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Monkeyska
USA
139 Posts |
 Posted - 04/18/2005 : 01:30:06 AM
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Ladies & Gentlemen! The living legend, himself:
DESMOND DEKKER & THE ACES
Will be playing
for ONE NIGHT ONLY:
THURSDAY, APRIL 21
SLIM'S - 333 11th St., San Francisco, CA
This show is ALL AGES!
Doors at 8:30pm.
For those who may not know who Desmond is…
Desmond Dekker and the Aces were one of the
first Ska/Reggae acts to break into the
international Music scene with their hits:
007 Shantytown (featured in the film
“the harder they come”), & The Isrealites.
Desmond's unique style of music has permeated
Into the American Music culture and has made
it's way into popular Pop music of our time.
Queen Latifah sings “u-n-i-t-y is unity” in
Her early hit, by the same name… An homage to
Desmond Dekker's song “unity”
In the beatles “Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da (Life Goes On)”
the character “Desmond/in the market place” is
a reference to Desmond Dekker.
This is a truly great opportunity for you all
To catch a glimpse at one of the original
Pioneers of Reggae & Ska music! You do not
want To miss this show!
Monkey
P.O. Box 254
Cupertino, CA 95014-0254
http://www.monkeyska.com
monkeyska@yahoo.com |
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vicwong
China
502 Posts |
Posted - 04/18/2005 : 01:47:03 AM
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quote:
Queen Latifah sings “u-n-i-t-y is unity” in
Her early hit, by the same name… An homage to
Desmond Dekker's song “unity”
In the beatles “Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da (Life Goes On)”
the character “Desmond/in the market place” is
a reference to Desmond Dekker.
I'm not sure I believe either of these things. First of all the word "Unity" isn't some kinda street slang coined by Dekker; its in the dictionary and its not exactly obscure subject matter for a song. Furthermore, the Latifah song bears no resemblance to Dekker's "Unity" nor does it even make any mention of it.
Secondly, if you listen to Ob-La-Di in context, it doesn't really make sense to conclude that they are singing about Desmond Dekker. I think people might believe this because the song sorta sounds ska-ish. It might be a ska song, but I don't know if the Beatles intended for it to be.
I would be curious to hear what the sources are for these factoids.
Anyway, I think its pretty sad that people have to describe Desmond Dekker by the artists that may or may not have given him props. That doesn't say a thing about his music. Doesn't being one of the pioneers of vocal ska music in the 1960s mean anything anymore?
PS: Rancid, on the other hand, mentions Desmond Dekker by name in their song "roots radicals"
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jukeboxJB
Armenia
117 Posts |
Posted - 04/18/2005 : 08:07:43 AM
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while i can't comment on the desmond reference in obladi-oblada, the beatles were most definitely aware of ska rythmns. earlier versions of obladi sounded more ska-ish than the released version, and there is a rarity released in its full form on the "anthology" set call "you know my name, look up the number" that has a full-on wanna-be jamaician-style ska jam, with john affecting a *bad* fake jamaicain accent. ska was very much in the musical conciousness of all brits in the sixties, i would say.
"introspection is for losers." |
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TheOddSkankinMod
USA
26 Posts |
Posted - 04/18/2005 : 11:11:04 PM
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I'm not sure if The Beatles were actually referring to Desmond Dekker, but it would make sense if you take this into consideration.Paul was rather keen on the new sound that was coming out of Jamaica in the 60's and he did want to incorporate that sound into The Beatles music but the rest of the fab four weren't to thrilled about this.
Ob-la-di, Ob-la-da is actually a term in Nigerian that means "Life Goes On" that Paul learned from Jimmy Anonmuogharan Scott Emuakpor, who was the Congo player for Bad Manners at the time.
I'm not positive that the song is refering to Desmond Dekker, but it sure as hell would make sense.
