Today it's 'Cry Cry' by Errol Mayes (aka Don Mais of the 'Roots Tradition' record label), and 'Be True To Your Man' by Errol Dunkley. These are the records in my collection that are most likely to get you a slap if your lady's in a bad mood.
There's a fair bit of misogyny in reggae, as there is in rap, and it reflects the fact that this is music made by young men and boys in culture where these attitudes were normal. You see it in some artists more than others (Prince Jazzbo, for example, with all his tracks about concubine). I've lived in countries where it's very common for young women to look for a sugar daddy to look after them. It makes sense in a way, because it guarantees these ladies a good standard of living for a few years at least (instead of a life of constant struggle), and allows them to build up some assets for the future if they're careful. Of course, some of the struggling young men who they leave behind get a bit pissed off.
2 comments:
Having heard his singing voice, I can see why Don Mais became a producer. Incidentally, this is the rhythm Derrick Morgan used for "Some Woman Must Cry", as opposed to the Aggrovators cut from the same era, or is my memory playing tricks?
The history of Jamaican music is littered with examples of misogyny (and occasional racism) all the way back to the earliest days of mento; like it or not, it is part of the culture
What a crack up. He really doesn't have a clue, does he?.....
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