A Bomb Song

Soca Artiste "Kakal"

The debate about the merits of the lyrical content of the songs for 2010 will continue long after the last note of this carnival season has faded from our memories. I will declare right here and now that everything I am about to say is my opinion and that there are many who will not agree with me. That has never stopped me before so here goes.

I think that many of the songs this year reek of desperation and laziness. The only reason some of the filth that passes as lyrics is put forward for consumption is that the writers do not trust their ability to get a reaction from the crowd otherwise. Why else would anyone sing a 'mother corn' song? Give me a damn break. Why else is anyone singing about 'Mr Dean Dough'? For real?

To make it worse the radio stations, all of them, play that nonsense in the guise of supporting local music. Seriously. My son asked me point blank how it was that I could go to a calypso tent to listen to Herb Black sing about everybody including his little niece 'For King' while Vybz Kartel and Movado were banned and their shows cancelled. To him it was the same thing and in some ways even worse because the government was giving 'dem people money to sing dat nastiness'.

My son pulling me up on my moral hypocrisy that allowed me to sing along to the melody while pretending ignorance of the indelible impression that is being created by my tacit acceptance of smuttiness. By not switching my radio to a different station, by nodding my head and tapping my feet, I accept what really and truly should be unacceptable.

How much imagination does it take to come up 1q, 2q, 3q and 4q? How clever is 'move your neck dere'? For heaven's sake we came up with that junk way back when I was in primary school. At least then I got punished for it if I got caught. It is time we start rewarding those who take the time to make a bomb song and say no to those who bomb. Seriously.