Babylon

This programme contains very strong language.

Beefy, is wh'appen? Come nuh, man. Move some box. Quick, man. Cha!

TRAIN RATTLES

Errol, wh'appen? You nuh finished moving them box yet?

-Me done.

-Oh.

# Light up in the morning but the sun don't shine

# Light up in the morning but the sun don't shine

# Once again we rise to meet the day

# And the sun does not shine... # Dread!

MUSIC DROWNS SPEECH

Sprat can be the banker.

-Watch ya nuh. A lickle five pound draw fe rally round.

-Cha!

Just go outside deh and just move de speak box dem, yuh hear?

THEY CHANT

The sound who will play the Mighty Shaka here next week,

the winner, brothers and sisters is sound called Ital Lion!

CHEERING

CHEERING DROWNS SPEECH

ALL SPEAK AT ONCE

Is that it for a tenner?

-What?

-That?

Tings macca, man. Lamb's breath.

Yeah? Fucking needs to be for a tenner.

HE LAUGHS

Scientist, hold two box over there so, man. Is wh'appen?

-Hey, lover, is wey you a gwarn wid, man? Cha?

-Que?

-Cha!

-Have you forgotten?

-Forgotten what?

You know...

How much do you want?

Just £2.

Tell you what.

Seeing as I've got some other things to do, I'll take that one.

OK?

-I'll see you tomorrow evening.

-All right.

-Hold up your end.

-Shut up, man.

-Keep on the left side.

-Shut up, man!

Left side.

What d'you do that for?

What do you mean me? It was you, you fool!

You mash up the box. You're slack, Beefy.

Slack? It's your end, rarseclart.

You hold it wrong ways.

You said left, right so it's left fucking turn!

Your left is my right. You no see it?

Cha! You're too technical, man!

TV BLARES

-David, are you up?

-Yeah.

-Aren't you up yet?

-What's the time?

Get your clothes on. It's 8.30.

I'm going to need you to help with that brother of yours.

Mum, if it's that count me out.

You know you're the only one that can talk to him.

He run away from me again yesterday.

I want YOU to take him to school. OK?

Now hurry up.

KETTLE BOILS

Force can't hold him.

Come here!

-Get up!

-What d'you think you're doing?

-He tried to beat me up!

-What d'you think you're doing?

Leave him alone! He's half your bloody size!

You should be ashamed of yourself!

Go on! Clear out of it!

Clear off! Come on. You come down the road with me.

Clear off!

Come down the road with me. Don't worry about him, bleeding git!

Come on.

-OK, mate?

-Yeah.

-Oi!

-Yeah.

-What time do you call this?

-It's after nine.

-You're supposed to be here at quarter two.

-I know.

-So where were you?

-Family trouble.

I've got all fucking night to sort out my family trouble.

You have to do yours in the morning?

-Why don't you say you're on the piss like everyone else?

-What d'you want?

I suppose your mate Ron has got family trouble too?

RADIO BLARES

Ron. What're you doing?

-Alan don't know you're here.

-I don't even know I'm here.

You know that stuff Errol give me last night?

-Yeah?

-It done me right up.

I keep telling you, you can't take it.

It's got nothing to do with that. I just thought to myself,

"I'll go home, build myself a lovely... "

-Big spliff.

-Or a big spliff.

I build this big spliff. Lock myself in the bedroom.

Put the headphones on. Thought I'd get in some hard rhythm.

Next thing I know, I'm sparked out on the floor,

blinking up at my old woman and she's shouting, "Ronnie, Ronnie."

Are you gonna light that?

-I ain't got no matches.

-Hold up.

Ta.

What was I saying?

Something about your old dear.

So she sends my old man upstairs. He comes steaming up the stairs.

He sees me on the floor and HE starts.

"Fuck me, doll. Quick, ring for an ambulance."

HE LAUGHS

-D'you know what I did then?

-What?

I puked over my mum's slippers. Bad, innit?

I did. You should have seen the state.

What? Your puke?

No, her slippers.

You're having me on!

No. That stuff is a real killer.

Promise you.

Pass the torch over.

Carry that.

-It's gonna be a right job.

-Listen. I'm going home.

You've only just got here.

I know. It's a force of habit.

I don't know what I'm doing here, anyway.

I'll check you later.

Me lighter, first.

I'll get away with it one day, eh?

-Where you 'a go?

-I'll come with you, innit.

Brakes, man. Wey yuh 'a deal wid?

Fucking hell.

All right. Fat Larry there?

Upstairs.

All right.

Larry.

Why with the pressing? >

Cha, bloodclart. >

You want I telex you? >

Yeah. Right, man. Right.

Being Kingston boy, him block off the show.

Yeah. Yeah, Jamaica, 1-0-1...

Yes. All right.

Love.

Cha! But look pon Fat Larry, nuh. Man mussa hit pon rich times fe call up Kingston suh.

Well, it's up and down.

What 'appen? Long time don't see you.

-I man dey here, yuh know.

