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Your all time classic tracks


froggg

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Top track from one of the first hundred albums I ever purchased :cool:  

 

 

 

 

 

 

Madam Medusa - UB40 (1980)

*Youtube has added the adverts.. not me! I attempt to make no money from any of my uploads.

I first heard this song as a teenager in the late 80s. I had acquired it on cassette tape from my older brother. Ken had experienced some of the tension in Handsworth in the early 80s, as he used to travel from Harborne to his school, Handsworth Grammar school for boys, by bus every day.

We grew up in the city and I left with my parents for the countryside aged seven. We visited relatives regularly and a big piece of my heart remains in Birmingham (have moved back there a couple of times). It offered me a diverse and rich heritage in my formative years, something which I am truly grateful for today and I embrace different cultures.

'Signing Off' album was played on radio in Birmingham when it was first released, It was only years later that I dsicovered 'Signing Off' for myself. I had been getting into Ska, and the resurgence of 2-Tone, amongst other new forms of music such as Detroit Techno and Acid House, but something about this album sounded ahead of it's time and after borrowing it on cassette from my brother I decided to buy it on LP for posterity. 

While some argue that UB40 went on to commercial covers, they produced some ground breaking material in their early years, check out 'Present Arms In Dub' for one. They are one of the biggest selling Reggae bands around, and you don't reach those heights of fame without catering for the popular masses at some point, but for me, early tracks such as 'Madam Medusa' remain not only a statement of the times, but songs which skip genres and leap musical fashions, to remain very listenable and still fresh today.

The images are of 1970s Brum, I chosen them to try and reflect the time and some of the hardships certain communities faced, Birmingham wasn't all problems and towerblocks at the time, but it's hard to deny some of the social and architectural mistakes that had been taking place in British cities over many years prior to bands such as, UB40, The Beat and The Specials came around to highlight it.

Most of the pics are from Pogus Ceasar (Whom I have enjoyed a beer with in the past) and Vanley Burke, two great guys so I hope they don't mind the use of their pics and the plug. This video is for promotion of the album only which you can still purchase on various formats.

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It is the springtime of my loving - the second season I am to know
You are the sunlight in my growing - so little warmth I've felt before.
It isn't hard to feel me glowing - I watched the fire that grew so low.

It is the summer of my smiles - flee from me Keepers of the Gloom.
Speak to me only with your eyes. It is to you I give this tune.
Ain't so hard to recognize - These things are clear to all from
time to time.

Talk Talk - I've felt the coldness of my winter
I never thought YOU would ever go. I cursed the gloom that set upon us...
But I know that I love you so

These are the seasons of emotion and like the winds they rise and fall
This is the wonder of devotion - I seek the torch we all must hold.
This is the mystery of the quotient - Upon us all a little rain must fall...It's just a little rain...

 

 

Beautiful song......... thanks Jimmy :cool:  :cool:  :cool: 

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It is the springtime of my loving - the second season I am to know

You are the sunlight in my growing - so little warmth I've felt before.

It isn't hard to feel me glowing - I watched the fire that grew so low.

It is the summer of my smiles - flee from me Keepers of the Gloom.

Speak to me only with your eyes. It is to you I give this tune.

Ain't so hard to recognize - These things are clear to all from

time to time.

Talk Talk - I've felt the coldness of my winter

I never thought YOU would ever go. I cursed the gloom that set upon us...

But I know that I love you so

These are the seasons of emotion and like the winds they rise and fall

This is the wonder of devotion - I seek the torch we all must hold.

This is the mystery of the quotient - Upon us all a little rain must fall...It's just a little rain...

 

 

Beautiful song......... thanks Jimmy :cool:  :cool:  :cool: 

Did you know that they released some unheard stuff lately?

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