Greetings Superstars!
We’re back to pick up where we left off on our list of great rock and pop songs inspired by reggae music. Let’s go!
“Hey Mama” - The Black Eyed Peas
You probably remember this one from those Apple iPod commercials, but I don’t know anyone who would call the Black Eyed Peas sellouts. This song still gets booties on the dance floor even after 20 years! Part of the appeal is that it features English reggae star Tippa Irie. Pump it up and watch me dance.
“D’yer Mak’er” - Led Zeppelin
This song’s title actually jumps from Jamaican patois asking, “Ju make her?” As a woman, this is slightly sinister, but I love Led Zep and this song so we assume it has an innocent meaning. It came out in 1973, so this song is older than me and just as groovy.
“Do You Really Want To Hurt Me?” - Culture Club
I remember the very first time that I saw Culture Club on Solid Gold at my Nana’s house in 1982. I loved them so much that I drew Boy George with a chameleon crawling out of his breast pocket in a caricature class when I was 10 or 11. Culture Club credits their bassist, Mikey Craig, for introducing the reggae influence.
“Fly” - Sugar Ray
I feel like this band got a lot of lip in 1997 because its lead singer, Mark McGrath, was a little too pretty for the SoCal locals and their grommets. (That was for you
. 😉) But tell me that “Fly” isn’t playing incessantly in your head right now just from reading the title. “IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII just wanna fly…” You hear it—I know you do. I choose to love it and its reggae beat featuring DJ Super Cat.“Genius Of Love” - Tom Tom Club
According to Songfacts, the following superstars have sampled this 1981 song by the bassist and drummer for Talking Heads (who were married to each other):
Grandmaster Flash, “It’s Nasty/Genius Of Love” (1982)
Ziggy Marley, “Tumblin’ Down” (remix, 1988)
Mariah Carey (!!!), “Fantasy” (1995)
The lyrics explicitly mention genius reggae producers and Rockers godfathers Sly and Robbie. “Genius of Love” is such a fly beat—it somehow makes me want to make poor choices, so I only listen to it in a locked room. jk
“Pawn Shop” - Sublime
Travel back in time with me to 1996—Marky Mark scared the heck out of Reese Witherspoon in the movie, Fear (we need to have a whole chat just about this movie); basic girls were rocking “The Rachel” hairstyle; every cocktail server in South Beach could leap on a bar and do the ‘Macarena’ on command; and everyone wanted to be Gwen Stefani. Her group, No Doubt, and Sublime probably played the same garage parties when they were baby bands in Southern California. Sublime wove reggae into just about everything they created, but “Pawn Shop” was great when we were young and dumb because you could change the lyrics. R.I.P. Brad Nowell.
“So Lonely” - The Police
This 1978 song feels like one of those organic musical fusions that illustrate the diversity of the British Commonwealth (ahem, Dominions)—especially the generations of Caribbean people who moved to London and other English cities for a better life. I don’t believe that any members of The Police were from the islands, but they clearly marinated in the nourishing stew of reggae music on a slow simmer with rock, pop, and blues.
Enough of my opinion—what songs feed your soul because they were inspired by reggae music? Let me know.
This week, I hope that you take a break and sit in the shade—even if it’s 96 degrees.
TTY! 💛
Great Songs Inspired by Reggae (Part 2)