Toots & the Maytals- Revolution
don’t know how i stumbled upon this, but i’m glad i did. i can’t stop listening it. the only downside is i wish the group were called toots & boots. i forgive ‘em, though. enjoy.
-the skinny miracle
Santigold- Hometown Glory (Adele Cover)
I hate reblogging songs. I really do. But as I scrolled the dashboard today, M-IN-E had posted this track. I gave it a listen (I had to - I love all things Adele) and can I just say….DOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOPENESS!!! This junk is fire and it is my duty to spread it to the masses.
So…thank you M-IN-E and I’m sorry for swinging on your jock strap so hard today. But uber-thanks for bringing my attention to this song. My love for Santigold has just grown like the Grinch’s heart…3 sizes in one day.
Enjoy!
-CaliDre
Santigold- Hometown Glory (Adele Cover)
I’ve been walking in the same way as I did
And missing out the cracks in the pavement
And tutting my heel and strutting my feet
“Is there anything I can do for you dear? Is there anyone I could call?
No, and thank you, please madam, I ain’t lost, just wandering”
Round my hometown, memories are fresh
Round my hometown, ooh, the people I’ve met
Are the wonders of my world, are the wonders of my world
Are the wonders of this world, are the wonders and now
I like it in the city when the air is so thick and opaque
I love it to see everybody in short skirts, shorts and shades
I like it in the city when two worlds collide
You get the people and the government
Everybody taking different sides
Shows that we ain’t gonna stand shit
Shows that we are united
Shows that we ain’t gonna take it
Shows that we ain’t gonna stand shit
Shows that we are united
Round my hometown, memories are fresh
Round my hometown, ooh, the people I’ve met
Are the wonders of my world, are the wonders of my world
Are the wonders of this world, are the wonders of my world
Of my world, yeah, of my world, of my world, yeah
Big Mountain - Baby, I Love Your Way
If my life had a soundtrack, and I often pretend that it does, this song would play during a montage of short interactions with my future husband. You know…eating ice cream cones in the park, walking along a beach, laughing at some silent joke. It would show all of those small interactions that would ulitmately endear us to each other. Him knowing that I only buy stamps that I find pretty…me knowing that he doesn’t like his food to touch. Ecetera Ecetera.
I hope you enjoy this one as much as I do!
- Calidre
Big Mountain - Baby, I Love Your Way
Ooh Baby I love your way
Everyday, yeah
Shadows grow so long before my eyes,
and they’re moving across the page.
Suddenly the day turns into night,
Far away from the city.
But don’t, ho no, hesitate, ‘cause your love just won’t wait
Ooh Baby I love your way. Everyday, yeah yeah
Wanna tell you I love your way. Everyday yeah yeah
Wanna be with you night and day.
Moon appears to shine and light the sky
With the help of some firefly.
Wonder how they have the power to shine,
Shine, shine, shine,
I can see them under the pine.
But don’t, ho no, hesitate, ‘cause your love just won’t wait
Ooh baby I love you way. Everyday, yeah yeah
Wanna tell you I love your way. Everyday, yeah yeah
I wanna be with you night and day.
Oh baby, oh baby please,
Everyday, yeah,
I will love, I will love ya,
I love your way, ooh baby, please
I can see the sunset in your eyes,
Brown and grey, and blue besides.
Clouds are stalking islands in the sun.
I wish I could buy one, out of season.
Oh don’t hesitate, ‘cause your love just won’t wait (just won’twait)
Ooh baby I love your way (every, everyday)
I wanna tell you I love your way
I wanna be with you night and day (Everyday, every way)
Ooh baby I love your way(Ooh baby, ow, I love your little way)
I wanna tell I love your way
I wanna be with you night and day
(until fade)
Estelle f/ Sean Paul - Come Over
How has Estelle continued to fly under the radar? She’s so awesome. I’m telling ya’ll - the Brits are taken over.
The London born singer/songwriter/rapper is the first artist on John Legend’s Homeschool label. One of the biggest reasons she probably has this honor is because Legend himself is such a big fan. I first heard Estelle when a friend and I were catchign up on AIM and the requisite “what are you listening to” conversation came up. I sent him over some Rachel Yamagata and he sent me some Estelle. In his words she was his “new Lauryn Hill”.
Yup - a tall tall order. But I gotta say, Ms. Swaray has not disappointed me. I’ve loved every track I’ve heard her on whether it be her own or as a guest artist. I love the quality of her voice. I think its sensuous and fluid and absolutely lovely. AND she’s gorgeous to boot. This track features Sean Paul and has a more Carribean feel to it then some of her other songs. Enjoy!
