And if like us you reckon that Ronan Keating says it best when he says nothing at all, you’ll join us on the truck for Rainy Days and Songdays… five Notting Hill bangers.
Because you don’t have to go out to the West Indies for the full Caribbean experience.
It’s just that London doesn’t have the natural beaches and palm trees, that’s all.
And so it was in Barbados where I got my first taste of carnival, Grand Kadooment, Foreday Morning and Mas.
Now to warm you up for that and educate you in Caribbean.
We have the annual Notting Hall Carnival, which this year celebrates its 60th anniversary this year.
From Junior to the Clash
Police and Thieves: If there’s one anthem that has recognition from Carnivalites and non-Carnivalites alike it’s this anthem from Jamaicans Junior Murvin and Lee ‘Scratch’ Perry.
The story goes that The Clash’s Joe Strummer and Paul Simonon got on the song for their eponymous debut album.
Because they were involved in a riot as part of the 1976 carnival.
Memorable line: And all the crowd come in, day by day/No one stop it in any way/All the peacemaker turn war officer/Hear what I say.
Jumpin’
Jump: And what would a carnival be without the jumpin’ and the chippin’?
This classic beat from Bajan soca star Rupee (real name Rupert Antonio Clarke) from the turn of the Millennium had us all, well jumpin’.
Memorable line: And the men, selling their craft/And don’t talk about the girls in the costume, yeahIt just does something to me and it makes me wanna/jump around the place.
Take note
If you don’t know me by now: And another which is as well known for its cover as its original.
Philly soul band Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes first had a stab at this plea for forgiveness back in 1972.
Before Simply Red reprised it in 1989, complete with Mick Hucknall flicking his carrot-top tresses around.
Memorable line: Oh, don’t get so excited/When I come home a little late at night/You know, we only act like children/When we argue, fuss and fight.
The OG
Jamming: And, of course, no celebration of the Caribbean would be complete.
Without a nod to the Great Man, Bob Marley.
And nothing is guaranteed to get the crowd going than this classic.
Although you could say that about One Love, Three Little Birds… you name it.
Memorable line: We’re jammin’/To think that jammin’ was a thing of the past/We’re jammin’/And I hope this jam is gonna last.
And Ri-Ri
Man Down: And that’s me every time the Queen of Barbados (they got rid of the other one) trills at me in her velvety voice.
And although the lyrics are challenging, it’s in the spirit of I Shot The Sheriff, and who can’t resist the refrain.
Particularly as it has rum in it and we’ve plenty of experience of chippin’ to the rum truck.
Memorable line: Rum-pum-pum-pum/Rum-pum-pum-pum/Rum-pum-pum-pum/Man down.
