Roots Archives Forum

how about i start the ball rolling with a papa levi nomination..Gwow tax letter..all about the council tax, or poll tax as they once called it.

hi sean, marleys 'burnin' must have been pretty heavy at the time, but the most political music i've heard last few years must be from lucky dube, south african reggae star. nice too. last 3 or 4 LPs have been a bit more commercial, but his first 6 or 7 have some hard tunes deh.


ites

ital kemar

The best for me is Bob Andy 'Check it out', only the truth about world economy. And he wrote that in mid 70s, he must be really angry nowadays. If you know more lyrics like that one please let me know.

Mutabaruka's "Check It" LP on the Alligator label is a muss for political outpour.

Real tuff riddims on it too !!

mutabaruka..peoples court part 2 .."mr religious belief, and mr denomination, you are jointly and severally charged " etc..magnificent

the works of max romeo stick out in my mind. albums like war ina babylon, revelation time, and reconstruction contain a lot of socially/politically charged songs. songs like "no joshua no", "uptown babies don't cry", "socialism is love", "no peace", etc... carry a heavy political message. I particularly like the song "warning warning" with the lyric "heads are going to roll down sunday gully thats what marcus says". Max Romeo doesn't hold anything back.

yes, "war ina babylon" is a political picture of the jamaican 70s. most recordings about hooliganism and telling rudies do cool down are really political as well, specially since these songs are the most trustworthy historical source to the rude days, its trojan box set gives a good idea of the production related to that in my opinion.

stepping out a bit of jamaica though still in caribbean, nothing - as far as i'm concerned - sounds more political than trinidadian calypso from the 30s. check out the album "calypsos from trinidad - politics, intrigue and violence in the 30s"!

Ahh, my first ideas about political Reggae are Linton Kwesi Johnson's 'Dread Beat An Blood' and 'Making History', both albums are highly political with finest instrumental tracks by the Dennis Bovell Dub Band. Here I couldn't pick a favourite song out of the albums, 'cause each song is good. British Reggae on top!

At the same time Steel Pulse' 'Handsworth Revolution' + 'Ku-Klux-Klan', to name just 2 of the songs they performed with political lyrics and made them to a prominent part in the movement that leaded to political changes in the UK, happened during the early eighties.

Another artist is definatly to name here too: Benjamin Zephania's debut album 'Rasta' is a must listen! Highly creative Reggae music with more than a political attitude, song for song intelligent lyrics dealing with the problems of the time. In the beginning of the eighties there was still apartheid the ruling factor in South Africa. So the best song on 'Rasta' is 'Licence To Kill (in South Africa)', not alone because of the lyrics, but also because of its amazing sound track.

There been so many great anti apartheid songs out of Jamaica and Britain at this time (more correct: since the late 70ies), that only this topic could be a stand-alone thread...

Blessings

al campbell - politicians

LKJ was the first to come to mind for me. Steel Pulse is right up there too.

I'd add '1865' by Third World to the list.

Peace,

James