Mash It Up!

December 15, 2024
4 mins read

FROM ALICIA KEYS TO GREGORY ISAACS

By Mtume ya Salaam of Kalamu.com

Saturday/Sunday, May 09-10, 2009.

In this century, being a knowledgeable music fan is as much about following production credits and searching out sample sources as it is about collecting records or recognizing particular voices or instruments. This search could lead you nowhere or it could lead you to something as sweet and sublime as this week’s feature cover cut. But let’s go back to the beginning.

It was a couple of years ago when I first heard a nice bootleg remix/mash-up of the 2003 Alicia Keys hit “You Don’t Know My Name.” I was really digging that rhythm – gentle but funky; hype yet mellow. It gave the song that extra little something. It was weird but quite enjoyable to hear a record I’d already heard so many times suddenly sound so different. Of course, the original hit version of “You Don’t Know My Name” isn’t bad either – that chorus in particular sticks to your mind like candy does to teeth.

Not long after that, I got hip to the reggae mash-up, I came across a tune by the Main Ingredient named “Let Me Prove My Love To You.” If you haven’t heard that one yet, just wait until the ‘ooh-oohs’ and the piano trills kick in. (Got it? Yeah, exactly.)

I really had no idea; all this time I’d been thinking Alicia’s record was a wholly original composition. Now that I know better, listening to Alicia’s record gives me a subtler version of the feeling I get when I look over the edge of something ten or twenty stories off the ground. It’s sample-induced incongruity and it doesn’t feel all that different from vertigo. Each time, the melody takes that certain turn, your heart can’t decide who to follow: Alicia in 2003 or the Persuasions in 1975.

Getting back to the mash-up, that one is really out there, because you get two musical incongruities for the price of one. There’s the whole Main Ingredient vs. Alicia thing, but now there’s also a frickin’ reggae track playing the whole time.

As I said earlier, that’s weird enough on its own, but even weirder is that the reggae track sounds, which come across like it was made for the song. The vocals and instruments break at key moments simultaneously. I figured some bored, talented individual must’ve stayed up really late one night screwing around with the two tracks until they matched up just right.

A couple of weeks ago though, I heard Gregory Isaacs’ “New Lover” for the first time and I knew right away I’d been over-thinking the whole situation. The rhythm track of Gregory’s song is identical to the one used for the Alicia record – identical down to the intro, the breaks and everything else. I think the BPMs might even be the same.

Even if “New Lover” hadn’t been any good, I still would’ve been happy just to have located the source of that rhythm track (because, believe it or not, these are the types of issues that keep me up late at night), but as it turns out, Gregory’s record is a work of minor genius in its own right. It takes the standard ‘wishing her well despite this broken heart’ conceit and adds a nice twist by throwing in an odd geographical reference and even a well-placed quote from classic cinema.

Gregory begins the song with: “You and your new lover / I hope you’re getting on just fine.” That’s pretty much the way it’s done in this type of song. And when he starts the second verse with, “One day your new lover will take away your sunshine / And your life will be filled with raindrops, teardrops…,” you go, “OK, I get it. It’s gonna be that kind of song.” It’s a pleasant lyric with a nice riff – standard pop-song sentiments expressed via standard pop-song metaphor.

Gregory is a well-seasoned professional though. His voice, even after all these years, still has that undertone of trembling helplessness that made his classic “Night Nurse” such an indispensable recording. So if you like the Lover’s Rock genre at all, you can’t help but be moved at least a little by “New Lover,” even if you have heard it all before. But let’s not write this one off as average just yet. Here’s verse three:

“Now, I became much stronger
When you went to live
With him in California

But I didn’t make no fuss
‘Cause a man in my position
Can’t afford to look ridiculous”

Oh, shit! Right? Now, we’re talking! The first thing that grabbed me about this lyrical turn is how, instead of carrying on with the standard ‘you’re going to regret it’ theme, Gregory seems to be throwing in the towel. Like, “Alright cool, she’s gone. I’ll just live with it.” But then there’s the reason he gives for not protesting: because a man in his position can’t afford to be seen doing something like that. (The first rule of pimpdom is “be cold.” If she wants to leave, let her leave. Hell, show her the door and have your driver take her to the airport.) It’s like he’s saying he would’ve tried to make her stay but he was bound by his position to let her go. Of course that begs the question, what position? He never says.

