My World
The world according to me!Archive for music
Project 2010
My lovely Twitter friend GWTO messaged me a while ago with this unique preposition: to create a post for his blog about my favourite song. That’s actually difficult for me, because if you read my blog, you know that I love all types of songs, and I have lots of favourites across genres.
I had lots of songs running through my head; Aap Jaisa Koi, which I hunted down obsessively; UpTown Top Rankin, the Tight’n Up version; and Firey by Meastro, my motto for 2010.
All great options, but then reality struck. I’m in the UK for a year doing my Post-Grad degree. This means I’ll be missing Carnival for the 4th time in my life. I love mas, even if I don’t play I must watch. I love the Kings and Queens competition, going to the tents and the fetes. Missing it is going to be hard, but not as traumatic as my first time. Again my education was to blame, on Ash Wednesday I lay on my bed in Jamaica and cried.
I’ve never played J’Ouvert though I respect the tradition tremendously. However I love J’Ouvert calypso and soca because it has an earthiness that’s missing in the typical fare. Powder by Machel, Blue by 3 Canal, and Benjai’s Tanty are my favourites in this genre (that La Douma riddim is pres-SHA!).
But I’m a sentimental fool, so I had to select the song that introduced me to this genre. When it came out, I was in Montessori (Happy Vale in Diego). We were playing sweeties in the school Carnival, my mother made this horrible brown jumper with red ruffles because I was supposed to be a toffee. Unfortunately I wasn’t feeling that portrayal, or maybe I was bewitched by Penguin because I told anyone who asked that I was “De devil dey!” True story.
Nuff said, please enjoy my selection.
NB: This post first appeared on the blog: http://www.gamewellandtrulyover.com
Fiery Redux
Last year I wrote about the kaiso “Fiery” orginially by Maestro, remade by Bunji. Well my friend RemBunction posted this Mash-up on YouTube, oh Lord I love it.
So for your musical enjoyment.
PS: This is my motto for 2010, “Fiery, that is how I coming…”
Happy Christmas!
I’m spending my first Christmas in foreign. I don’t have anything special planned, just lunch with a friend, but I am grateful for all of my blessings. As I type this I’m playing the Daisy Voisin video I embedded in my first Christmas post on my blog.
Since her voice is never boring, it’s only fair for me to find another for you.
Not much of a video, but the song…
Here in the UK, they say Happy Christmas.
Do You Hear What I Hear
This one of my favourite Christmas songs. O Holy Night is my all time favourite, but Whitney Houston’s version of this song has rocketed to 2nd place in my heart. If I listen to it intently I will cry.
So in the spirit of the season, I found this video of her performing it on Jay Leno. Enjoy.
Merry Christmas
Songs About Guys Who Are Sprung
I really love Drake‘s song – You’re the Best. It’s nice to hear a rap song about fidelity and commitment, however it’s couched. I then because men aren’t really encouraged to show emotion, and according to the media, they’re supposed to treat romantic entanglements as a search for more sex. When an artist goes against the grain, or laughs at the status-quo, the result is often, funny, catchy and relatable.
Soca Awards
The International Soca Awards will take place on the island of Providenciales in the Turks and Caicos on October 30th. The awards were started in 2003 by Colin Jackman as a way to recognise the work of our hard-working soca artists.
Well the list of nominees is out: http://bit.ly/EakCc To be eligible your song should have been released between June 1st 2008 to May 31st 2009.
I wasn’t too pleased with some of the selections, but that’s always the case with me and awards. Some of the usual suspects were there, and some weren’t.
So in a moment of idleness I decided to put up my picks for who should win. In other words here’s the list of my favourites in each category:
Fashionable Tribute to MJ
Much has been said about Michael Jackson and how he’s changed the music world. All dem young R&B boys skipping across stages with mics in their hands using moves Michael created for his Thriller album.
But what about his fashion? His jackets were crazy detail-oriented pieces. The shades, the hair, the shoes etc. What’s really cool is taking one of his looks or several to create something really interesting.
Using my favourite fashion toy Polyvore, I did a tribute look for Michael. It’s a sort of combo of looks from his Thriller and Bad videos. Structured jacket with unusual detailing; here a crop. Red tank to recall his Thriller and Bad colour schemes. And of course the glove.
Hope you like it.
Super Monarch
Super soca queen Faye-Ann did it! She owned the 2009 Soca Monarch competition last night by capturing every category; Power, Groovy and People’s Choice. Well done my dear, you deserved it.
Better Than Coffee
Thriller is the BEST ALBUM ever! Honestly, have you listened to it recently? It’s so amazing. Yesterday I was playing up in my roommates CD collection, having ball. I played tracks 6 and 7 off the Emancipation of Mimi, the signature song off Brandy’s Full Moon album, and couldn’t resist India.Aire’s “Purify Me”. Basically I started my morning off with a bang.
Then I remembered M (my roommate) had the 25th Anniversary re-release of Michael Jackson’s best album. Oh how I’m glad I did. It’s so much better than I remembered.
When the original came out I was six, and I remembered being all excited about it. My father came back from a trip abroad with the vinyl, and I swear to God I thought it was my own personal copy (it wasn’t). This album real mash-up cake and ice-cream parties well into 1984.
From the time you start the first track it’s pressure! Have you read the lyrics to “Wanna Be Startin’ Something”? They’re crazy here’s a sample:
“You’re a vegatable, you’re a vegetable
Still they hate you, you’re a vegetable
You’re just a buffet, you’re a vegetable
They eat off of you, you’re a vegetable.”
Yuh read that madness!?!
Listening to “Human Nature” and “PYT” before work helped brighten what turned out to be a loong day at the office. I’ve been dancing like a mad woman all over the house, it’s so good.
I’m no longer a Michael Jackson fan, but if I ever see him perform “Human Nature” live, I may just cry. If you have a version of this album home, pop it in the record or CD player, or select it on your MP3 player of the moment. You won’t be disappointed I promise.
I haven’t listened to all of the new songs, but Akon’s version of “Wanna Be Startin’ Something” is pretty bad (I mean that in a good way).
Michael Jackson & Akon – Wanna Be Startin\’ Something
For a pick-me-up that’s way better than coffee.
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