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DirtyThingsInGeneral
Philippines
216 Posts |
Posted - 04/19/2005 : 12:55:27 AM
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Bad Manners were around back then at the same time with The Beatles? I don't believe that.
Leave me alone. |
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TheOddSkankinMod
USA
26 Posts |
Posted - 04/19/2005 : 01:43:05 AM
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It was a different Bad Manners not the 2tone one from the the 70's, but this one was still a Ska band.
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ruderoots
USA
988 Posts |
Posted - 04/21/2005 : 11:58:45 AM
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quote:
I'm not positive that the song is refering to Desmond Dekker, but it sure as hell would make sense.
Yeah and anyways, didn't the beatles start out playing skiffle music, which is almost like Irish ska?
abram
www.ruderoots.com
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abauer77
USA
507 Posts |
Posted - 04/21/2005 : 1:08:47 PM
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Skiffle music is from New Orleans.
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ted
Kyrgyzstan
1864 Posts |
Posted - 04/21/2005 : 3:21:34 PM
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Skiffle music is a type of folk music with a jazz and blues influence, usually using homemade or improvised instruments such as the washboard, tea-chest bass, kazoo, cigar-box fiddle, or a comb and paper, and so forth. Skiffle and jug band music are closely related.
Skiffle first became popular in the early 1900s in the US, starting in New Orleans. The Oxford English Dictionary states that skiffle was a term used for rent party.
Originally, skiffle groups were referred to as spasm bands. By the 1920s and 1930s, a form of skiffle was being played in Louisville and Memphis. Skiffle's roots are also found in the jazz bands of the 1940s and 1950s.
The first use of the name on records was in 1925 by the otherwise unknown Jimmy O'Bryant and his Chicago Skifflers. In 1948 Dan Burley & His Skiffle Boys, led by barrelhouse piano player and journalist Burley, brought together New Orleans bassist Pops Foster, and guitar-playing brothers Brownie and Sticks McGhee.
Skiffle became extremely popular in the UK in the late 1950s. Skiffler Lonnie Donegan had major international success with the Leadbelly song, "Rock Island Line" and the novelty song "Does Your Chewing Gum Lose It's [sic] Flavor on the Bedpost Over Night?" Other well-known British skiffle groups include The Gin Mill Skiffle Group, and The Quarry Men, who later became the rock band The Beatles.
Mick Jagger was a member of the Barber-Colyer Skiffle Band but claims he didn't really like skiffle. Nonetheless, it was the popularity of simple skiffle music that opened young Britons' eyes to the idea that they could play music and have hit records. The result, several years later, was the musical explosion called the British Invasion.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skiffle
"You shall know the truth, and the truth shall set you mad."
-Aldous Huxtable |
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vicwong
China
502 Posts |
Posted - 04/21/2005 : 4:51:01 PM
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I am aware of the influence of ska and other forms of Jamaican music in British pop culture in the 60s. Its actually still very prevalent in the UK today, though more in the roots, dub, and dancehall tip. At least more so than in the US.
But, as most of you stated, we just don't know for sure that the Beatles were alluding to Desmond Dekker. I think its lame to present that as fact in order to try to somehow coax people into going to see Dekker tonight.
I'd still be curious to hear the earlier versions of Obladi. Especially if they sound more ska-ish.
-Vic |
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abauer77
USA
507 Posts |
Posted - 04/22/2005 : 7:13:12 PM
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quote:
But, as most of you stated, we just don't know for sure that the Beatles were alluding to Desmond Dekker. I think its lame to present that as fact in order to try to somehow coax people into going to see Dekker tonight.
I'd still be curious to hear the earlier versions of Obladi. Especially if they sound more ska-ish.
According to a few Jamaicans I've spoken with, it was Dekker they referenced. I don't know if that's wishful thinking or true because the lyrics don't really seem to support it.
Ob-La-Di, Ob-Li-Da was very much a conscious effort to play ska, though, and I know I've heard a more raw version of it somewhere.
