Horace Andy – Show and Tell
Horace Andy
Listen/Download – Horace Andy – Show and Tell
Greetings all.
The end of the week is here, and I’m feeling mellow (as a cello), so I figured I drop some sweet island soul on you.
This is one of those times, where I wish I had a selection of paragraph-long explanations linked in the sidebar, so instead of belaboring a point made in this space several times in the past, I could instead insert a footnote/hyperlink, which – when followed – could present the boilerplate, i.e. a shorthand of sorts.
That system never being put in place, I will instead try to distill the thought into a single sentence:
I love reggae, collect it when I can, but qualify the statement by saying that I in no way present myself as an expert on the subject.
How’s that?
That said (briefly) I recently grabbed a handful of nice reggae 45s, including a couple of nice soul covers. I was tempted to do another all-Jamaican week, but decided against it, feeling it might be cooler to spread out the individual sides over the course of the coming months, including the reggae as a seasoning of sorts.
Though I’ve danced around the idea a little bit in the past, I would say that although there is a stylistic divergence based largely in the rhythms specific to Jamaica and its denizens recording abroad (especially in the UK), much of the music described as reggae, ska, rock steady and what have you during the 60s and 70s is so closely related to (and often derivative of) R&B, soul and funk that it wouldn’t be much of a stretch to just wrap it all up in the same bag, and then to go ahead and slice it up by sub-genre.
There are clear differences, but the roots are in most cases the same, and though it has largely been a one way street (i.e. passing from the US to Jamaica but rarely in the opposite direction) there has been a lot of sharing of material.
Today’s selection is a great example thereof.
Horace Andy is one of the great Jamaican vocalists of the 70s and beyond, having worked and lived in his home country, the US and the UK, eventually working in dub and even triphop, collaborating with Massive Attack.
The song I bring you today is a fantastic, laid back cover of Al Wilson’s huge 1974 soul (and pop) hit ‘Show and Tell’. I haven’t been able to date this recording conclusively, though it wouldn’t seem to be any later than 1981 (when it saw issue on the Studio One label). I suspect it’s probably from a few years before that.
The tune adapts well to the reggae rhythm, with some tasteful, subdued lead guitar moving in and out of the mix. Andy’s sweet tenor – at times lifting into falsetto – is supported by female backing singers. The arrangement is spare compared to the original by Wilson, but since Andy is a completely different kind of singer, it works well.
It’s very groovy indeed and I hope you dig it.
NOTE: Don’t forget to check out the Funky16Corners Radio Show on Viva internet radio this Friday night at 9PM.
Have a great weekend.
Peace
Larry
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Themocracy
Quality track.
One of my favourite covers of all time…
Nice work Larry!
Stu
I love this song and its universal words that show all the strength of love!!
Irie men from italy 🙂