-So is tune yuh come for?

I just pass fe check you and see what go on.

Frankie, play the tune for the songman.

REGGAE MUSIC PLAYS

Wey yuh a deal wid, Fat Larry? I hear dem tune a good two year.

'A '70s choon dem. Wey you 'a deal wid?

Wey yuh 'a talk about? This tune exclusive.

Import. Straight from J to me.

Fat Larry, somebody wants to skank you.

I hear them tune. They are good two year now.

What ya talk about?

It's only pre I deal with. Pre-release, man.

So what? When that release?

Pre-war?

HE LAUGHS

Frankie.

Bus' I man 'a '80 cut, iya.

TAPE SPOOLS

REGGAE MUSIC PLAYS

Oh, bloodclart!

Bloodclart!

Fucking idiots!

Beefy.

-Beefy soft!

-Is choon yuh 'a check fe dis final?

I can't help you, iya.

Shaka gonna beat ya, Beefy!

Shaka rule!

-Yeah?

-Shaka rule!

Sunday, we'll see who rule.

Beefy.

Fuck off!

You just big and soft!

THEY LAUGH

Check you, Beefy.

Fuck off!

Wanker!

Well, now, sir.

It's a seriou business you dealin' with now.

This tune exclusive to me, you understand?

Errol.

This ganja here.

Exclusive to I.

Import. Straight from Jamdown.

Cha. What happen to songman?

This not back of yard, you know. It's a serious business, me tell you.

Errol.

No, man!

Is where think you are? Trenchtown?

This is Brixton.

And it's £50 I want for each of them tune.

£50 each.

HE KISSES HIS TEETH

All right, all right. Hold on a minute.

I tell you what I gonna do.

I can do you a favour because I know you for a long time.

Me want you to win this competition Sunday with me tune.

That is a rude thing you have on your neck.

-This one here?

-Yes, man.

If you throw that in with the others,

you can come and collect tune this evening.

You are a crook, Fat Larry.

One big criminal.

It's Brixton you call this?

Brixton.

Take it or leave it.

Dave, I want you for a minute.

Do this Peugeot for us? Complete system.

What the fuck are you doing?

I'm cleaning my hands. What does it look like?

I'm playing the piano.

But I've got a customer here, mush.

I'm having my lunch break, all right?

Look, you know what the system is.

If we got custom, we work it.

Take your breaks later.

And if Ronnie ain't here and the custom keeps coming in,

I'm lumbered, ain't I?

Stuck here until six without a break

for the same pay.

It's a terrific system.

Just do us a favour. Just get her off me back.

Take the rest of the afternoon off.

How come I've always gotta sort up your fuck-ups?

They've had their lunch.

I'll be back in an hour.

I'm going down the cafe.

If it's so important, why don't you do it yourself?

You forgotten?

-Oi!

-What?

-D'you wanna know something?

-What?

-You've got too much of this.

-Yeah?

Yeah.

Especially for a coon.

I don't like monkeys who get too clever in my garage.

In other words, son, you're fucking out.

D'you understand?

Beefy.

Beefy!

I'm talking to you.

You just ruin my concentration!

You satisfied now?

HE KISSES HIS TEETH

It's what I want, anyway.

Right now, there's a little ting concerning the Tannoy.

-STRAINING:

-Oh, that!

-Yes, that.

It have replace because if the other one get mashed up,

we only have three box that carry treble sound.

Cha, you know Shaka mashed off already.

Shaka, Shaka, Shaka!

Shaka is just a nuisance, man!

Hold on. Finished your exercises yet?

You have a bench-press to do and the rest of the tings.

I'll have to do that when I come back.

I have a lickle business to attend to.

-What about this one?

-Shh!

-Take this one.

-Shut it!

-Check the one in the gym.

-We're gonna take this one.

Come on!

Give me a screwdriver.

See. Tannoy number one.

Right. Now this.

If I'd have been there, it would never have happened.

It isn't your fault.

He can shove his exhaust up his bumbaclart arse.

D'you want some?

I don't want it.

THEY LAUGH

You can't take it!

Ronnie... I don't believe it.

Hey, Spark. Haven't you finished that thing?

What d'you want?

Just to watch you.

Well, you're in my way.

So fuck off.

Bloodclart, man!

Alien!

HE LAUGHS

Silly bloodclart...

-You got the record?

-Yeah.

-Well, give it to me.

-Beefy?

-Give me the tune, man.

From Fat Larry.

ALL TALK AT ONCE

I got a tune, man.

ALL TALK AT ONCE

-What's the tune like?

-Tune hard, man!

ALL TALK AT ONCE

Don't be a spoilsport! Let's hear the tune.

What you say?

Who this bumbaclart boy telling me what to do?

This man is no Ital Lion man.

Man is a spar, man.

ALL TALK AT ONCE

Tannoy ready. We can go now.

Are we going?

Look, I'll show you something.

You see this here?

This get one scratch, Rasta - not one, you hear me?