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Monkeyska
USA
139 Posts |
Posted - 05/03/2005 : 6:32:22 PM
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Okay,
I heard that this became a hot-seat topic but I couldn't believe it!
1. Desmond Dekker was named in relation to Life Goes on, by Paul McCartney in an interview I saw on the tele.
2. The song's title came from a Reggae band called Jimmy Scott and his Obla Di Obla Da Band. Evidently, Paul befriended them on a trip to the island.
3. Queen Latifa not only says unity, but trails off the end of her song by singing "u-n-i-t-y is unity," IN THE SAME MELODY as the Desmond Dekker hit... Plus, she sings it with a group of Children... just like in the original jamaican recording. If this is not a "shout out" I don't know what is.
4. Desmond Dekker was also mentioned by Rancid in thier song "roots Radical" as well as several other artists, of whom I'm forgetting.
I'm offended that the drama queens that visit this site would have to dig this hard to find something to bitch about.
Desmond is a hero & a legend. Any newspaper/radio/tv or reviewer that would want to create a buzz about an artist would try to make as many referrences to their contribution to the pop music culture, as possible.
My advice is: get a hobby... Not everyone in the world is as edju-macated as you, and they need to be.
It's all in the name of ska!
Curt.
Monkey
P.O. Box 254
Cupertino, CA 95014-0254
http://www.monkeyska.com
monkeyska@yahoo.com |
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Percussed
Netherlands
1246 Posts |
Posted - 05/04/2005 : 10:36:18 AM
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"I'm offended that the drama queens that visit this site would have to dig this hard to find something to bitch about."
How bout naming names?
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ruderoots
USA
988 Posts |
Posted - 05/04/2005 : 11:00:24 AM
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Peggy
ted
Monkeyboy
tom
Hepdoggy
sethmh
Percussed
PepsOne
joshd
Vivisection (where's he been lately?)
ruderoots
skajerk
sugargrrl13
abauer77
bingo pajamas
*************
That enough for you?
abram
www.ruderoots.com
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DirtyThingsInGeneral
Philippines
216 Posts |
Posted - 05/04/2005 : 12:46:02 PM
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quote:
Okay,
I heard that this became a hot-seat topic but I couldn't believe it!
1. Desmond Dekker was named in relation to Life Goes on, by Paul McCartney in an interview I saw on the tele.
2. The song's title came from a Reggae band called Jimmy Scott and his Obla Di Obla Da Band. Evidently, Paul befriended them on a trip to the island.
3. Queen Latifa not only says unity, but trails off the end of her song by singing "u-n-i-t-y is unity," IN THE SAME MELODY as the Desmond Dekker hit... Plus, she sings it with a group of Children... just like in the original jamaican recording. If this is not a "shout out" I don't know what is.
4. Desmond Dekker was also mentioned by Rancid in thier song "roots Radical" as well as several other artists, of whom I'm forgetting.
I'm offended that the drama queens that visit this site would have to dig this hard to find something to bitch about.
Desmond is a hero & a legend. Any newspaper/radio/tv or reviewer that would want to create a buzz about an artist would try to make as many referrences to their contribution to the pop music culture, as possible.
My advice is: get a hobby... Not everyone in the world is as edju-macated as you, and they need to be.
It's all in the name of ska!
Curt.
Monkey
P.O. Box 254
Cupertino, CA 95014-0254
http://www.monkeyska.com
monkeyska@yahoo.com
Calm down son.
Leave me alone. |
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ted
Kyrgyzstan
1864 Posts |
Posted - 05/04/2005 : 1:39:05 PM
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quote:
Vivisection (where's he been lately?)
Last I heard from Vivek, he was in the UK studying.
Me drama queen? I think not. I'm an elitist snob...
"You shall know the truth, and the truth shall set you mad."
-Aldous Huxtable |
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DESMOND DEKKER @ SLIMS! (Th, Apr 21)
