Barrington Levy The Vibes is Right (1984)
The word “vibe” originates from “vibration” and was first linked to musical contexts, especially instruments like the vibraphone. Its broader cultural use was popularized by the Beach Boys’ 1966 hit “Good Vibrations”. One of the band members, Brian Wilson, explained that his mother once told him dogs could sense invisible vibrations, which inspired him to explore the emotional and intuitive quality of unseen feelings.
By the seventies, the term had expanded beyond music into everyday language, coming to describe intangible atmospheres and interpersonal dynamics. Over time, vibe has become ubiquitous, referring to the overall mood or emotional energy of a person, place or moment—something felt rather than explicitly defined. According to Merriam-Webster, a vibe is “a distinctive feeling or quality capable of being sensed.”
So, thanks to the Beach Boys, I guess, we all understand what it means when I say: today’s song is a vibe.
Reggae and dancehall legend Barrington Levy’s 1984 track “The Vibes Is Right” combines a smoochy saxophone, grand piano and accentuated guitar with Levy’s unmistakable vocals, capturing a rather schmaltzy side of the artist. “The Vibes Is Right” doesn’t just use the word vibe correctly—it embodies it. It creates an immersive, feel-good atmosphere that pulls you in and holds you there. Levy doesn’t need to convince you—the rhythm, the melody and his voice say it all: the vibe(s) is, indeed, right.
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