This album by Conershop is excellent (I believe it’s their 6th in a long series, but I might be wrong) and marked their launch into the broader music market with the single "Brimful of Asha," remixed by Norman Cook aka Fatboy Slim back in 1997. Here, genre fusion is the norm, and it’s quite satisfying.
The album opens with the classic sound of the Indian harmonium, which, after a few notes, introduces "Sleep on the Left Side," indolent and suggestive with its hypnotic bass riff, the perfect meeting between India and Britpop. It continues with the aforementioned single "Brimful of Asha," which here, unlike Fatboy Slim’s remix, seems softer and tired, with a relaxed and lackluster rhythm. The musical interlude "Butter the Soul" is beautiful, filled with screechy sounds and sonic nonsense. With the track "Chocolate," we enter dub territories with little electronics and a strong desire to experiment. The sitar once again emphasizes the delineation and belonging of the group, introducing "We’re in yr Corner," an almost Indian song with a mantra-like chorus sung as if it were a pop ditty. "Funky Days Are Back Again" says it all in the title, introducing a nice rhythmic backdrop to the dreamy vocals of Tinder Singh, a bewildered and constantly disoriented character (seen in Milan, he seemed like a fish out of water, even on stage). With "What is Happening," we start with classic raga-style percussion, overlapping with sounds, larsen effects, distortions in the spirit of improvisation and the psychedelic soul that permeates the entire album. "When The Light Appears Boy" features sounds taken directly from the street (a market?) and set as background to the inspired and almost religious spoken word. The insertion of a similar village band is nice, lightening everything and adding an ironic and amused note to the track. With "Coming Up," things get serious again: sitar, drums, and samples dominate in this strange and hypnotic mix, very seductive. The following "Good Shit" returns to the traditional song and, leaving behind the experimentalism, returns to auteur pop, nice but, after the previous high, quite dispensable. With "Goo To Be On The Road Back Again," a splendid voice enters, which I couldn’t find in the credits, bringing us back to a song with strong 60s connotations, which wouldn’t be out of place sung at Woodstock in '68... "It’s Indian Tobacco My Friends" arrives, and we return to trip hop/dub territories with a rarefied atmosphere, using little electronics - and here lies the grandeur - with a magical and very atmospheric effect. "Candyman" arrives with a kind of Indianized R&B (actually a bit tired) with hip-hop ambitions in the speech, strange and out of context. "State Troopers" is yet another play of sounds that takes away nothing but adds nothing. And finally, it closes with the cover of "Norwegian Wood," complete with sitar and Indian vocals making Lennon/McCartney's song irresistible and fascinating, giving it an unforgettable mystical and psychedelic aura (I would dare to say the pearl of the album).
An album slightly lengthy but well compensated with its myriad inventions and for having opened (in '97) the Western music world to Indian and Eastern sounds, bringing us later bhangra, Bollywood, and its derivatives. For many, it was a trend that faded within a few years; for others – including myself – it was a beautiful discovery that still remains.
Tracklist Lyrics and Videos
01 Sleep on the Left Side (04:06)
Sleep on the left side
Leave the right side free
Hope gets salted
As those around you leave
We're gonna let it up like India House on fire
We're gonna let it go
And let it go higher
Let it go
Sleep on the left side
Houcam is our call
We're gonna take it
That virgin fall
There's gonna be some
When we let it up
And let it breathe
And all the holes
Doused with grief
And planets up
And time to leave
No Asian fire
Will leave us dyre
Born again to Asian #lion#
There comes no telling
How it will be
What's turned to smoke
Was in our hearts
And planets up
What we have lost
Foot racing from kitchens
Down alleys through gulleys
Meeting every second hour
Never to come to terms with ?
Foot racing to Putabin Key
'cause there's too much going on
To jeer on green goddesses, local dignitaries and labor counselors
Always #in touch# by #way of# the community organ? we're about to be #orphaned#
Sleep on the left side
Keep the sword hand free
Arrrh, wuttevess gonna be is
Gone nu be
For the 7th time
WithOUT, tumbling disyre
Easy dizease
We're gonna let it known
And let it go slow, let it go
Sleep on the left side
Sleep on the left side
Some sounds
Some #burdens#
#Can# release
Some sounds
Some #burdens#
#Can# release
Some sounds
Some #burdens#
Sleep on the left side
02 Brimful of Asha (05:17)
eka sadi asha jena sadi sooka bella nah dinner bonothia ha kimmir kar ke.
There's dancing
Behind movie scenes
Behind the movie scenes
Sadi Rani
She's the one that keeps the dream alive
from the morning
past the evening
to the end of the light
Brimful of Asha on the 45
Well it's a brimful of Asha on the 45
Brimful of Asha on the 45
Well it's a brimful of Asha on the 45
And dancing
Behind movie scenes
Behind those movie screens
Asha Bhosle
She's the one that keeps the dream alive
from the morning
past the evening
to the end of the light
Brimful of Asha on the 45
Well it's a brimful of Asha on the 45
Brimful of Asha on the 45
Well it's a brimful of Asha on the 45
And singing
illuminate the main streets
And the cinema aisles
We don't care bout no
Government warnings,
'bout their promotion of the simple life
And the dams they're building
Brimful of Asha on the 45
Well it's a brimful of Asha on the 45
Brimful of Asha on the 45
Well it's a brimful of Asha on the 45
Everybody needs a bosom for a pillow
Everybody needs a bosom
Everybody needs a bosom for a pillow
Everybody needs a bosom
Everybody needs a bosom for a pillow
Everybody needs a bosom
Mine's on the 45
Mohamed Rafi -45
Lata Mangeshkar -45
Solid state radio -45
Fer-guh-son mono -45
Bande publique -45
Jacques Dutronc and the Bolan Boogie, the Heavy
Hitters and the Chichi music
All India Radio-45
Two in ones -45
Argo Records -45
Trojan Records -45
Brimful of Asha on the 45
Well it's a brimful of asha on the 45
Brimful of Asha on the 45
Well it's a brimful of asha on the 45
Everybody needs a bosom for a pillow
Everybody needs a bosom
Everybody needs a bosom for a pillow
Everybody needs a bosom
Everybody needs a bosom for a pillow
Everybody needs a bosom
Mine's on the 45
seven seven thousand piece
Orchestra set
Everybody needs a bosom for a pillow
Mine's on the RPM!!
