message via e-mail. I'd be forever grateful. Thanks in advance!
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A Note From The Gull

Thank you, Conqueror.

This is an interesting point of view but I suspect it is one that many would prefer to keep to themselves. Most people want to be thought of as having a good name and  most people want others to believe that they are actively engaged in maintaining that status. This means that many people would like others to believe that they subscribe to the values upheld by their society. The thing is when you accept that your name is associated with your family's good name, you are reluctant to shame them by disgracing that name. I don't know the identity of the poet or the original title of the poem included below but it is well used poem and I found it here. It made me think.

"You got it from your father
It was all he had to give
So it's yours to use and cherish
For as long as you may live.

If you lost the watch he gave you
It can always be replaced;
But a black mark on your name
Can never be erased.

It was clean the day you took it
And a worthy name to bear
When he got it from his father
There was no dishonor there.

So make sure you guard it wisely
After all is said and done
You'll be glad the name is spotless
When you give it to your son."

"Patria est communis omnium parens" - Our native land is the common parent of us all. Keep it beautiful, make it even more so.

Blessed is all of creation
Blessed be my beautiful people
Blessed be the day of our awakening
Blessed is my country
Blessed are her patient hills.

Mweh ka allay!
Guanaguanare