![]() The piece is notable not just for its smooth vocals and delightful sexuality, but also for how deeply feminist it is.įeminists have often criticized how the culture reduces women to sexual objects rather than sexual agents with desires. The lyrics come from the perspective of a woman talking with her lover about how intensely she desires them, and how she plans to overwhelm the lover with the thrill of her desire. Glasgow’s Champion Lover exemplifies that aspect well – she primarily operated within the genre of British lovers rock, which drew heavily from reggae but dove deeply into themes of feminine desire and more laid-back musicality. Reggae can also be deeply erotic, overflowing with carnal desire. It is a song that celebrates the Black struggle, and it operates as a call to action to all who would listen: Get up! Stand up! Toots and the Maytals – “Sweet and Dandy” Get Up, Stand Up is one of the heights of political struggle within Rastafari reggae, and its critique parallels the critiques of afterlife-focused Christianity found within Catholic liberation theology in Latin America. Such a belief makes God into something static, forces heaven underground, and dilutes the political power of art and religion into mere escapism.įurther, the power of this song’s critique lies within its context – it does not critique religion from an outside perspective, but rather from within. It follows a Marxist critique of afterlife-focused religion, lamenting people’s complacency with a justice that only comes after death in heaven. The track is structured like a wake-up call that is deeply rooted in Rastafari political theology, criticizing artists and religious people alike who would allow themselves to be placated by the pleasures of this world without being outraged by its injustices. It first appeared on the album they released that year called Burnin’. 7 Examples of Reggae Musicīob Marley and Peter Tosh, both members of the Wailers, co-wrote this song in 1973. It’s similar to rap, though rap doesn’t always have the same melodic aspect to it that chatting does. ![]() These lyrics tend to be heavily influenced by Jamaican dialects of English such as patois, which blends linguistic elements from creole and West African tongues.Īlso, reggae often includes intervals of “chatting,” which are often improvisational (though sometimes prepared) moments of talk-singing where the singer stays primarily on one single note. This provides for a unique sound expressed through the walking bass lines often associated with reggae music.įinally, reggae is characterized by lyrics that celebrate and/or criticize – celebrating that which is good and beautiful in life, while criticizing the political systems that oppress marginalized individuals of all varieties. The bass guitar also plays a very prominent role in reggae – typically, musicians will adjust the tone, either within a recording or after, to further accentuate its lower pitch values and percussive potential. The aforementioned staccato chords are typically known as a skank, which creates the easily recognizable dum- bum-bum, dum- bum sound for which Reggae is well known. Rockers can have a wide variance of syncopation, focusing more on the vibe the beat is creating than a particular pattern within it. One drop focuses almost exclusively on the backbeat, while Steppers bring an insistent bass drum to all four beats. There are three main categories of Reggae beat: Rockers, Steppers, and One drop. This signature rhythm gives it the characteristic groove that listeners often associate with the genre. The beat is almost always in 4/4 time with a syncopated style that lines up with the offbeat in a noticeable way. ![]() There are often multiple vocalists who harmonize with each other to weave powerful melodies over the simple, yet effective instrumentation. Most reggae tracks are in major keys, despite reggae’s broad emotional spectrum. It typically uses a combination of snare drums, bass, and staccato chords on a keyboard or guitar. That beat is one of the most recognizable aspects of reggae. Reggae’s musical characteristics are especially distinctive, including a classic “beat” and specific instruments used in specific ways. ![]() Reggae also has heavy ties to Rastafari, a religious and sociopolitical movement with origins in Jamaica during the 1930s. Reggae music is one of the most distinctive musical genres out there – while some genres are defined by vague gestures of “a driving beat” or “an acoustic sound,” Reggae has very clear defining characteristics, both musically and historically.īroadly, the term represents the genre that emerged from Jamaica (particularly Kingston) in the late 1960s-an eclectic sound inspired by jazz, ska, and blues.
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