Another thing I like about the lyric is the California thing. It’s needlessly specific. And it’s precisely that specificity that lifts the overall theme from its mundane origins to a higher, better place. Why California? Probably no reason at all, but I like that he said it. Besides that, it’s audacious and kinda funny that Gregory decides to rhyme “stronger” with “California,” those being words that don’t actually rhyme at all.

We’re just about done here except that I happened to see online that the rhythm track for Gregory’s tune was itself lifted from an older reggae classic – Burning Spear’s “Columbus.” I’d heard “Columbus” before but I wasn’t making the connection; I didn’t recall any similarity between the two songs. So I quickly, um, ‘acquired’ a copy of “Columbus” and gave it a spin. This time I heard it right away. The tempo is a lot slower and the horns sound a little different (a trained musician would know why – I’ll just have to settle for ‘different’), but Gregory is definitely rocking a replayed version of the Spear rhythm.

And even if he wasn’t, you can’t go wrong listening to that dry and heavy moan of Winston ‘Burning Spear’ Rodney hurling epithets (‘gangster,’ ‘damn-blasted liar’) at ol’ Christopher Columbus.

Mtume ya Salaam is a published writer and an expert on contemporary Black music. He lives in New Orleans, USA and can be reached at mtume_s@yahoo.com.

273 Comments

  1. I will right away grab your rss as I can not to find your e-mail subscription hyperlink or newsletter service. Do you’ve any? Kindly permit me recognise in order that I may subscribe. Thanks.

  2. I was suggested this blog by my cousin. I’m not sure whether this post is written by him as no oneelse know such detailed about my trouble.You’re wonderful! Thanks!

  3. Hello There. I found your blog using msn. This is an extremely well written article. I will make sure to bookmark it and return to read more of your useful info. Thanks for the post. I?ll certainly comeback.

  4. Hello there! I could have sworn Iíve been to your blog before but after browsing through many of the posts I realized itís new to me. Nonetheless, Iím definitely happy I came across it and Iíll be bookmarking it and checking back often!

  5. I’m sorry, I’m not interested terramycin yahoo answers If the blood has low levels of the C-reactive protein, doctors can rule out a serious bacterial infection.

  6. I’ll immediately take hold of your rss as I can not in finding your e-mail subscription hyperlink or newsletter service.Do you’ve any? Please permit me understand in orderthat I could subscribe. Thanks.

  7. Pretty nice post. I just stumbled upon your blog andwished to say that I’ve really enjoyed surfing around your blog posts.In any case I will be subscribing to your feedand I hope you write again very soon!

  8. กระแสพนันออนไลน์ว่าแรงแล้ว ยังแรงไม่สู้โปรโมชั่นเด็ดๆที่ UFABET ขยันเอาใจสมาชิกมากมายขอรับ แล้วก็ถูกใจผมซะด้วย ไม่ใช่แค่เรื่องโปรโมชั่นนะครับ ผมถูกใจที่เค้ามีเกมให้เลือกมาก อีกทั้งพนันบอล บาคาร่า ยิงปลา สล็อต เกมใหม่ๆมีหมด

  9. I do believe all the ideas you’ve introduced for your post. They are very convincing and can certainly work. Nonetheless, the posts are very short for beginners. Could you please prolong them a bit from subsequent time? Thanks for the post.

  10. I blog frequently and I seriously thank you for your content. This great article has really peaked my interest. I’m going to take a note of your blog and keep checking for new information about once per week. I opted in for your RSS feed too.

  11. I’m not sure where you’re getting your information, but great topic. I needs to spend some time learning much more or understanding more. Thanks for wonderful information I was looking for this information for my mission.

  12. There’s a three month trial period side effects of zenegra 100 As Washington encourages Seoul and Tokyo to pursue closer cooperation on practical matters, it also needs to take a long view

  13. Normally I don’t read post on blogs, but I would like to say that this write-up very compelled me to take a look at and do it! Your writing style has been amazed me. Thanks, quite nice article.

  14. Good day! This post could not be written any better!Reading through this post reminds me of my goodold room mate! He always kept talking about this. I will forward this post to him.Fairly certain he will have a good read. Thanks for sharing!