Loud and clear. We nah go scratch it.

MUSIC: "Warrior Charge" by Aswad

Reggae-matic, instamatic, crystal!

So good, man!

Where'd you get that from?

Hey, Dread! Smile, man! You on TV.

Where the hell...?!

-It's a video, mon.

-I never said what, I said where!

-Same place as the Tannoy, Dread.

-Same place as Tannoy?

-You mean school?

-Yeah, mon, of course.

What else you been thievin'? Blackboard and chalk?

You is one foolish idiot! What you want wit' this thing for, anyway?

Film the people, innit?

Film the people?

How you gonna do that? Where are the rest of the tapes?

-What do you mean, rest?

-Like the tape recorder...

-Oh, that?

So me leave it behind, mon! The ting too heavy to carry.

So then video vank?

It's useless, Beefy. It's not going to work!

All right, Dread. So don't break your heart, man.

I'll sell it.

You'll do no such thing, you hear me. Just get rid of it!

BANGING ON DOOR

Oi, turn off the sound.

Turn off the sound!

HE TURNS IT OFF

BANGING CONTINUES

Boy!

Yeah?

-You got any idea how much noise you're making?

-Pardon?

-Don't you "pardon" me. You know what I'm on about.

-The only noise I heard, lady, is you banging on the door.

I want it stopped, understand? Every night it's like this.

-There's people tryin' to get to bleedin' sleep and you carry on in there.

-Carryin' on? I'm on me tod.

There was music - very loud music.

THEY CONTINUE SQUABBLING

< I've got a transistor.

That music is loud enough to wake the bleedin' dead!

Well, I can't understand that. It's only got a tiny speaker, that small.

THEY GIGGLE

-I tell you what - I'll go in there, cos I must be going deaf as well...

-Don't you piss me about, my son.

I know exactly what's going on.

There must be at least half a dozen of them. They jump out of that van there, come in here,

-and they play their bloody jungle music all night.

-You don't mean blacks, do you?

-Yeah, blacks.

The big ones with the, er, curly hair? Wogs, yeah?

-Sambos, yeah.

-Mango munchers?

-How about coons, boy?

-Coons?

-THEY LAUGH

Oh, yeah! I might have known. Look at you!

Look at you.

Good-for-nothing, noisy, stinking filth.

Lazy. You're everywhere.

Jungle bunnies!

This was a lovely area before you come here, lovely.

And you - you should be ashamed of yourself. You know what you are?

-You're a traitor to your kith and kin. A traitor.

-You're no relation of mine, lady.

You fuck off back to your own countries, you jungle bunny! And you!

This IS my fucking country, lady! And it's never been fucking lovely!

It's always been a fucking tip, for as long as I can remember.

-So don't fucking tell me, all right...?

-Beef! Beef!

It ain't me...

Beef, Beef!

Cool it, Beef!

Save that steam for the gym, man!

PHONE RINGS

Hello.

Yes, hold on.

-Blue.

-What?

-It's your mum.

Mum!

She knows I don't like her to phone me here.

No, I haven't forgotten about Carlton.

I'm coming home now.

Yeah, sure.

Yeah, all right.

Yeah, OK.

What did she want?

-HE TUTS

-Hmm. I've to take Carlton to school again. "Are you deaf?"

Oh, forget about Carlton. Let him wait.

Mmm?

SHE GIGGLES

# Whoa, ye-eah!

# Yeah

# Turn me loo-oose

# Oh-h-h

# For now we've desire for the beginning

# What the people believe we are thinking... #

MUSIC STOPS

-I want my hat.

-You ain't gonna get it!

-I want my hat.

-No!

-You got into a whole lot of trouble yesterday.

-Good!

-Yeah?

Cos I'm a trouble-maker...

Put it back on! Put it back on!

Aagh!

-Give me my hat!

-Aagh! Oh!

-Jesus!

-Aagh!

You think you is in that dirty room upstairs there?

Go in the kitchen and bring the broom. Clean up this room.

And I want every piece of them sponge back in them cushion,

before I murder you!

Jesus Christ!

Look at the place! Like a farmyard!

So what happened to your job, man?

How come you're still here at this time of the day?

-You're not entitled to my job. My job is cool.

-Cool?

If you must know, I...leave the job.

You just throw away a good, good job there, and you don't even care!

It's it that don't care. Put a stop, man. Listen, you do your thing,

and allow me for do mine.

Your ting? Fucking call the weed and sound system your ting?

Yeah, mine's the herbs, man, and yours is the white rum and betting shop, man. Everything not cool?

No, sir. Is two man inside here, and one at work and one not work, you hear me?

And I don't wanna have to subsidise you...

"I have to subsidise YOU..."

Come here. Come, come, come.

-Why, you're skive from school again...

-Leave him alone, man.

See the fine example you are set, huh?

You're too feisty. You don't control him and you don't control me, see?

So just leave him alone, right?

Watch out. When you are earn as much as I earn, then you can tell me what you want.