-Calidre
Estelle f/ Sean Paul - Come Over
If I was to tell you just how much I need you, would you come tonight
Or would you not believe me cause a love that easy never turns out right
I’m trying to change the rules you deserve something good in your life
We’ve waited for far too long so come get your blessing tonight baby
Chorus
Won’t you come over love, Sure I can show you love
Promise I got enough to give you all that you need baby
So many search to find, A love that is good as mine
I will not waste your time so bring it all to me baby
Baby let me teach you, give you love instruction, show you what I know
Need to take it easy, no need rush it, baby go nice and slow
All this love I can go to you, I expect just a bit in return
You don’t have to be perfect as long as you’re willing to learn baby
Chorus
Turn out the lights, give you all my love tonight
Let’s do what lover do, I’m ready, I’m ready
I don’t want to waste your time
So don’t make me beg tonight
Don’t keep me waiting for love
Won’t you come over tonight
Destra Garcia - Whe Ya Want
Another one of my Soca favorites, Whe Ya Want (What Do You Want) is a fabulous song with a familiar scenario. Girl goes out, girl sees boy, girl knows boy wants her but boy doesn’t approach the girl. Listen up men…I’m about to say something very profound.
If you see a girl you like…WALK UP TO HER.
Might you get shot down, sure. But at least you took a chance. You might end up pleasantly surprised. How many times have you seen a girl thats a 8-9 with a guy thats a 6-7. It has to start somewhere. I can’t tell you how many times I sat around wishing a normal guy would walk up to me and start a conversation. And I am not so unfortunate looking that wanting someone to walk up to me is wishful thinking.
Now don’t miscontrue my words. You are not Casanova. You are not Rico Suave. You are not Mandingo. You cannot have any girl you want. The girl you want might have a boyfriend. She might simply not be interested. You are not so inherantly charming that she will fall at your feet. BUT you might be a nice guy and you might hit it off with someone you’d normally not approach. Girls do not walk around LOOKING to shoot guys down. They’re not looking for Mr. Perfect (if they are, you should hightail it in the other direction anyway). They just get tired of being approached incorrectly.
So here’s my bit of advice straight from overies to testes. If you see a girl that you want to talk to, make eye contact first. Smile. If you see her walking to the bar (or bathroom or outside) alone then ask her how she’s doing. Don’t stalk her. Don’t be creepy. Don’t be arrogant. Don’t interrupt her kicking it with her girls. If she smiles and tells you how she’s doing, then talk to her like you’d want a guy to talk to your little sister or your mother - respectfully and while looking her in the face. From there, its up to you.
Good luck. Enjoy the track.
-Calidre
Sorry - no lyrics today
Ghetto Flex f/ Denise Belfon - Wine and Bend Over
I’ve been thinking about posting this song for a long time and today felt like a good day to do it. I fell in love with Soca while listening to this song. Everytime I hear this song, I just can’t help but to drift off to another place. I start dancing at my desk, on the train, or whereever else I happen to be when it comes on. And don’t let it come on in a club - WOOOOO. This song is really just about dancing up on someone you’re feeling. Have you ever had one of those moments where you’re dancing with someone you are really feeling? You’re in sync, they’re moving in close and your senses seem to be heightened. If you’ve ever done this while dancing Soca, you were winding on them reaaaaal slow in an erotic ass preview of what it might be like later on.
Well…thats the place this song brings me to. I hear IT and instantly want to be dancing that slow wine with some beautiful man thats in sync with me.
Is it hot in here or is that just me?
At any rate, I didn’t feel like it was appropriate to post this song without doing a quick Carribean Music 101 lesson. There will be some readers that will glance right over this part and thats cool. But for the rest of you, listen up. All carribbean music is not Reggae! I repeat, not everything that you hear by a caribbean artist is Reggae! Reggae is a specific genre of music that started out in Jamaica and that has seperate qualities then the plethora of other genres that exist. Below is a short list of some popular genres, a quick description, and some artists you might know who are popular in said genre. The best way I can describe the principle is this though - if you have listened to rap and hip hop your whole life, you know that there are differences. You might not be able to convey them with someone has never heard the music before, but you know not every black man who doesn’t sing a song is a rapper.
