This is surprising weighty for a song of its time. The tone is a lot darker than much of Desmond Dekker’s work. Released in 1968, the song exhibits from rocksteady and reggae. Dekker’s singing is infectious and powerful, from the ‘it mek… no sense at all’ part to the serious dread ‘face of fu man…
30/10/2020: “Cuando Ya No Estes” by Danitse
I first found out about Danitse through one of my favourite artists, Mala. He used her vocals for “Cunumicita”. Her voice is like a beautifully…
29/10/2020: “A New England” by Kirsty MacColl
Billy Bragg released “A New England” in 1983. It’s a stark social commentary on early 80s Britain. He sings it rather plainly, with just his…
28/10/2020: “Rock To The Beat (Hitman Mix)” by Reese
It’s crazy. This song is now more than 30 years old and it still slams! It’s like a classic sports car. Fast. Loud. Maybe slightly…
27/10/2020: “Everything She Wants” by Wham!
For many people, Wham! represent everything that’s wrong with the 80s. Campy, over commercialised, cliched. And of course, for many people, it’s songs like this…
26/10/2020: “Pick Up The Phone Remix” by Belly Squad and Abra Cadabra
There is an American version of this. Strictly speaking, the US song is the original, but I prefer this – by miles! Undoubtedly the beat…
25/10/2020: “Time Bomb” by Rancid
Rancid stem from the earlier ska-punk outfit Operation Ivy. There probably aren’t many bands who had the same influence on the trajectory of punk rock…
24/10/2020: “A Love Supreme Part 2 (Resolution)” by John Coltrane
Is A Love Supreme the best Jazz album ever recorded? It depends what your personal preferences are, of course, but I think there’s a lot in its…
23/10/2020: “Mademoiselle De Paris” by Michel Legrand
In the 50s, a style of classical music called “Easy Listening” became popular. Instead of multi-part epics of the traditional vein with complex musical motifs,…
22/10/2020: “Funeral March Of Queen Mary” by Wendy Carlos
Credit where credit’s due – “Funeral March Of Queen Mary” was originally composed by Henry Purcell in 1695. It’s a somber, dignified and timeless piece….