Sixty Six

 

Today is my birthday and I'm 66 years old. In my younger years, I could never have imagined that I would be this old. But with a bit of luck and a positive attitude towards life, I'm now closer to 70 than 60. I don't want to complain about the age either, because in the end it's just a number and says nothing about the person, no matter what they've been through.

When I was looking for a song with 66 in the title, I kept coming across the classic Route 66, but I didn't want to use it today. Instead, my choice fell on a song that Linton Kwesi Johnson released on his second album Bass Culture, which has lost none of its luster even today.

Street 66 told of a raid on a house party where revelers were ready to meet violence with violence. This was no fantasy: reggae dances were frequently broken up by police, batons drawn. After one such invasion, Dennis Bovell suffered a spell in jail on charges later dismissed on appeal.

Linton Kwesi Johnson - Street 66

On this day in in 1946 George Best was born in Belfast. He is best known for his successful career at Manchester United. Best, who is equally strong with both feet, combined the typical strengths of a winger in the form of great pace and acceleration with a strong goal threat. 

He had his best time in 1968, when he won the European Cup with Manchester United. Unfortunately, he had problems with his alcohol consumption throughout his life, which ultimately cost him his life.

In 1987 Leeds' Wedding Present released their debut album George Best. Still a classic in fast indie rock. David Gedge wrote pop anthems that never stop working, songs whose lines could not be more honest. Sometimes soft and quiet, sometimes beguiling and loud.

The Wedding Present - My Favorite Dress

I couldn't resist to feature With 66 Years, a very famous schlager by Udo Jürgens (please don't blame me, Dirk) from the seventies. Jürgens is a classic trained piano player who had several hit singles 50 years ago. In this song he describes that live is starting when you turn into 66.

X Marks The Spot

Obaro Ejimiwe, better known as Ghostpoet returned with a new album these days. It's a pearl in new releases this year with it's comforting spooky atmosphere. He's the one that combines the best of 80s New Wave and the Tricky-based sound of Bristol. Sometimes I think Linton Kwesi Johnson appeared in a new robe. A good example is his new single. Recorded with the singer Nadine Shah he gives us a reduced and relaxed song with a sad TripHop atmosphere, early dark New-Wave bass and some picked electric guitar to his whispered and spoken words.

Songs The Lord Told Us # 11

When I was  in 1979 some days in London was I have bought to myself at a market among the rest Linton Kwesi Johnsons's 'Forces of Victory' - one of my first reggae albums ever. I played it often these days and I bought his next record 'Bass Culture' as well. And this record is still a classic album of this time. I have to admit that I found access to him about listening to his music. The lyrics were very hard to understand for me. I played the songs from 'Bass Culture' often in our local pub when once an English friend of mine who worked as a waiter tapping beer asked me if I understand what he's singing. As I answered 'Nope, Sir' he told me about the meaning of his words. Because I now knew the contents of the songs I have easyly done myself to understand the single words. LKJ wrote the soundtrack to the street battles of the Thatcher's era. While The Clash sung "White Riot", LKJ describes what turned up in the black quarters of London of Notting Hill to Brixton. He is a socialist, is close to the Black Panther movement and fights in all fronts for the black Englishmen. For Him music is additional means to propagate his ideas. One of my favorites is his song 'Inglan Is A Bitch' in which he describes the everyday life of the Jamaican immigrants in London and their social mismanagement.

Linton Kwesi Johnson - Inglan Is A Bitch

And as a bonus a fine remix of this song:

Inglan Is A Bitch

Let's start this week with an old reggae-styled tune from an activist for peoples aims and opportunities in the early 1980s. Linton Kwesi Johnson was the voice of a lot of black people in Great Britain these days and also immigrants from the Caribean sea. Telling us all, what it means to life and work as a man with migration background. Seems like nothing happened since then....

Linton Kwesi Johnson - Inglan is a bitch

Black and White

Today I want to feature Wynn Bullock and his photographs. He was born early last century and became a well recognized American master photographer of the 20th century. After school he was hired to the Irving Berlin Music Box Revue as a chorus member. During the mid-20s he settled over to Europe to studying voice in giving concerts in France, Germany and Italy. In Paris he got fascinated of the Impressionist and the post-Impressionists. He discovered the works of Man Rey and experienced a strong affinity with photography. 

Back in the United States while the great depression he settled down in West-Virginia to rule his wife's family interest. Short time later he moved with her to California to study law like his mother (who was the first Californian female jurist). After a couple of month he quit study law and became a student of photography at the nearby Art School.

Throughout the decade of the 1950s, he devoted himself to developing his own vision, establishing deep, direct connections with nature. He was one of the pioneers of making black and white slides - long before they were used a stylistic form of photography.

Todays music is taken from the 1980 record Bass Culture and shows the dub-poet at his best.

Enjoy and have a good week.

Linton Kwesi Johnson - Inglan Is A Bitch