Until then, just keep your pussyclart mouth close!

THEY SPEAK JAMAICAN PATOIS

Let me show you a shot, boy.

-Who you call boy?

-You's a boy!

Play your shot, then.

So how come your face didn't show in Brixton, guy?

Elaine pregnant.

-That's a cool shot.

-No, I'll show you a different one.

Take it again, then.

Hey, come here. I wanna show you somethin'.

Come here. Move, mon!

Hey, Beefy!

See him go up that road! Hey, Blue, come on. Watch this.

What the fuck is that, mon?

-He could just get up and ride this thing!

-Hey, Beefy, man, it pull the nose.

You gonna get killed, aye!

That ting gonna turn on you!

What the fuck is that?

THEY CONTINUE TO RIB HIM

Ting? Listen, this is African Ridgeback, mon. I just lend him from my neighbour, innit?

Sit down, man! Sit!

Sit!

You see?

We gonna mash up Shaka and face the youth.

HE CONTINUES IN PATOIS

-The thing look soft, man!

-It a poodle!

No, man, he's a mutant. The head too small for the body.

Listen, this is a lion-killer.

In Africa, them use it to kill lions.

What does it do to them, Beefy? Sit on them and suffocate them?

OTHERS GIGGLE

Have a word with you, Errol?

Forty quid.

-Fifty, mon!

-It's not mint.

-Oh, come on, Les.

-It's got scratches all over the top. Have a look.

-Top price, it needs to be in mint condition, otherwise it's just not worth my while.

-Hold on.

I want you to look upon this video camera, all right?

What you think about that?

Errol, son, where'd you get that from? The blind school?!

Oh, come on, Les! Don't be so fucking tight, mon! Ten quid, that's all I'm asking. 50 with the TV.

-What you say?

-You are a fucking liberty-taker.

I want it delivered, all right?

One, two, three, four, five.

There you go. Oh, and, er...

there's a pound for some sweets!

-I want it delivered, mind.

-Yeah, yeah.

-Right.

Anyway, listen, I talked to him about the video and ting,

and he just give me this £5...

£5?! No, man, that can't right.

Listen, Beef, you don't understand a bloodclart! Listen, that's £5 and be grateful. mon.

You're lucky to get anything at all.

Listen, right, how am I supposed to buy me weed and buy Lover an engagement present as well?

Bloodclart! You give him present? Tell me somethin'.

How long do you think Loverboy and Sandra gonna stay together?

That's all you know, innit? Me cousin gone off to buy him suit.

-Waste of money, guy! Hold the fiver, mon.

-Hey, check that.

Walking flag of Ethiopia!

-The man must have on red, gold and green underpants, to rartid!

-Come offa dat, Errol, man.

-Here! Star!

-Hail I! May I dream! Peace to the I!

Rastafari! One love!

-Really nice, innit?

-Me see.

So what now, Errol? You can't give me a lift?

Yeah, mon, but not the dog in the car.

KNOCK ON DOOR

KNOCKING AGAIN

Hey, what up...?

Nah, I can't, man, get out!

What do you mean, you can't? Come on out!

Nah, man, I'm not going, right? You think marriage is all lovey-dovey and cuddly.

-It's all girl. Me no go.

-How can you not turn up to your own engagement party?

You keep your mouth dam, man!

She don't...

-What?

-Listen, my mum don't know, right?

-What?!

All right, I'll put it another way, right?

Say God came along, right? And he's created all these different people,

-all different colours, right? Red, brown, black, yellow, white...

-Wait a minute. White is not a colour!

THEY LAUGH

All right, yeah, smartarse! Pink, right? Say he's pink.

He's not gonna say, "Well, the red people, I'm gonna give them choppers that size,

-"and brown people's that size, but black people, I'll give them one that size!"

-Why not?

-Cos he's not!

-He don't think like that, does he?

-You're wrong! Did you ever see a China girl with big tits?

Is the same thing, man!

-Yes, you're right, yeah.

-If you're sure, right,

when we get there, get up on the table and measure it!

He hasn't got a magnifying glass!

When you lot have finished, where are you getting off?

We're going, we're going. Where are we going?

-I dunno, man.

-Where the ting, man?

-I dunno.

Come on, stop joking, man. Where is it?

-Sandra's supposed to...

-Where? See, there!

OTHERS CHEER

Him a-turn into a weasel, you know!

Where are we getting off?

"St David's High"?

We've passed it. Come on.

'Ere! That's a pound. Five 20s is a pound.

-Leave it out, guvnor.

-Come on, give us a pound.

# Baby, I don't understand... #

-Sandra, what time did you tell this guy to come?

-Nine o'clock.

It's bloody well 9.30 and the guy hasn't turned up yet.

-Sorry I'm late, Mr B...

-Forget about it. Come up with me now.

Hello.

MUSIC STOPS

Good evening, ladies and gentlemen.

Would you gather round, please?

Please, hurry up. Thank you.

