testo di Francesco Pota

voce di FrancescoPota

con un’intervista a Loris Zanatta

Ascolta la registrazione di questa puntata, andata in onda su Radio Ca’ Foscari il 2 marzo 2017.

La cornice: dentro e fuori dalla puntata

La contestualizzazione degli eventi, sul sito il Mondo Contemporaneo.

The Ethiopians, Everything Crash, in Reggae Power, 1969

You’ve never seen my face before You will not recognize my voice I am the perfect law to end these wicked crimes I am a man without a past I face a world without a future And I’ve done it all at least a million times I’m the eyes that read between the lines I devise the rumor and vicious lies I do everything I can to hide the truth But can you see it in my eyes? I kill spies As I walked into the room I couldn’t help but feel the tension I can hear your thoughts, I can read your mind I’ve been through this all before By persistence, by intention I just do my job and leave the past behind Once there was a time when I believed

Anything could happen at any time I’ve been waiting for this moment all my life And now at last the pleasure’s mine I kill spies

Delroy Wilson, Better Must Come, in Better Must Come, 1971

Yeah, yeah, yeah I’ve been trying a long, long time still I didn’t make it Everything I try to do seems to go wrong It seems I have done something wrong But they’re trying to keep me down Who God bless, no one curse Thank God I’m not the worst Better must come one day Better must come, they can’t conquer me Better must come, yeah I’ve been trying a long, long time But I can’t make it No one to give me a helping hand They only tryin’ to keeps me down Who God bless, no one curse Thank God I’m not the worst Oh, my people get a seat They’re trying to take advantage of me Better must come, better must come, yeah Better must come one day Better must come, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah I’ve been trying a long, long time still I can’t make it

Everything I try to do seems to go wrong It seems I have done something wrong But they’re trying to keep me down Who God bless, no one curse Thank God I’m not the worst Better must come one day Better must come, they can’t conquer me Better must come one day, better must come Oh, better must come one day, better must come Better must come one day Better must come Better must, ooh

Junior Byles, When Will Better Comes?, 1973

We a go beat down Babylon one more time Beat down Babylon We a go beat down Babylon two more time Beat down Babylon Trust no shadows after dark For who a no pirate, a harbour shark Trust no shadows after dark For who a no pirate, a harbour shark When will better come, Lord, when will better come When will better come, Lord, when will better come All the promises that we get We still no see no better yet All the promises that we get We still no see no better yet Six a one, half a dozen a the other, wow If you jump from the frying pan You end up in the fire All a them a Judas, can’t you see Today they use you, tomorrow abuse you But let them elevate and have their fun For what goes up, children, must come down Say we a go beat down Babylon one more time

Beat down Babylon Beat down Babylon two more time Beat down Babylon Beat down Babylon one more time Beat down Babylon two more time Trust no shadows after dark For who a no pirate, a harbour shark Trust no shadows after dark For who a no pirate, a harbour shark Come a, come a beat down Babylon one more time Beat down Babylon, two more, beat down Babylon

Max Romeo, War in a Babylon, in War in a Babylon, 1976

It sipple out deh! War inna babylon, tribal war inna Babylon Let me tell, it sipple out deh A wha’ you seh, it sipple out deh, oh yeah War inna babylon, tribal war inna Babylon It sipple out deh, wha’ you seh, it sipple out deh, oh yeah De baba men nuh like de dreadlocks man De dreadlocks man nuh like de baba man, no De po-lice men nuh like de dreadlocks man De dreadlocks man nuh like de police man, no So war inna babylon, tribal war inna Babylon Let me tell, it sipple out deh A wha’ you seh, it sipple out deh, oh yeah War inna babylon, tribal war inna Babylon Let me tell, it sipple out deh A wha’ you seh, it sipple out deh, oh yeah When come pride then cometh shame A man pride shall bring him low, yeah, oh yeah Honour shall uphold the humble in spirit And you know it’s true, yeah , oh yeah War inna babylon, tribal war inna Babylon A wha’ you seh, it sipple out deh So wha’ fe do ? we slide out deh, oh yeah War inna babylon, tribal war inna Babylon A wha’ you seh, it sipple out deh So wha’ fe do ? mek we slide out deh, oh yeah True, true, true, it sipple out deh

So wha’ fe do ? mek we slide out deh, oh yeah true, true, true, it sipple out deh let me tell, we slide out deh Marcus garvey prophecise, say: “One mus’ live 10 miles away, yeah, in this time” I-man satta at the mountain top Watching Babylon burning red hot, red hot War inna babylon, tribal war inna Babylon A wha’ you seh, it sipple out deh So wha’ fe do ? we slide out deh, oh yeah War inna babylon, tribal war inna Babylon A wha’ you seh, it sipple out deh So wha’ fe do ? mek we slide out deh, oh yeah True, true, true, it sipple out deh So wha’ fe do ? mek we slide out deh, oh yeah true, true, true, it sipple out deh let me tell, we slide out deh

Jacob Miller, Roman Soldier of Babylon, in Tenement Yard, 1976

See them coming, plain in clothes, plain in clothes. Don’t give up, don’t give up, The Roman soldiers of Babylon, are here to fight us. Don’t give up, don’t give up, The Roman soldiers of Babylon are right behind us. Comin’ from the North with their pockets full of ammunition, Tryin’ to turn dreadlocks into politician. Marcus Garvey did say: “Things like this would happen in this time.” Oh yes!So don’t give up, don’t give up, The Roman soldiers of Babylon, are here to fight us. See dem comin’! So don’t give up, don’t give up, The Roman soldiers of Babylon are here to fight us. Look out! They’re in plain clothes!

