Last time I looked it was Thursday !! what happened? time passed and ran…ran and passed. So before I lose track of it again hold this cut from MASTER Terry Callier whose music has not only been a source of inspiration but has been a GREAT help to me through some of my DARKEST days and nights. Already featured heavily on themusicologist last year. I’m off to see him perform in person tonight at the Pigalle in My home town, (London), so I would like to pay tribute here in honour of the man and his lyrical genius. Borrowed from his most recent (2009) set ‘Hidden Conversation’.
SPECIAL request to all the Cats and Kittens who for whatever reason left the hood behind. gone but NEVER forgotten…this one’s all yours. Listen Tune…
(Lee Fields & The Expressions – Do You Love Me Like You Say You Do)
Have to be quick on this one as I’m heading out the door to see these Cats perform live and direct at the Bloomsbury Ballrooms in my hometown…the first metropolis and greatest city in the world…London. REALLY looking forward to it and if anyone out there needs convincing to make the effort to get down there this should be enough…Soul of the HIGHEST order. Released last year on the Truth and Soul label..Featuring Lee Fields, Charles Bradley, Leon Michels, Toby Pazner, Tom Brenneck, Dave Guy, Mike Deller, Nick Movshon, Homer Steinweiss.
Today’s cut on the Police&Thieves is courtesy of Jamaican dancehall artist Wasp with an insight into how things run in the ghetto when a man tries to hustle a little dance to make a ‘play’. Many’s the time I remember back in the late 80’s, early 90’s where the ‘Old Bill’ crashed our dances in London to ‘lock’ off the sound under the premise of ‘Health and Safety’. So much so that a Bill was passed through Parliament to give them the power. Yep money was being made, drugs were being sold but there was never any alcohol on the premises…the truth was that there was no tax being paid and we all know that TAX is what it’s all about.
Life is so unfair,
Me not even sell a crate a beer,
And by the time me look,
Pure police come inna me land,
Say the sound haffi turn off,
I don’t know wey a gwan,
A who invite them inna me land,
But still me nah worry meself,
Ca’ me know fe a fact,
Say them a fight ghetto youths before me born,
Nah lock off me sound officer
And gwan like you take me for clown officer..hey,
When the music nah play In a the ghetto and the shots them a echo,
Ouno say we up to no good,
Make the music play officer,
No bother make the yoots them go astray officer ay,
Just remember say in a JA we party every day,
Man a try fe live life the right way,
So me say,
Living in the ghetto its not easy to survive,
More time you have fe hustle just to stay alive,
Though me no have no big education,
Plus ‘dem say me not qualified fe the 9 to 5,
So it’s a dance me a keep,
Take some liquor pon consignment,
and me block the street,
People them come out whole heap,
But by the time me look a pure jeep,
And them come fe lock off me sound officer,
And gwan like you take me for clown officer..hey,
When the music nah play In a the ghetto and the shots them a echo,
Ouno say we up to no good,
Make the music play officer,
No bother make the yoots them go astray officer ay,
Just remember say in a JA we party every day,
Man a try fe live life the right way,
Yeah,
Me a beg the ghetto yout’ them fe put down the gun,
‘Cause if the shot a beat then the music a go done,
‘Cause me no want the police pass through,
And no see no more dead body lay down pon the ground,
Officer me a beg you please,
Come make the ghetto yout them want a hold up the peace,
Man from west and east,
Me rather see dance than see funeral keep,
Nuh lock off me sound officer,
And gwan like you take me for clown officer..hey,
When the music nah play In a the ghetto and the shots them a echo,
Ouno say we up to no good,
Make the music play officer
No bother make the yoots them go astray officer ay,
Just remember say in a JA we party every day,
Man a try fe live life the right way,
Yo tell them weh them want me do,
Tell me weh them all a plan,
When them only gimme life and oppression for the poor man,
So me a keep a dance just to make a couple grand,
Police circle in a de dance and come a with your permit in a y’ hand,
When me show the man me permit,
And im still a say me wrong,
Ca’ the permit stop at 2 and now a 2:21,
A it seem like them nuh care,
Must nuh have nothing fe spare,
So me say alright,
Nuh lock off me sound officer,
And gwan like you take me for clown officer..hey,
When the music nah play In a the ghetto and the shots them a echo,
Ouno say we up to no good,
Make the music play officer
No bother make the yoots them go astray officer ay,
Just remember say in a JA we party every day,
Man a try to live life the right way
Slipping out of Mr Callier’s first cut in 1963 into today’s piece of MAJESTY from his current 2009 set ‘Hidden Conversations‘.
TOP ranking piece of 21st century ‘Steppers’ from the Man. A message of genuine authenticity from a man who walks it like he talks it…and let’s be honest, they don’t grow on trees..
Oh yeah…I’m experimenting with a new piece of interactivity on themusicologist today..it’s a ‘Ratings’ thing, (which I have just seen is only visible above the actual post rather than on the ‘front page’), just to get a better idea of what the community are in to. Not sure whether It will be a permanent fixture yet…just testing it to see if it has any value.
Well….?
Huh,
Is this a game we play,
Just a phase we go through,
Is this the price we pay,
Will there be reperations too,
If we’re not careful what we say,
If we ain’t careful what we do,
What kind of fool am I,
What kind of fool are you,
You can read it on the printed page,
It’s a fender bender…and road rage,
One for all and all for one,
Until some asshole pulls a gun,
Somebody’s hurt and somebody cries,
And somebody lives…somebody dies,
And we hear pleas of innocence..
Mental impairment and self defense,
Hey what can the matter be,
What’s happening with society,
And what’s the ransom and the cost,
To save a generation lost,
Who’s able to complete the task,
Solve the riddle and lift the mask,
Yeah pardon me but I just got to ask
This a game we play,
Just a phase we going through,
Is this the price we pay,
Will there be reparations too,
If we’re not careful what we say,
We ain’t careful what we do,
What kind of fool am I,
What kind of fool are you,
And so we catch the evening news,
With all of these conflicting views,
Plague and famine..third world plights,
Poverty and womens rights,
Yea bishop when does life begin,
And what’s a crime and what’s a sin,
Hey is there some kind of master plan,
To bring peace to the holy hands,
In brightest day or darkest night,
There’s rifle fire left and right,
And on this dark and dangerous road,
How long before the world explodes,
But one for the money…two for the show,
If we got to reap just what we sow,
Hey pardon me but I just got to know,
Is this a game we play,
Just a phase we going through,
Is this the price we pay,
For reparations overdue,
If we’re not careful what we say,
If we ain’t careful what we do,
What kind of fool am I,
What kind of fool are you.
themusicologist 