Ladies and gentlemen, I'm sorry to disturb your dancing

and your enjoyment.

But the reason for calling you here this evening

is to ask you to participate in the engagement of my beautiful daughter Sandra to...

Norville Washington...

..a very fine boy.

Therefore, I would like you to raise your glass in a toast

to both these lovely people.

A toast to Sandra and Norville.

Thank you.

Speech!

I would also like to look forward to that day in March...

..when these two, lovely couple, walk down the aisle.

He'll be late!

Norville has asked me to apologise for his late arrival.

He puts the blame on the buses, I don't know!

Anyhow, he's here.

I'd also like to take the opportunity to thank Rev Nicholls for letting us use this lovely hall.

Hear, hear!

Now, ladies and gentlemen, there's plenty to eat and drink -

plenty of white rum, plenty of Carlsberg, plenty of mutton and rice.

I thank you.

MUSIC: "Thank You For The Many Things You Did" by Cassandra

# I have so much to say

# But in the least most simple way

# I love you! #

INAUDIBLE SPEECH # I have so much to share

# And so to show you how I care

# I thank you... # LAUGHTER

-Hey, Beefy!

-> LAUGHTER

# I just wanna say thank you for the many things you done... #

Beefy!

# For having faith in me

# More than anyone... #

THEY LAUGH AND CHATTER

Go on, Beef!

# ..and try to tear me down in the worst possible way

# Honey, you still rock by me

# And that's how love is supposed to be

# I just wanna say thank you for the many things you done

# I wanna say thank you for the many things you done

# La-la-la! La-la! La! # La-la! La-la-la!

# I have so much to give

# So just as long as I shall live

# I'll love you! #

INAUDIBLE SPEECH

# I have so much to do

# Just to prove my love is true

# Cos I thank you... #

INAUDIBLE SPEECH # Lord knows, I was heavy down heel

# Until you came along

# Now suddenly

# Life is a song!

# This happy song

# I just love to sing

# Especially...

# For the joy he brings!

# Sugar!

# You still love me

# And that's how love is supposed to be!

# I just wanna say thank you for the many things you done

# I wanna say thank you for the many things you done! #

MEN CHATTER OVER EACH OTHER

LAUGHTER AND SHOUTING

LOUD CONVERSATIONS CONTINUE

THEY SPEAK JAMAICAN PATOIS

< WOMAN: Keep the noise down!

-EVERYONE TALKS AT ONCE

-Shut up! No, I don't!

< WOMAN CONTINUES SHOUTING

-GLASS SMASHES, WOMAN SCREAMS

-You see 'em there!

Shout your fucking row up, ya black bastards!

-Fucking spade!

-I'll blow your fucking legs off! Slags!

-Come on! Get the message?!

-Fucking spades!

What?! You cunt!

-Beefy!

-Beef!

-<

-Coming, are ya?! Come on!

-We'll sort you out! Come on!

-Come up here, you mouthy spade!

-Come on! Come on!

SHOUTING

-Come on! I'll have ya!

-­

Hold him, Ron!

Stop it! Stop it!

-Bastards!

-­

Beefy!

-Fucking jungle bunnies! Get out the country! We don't want you here!

->

Drop it, Beef! Drop it!

KNIFE CLATTERS

Beefy, cool it, man! Forget it, right!

-He called me a black bastard!

-Fucking hell, man! How many times you been called that?!

-What do you fucking know?!

-I do know they're ignorant people!

-Fucking pig ignorant!

-Beefy!

-Do you wanna start a war?

-Yes, mon!

-A race war?!

Beefy, listen! Beefy!

Beefy, if you go up there and fight that guy, the whole of the flats you gotta deal with!

-Cool it! Cool it!

-Beefy! Beefy!

-Beefy! Beefy, look!

-HE SPEAKS JAMAICAN PATOIS

Them! They don't think twice about throwing us out the garage!

Beefy, man! If they... Beefy! If they throw us out, the sound is finished!

Where we do keep the sound, Beef?!

Beef, don't you think?

WOMAN: In!

-<

-Beefy!

< CAR ENGINE

ENGINE REVS

Oi, you!

Get round the other side! TYRES SQUEAL

CAR TYRES SQUEAL

MAN SHOUTS

TYRES SCREECH LOUDLY

-We got him!

-Right!

Agh!

-Give me...

-Get your legs up, you little bastard!

What you run off for, then, eh? What you run off for, you little robber?!

-I didn't fucking know you were...

-Get it right, son! We stopped ya!

-And you done a runner!

-You fucking liars!

Hello, MP, from Charlie-Foxtrot-3, over.

We don't like mouthy bastards!

Suspect detained, taking him to Yankee-Romeo.

Come on, golly, you're coming with us!

Oof! I ain't done nothing!

You must be joking! At five o'clock in the morning?!

You're a dirty little slag like the rest of your black mob! Get in!

HE COUGHS

-How much was it?

-It's £200.

->

£200?! 200 rahtid pounds?! If he don't turn up in court, >

-you'll have to pay the money, you know that?!

