Friday Music

Here we go….

The first selection is my favorite piece of South African music. This haunting track, from the period when Nelson Mandela was still imprisoned, was released everywhere but South Africa, and worked its way back into the country as an underground hit. Johnny Clegg and Savuka – “Asimbonanga.” The lyrics of the refrain (plus translation):

“Asimbonanga (We have not seen him)
Asimbonang’ uMandela thina (We have not seen Mandela)
Laph’ekhona (In the place where he is)
Laph’ehleli khona (In the place where he is kept)”

From roughly the same period (mid to late 80s), here is my favorite bit of music from Miami Vice. I expected this song to be a bigger hit, but it never took off the way that “In The Air Tonight” did after being featured on the show. Russ Ballard – “Voices.”

For a time-period trifecta, I’ll go ahead and post this late-80s track, which appears now to have been genetically engineered to incite nostalgia: Crowded House – “Don’t Dream It’s Over.”

This past week, and I finished watching the 1978-1980 British TV show The Sandbaggers on DVD. Absolutely brilliant Spy series. The only thing worse than coming to the end of a show and knowing there is no more….is coming to the end of a show that leaves you with a cliffhanger, unresolved for the past 27 years. ARGH. Anyway, here is the nifty theme from the show, by film composer Roy Budd (Get Carter, among others): Roy Budd – “Sandbaggers Theme.”

Here’s a new pop band coming out of Glasgow with a debut album release this month. They’ve appeared on several “indie bands to watch” lists, and I really like what I’m hearing. Butcher Boy – “Profit In Your Poetry.”

The Jesus And Mary Chain are back! Sorta. Kinda. The Reid brothers, Jim and William; plus fellow TJ&MCer Ben Lurie have started a new group, along with Jim and William’s sister Linda. The band is called Sister Vanilla, and I *LOVE* it. Sister Vanilla – “Jamcolas.”

Lastly, some great hip-hop from my favorite crew, Jurassic 5. This is from their 2002 release, Power in Numbers: Jurassic 5 (feat. Nelly Furtado) – “The Thin Line.”

Enjoy.