Brimful of Asha on the 45
Well it's a brimful of asha on the 45
Brimful of Asha on the 45
Well it's a brimful of asha on the 45
Everybody needs a bosom for a pillow
Everybody needs a bosom
Everybody needs a bosom for a pillow
Everybody needs a bosom
Everybody needs a bosom for a pillow
Everybody needs a bosom
Mine's on the 45
05 We're in Yr Corner (05:47)
Mar mar o’sharle(h)
Ekuh. Oshart mar mar
Ma rmar o’sharle(h)
Ekuh. Oshart mar mar
Raja Rani, Ek kahani
Shorti o’shari mar
Eh mar mar o’shaaaaarrrlllllll
Shorti shorti o’shari mar — hanji
Mar mar o’sharle(h)
Ekuh. O’shari mar mar
Mar mar o’sharle(h)
Ekuh. O’shari mar mar
Raja Rani, Ek kahani
Shorti o’shari mar
Ek Bani ek Kahani mar o’sharrrrrllllll
Arja — Ek mar mar O’shari
Hanji, Hasda Punjav
Tha(h) Jullander hasda
Sing: Mortey mortey mataey, mitti mitti lagardi
Mera(h) kore(h) te(h) chare(h)
Mere(h) nari arh
Hemi dervaja
Jhere ehse ameed nu band dar-sak-da(h)
That this truth can shut out
Mar mar o’sharte(h)
Ekuh. O’shari mar mar
Raja Rani, ek kahani
Shorti o’shari mar
Eh mar mar o’shaaarrrrllllll
Barkhlarff IBM tha Coca Cola, luk lamth
Mar mar o’sharte(h)
Ekuh. O’shari mar mar
Mar mar o’sharle(h)
Ekuh. O’shari mar mar
Raja Rani, ek kahani
Shorti o’shari mar
Ek bani ek kahani mar o’shaaarrrrllll
Hanji
ek mar mas O’shari
IBM tha Coca Cola, muther fucker, Lak lamth
10 Good Shit (04:40)
Hey sey owh wo
Hey hey hey
Yeh yeey yehhh
Hey oh wo wo wo wo
Heey ya yey owwhh
Feeling good behind the wheel
I talke my doctor into Confidence
2 foots racing on the man-made blues
I feel the magic of the minimum dose, checking
Out the ani-mal heads
In the animal kingdom
Taking axe unto the turbulent sea
Making it retreat
To the chorus now
To the bonus beats half
The beats of Manhattan
From the middle of the heart
I want you each and all to switch yr tiny mind on
I want you each and all to switch yr tiny mind
I want you each and all to switch yr tiny mind on
I want you each and all — God damn the pusherman
Arrrrh good shit: it’s the truth, it’s the truth
I’m on fireya
The flames a getting higher baybee
The flames a getting higher
I got it knee-depth down
To the good foot
Direct the traffic
On the disco floor
Free the constitution
and it won’t be long
And I’m not waiting
A Ne wYork minute more
One by one
We’re gonna take you lovers on
One by one
We’re gonna take you lovers on
Eastern claps on the one, then on the third
And I’m thinking
What mighty God we serve
Good shit
Heavy metal from the back of a stage
Tuesdays on a Tuesday government rate
An all day sucker praising the plastic
Leg spins and the waiting
I don’t give up on a good thing
I want you each and all to switch yr tiny mind on
I want you each and all to switch yr tiny mind
I want you each and all to switch yr tiny mind on
I want you each and all — God damn the pusherman
On the tail of the Lion of Judah
The flames are getting higher baybee
The flames are getting higher break it down
The flames are getting higher
The flames are getting higher baybee
The flames are getting higher
Arrh good shit
Walking intastate
With the worst attorney, Lord help me
Make your own mothers day
If feel the loneliness of headlamps
That come and pass me by
Make your own, mothers say
And that’s the double root
It’s the truth, it’s the truth
15 Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown) (02:27)
Mere(h) korlsi ek rani
Ja(h), shart me(h) kernar
Orde(h) korlai me(h)
Orne(h) orda kumera dukalis
He(h) nee eh huchae
Norwegian lukri
Orne(h) kyar rela(h) Tha(h) be(h)ja
Jitte(h) bi teri marji
Me(h) alle(h) dwalle(h) deklar
Kay(h) ohte(h) korsee nee si
Ma(h) duri te(h) be(h)gle Sume sorcheke(h)
Ordi sharab pyike(h)
Use dar buhjeh tac galla kitia(h)
Fa(h) ome(h) kuy-ar
Sohn da suma horgiar
Orne(h) dusia ke swernu karnte(h), jandi he(h)
Tah hassna shooru karditha
Me(h) ornu dusia, me(h) nee-jarna
Tha bathe betch solhm cha-leg-lar
Jad me(h) jargian, Me(h0 kul-ar se
Eh chirey beergh gey
Fer(h) me(h) aag jug ay see
He(h) nee eh huchee
Norwegian lukri
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