-What do you want?

->

What do you want? You want the boy to stay in jail until the case come up in three months' time?

So come how you're so sure he will turn up in the court?

Because he's my son and he wouldn't let me down.

-DISCUSSION CONTINUES >

-What's this doing, man?

-Wesley, he told me they framed him and I believe him, right?

->

-But, Wesley, you should know the policing, you know.

->

The policing would do that? >

Framed him, a kid, and take him down the station? >

I don't believe it, Esther! I don't believe it! >

-You don't even believe your own eyes?

->

-You see the bruises on the boy's face?

->

Thief and skankers, all of dem! >

Look after it, right.

God, Wesley, can't you talk about anything else but money?

Me got to work, too, you know. And me save that money.

So don't you interfere in my affairs, you hear me?

How come you think you was able to save

if I never go out and work and come back and bring dunnie inside here?

Not even that... SHE YELLS

Come on! See there? Come on!

Oh, right here, so.

Give me that ting, man.

Come on.

Give me... What? Give me the ting, mon!

THEY SPEAK JAMAICAN PATOIS

I've a poster job. I've a promoter job.

Yeah, but who is the promoter's best friend?

-Shaka.

-Right. Where are all the posters in this area going to go?

-Shaka area, in't it?

-Right. So how is our fellas going to know about it?

You're right, you know. Yeah! We have to fix that Shaka, know.

Come on. Put one over there.

-Come on, Beefy!

->

Lion!

You know the first time I had one of these?

-It was...

-A spliff?

-That Wembley concert back in '68, '69.

Desmond Dekker and the Aces.

-My Boy Lollipop... Who was that - My Boy Lollipop?

-Millie Small.

-Marcia and Graham.

-Not Marcia and Graham, Bob and Marcia!

Bob and Marcia.

Yeah, you was a skin, man. A bottle head.

Crombie, smart shoes, braces and hair that was non-existent.

-We didn't get in, though, did we?

-You know why.

-Errol didn't turn up...

-With the tickets.

But that party was good. That party you took me to afterwards instead?

-Angelo?

-Yeah, the guy with the gold teeth. The one with clubs, diamonds, spades on.

-I gave him a cigarette and he mashed it up.

-Oh, I remember.

-Yeah, well, how was I to know he was building a spliff?

-Your face!

-I thought he was just being anti-social!

-Ha-ha!

It was a nice spliff, though.

You know how to make 'em.

-So where you going tonight? Elaine's?

-Yeah, I reckon so.

I think I might pull tonight. Errol's got a few chicks lined up for me.

So what? I'll check you later, shall I?

-Yeah.

-Not too much French kissing, eh?

MUSIC: "Deliver Me From My Enemies" by Yabby U

HE KNOCKS ON THE DOOR

HE KNOCKS AGAIN

Elaine.

Elaine!

INAUDIBLE SPEECH

-HORN BEEPS

-Hey, Blue!

-William!

How's it going, son?

Tribulations. You know, up and down.

-That's all you can think about, innit? Sex!

-Is that a spliff, that?

-And your herbs.

-And reggae music!

This is the guy that's been molesting my sister. You know Rupert, don't you, Blue?

Right. So where you going?

Where we going?

-Just a cruise, you know.

-Can I cruise with you?

Yeah, the man can come now.

FRUIT MACHINES BEEP

-How's it going, then?

-Well, I haven't won anything yet.

-COINS CLATTER

-I've just won something.

-Lucky.

Ha! I've been here for hours.

Do you want business? It'll cost you 20 quid.

All right.

Have you got anywhere to go?

-Yeah, I've got a place just around the corner.

-All right.

-Come up west a lot, do you?

-Not very often.

I thought I hadn't seen you in that place before.

-Are you sure this is OK?

-Yeah, don't worry.

Through the alley and just around the corner and we're there.

Hey, you! Just give me some bloodclart money!

-Agh!

-Ya fuck! Don't you want some?!

THEY SHOUT IN JAMAICAN PATOIS, THE MAN CRIES IN PAIN

Hey! Come on!

Don't worry about him! That's how him get him kicks. Come, nuh?

You can't leave him down there just like that, man.

Look, do you want the police to come and get us?

Listen, man, cha. Hold on, nuh, just let them know...

Rest me, nuh, man?

Yuh never tell me sey yuh inna dem tings?

What? But what?

Muggin' and dem kind of ting.

Is that what you're on about?

Look, how do you think all these politicians, all these police,

these blokes in fast cars, how do you think they get so high?

They gotta step on someone's feet.

Survival.

Money's money, innit, mate?

Cha! Look,

just come take your fuckin' things out of my car, all right?

MUSIC FROM STEREO

-All right.

-Thanks a lot, it was nice.

I can come check you again, yeah?

Where've you fucking been?

You frightened me.

Do you know how long I've been waitin' out there?

So where have you been, Ellie?

I've been out.

-It's six o'clock in the morning.