They’re comin’ to fight Rastafari. But they can’t beat the wisdom, of Selassie I. Rastafari! Rastfari will blow, will blow them away. Rastafari will blow them away.

Bob Marley, Smile Jamaica,

Feeling out, feeling down This feeling wouldn’t leave me alone Then up came-a one that said (hey, Dread) “Hey, Dread, dry, Natty Dread, and smile!” You’re in Jamaica: c’mon and smile! (In Jamaica, y’all) Get it together, y’all! (In Jamaica) Get it together, now! In Jamaica, y’all Soulful down, soulful people Said, I see you’re having fun, Dancin’ to the reggae rhythm, O island in the sun O smile!c’mon and smile! (In Jamaica, y’all) Get it together, right now! (In Jamaica) Get it together, children! (In Jamaica, y’all)We’re gonna help our people, help them right O Lord, help us tonight! Cast away that evil spell Throw some water in the well, And smile!c’mon and smile! (In Jamaica, y’all) Get things together, right now! (In Jamaica) Get it together, right now! (In Jamaica, y’all)Riddim wise (wise), Dub-a wise (wise), And other wise (wise) Can’t criticize (wise) our smile.You’re gonna smile!

(In Jamaica, y’all) Get it together, right now! (In Jamaica) Get things together, right yow! (In Jamaica, y’all) Help the people, help them right! O Lord, help us tonight! Cast away evil spell Throw some water in the well, And smile!You’re gonna smile! (In Jamaica, y’all) Get it together, children! (In Jamaica) Get things together, right yow! (In Jamaica, y’all) Soulful down, soulful people, Said, I know – I know that you’re having fun!

The Slickers, Johnny too bad, in The Harder They Come, 1972

Walking down the road With an old blade in your hand, Johnny too bad, that’s what they say Walking down the road With a blade in your waist, Johnny too bad, Johnny too bad Don’t you play come faking, You’re looking and mistaking, Too bad You’re hurrying and you’re shooting, You’re losing, told you, You’re too bad Just one of these days, You’re going to make your woman cry: Ooh, Johnny too bad One of these days, You’re going to make your woman cry, Cause Johnny, you’re so bad, That’s what they tell me about you With you looking and sticking Switchblade a-picking, Too bad Oh I told you, yes you did it, Don’t you, I told you, too bad That’s what they say about you Walking down the road, You’re going to hear a voice say: Go, Johnny, where you’re going to run to, Come that sweet day. You may be walking down the road, You’re might hear a voice say: Go, Johnny, where you’re going to run to, Come that sweet day You might run to the rock for rescue, You’ll find a rock, you’ll find a rock there Run to the rock for rescue, There will be no rock, be no rock at dawn Walking down the road, With a blade in your waist (Johnny too bad)

Johnny too bad, Johnny too bad Walking down the road, With a blade in your, with a blade your waist You’re too bad Johnny, too bad Johnny, too bad Johnny With your blade a picking, switchblade licking, Too bad With you licking and sticking, blade come picking, Too bad, that’s what they say about you With your blade come licking, licking, sticking, That’s what they say about you Licking, sticking, too bad Johnny go walking Johnny go talking Johnny go walking Johnny go talking Johnny go walking now Johnny go talking Johnny go out Too bad Johnny

Bibliografia

• BANTON, Caree, Between Two Giant Sounds: Jamaican Politics, Nationalism, and Musical Culture in Transition, 1974-1984, University of New Orleans, Theses and Dissertations. Paper 508, 2007;
• GOLDMAN, Vivien, «Dred, beat and blood», in The Guardian, URL: <https://www.theguardian.com/music/2006/jul/16/popandrock.worldmusic >;
• GUNST, Laurie, Born fi dead, a journey through the jamaican posse, Edinburgh, Canongate, 2003;
• MANLEY, Michael, «Bob Loves, Raggae and Revolutionary faith… the role of Bob Marley», in Rising Sun, URL: <http://www.nlj.gov.jm/files/u8/bn_marley_rn_001.pdf>.
• PATTON, David, Jamaica’s Michel Manley: the great transformation (1972-1992), Kingston, KPL 1993.

Sitografia

• «Why Marley’s performance at Smile Jamaica matters», in Midnight Raver, URL: <http://midnightraverblog.com/2014/12/why-marleys-performance-at-smile-jamaica-matters/>;
• KERR, Liz, «Jamaican Politics, Raggae and Rastafarianism in the 1970’s», in The Dread Library, URL: <http://debate.uvm.edu/dreadlibrary/kerr.html>;
• BEUMONT, Mark, «Kill Bob Marley», in NME, URL: <http://www.nme.com/blogs/nme-blogs/kill- bob-marley- the-real- story-of- the-assassination- attempt-behind-this- years-man- booker-prize- winne-14870>.

Video

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