Soulful Sundays: Ken Boothe

I listen to music a lot, I wouldn’t say all the time but pretty regularly. As I cleaning up around the house yesterday, I let iTunes DJ set the mood.

At first, the music was jazzy and breezy, then it took a sharp turn into old school reggae with a Ken Boothe song, Everything I Own that took me back, way back. I stopped what I was doing and listened.

You sheltered me from harm

Kept me warm, kept me warm
You gave my life to me
Set me free, set me free
The finest years I ever knew
Was all the years I had with you

And I would give anything I own



Give up my life, my heart, my home

And I would give anything I own
Just to have you back again



If there’s someone you know
That won’t let you go
And taking it all for granted
You may lose them one day
Someone takes them away

And you don’t hear a word they say



And I would give anything I own

Give up my life, my heart, my home

And I would give anything I own

Just to have you back again
Just to talk to you, words again

If there’s someone you know

That won’t let you go

And taking it all for granted
You may lose them one day

Someone take them away
And you don’t hear a word they say



And I would give anything I own
Give up my life, my heart, my home
I would give anything I own
Just to have you back again
Just to talk to you, words again
Just to hold you, once again


I thought of the lyrics which are so simple and yet so profound. Everything I Own, was written by an American, David Gates. It was a hit in Jamaica and reached Number One on the UK Singles chart in 1974. An interesting fact about the song –  instead of singing it as written, Boothe sang Anything I Own.

Boothe, who has been performing since the 1950s, has recorded more than 25 albums and compilations. Another of Boothe’s hits which he also wrote, The Train is Coming was featured in the movie, Money Train.

Ken Boothe was born in Kingston in 1948. In 2003, the government of Jamaica awarded him an Order of Distinction (OD) for his contribution to Jamaican music.