-Thanks for the time check.

LIFT DOOR RATTLES

So it's Hustler yuh move wid now?

Oh, don't talk rubbish.

Look, I went up a soul club with Deirdre and Beverley.

Neither Deirdre nor Beverley drive.

Look, what am I supposed to do on a Saturday night?

Sit by the phone hoping you'll ring?

Ellie, who was it?

The one in the Interceptor?

-I said who was it?

-Look, right,

it was Deirdre's brother and he goes out with Beverley.

Anyway, it's got nothing to do with you.

What do you mean it's got nothing to do with me?

Do you know how long I've been waiting outside?

-I don't care how long.

-You don't care?

-No.

-You...!

Listen, right,

when I decide to go out on a Saturday and you're not around, what do I do?

Sometimes I could really hit you!

Look, Blue,

look, just leave me alone, all right? Just go away!

DRUM BEATS AND RHYTHMS

-MAN:

-Jah!

-GROUP:

-Rastafari!

Mighty and most powerful God.

Oh, clap your hands, Jah people.

Shout unto Jah with a voice of triumph.

For the Lord most high is terrible.

He's a great king over all the Earth.

And he shall subdue the people under us.

And the nations under our feet.

He shall choose our inheritance for us.

The excellency of Jacob, whom we love, Rastafari.

Jah is gonna flesh out

The lord with the sound of a trumpet.

Sing praises to Jah, sing praises.

Sing praises to Rastafari, sing praises.

Cos he's a great king over all the Earth.

Sing praises with understanding.

Jah!

Rastafari!

Most high and terrible God.

Lord of Gods.

King of Kings.

Conquering lion of the Tribe of Judah.

Elect of himself

Most High God, light of this world.

Rastafari, most powerful and terrible God.

Hail beloved.

Peace be unto the I.

Welcome to this gathering

of the most high Jah Rastafari.

Selassie I.

But the I look

as if all the troubles of this world

dey pon him shoulders.

Come iya, draw this chalice,

and let this herbs for the healing of the nation

heal your troubled mind.

To the east, Africa.

To the west, Jamaica,

first Babylon.

To the north, England,

second Babylon.

Babylonian triangle of captivity.

Man travel down many roads,

in many directions.

All of them roads that Man take,

all of them journeys that Man make,

is but deceptions and vanities.

Vanities and vanities

that mek Man can't step forward outta Babylon.

First leaving behind him the dirty filthiness

of this dirty, corrupted and wicked Babylonian society,

and step forward to Zion,

forward to Africa,

the first point of this triangle.

Forward to I and I,

Jah Rastafari.

Most high and mighty God.

DRUM BEATS CONTINUE

Dread?

Errol?

DRUMS FADE OUT

Wey de rarse?!

Look at how the man spelled "rule"!

Gwarn. Shaka gwine kill yuh bloodclart!

Come on, guy. Me cold, yuh nuh!

-Hurry up, man!

-Come on!

Come on, mek we go.

Hey, come on, Beefy, man! We have to catch the van, you know!

Look, shut up, man!

Come nuh, man. Wh'appen?

-Hey, Beefy, come on, man!

-Wey de bloodclart yuh a do?

-Wey de rarse?!

-What fe what? Come on, man!

Lion!

Hey, Beefy, you wanna see a tailor about that coat, there.

-Shut your fuckin' mouth.

-Need a patch-up job.

Tell me, where'd you get that coat?

-HORN HONKS

-Come on, man!

APPROACHING VOICES, ENGINE REVS

THEY CHAT

Me hear say Shaka have a new choon, yuh nuh.

Which new choon?

Everyting's fucked, man!

MAN SINGS

Fuck me.

Shut the rarseclart door now.

So what you lookin' at me for?

Well, it's not me that's done it.

It's your kind, man. Your fuckin' kind.

Beefy, wey yuh nuh hush up yuh bloodclart?

-You don't know nuthin'.

-No?

I know that if him never stop me mash up them bloodclart on the balcony

this would never have happened.

Yeah, same kind, man!

Your kind!

Your fuckin' kind!

My kind, Beefy?

My kind?

It's me that sprayed all the walls, is it?

And mashed up the speakers, yeah?

Cha, man. I'm a National Front guy?

Dem are dealing pure wickedness, man.

Don't talk fuckin' black.

White man!

ALL SHOUT

Rest it, man! Wey yuh 'a deal wid?

I man don't want hear no argument.

I don't want no violence.

Don't bother bring de 'ism and 'schism here.

Tonight is still our night.

-Errol.

-Mm.

-Cool down, Beef, man.

-Cha.

-Record box is in the van.

-Yeah, man.

-Fat Larry's special there?

-Yeah, man.

So a sound system I and I 'a look.

Come. Come, man. Come, Beef, man.

Come on, man.

Look after yourself, Ronnie, yuh hear?

The I better make sure the I reach on time.

VAN STARTS

I'll see ya later.