Enjoy the song. If you wanna see the video (and some real winding if you’ve never been to a real carib party) then click here. Sorry - instead of lyrics today, I created a Caribbean Music 101 lesson. Instead of boring EVERYONE to death, you can click on the link if you’d like to learn about some of the various genres that are around right now.
-Calidre
Calypso - this genre has been along for a long long time and is most closely tied to the African/French roots of slaves that ended up in Trinidad and Tobego. Originally the predominent genre of music heard at caribbean carnivals, it is not quite as popular as it used to be. Genres that have spawned from Calypso include Soca and Calypso Jazz. Harry Belafonte’s rendition of The Banana Boat song is a commercial example of Calypso.
Soca - this song is a sample of Soca. Originating in Trinidad and Tobego as a varient of Calypso, soca usually features bass, drums and guitar. Because of colonial settlement, both Soca and Calypso have very obvious latin influences when you listen to them. Popular artists include Rupee, Kevin Lyttle, Faye Ann Lyons and Destra.
Mento - Often confused with Calypso, Mento does not have the spanish feel as it is from Jamaica. The instrumentation is acoustic in sound and many people would consider this genre Jamaican Folk Music.
Ska - a fusion of calypso, jazz and R&B, peaked in popularity in the ’60s in Jamaica and the UK. Ska usually is celebratory and upbeat in sound as it followed Jaimaica’s independance. It is quite common for songs to be covers of popular American and British songs. Bob Marley & The Wailers covered songs in the ska style including stuff by the Beatles. As R&B in the US began to change in the mid-60s, so did Ska until Rocksteady was born.
Rocksteady - A genre that bridged Ska with Reggae. Ska was only dominent in Jamaica for a few years, but vastly influenced the development of Reggae, Dancehall and Dub.
Reggae - What most of you think of when you hear a carribean song. This may have something to do with the fact that Bob Marley sang in the reggae style. Reggae subject matter ties very closely with Rasta principles, so songs typically deal with social injustice, politics, and poverty. While there are romantic/relationship centered Reggae songs, it isn’t a dominent theme like in other genres. There are several subgenres of Reggae that include Dub, Lovers Rock, Rockers and Roots.
Dancehall - Something a lot of people might consider modern reggae. While this isn’t extremely far from the truth, dancehall has its own characteristics that make it a distinct spin off. It is much less political, typically associated with partying, and has faster beats then reggae. Most of the stuff you like to dance to probably falls into this genre, with Shabba Ranks, Buju Banton, Tanya Stephens, Beenie Man, and Elephant Man all being major players. The most famous dancehall artist is probably Sean Paul.
One critique of dancehall is that it has been known to be violently homophobic. Some artists have been banned from performing in certain countries. Recent international efforts have included the Reggae Compassionate Act.
Those are all of the genres that I can think of at the moment. If you’d like me to add something else, or want to hear something, drop a line.
Bob Marley - Lively Up Yourself (live)
i’m a little late with my bob marley post seeing as though it was his birthday this past saturday and was celebrated all across the globe. but… screw it. i can’t say anything that hasn’t been said about bob marley so i’m going to get right into the song i chose for today.
‘lively up yourself’ is a favorite of mine. as you can probably see from a lot of my posts, i love strong bass lines that rock the whole song. musically it’s just funky to me… damn i use that word a lot, but that’s what i love. this song is simple, but is really an anthem for me. i have made up in my mind to be a lot more positive and less cynical. i have decided to only surround myself with positive people, because with all i dealt with in the past couple of years i’m just happy to alive and sane. i know a lot of folks that may read this blog may be down on themselves and down on their situations, but really think positive and hope for better things and better days. you really only have one life to live so make the best of it and enjoy it…. that little preachy point came out of nowhere, but that is the beauty of drinking high gravity beer while relaxing in a coffee shop. enjoy
Lively up yourself and don’t be no drag
Lively up yourself, ‘cause this is the other bag
Hey, lively up yourself and don’t be no drag
You lively up yourself, dig it, the other bag
Hey, you rock so, you rock so, like you never did before
You dip so, you dip so, and you can dip thru my door
You come so, you come so, oh yeah, like I do adore you
You skank so, you skank so, and-a I can assure you
You can lively up yourself and don’t be no drag
Hey, you lively up yourself, can you dig it?
Hey (you rock so, you rock so), like you never did before
You dip so, you dip so, can you dig it?
You lively up yourself and don’t be no drag
You lively up yourself, ‘cause this is the other bag
Hey, lively up yourself
Lively up yourself, other bag
Can you dig it? Can you dig it? …