  15. Very nice post. I just stumbled upon your blog and wished to say that I’ve really enjoyed browsing your blog posts.In any case I will be subscribing to your rss feed and I hope you write again soon!

  16. Hi! I’m at work surfing around your blog from my new iphone 4! Just wanted to say I love reading through your blog and look forward to all your posts! Carry on the outstanding work!

  17. When I originally commented I clicked the “Notify me when new comments are added” checkbox and now each time a comment is added I get four e-mails with the same comment. Is there any way you can remove me from that service? Cheers!

  18. I was suggested this blog by my cousin. I’m not sure whether this post is written by him as no one else know such detailed about my difficulty. You’re amazing! Thanks!

  19. ต้องการเล่นพนันถึงแม้ว่าไปคาสิโนไม่ได้ ปัญหาโลกแตกนี้จะหมดไปครับเนื่องมาจาก UFABET ได้ยกคาสิโนมาไว้ให้แล้ว มีเกมมากมายทั้งยังบาคาร่า สล็อต พนันบอล มองดูบอลสด มีหมดนะครับ เพียงลงทะเบียนสมัครสมาชิกกับเราก็อย่างกับไปคาสิโนจริงๆเลยครับผม

  20. Once I originally commented I clicked the -Notify me when new comments are added- checkbox and now every time a comment is added I get 4 emails with the same comment. Is there any way you’ll be able to take away me from that service? Thanks!

  21. EVE ogniwa LiFePO4 to nowoczesne akumulatory litowo-żelazowo-fosforanowe, charakteryzujące się wysoką trwałością, bezpieczeństwem i stabilnością termiczną. Są szeroko stosowane w magazynach energii, pojazdach elektrycznych oraz systemach solarnych. Dzięki długiej żywotności i odporności na głębokie rozładowania stanowią doskonałą alternatywę dla tradycyjnych akumulatorów ołowiowo-kwasowych.

  22. I am no longer certain where you’re getting your information, however good topic. I must spend a while learning more or understanding more. Thanks for great information I used to be in search of this info for my mission.

  23. Aw, this was an extremely nice post. Taking the time and actual effort to produce a top notch articleÖ but what can I sayÖ I put things off a lot and don’t seem to get anything done.

  24. I’m really enjoying the design and layout of your blog.It’s a very easy on the eyes which makes it much more enjoyable for me to come here and visit more often. Did youhire out a developer to create your theme?Excellent work!

  25. A motivating discussion is worth comment. I believe that you should publish more about this subject, it may not be a taboo matter but generally people don’t discuss such issues. To the next! All the best!!

  26. I haven’t checked in here for a while because I thought it was getting boring, but the last several posts are great quality so I guess I’ll add you back to my everyday bloglist. You deserve it my friend 🙂

  27. We are searching for some people that might be interested in from working their home on a part-time basis. If you want to earn $200 a day, and you don’t mind creating some short opinions up, this might be perfect opportunity for you!

  28. We are searching for some people that are interested in from working their home on a full-time basis. If you want to earn $200 a day, and you don’t mind creating some short opinions up, this might be perfect opportunity for you!

  29. Thanks for every other magnificent post. Where else could anyoneget that kind of information in such an ideal way of writing?I have a presentation subsequent week, andI am on the search for such info.

  30. Its great as your other blog posts : D, thanks for posting. “The rewards for those who persevere far exceed the pain that must precede the victory.” by Ted W. Engstrom.

  31. Başkentte yer alan en özel ve en güzel Ankara escort bayanlar ile iletişime geçmek için, sizlerde Eescbody.com’ u tercih edin ve şık bir ilişkinin tadını çıkarın!

  32. Excellent way of describing, and fastidious paragraph to take facts concerning my presentation topic, which i am going to present in academy.

  33. I will immediately grab your rss as I can’t in findingyour e-mail subscription hyperlink or newsletter service.Do you’ve any? Kindly allow me recognize in order that I may just subscribe.Thanks.

  34. Hi! Do you know if they make any plugins to assist with Search Engine Optimization? I’m trying to get my blog to rank for some targeted keywords but I’m not seeing very good gains. If you know of any please share. Thank you!

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.

Previous Story

Charles Mingus’ Cats, The Black Saint and the Sinner Lady

Next Story

Motown at 50

Latest from Blog