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Burning Spear is the most powerful and radical artist in Jamaican music. And, to understand this, just think of a few things: the name borrowed from Jomo Kenyatta, hero of Kenyan independence; the continuous references to Marcus Garvey, the dreamer who preached the return to Africa of all black brothers; a voice, spirited and shamanic, which at times takes on the tones of a true cry of battle.
And above all, a lot, a lot of Africa. Even though...
Even though, looking at him on the cover of “Rocking time”, Burning Spear seems to have very little to do with his fabulous stage name. Could this be Flaming Spear, the spiritual warrior? Oh no, it's not possible; at most, you might say he's a fisher of souls or, conversely, a soul about to be fished. But don't be deceived by this!!!
For if here Burning does not yet have that magnificent appearance of a visionary and wild superhero (beautiful and proud gaze, dreadlocks, imposing physique), the voice, however, is already the one that will always be. And the perfect description of that voice lies precisely in all that his battle name evokes. And that name, let's repeat it again, always repeat it, that name is Flaming Spear.
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Ah, I swear, the power has never been so hypnotic... yes, yes... hypnotic... and the hypnosis, in this “Rocking time”, is a strange kind of dub. That when you listen, you ask yourself: how can such skeletal and jumpy music, sometimes even funny, bear the power of such an archaic voice?
Later (already from the next “Marcus Garvey”, to mention) robust horns and tribal rhythms will join that power, and, thanks to a sort of “joyous war machine”, that power will become fury... incredible hypnotic fury.
But here, here in “Rocking time”, there is something different... something that perhaps I can't quite put into words and may resemble a little the feeling one gets looking at the cover photo.
It's as if, in addition to that hypnosis musically achieved with minimal means (the modernity of that almost dub sound), there remains a fragrance of the sixties and early reggae. But truly, I cannot explain it better. Sorry...
If it helps, it's something that moves and exalts. Like that voice between Africa and Blues (and thus between Africa and Africa) moves and exalts.
That voice is both a mantra and a lament, both a mantra and pride, born when the storyteller meets the shaman, when the dreamer meets the rhythm.
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Boh, have I managed to capture this album? I read again and see that I've written several times the following words: Africa, power, hypnosis... there you go, then yes, maybe I've captured it. And, if I've been a bit rhetorical, sorry, but when it's needed, it's needed. The fact is that Burning is one of those who make you feel twenty years younger...
And, speaking of age, go on YouTube and watch a recent concert of his. Ah, I think we really need to ask these Rastas how the heck they manage to age like that...
Aloha...
Tracklist Lyrics and Videos
05 Swell Headed (03:27)
Is a lucky ting I never get swell headed
Is a lucky ting I never get swell headed
And started to run run run, I will never run away
And started to run run run, I will never run away
Do you hear?
I never run away;
I never run, never run, never run away.
Deh an dem doth hate I, deh woulda feel so nice, so nice.
Deh an dem doth fight against I, you should see dem rejoice,
and tell I to run, to run run run, I will never run away,
run run run, I will never run away.
Do you hear?
I never run away; I never run, never run, never run away.
I and I will never run away!
My black brother call me, call me, and he reason with me.
Everything he tells me, tells me. oh yes it's true.
That's why I will never, run run run,
I will never run away.
Do you hear?
I never run away; I never run, never run, never run away.
I never run, never run, never run away.
I will never, will never, could never, will never.
I and I will never run away!
I and I will never run away!
Never run, never run, I will never, will never, will never, could never,
never run, never run---I and I will never run away!
never run never run
06 Foggy Road (03:10)
My way is long, but the road is foggy,
My way is long so long, but the road is foggy, foggy
My head never swell, my heart never leap
I never have no fear from within
My head never swell, my heart never leap
I never have no fear from within
Even though the road is so so foggy, foggy yeah
Can hardly see, Jah Jah is my eyesight
Be with I, be with I, be with I Jah Jah!
Jah Jah be with I, I and I and I and I!
Deh an' dem hate I, deh an' dem does fight against I
Some of them a judge I wrongfully
But never mind my brother I will go on
The road is so foggy, foggy so foggy, foggy
The road is so foggy, foggy so foggy, foggy
Guidance be with I an' I, going out and coming in
From all evil things and evil doers everyday, this
accident include
The road is so foggy, the road is so foggy, foggy
Foggy road, yeah foggy foggy foggy road, foggy foggy,
yeah
Forward my brother no-no stumbling back
Jah Jah is I and I and I eyesight so foggy road foggy
road, yeah
Foggy road foggy road foggy road foggy
Can hardly see, be with I and I and I
Jah Jah, Jah Jah, dis road is so foggy
I wonder why, I wonder, I wonder why the road is so foggy
Foggy road foggy road, Yeah
Jah Jah, be with I and I and I
Jah Jah, foggy road, yeah
foggy foggy foggy foggy foggy foggy foggy
12 Call on You (02:45)
When the sun goes down
And we move along, I will call on you
Yes, when the sun goes down,
And we move along, I will call on you.
Are you ready, are you ready, are you ready,
I will call on you.
No crying my brother, crying.
No stall, no no noo, stall
No time to lose, time to lose.
We must go soon, yes we must!
When the sun goes down,
And we move along, I will call on you.
When the sun goes down,
And we move along, I will call on you.
Are you ready, are you ready, are you ready. I will call on you.
No crying my brother, crying.
No stall, no no noo, stall
No time to lose, time to lose.
We must go soon, yeah we must!
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