CONGREGATION SINGING

# Oh, for a closer walk

# With God

"A calm and heavenly frame."

# A calm

# And heavenly frame

"A light to shine upon the road."

# A light

# To shine

# Upon the road

"That leads me to the lamb."

# That leads

# Me to

# The lamb... #

Lord, I am depending upon you,

while we say thanks in Jesus' name.

A time like this,

my heart is overflow with joy...

..knowing that once,

-I was a sinner...

-Praise God! >

..was going down the road of sedition,

had no intention about this man, Jesus.

And one night, I come to the conviction,

and tonight, I am rejoicing in this free and full salvation.

And I could say, as Brother Paul tonight,

I am happy to be a Christian,

and I am rejoicing in this free and full salvation.

And now, Lord, I pray that you will bless every heart...

What's so important dat couldn't wait, I?

Right now, when I go home, is just pure aggro I gwine get from my wife.

We're playing tonight.

-No, I.

-I might wanna borrow your sound system.

What you mean borrow my sound system? What happened to yours? It's two you want?

It get mash up last night.

Get mash up?

You know this call for some negotiation.

Wey de bloodclart, yuh carrying on about negotiation?

Just give me the key, man!

Listen, man. Watch them language, man, have some respect.

Right now, just drop them in the letterbox when you finish.

And listen nuh,

don't check I for no more favour after this.

Hey! Oi!

Open this bumbaclart door!

Oi!

Me know you in there, you know.

Fire fall yuh!

Bumbaclart!

What are you after, jungle bunny?

An hiding? Eh?

Is that what you want, eh?

# Jah! #

HE SINGS

# Babylon

# Babylon

# Babylon

# Rastafari

# 4,000 years of political exploitation

# Victimisation...

# Jah!

# Kings of kings And lord of lords

# Conquering lion of the Tribe of Judah... #

Who's this brother here? He must be a new bwoy.

Bloodclart, me never see him round this area.

Hear what them say about 'im?

No, man. What them say about 'im?

Them say he like to mash up people's things.

-Why he do that?

-Because he's a fucking hooligan.

SHOUTING AND MUSIC DROWNS OUT SPEECH

ALL SHOUTING AT ONCE

Wey de bwoy dem a fight 'bout, ole man?

De walls of Babylon never chant down by one man you know, rasta.

Our people have to dead together.

Hey, a love we 'a deal wid, you know. Cha!

SHOUTING CONTINUES

Gwarn play, yuh hear, sah. I man want get this competition over.

Lover bwoy, a yuh gonna have to control this sound tonight.

-Me?

-Yes, man, you!

MUSIC: "Warrior Charge" by Aswad

Through the inspiration of His Imperial Majesty, Emperor Haile Selassie I of Ethiopia,

Jah Rastafari!

Go inna it, Lion. Lion!

HE SINGS

We don't want no beast inna yah.

All right, all right. Who's in charge here?

The whole of I and I is in charge. Move your bumbaclart!

-There ain't no bloodclart...

-You in charge?

# Lion! Lion!

# Lion! Lion!

# Me say Lion, Lion!... #

-What's it to be, sunshine?

-Stop the music? Nah, man!

The guy want me send de people dem outside and stop de music, rasta.

Fuck off!

Pure beast outside, rasta. Seen?

Everyone to just mask up dem work cos dem out deh.

-Stand firm.

-Eh, no, no.

Dem do it long enough and dem nah do it again.

Right now, I and I stand firm.

HE STARTS TO SING

# Lion! Lion! Lion!

# We done say

# We can't take no more of dat

# Lion, I say, I say We can't take no more of dat

# Lion, I say We can't take no more of dat

# 'Ca we know say It's 400 years

# And it's the same kind of living

# Brutality, hypocrisy Same immorality

# Can't take no more of dat... # SIREN WAILS

# ..no more of dat I and I say

# Lion! Lion! We say Lion! Lion!

# We say Lion! Lion!

# 'Ca we know you can't fool youth no more

# Jah Jah teach the youth the right and true and true way

# Every man shall get wey according to his works

# Babylon, we nah tek nuh more of dat

# What we say? Can't take no more of dat... #

SIREN WAILS

# ..can't take no more of dat

# We can't take no more of dat No more of dat

# We can't take no more of dat Stand firm! #

Right now dem fool we long enough, dem nah fool we again.

Right now who want dub inna de hall? Lion! Lion! Lion in de hall!

# What we say? We say we can't take no more of dat

# No, no, no, no, no We can't take no more of dat

MEN SINGING TOGETHER: # We can't take no more of dat

# Bong-diddle-I-diddle-I We can't take no more of dat

# No 'isms or 'schisms We can't take no more of dat

# We can't take no more of dat

# We can't take no more of dat

# Babylon brutality Can't take no more of dat

# Lion 'a rock it

# Me say Lion! Lion! We say Lion! Lion!

# We say Lion! Lion!

# Right on there We say Lion! Lion!

# We say Lion! Lion!

# We say Lion! Lion! #