Just thinking on my way into the office today how I cant wait to hear Jamaica's current big tune! One year it was "She's Royal"... recent trip was "Messiah"... cant wait to hear this visit's big tune- you know- the song that is playing everywhere you go and gets everyone smiling!
9 days until the wedding... 11 days until the rock...
"She's Royal" - 2008. "Driver!" - 2007. "Your Love is My Love", can't remember what year that was, 97 or 98 I think. Other than that, can't remember a regular "tune" from more recent years or even before then...
This last Feb Duane Stephenson w/ Queen Ifrica "Stay At Home" seemed to be background quite often,,,,,, also "Rescue Me" with Duane and Gramps Morgan was getting a lot of play.
In the week after Ivan "Misunderstanding" by DYCR was in hot rotation. To this day when I hear the song I'm transported back to a road outside Moreland Hill, as we chopped hurricane tossed road clear in the blazing sun a friend laugh talked through the story of the song. I looked but did not think I had gotten a copy of the song that week, that is until I slipped a last minute road side CD purchase in on our drive back up from St Louis and here they come chopping bush from the hill down to the level,,,,,,
Maybe one of the fastest Jamaica to the States conversions I ever witnessed was Shaggy's "It Wasn't Me". Can not remember the year, Pickeled Parrot was still open, but it was new in Negril, I picked up a copy and within a couples weeks after we got home it was sweeping the States.
The always song seems to still be "Three Little Birds", some years back a newbie asked me one day "Chet is that the national anthem, everywhere we go it's playing"
Be sure to share your Big Tune when you get home.
I have won many awards in a lifetime of competition and service. But the highest was offered without plaque or fanfare on a hilltop in post Ivan Jamaica. A true Rasta and a dear friend observed "Chet you are like a father of men, you see need and fulfill that need without being asked". Let us be travelers and not tourist.
OMG, how can I forget "It Wasn't Me"?????? I think it was 2002. Maybe 2001. 2000? It was around then. Thanks for the ear-worm, lol!
Beenie Man King of the Dancehall ...I think out of all the big chunes I remember hearing that one the most. Mavado Gully Side was big a few years back also. Drop Leaf Riddim was REALLY big one year and when I left Mobay I stopped in at the CD shop there and tried to explain the songs I had heard all week...of course I didn't know the names or the riddim they were on..luckily the guy who worked there knew what I was talking about and I was so happy when I got to Miami and popped the CD into my car...they were all on there in one mix!
"Don't gain the world and lose your soul, wisdom is better than silver and gold" R.N.M
The ones I remember most from past years are:
No Letting Go - Wayne Wonder (2003?)
African Queen - 2Face Idibia (2007?)
This year (May) I heard a ton of Vybz Katrel and also Romain Virgo (love it)!
Vybz Kartel just released a new album called Kingston Story -check it out it's a masterpiece
on iTunes
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