The chorus of “Don’t Try” turns an old piece of street wisdom into a hook: “Don’t try piss on me and tell me it’s raining”. The man it is aimed at takes the credit for work he did not do, hands out promises that come to nothing, expects the overtime as standard and treats one late morning as an offence. Past him stand all the others: the smile that turns into a betrayal, the boasting about how easily things arrive, the liberties taken without a second thought. The last verse hands the accusation back, on the old line about the three fingers that point home whenever one goes out.
Messenjah open Social Commentary with it, seven tracks of reggae made with The Aarons Brothers and released on Reload Records in April 2025. They have played roots reggae since forming in Kitchener, Ontario in 1981, and became the first Canadian reggae band signed to a major label when Warner Music Canada took Rock You High and put the music on national radio here for the first time. That was the second door Rupert “Ojiji” Harvey had opened, after Crack of Dawn, the Toronto soul group he co-founded, became the first Black Canadian band to sign a major deal. He has led Messenjah since the mid-1980s, through Reggae Sunsplash in Montego Bay, a Juno for Catch De Vibe, and a night in 1998 playing for Nelson Mandela at Toronto’s SkyDome.
Hear “Don’t Try” HERE and pick up Social Commentary through THIS LINK
Daily Discovery: Messenjah & The Aarons Brothers – Don’t Try
The chorus of “Don’t Try” turns an old piece of street wisdom into a hook: “Don’t try piss on me and tell me it’s raining”. The man it is aimed at takes the credit for work he did not do, hands out promises that come to nothing, expects the overtime as standard and treats one late morning as an offence. Past him stand all the others: the smile that turns into a betrayal, the boasting about how easily things arrive, the liberties taken without a second thought. The last verse hands the accusation back, on the old line about the three fingers that point home whenever one goes out.
Messenjah open Social Commentary with it, seven tracks of reggae made with The Aarons Brothers and released on Reload Records in April 2025. They have played roots reggae since forming in Kitchener, Ontario in 1981, and became the first Canadian reggae band signed to a major label when Warner Music Canada took Rock You High and put the music on national radio here for the first time. That was the second door Rupert “Ojiji” Harvey had opened, after Crack of Dawn, the Toronto soul group he co-founded, became the first Black Canadian band to sign a major deal. He has led Messenjah since the mid-1980s, through Reggae Sunsplash in Montego Bay, a Juno for Catch De Vibe, and a night in 1998 playing for Nelson Mandela at Toronto’s SkyDome.
Hear “Don’t Try” HERE and pick up Social Commentary through THIS LINK