It’s Crop over again. I’m actually pretty late with announcing that here, but I just am not feeling it this year. Last year I was so excited for Crop Over. I’d turn on my radio everyday and blast the songs and dance around. I loved so many of last year’s songs compared to now. I heard a few songs before the season started, and all it left me to think was, “what is bajan music coming to?”.
It’s just mediocre nowadays. I mean I haven’t listened to very many, but what I’ve heard does not make me want to listen to more. I’m not going to quote lyrics or anything, my close friends know what songs I am referring to, but since when have we settled with making such plain, tasteless, jokey rhymes? It’s just not enough to come out straight and say what you mean. It’s almost like an insult to my intelligence. There’s no double entendre, or a smart way to speak about your subject, as the older folk did for years.
When I was younger, I would have thought the lyrics to a song were referring to something simple, but as I grew, or learnt about the situation in that time, I recognised, there was a serious and deep meaning behind the song. Even party songs or yesteryear, involved something that children could hear without understanding fully what the song meant. I don’t want to sound like an old bat, but where was the skill in spinning tasteful lyrics gone?
I wish I could write a song about it. However, Soca, or Calypso is not for me. That also is what I think a lot of the younger artists are not realising. Yes, Soca, Calypso and even Spouge are our artforms, but this doesn’t mean it’s for everyone. Can I paint my own nails, yes barely, but would I open a nail art shop? No, not unless I know I could provide good quality designs. In the same way, people who can sing should not only look into Soca or Calypso because they think it’s easy, but also into other forms of music. They should perfect their art before they release some of the songs they sing. I really don’t understand how some recording studios are just letting people get away with these things. But money makes the world go around right?
I feel like Bajans have also become a little too complacent with their tastes. I like quality in my music. I may like the occasional crude or stupid song, but I for the most part, I like things that are tasteful, that I would not be ashamed to share with the world as my favourite song.
Mind you, if I go in a party or a fete and these songs playing I still would dance to them, because the beats are good, and if you were to take away the lyrics, it’s same to me. For general listening however, us bajans need to up our lyrics game.
That’s what I’ve been thinking about this Sunday. What do you think of the new Soca and Calypso, or just party songs? Think I’m being to harsh? Is there any song you think I should definitely listen to? Or do you feel the same way? Are you also feelign rather meh with this coming Crop Over?
XOXO
Tina Takes Beauty 