Gordon Robinson | Life is just for living

Sad news was abundant last week but, closest to my home, last Thursday night, another musical icon transitioned to the land of legends.

Ernie Smith was among a select few (by “few” I mean a couple plus one) Jamaican songwriters who helped elevate our music’s lyrical content so that his work was immediately identifiable no matter who recorded it.

He was one of a kind.

Ernie grew up in St. Ann where he attended the famous York Castle High School in Brown’s Town. At York Castle the teaching staff included a young Arnold Bertram (history) so Ernie developed a strong sense of self and purpose. He was given the nickname “Socrates” by classmates after a teacher (probably Scree) injected some humour by advising that Socrates was the ugliest of the ancient philosophers.

But music was Ernie’s passion ever since his father, a guitarist, bought him a guitar at age twelve. After York Castle he played guitar in a Claremont band where it’s said he got the name “Ernie” after legendary Ernie Ranglin.

That one I can’t confirm.

Ernie Smith was no immediate star. He paid his dues as an insurance salesman (hated it); a fledgling radio announcer (wasn’t very good); and was in and out of Federal Recording Studios where he wanted to write songs for others to record.

Eventually he had to sing them himself. The result was I Can’t Take it which, if you listen carefully, is a prime example of the little known fact that Ernie only ever wanted to be a country music singer/songwriter. It was an instant hit. After many years Ernie was finally an overnight success.

The Jamaica in which he grew up (1950s; early 1960s) was greatly influenced by “Country and Western” music. There are many examples of this influence but one of the least obvious will be revealed if you listen to the Johnny Cash classic Ring of Fire and then to Skatalites’ (Music is my) Occupation featuring Trombone legend Don Drummond.

So, Ernie started with a strong country music influence. I Can’t Take it was covered by American R&B singer Johnny Nash who came to Jamaica and fell in love with Reggae. Nash’s cover, re-named Tears on my Pillow, resulted in Ernie not collecting publishing royalties for a long time as payments were re-routed in error to the writer of Little Anthony and the Imperials’ song of the same name.

In 1972, Ernie Smith became world famous.

Life is just for living

See that cat

sitting on the mat

thinking ’bout what is what

and who is who.

That cat is me.

That cat is you.

Ernie was making ends meet writing jingles for marketing companies. He wrote one for Red Stripe but it was rejected. So Ernie tweaked the lyrics and entered Life is just for Living in a World Song Festival contest in Tokyo. He won. Almost immediately, Red Stripe reversed itself and a very successful TV advertising campaign was set to the song with a different hook “I’d rather have a Red Stripe”.

I’m proud that I can boast a vinyl collection that includes the 45rpm recording of Life is just for Living with the Red Stripe ad on the flipside.

See that guy

staring in the sky

taking in the beat of the sun

he’s having fun.

That guy is me.

That guy is you.

Ernie continued to write (and often record) multiple hits in the 1970s. His songs became the soundtrack for my teenage years. I remember dancing with my mother to Ride on Sammy (her favourite) at a St. Margaret’s Church Social. Ernie was nothing if not versatile. He wasn’t afraid to become philosophical as All for Jesus remains one of his best lyric writing efforts or to return, as he did later, to the very mundane in one of my favourites, Elsada, a lyrically brilliant song about a Jamaican man who must make too many stops on a Friday evening between collecting his pay and reaching home.

Hi Patria-Kaye.

Ernie was a wonderful person always smiling, easy going and friendly.

Taking in today’s vibrations;

Tomorrow’s coming down slow.

Taking it free and easy;

That’s the only way to go.

Yes, I’d rather be me

rather be free

to be myself my way.

That’s how it’s got to be.

This is the song that young men sing.

Life is just for living.

That’s how Ernie Smith lived. Whether he was writing a festival song winner for Tinga Stewart; a political victory anthem for Ken Lazarus; or hilarious ditties for himself, he lived life as it should be lived. We should follow his example. Death is certain. The only uncertainty is how will we live?

Lyrical genius Glenroy Anthony Michael Archangelo “Ernie” Smith born May1, 1945; died April 16, 2026; R.I.P.

Peace and Love.

Gordon Robinson is an attorney-at-law. Send feedback to columns@gleanerjm.com