I knew I would love Osibisa from the Roger Dean cover of their first album with its butterfly elephants & the stylized lettering of their name. I was some what prepared for their African rhythms by Santana & their horn section was/is amazing plus some proto-Hendrix guitar work. I also have to admit the amount of male flesh revealed in their cover photos also held my attention. Top that off with a song called ‘Phallus C’ dealing with the myths around cock size & I was a fan.
I have as stand alone First (1971), Woyaya (1971), Osibirock (1974); as mp3 Heads (1972), Live: 1971, The Warrior (1983), Osee Yee (2009). I still have my vinyl of the first two mainly for the covers. I eventually ordered them on CD as Australian imports November 2003. Their Ghanaian-English Afro Rock sound progressed over the years as the influence of the Caribbean members was felt leading to a more reggae sound.
The live set from 1971, probably a bootleg, is good but not great – it seems to have been done from the soundboard of the concert & it has picked up some crowd conversations that are rather fun but also a little intrusive. Their first two lps are an excellent introduction African music &, to me, haven’t dated much. I have more recent work by African bands & there is little difference. They recently released a new lp! Can’t wait to hear it.
Also in this mp3 collection is Ladysmith Black Mambazo: Shaka Zulu (1987), Zibuynhlazane (1988) – a South African male choral group that recorded with Paul Simon (Graceland). Tradition songs mixed with more contemporary work – the harmonies are sweet, their love work is energetic but a couple of lps was enough for me.
I had a cassette with Liane Foly’s 1990 ‘Rêve orange’ given to me by a friend (it is now in another mpo3 collection). On this one I have Le goût du désir (2008). A sultry jazz blues singer who infuses some of her work with Moroccan flavourings. This is romantic, sweet & sophisticated music.
Finally from the group that started it all 🙂 is Santana’s Amigos (1976) – touches of disco that work with Dance Sister Dance – critics weren’t happy with the group moving in a more pop direction with latino flavoured songs as opposed full on latino.
99 Tears Blues
woke up this morning
with tears in my eyes
pillow was wet
still so much to cry
woke up this morning
with tears in my eyes
pillow was wet
still so much to cry
don’t ask me why
don’t know
nothing going so wrong
all going so good
I have no complaints
<>
couldn’t stop those tears
shower didn’t wash them away
wept all through breakfast
all the way to work
people would stare but not dare
ask how come I was crying
glad they didn’t
I don’t know what to tell them
don’t feel sad don’t feel glad
just feel like me
<>
went to my doctor to see what he could see
he said those tears are a mystery to me
went to a man of the cloth he said
those are tears for the sadness of this world
gone to sin and corruption
someone needs to grieve
I told him get up off your knees
don’t bother to pray
I got better things to do today
went on my way
crying sobbing snivelling
blowing my nose
<>
woke up this morning
with tears in my eyes
took a plane to the desert
to see if they can be made to dry
sun blistered my face
salty tracks itch but didn’t fade
each drop a hunger for something
the sun couldn’t satisfy
<>
I headed home to find a place to hide
not that I felt shame
but life isn’t the same
when you cry all the time
when the tears from inside
find their way out
there isn’t much one can do
but let them flow
even if I don’t know why
or who
or where
or what
<>
sun glasses can’t hide
the endless trail of wet
wherever I went
told to leave starbucks
asked to make myself scarce at bars
all that crying didn’t help
the doom and gloom already there
took myself home
went back to my bed
hope that a dream can find it’s way though
<>
woke up this morning
smiling so wide
why was I happy
it was time for that change
smiling
beaming so strange
people looked away
the grin was so bright
the sun was pale in my sight
didn’t need no doctor
no bartender
to make me all right
I was fine as I was
ready to face what what to be done
tears have stop flowing
time to get growing
greeting the truth
rather than crying over it
(2008)
TOpoet 