Montego Bay is the capital of St. James Parish and the second largest city in Jamaica by area and the fourth by population (after Kingston, Spanish Town and Portmore).
It is a tourist destination with duty free shopping, cruise line terminal and the beaches. The city is backed by picturesque low mountains.
Christopher Columbus, when he first visited the island in 1494, named the bay Golfo de Buen Tiempo ('Fair Weather Gulf') The name "Montego Bay" is believed to have originated as a corruption of the Spanish word manteca ("lard"), allegedly because during the Spanish period it was the port where lard, leather, and beef were exported.[citation needed] Jamaica was a colony of Spain from 1511 until 1655, when Oliver Cromwell's Caribbean expedition, the Western Design, drove the Spanish from the island.
During the epoch of slavery, from the mid-17th century until 1834, and well into the 20th century, the town functioned primarily as a sugar port. The island's last major slave revolt, the Christmas Rebellion or Baptist War (1831–1832) took place in the area around Montego Bay; the leader of the revolt, Samuel Sharpe, was hanged there in 1832. In 1975, Sharpe was proclaimed a national hero of Jamaica, and the main square of the town was renamed in his honor.
MONTEGO BAY
(Hank Cochran - Glenn Martin)
« © '69 Tree Publishing, BMI »
I showed her most of Tennessee that's all I could afford
I even thought of stealing so I could show her more
But she never did seem happy and I often heard her say
Hey I like it here but I love Montego Bay
Oh I should have gone with her at least I wouldn't know
What about Montego Bay that makes it pull so strong
All I've got's old mem'ries of the way she used to say
Hey I like it here but I love Montego Bay
Why couldn't I convince her why couldn't I make her see
There's no way Montego Bay needs her more than me
When she left she seemed so happy I can still hear her say
Hey I like it here but I love Montego Bay
Why couldn't I convince her...
Chorus: The black the yellow the green,
From Montego bay all the way back to the bean,
Representing the black the yellow the green,
From Montego bay all the way back to the bean,
What you mean?
We (go Kingston to Ceview, Ocho Rios I see you,
Then Newton to Brockton,
Randolph back to Boston)2x
1 verse: let me rap bout the place I was born at gyal(girl),
We pay no mine to your boring style, sip on wine every morning child
As the sun comes up on this morning isle,
Bullets fly high on the side of the ghetto,
Still every house is surrounded by meadows,
And though every person don't ride in a limo,
We still got pride and that's something that they know,
Of course they mad, cause we gon' ball
And we stay flowing like duns river fall
And we know how to throw down,
Girls wanna go down,
Go go speed up, don't ever slow down,
Woah now, boy gwan(go and) hate,
We don't date,
I don't need to please you,
I don't even need you,
Haters so blurry man I don't even see you,
First hate on you then they try to be you,
Tryna say whagwan(what' going on) but your so see through,
Tell these girls come on,
I'm just tryna lead you to the best spot,
You've ever been to, hottest out here,
But we been cool, hometown so great,
Breakthrough can't hold down these gates,
So fruitful like a gallon of V8,
And we stay true to the flag we paint,
Uh uh
Chorus: The black the yellow the green,
From Montego bay all the way back to the bean,
Representing the black the yellow the green,
From Montego bay all the way back to the bean,
What you mean?
We (go Kingston to Ceview, Ocho Rios I see you,
Then Newton to Brockton,
Randolph back to Boston)2x
2 verse: home of the dancehall dancers,
Ganja we stand tall,
Bob Marley and Sean Paul Movado,
We all ball,
Staying cool up in the heat,
Hundred dogs up in the streets,
Curry goat I'm down to eat,
Don't need your vote just hold your peace,
From the Latham's to the Wilson's
To the Bent fam we killing
The competition,
No other place you would rather live in,
Lavish in it,
But on one side the shots go up,
On the other side you up in resorts,
Resorts in you not knowing what goes down
When the cops come round
We taking no shorts,
Wear no shirts to hot for that,
Tank tops all good don't stop with that,
Party at 9 we walk to that,
And the broads so thick let me hop on that,
Hometown so great,
Breakthrough can't hold down these gates,
So fruitful like a gallon of V8,
And we stay true to the flag we paint,
Uh uh
Chorus: The black the yellow the green,
From Montego bay all the way back to the bean,
Representing the black the yellow the green,
From Montego bay all the way back to the bean,
What you mean?
We (go Kingston to Ceview, Ocho Rios I see you,
Then Newton to Brockton,
The air is oh so thick
There's not a single breeze
The day lies dazed upon the shelf
Beyond a painted window out on a far horizon
There stands a steamboat in the sun
I rised my eyes and stared into that paralyzing light
But god had left the iron skies
This day will last forever, we pushed the final buttons
And someone disconnected time
We are here in Montego Bay..
