Where is Bag-a-wyah, ‘e’s nowhere aroun’, ‘e cyaan be foun’…
February 15th, 2007 by michael
Noted Spearhead of the Golden Horde and Butcher of Samarkand Mobius presented to me a welcome offering of music today, including a great many albums I’ve been meaning to get my hands on for months, even years (until today, I did not own the first Wu-Tang album - can you believe that shit?). Among them was a particularly tasty morsel - Sinéad O’Connor’s latest album.
No, seriously.
I can’t say I’ve ever been a big fan of Her Controversialness (although she does look cute in oversized combat boots), and I refuse to accept the commonly-held belief that her version and video of Prince’s “Nothing Compares 2 U” is definitive (probably because crying women make me uncomfortable) - but it seems she recently gave up on that whole “Mother Bernadette Mary” thing and travelled to Jamaica, whereupon she apparently terrified the normally breathtakingly misogynistic Rastas into submission long enough to convert to Rastafari. And then what did she do?
She recorded an album of note-perfect covers of classic roots reggae songs, with the inimitable Sly and Robbie holding down the riddim. And it’s really fucking good.
Admittedly, compiling a Burning Spear-heavy list of Babylon-burning reggae anthems and playing them faithfully makes it difficult to screw up. But really, the Irish lilt over deep roots works surprisingly well. Check it out:
Marcus Garvey (Burning Spear)
Door Peep (Burning Spear)
Y Mas Gan (The Abyssinians)
I also found this kind of cute story…it’s Burning Spear himself and Sinéad interviewing each other about music, Rastafari, Jamaican history, Irish history, religion and fish.
I predict Sinéad has a few more years of Rasta in her. After that, I reckon she’ll fall in line with current market trends and become Jewish. I mean, she named her latest spawn “Yeshua,” which is already an ominous sign.
Posted in if music could talk |
February 16th, 2007 at 0:49
Random Irish story: When I lived in Dublin and I told people I was Jewish they would always say, “The Irish are the Jews of Europe,” really seriously. Then I would say, “The JEWS are the Jews of Europe!” and get all annoyed.
Anyway, it was also while I was in Ireland that I got really into reggae (I bought Toots and Maytals “True Love” album and listened to it nonstop for two months) and kind of wished that there was such a thing as Irish reggae. But I don’t know. I like the album but it seems like it could be better. I wish Lunasa or Solas would do a reggae album. That would be amazing.
February 16th, 2007 at 3:11
Well, of course the album (I’m assuming you’re talking about Miss O’Connor’s) could be BETTER. That’s what the originals are for! Just because Miss O’Connor’s version of “Door Peep” is kicky doesn’t mean it holds a spliff to Burning Spear’s original.
Although I gotta say, there are better entries into reggae than True Love. I mean, that’s like buying Supernatural and deciding you don’t need to hear Abraxas…y’know? Does somebody need a mix?
Also, while I’m not sure the Irish are naturally inclined towards reggae, there is always Irish soul. If for some reason cruel fate has deprived you of the opportunity to see “The Commitments,” I advise you do that. Right now.
February 18th, 2007 at 9:36
I never a refuse a mix. Bring it. But, I actually just brought up True Love because I think it’s a good reggae fusion type album (fusion is the wrong word, but you know what I’m getting at). My favorite reggae albums (and whatever, I know these are cliche but they’re cliche because they’re *good*) are Alpha Blondy’s Apartheid is Nazism, Mister Yellowman by Yellowman, and yes, The Harder They Come. And I refall in love with UB40’s Signing Off once a year at least.
As for Supernatural before Abraxas… Eh. I’ve never been anal about the order that I discover music. I tend to work my way back in time. But yes. Point taken.
Dude, you should *read* the Commitments.