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In the brewery, I'm always afraid of listening to terrible music. But what a surprise the other night to hear the white reggae of UB40. The bouncy background of the intro to Rat in the Kitchen put me in a good mood. Sipping a "Rata Vuloira," a beer as dark as pitch with an intense flavor, I smiled. The guy next to me starts off by saying, "UB40 are great." "Yeah, look, I had this album, and I remember it all, from the first to the last track." We exchanged a few words about this band from Birmingham, which, in the '80s, went against the grain by writing high-quality reggae pieces. All of a sudden, the guy changes the subject and asks if I want a crate of Prosecco. "No, I just don't like Prosecco." But insisting, he tells me he'll give it to me as a gift. "I don't drink Prosecco." "But it’s a gift." "No, thanks, really." "A free crate of Prosecco is not something you refuse. Come on, accept it. It's a gift." Hesitating, I say, "Well, alright, then, thanks." "Yes, but I wanted to ask you for a favor." Here we go, I think to myself. There's always a catch. I look at him with a questioning expression. "I wanted to know if you could stroke my c**** in return." Crazy stuff. There are shameless people out there, wild lunatics that make your blood boil.
Instead, UB40 always manage to cheer me up. Always. An English band formed in '77 that took its name from the unemployment benefit forms (hence UB40). With the track Red Wine in '83, they even topped the UK Hit Parade. This album from '86 is a whirlwind of pleasant sounds that blend with the Jamaican rhythm. All I Want to Do opens the work, and it's pure pleasure. Watchdogs is a wave at sea that engages you to the point of putting it on loop for eternity. The title track has a sax ending that reeks of "Pakistani smoke".
Cover? To die for!!!
If you want, we can listen to it together. You're all invited to my place. Also because I have a crate of Prosecco to get rid of.
Tracklist Lyrics and Videos
04 The Elevator (03:24)
1st floor decide what you`ll be one day
With a head full of comment and nothing to say
2nd floor mixed up it happens that way
Soon you realize that listening don`t pay
3rd floor in limbo, no easy moves
Up or down it`s time to choose
(Chorus)
The elevators going up
Quick the door`s about to shut
Too late we`re full just hang around
It won`t be long - it won`t be long before it`s down
4th floor the job hunt and all that you ask
Is an honest day`s pay for an honest day`s graft
5th floor you may make a little more money
Now it`s apparent downstairs ain`t so fuuny
6th floor a mortgage, a collar and tie
2 weeks vacation in june or july
(Chorus)
7th floor expenses and private schools
Pushing a pen you`re not turning the tools
8th floor position, respect and acclaim
Move up the 9th for fortune or fame
10th floor for investment and real estate
Recouping the redies before it`s tool late
11th floor the penthouse the final cut
With a head full of comment and a mouth that stays shut
(Chorus)
05 Watchdogs (04:18)
You try to close your ears
And you try to close your eyes
But the blasphemies keep coming
And tempting you with lies
Chorus:
Give thanks for your protection
Your watchdogs of the night
Who hold the hungry wolves at bay
And keep them out of sight out of sight
You focus your direction
Cloak tightly pulled around
But somewhere in the distance
You can hear a haunting sound
Chorus 2x
You're in danger of corruption
And you're always running scared
You cannot make decisions
You're completely unprepared
Chorus
08 Don't Blame Me (03:36)
I think its only fair to say
We`d welcome riches down our way
No stigma knotted in my hair
I want to be a millionaire
Nevertheless I must insist
A thought is spared for those who missed
The handouts when it came to wealth
To education and good health
The time has come now all can see
As seeing this is killing me
our future victim to command
Together we can lend a hand
(Chorus)
So don`t blame me for wanting more
The facts are too hard too ingnore
I`m scared to death of poverty
I only want whats best for me
But even so I`m holding on
I think the world can live as one
If only credence took the lead
The world would see a world to feed
An endless sea of blood that`s spilt
Enough to sail an ark of guilt
And when we lend our helping hand
We`ll have our green and pleasant land
09 Sing Our Own Song (07:20)
The great flood of tears that we've cried
For our brothers and sisters who've died
Over four hundred years
has washed away our fears
And strengthened our pride
Now we turn back the tide
We will no longer hear your command
We will seize the control from your hands
We will fan the flame
of our anger and pain
And you'll feel the shame
For what you do in God's name
We will fight for the right to be free
We will build our own society
And we will sing, we will sing
We will sing our own song
When the ancient drum rhythms ring
The voice of our forefathers sing
Forward Africa run
Our day of freedom has come
For me and for you
Amandla Awethu
We will fight for the right to be free
We will build our own society
We will sing, we will sing
We will sing our own song
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