My baby will meet me when the Lear jet lands
Keys to the MG will be in her hands
Some reggae on the radio and we’re on our way
I’ve got to get back to my Montego Bay
Sing out
Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh,
oh, oh, oh, oh, oh
Come sing it louder
Come sing it Montego Bay
Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh,
oh, oh, oh, oh, oh
My lady will meet me like a lover should
I think I remember but it’s twice as good
Cool, is the rum from her silver tray
I thirst to be thirsty in Montego Bay
Montego Bay
Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh,
oh, oh, oh, oh, oh
Come sing it louder
Come sing it Montego Bay
Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh,
oh, oh, oh, oh, oh
Oh yeah
They’re dancin’ in the streets
Cool runnings man
Oh ..
Lay on the ocean till we’re lobster red
I still feel the motion here it home in bed
I tell you it’s hard for me to stay away
You ain’t been till you’ve been high Montego Bay
Sing it
Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh,
oh, oh, oh, oh, oh
Come sing it louder
Come sing it Montego Bay
Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh,
oh, oh, oh, oh, oh
Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh,
oh, oh, oh, oh, oh
Oh Montego Bay
Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh,
[Jeff Barry/Bobby Bloom]
Vernon will meet me when the Boeing lands
Keys to the MG will be in his hand
Adjust to the driving and I'm on my way
It's all on the right side of Montego Bay
Sing out
Whoa-oh-oh, whoa-whoa-oh-oh-oh
Whoa-oh-oh, whoa-whoa-oh-oh-oh
Come sing me la
Come sing me Montego Bay
Whoa-oh-oh, whoa-whoa-oh-oh-oh
And Gillian will meet me like a brother would
I think I remember but it's twice as good
Like how cool the rum is from his silver tray
I thirst to be thirsty in Montego Bay
Sing out
Whoa-oh-oh, whoa-whoa-oh-oh-oh
Whoa-oh-oh, whoa-whoa-oh-oh-oh
Come sing me la
Come sing me Montego Bay
Whoa-oh-oh, whoa-whoa-oh-oh-oh
I lay on the Lilo 'til I'm lobster red
I still feel the motion here at home in bed
I tell you it's hard for me to stay away
You ain't been till you've been high in Montego Bay
Sing out
Whoa-oh-oh, whoa-whoa-oh-oh-oh
Whoa-oh-oh, whoa-whoa-oh-oh-oh
Come sing me la
Come sing me Montego Bay
Vernon'll meet me when the BOAC lands
Keys to the M.G. will be in his hands
Adjust to the driving 'n' I'm on my way
It's all on the right side in Montego Bay
Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh
Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh
Come sing me La
Come sing me Montego Bay
Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh
'N' Gillian'll meet me like a brother would
I think I remember but it's twice as good
Like how cool the rum is from his silver tray
I thirst to be thirsty in Montego Bay
Sing out; oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh
Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh
Come sing me La
Come sing me Montego Bay
Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh
I'll lay on a lilo till I'm lobster red
I still feel the motion here at home in bed
I tell you it's hard for me to stay away
You ain't been till you been high in Montego Bay
Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh
Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh
Come sing me La
Come sing me Montego Bay
I want to take you far away, far away, far away
Only if you say you'll come
All to myself
Is how i want to have you
Cant see me with nobody else
And i don't know what to do
I see you pass my way each and every day
Could you stop just once is all i'm asking
Cause i can't seem to help myself
There's something about the way you walk
Oh i wish that we could talk
Sit and cuddle in the park
Gazing in each other's eyes
All night
I want to take you far away, far away, far away
Only if you say you'll come
All to myself
Is how i want to have you
Cant see me with nobody else
And i don't know what to do
All my friends are angry
They think i'm crazy
Cause i don't let you know
About this feeling that i have for you
Something tells me that you feel the same way too
It's only a matter of time, oooh
I want to take you far away, far away, far away
Only if you say you'll come
All to myself
Is how i want to have you
Cant see me with nobody else
And i don't know what to do
It's been a while now since i wanted to tell you but i found it hard mi couldn't find the courage and when i say you with another clinging on your arm i knew i had to get you so i couldn't keep my calm
I want you to keep me warm
Rubbing on each other
All night, all night
I want to take you far away, far away, far away
Only if you say you'll come
All to myself
Is how i want to have you
Cant see me with nobody else
And i don't know what to do
I see you pass my way each and every day
Could you stop just once is all i'm asking
Cause i can't seem to help myself
There's something about the way you walk
Oh i wish that we could talk
Even sit it and cuddle in the park
Gazing in each other's eyes
Oh night
I want to take you far away, far away, far away
Only if you say you'll come
All to myself
How i want to have you
Can't see me with nobody else
I wanna love you