In 1976, 44 years ago, Jamaica was on the verge of civil war. Two major political parties were vying for power, weaponizing the lowest in society, the downpressed, without thought or mercy. Guns had become a way of life and a fact of life for too many, affecting those in the poorest, most blighted districts. …
Category Archives: music
Dexys Midnight Runners’ “Searching For the Young Soul Rebels.”
Kevin Rowland cut a weird figure walking around town. He must have lived nearby because he’d always be sat in the Chinese restaurant around the corner from my flat by the seaside. It was one of the nicer restaurants, and as such was often empty. Apart from him. He was the sharpest man everywhere he …
Continue reading “Dexys Midnight Runners’ “Searching For the Young Soul Rebels.””
John Henry Barbee’s Bad Luck
He said that he was born William George Tucker, though we’ll never really be sure. For the life of the man better known as John Henry Barbee is shrouded in as much myth as the man he would re-name himself for. The original John Henry. A steel driving man. Tucker was born in Tennessee in …
Marlena Shaw’s California Soul
“You’re all I need to get by” could have only been written by a two people who would be married within a decade and remain so for another three. As it could only be sung by two best friends who truly loved each other, staring into each others eyes, teenagers laughing at each others’ jokes …
David Ruffin’s Punctuality
When David Ruffin sings at the beginning of “I know I’m losing you” he starts off on point. His coo-ing, woo-ing, ooh slinks promiscuously across the intro, but he slips back behind the beat straight after. By the time he hits “I can feel your love fading,” he’s already late. The story of his life. …
Niney’s finest moment
“How can I give up a continent, for only an island?” Thus begins The Son’s of Selassie’s masterpiece, “I man a African,” starring Max Romeo at his righteous, wounded best. His voice cracks like splintering teak, he hits a high note in the middle of the line, but lets it slip back down by the …
The Magic in Their Sighs
I’ve been listening to the Shirelles’ “Will you still love me tomorrow” a lot recently. It had come back to me out of the blue, the way that certain songs, laying dormant, sometimes do. Its driving, almost mockingly martial, marching snare fits perfectly to a rolling walking pace. That’s when it comes back, mostly. When …
Partido Alto (Ao Vivo) as sung by Caetano Veloso
Caetano Veloso had only been back home for ten minutes when he started playing again. He couldn’t give the fascists running the country the satisfaction of his silence. This was recorded in Salvador pretty much as soon as his feet hit the dirt of Brazil. It was 1972. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bGC0gJAHIYs Two years in exile, with Gilberto …
Continue reading “Partido Alto (Ao Vivo) as sung by Caetano Veloso”
Jacob Sweetman 