from the dawn of the 21st century, this song is a collaboration between flutemanjohn and my closest musical friend Trevor Flowers, and one more, as you will see, While playing with the Bob Marley's legendary band The Wailers, I joined Trever's local Houston Texas reggae band as a volunteer amateur sideman, just in love with reggae and the music Trevor was singing and playing in his beautiful tight reggae band. We became lifelong friends, and did a lot of playing and recording in my Fried Piper Studios. This recording is a beautiful example of our friendship and the music we made together.
Now I must get mystical for a brief moment, if you will allow. During the earliest part of the 21st century (and even before) i was playing and recording with Bob Marley's band, The Wailers, Trevor's reggae band, Irie I's, Gary's band Whoever Shows Up, and freelancing at venues (Red Rocks Amphitheatre, Houses of Blues, Houston's International Festival, Austin City Limits Festival, Camp Zoe. etc) all over the South and the Midwest, from Colorado to Texas to New Orleans, and a million places in between, with dozens of bands at a myriad of venues, jammin with friends, recording, whatever.. Have flute, will travel. I had caught a permanent case of Peter Tosh' "Reggaemylitis". I was immersed and fascinated in the genre: ska, rock steady, reggae, the one drop, all of it. I dreamed reggae, literally. In one of those dreams, Bob Marley came to me, just him, with his 70's gold Les Paul guitar strapped on, behind him a black field like a velvet elvis. He stood facing me, looking me in the eye, crucially, urgently, and sang me this song, nothing else. The Vibe was Word Sound and Power. I heard his voice, the crucial lyrics he sang. I heard and saw the guitar chords he formed. it is one of the exceedingly few truly natural mystical occurrences in my life. I stumbled out of bed in the middle of the night, into my studio next door, picked up a pencil and guitar, and wrote down the lyrics and chords, playing and singing out loud this newly given vision, capturing the ska reggae vibe, and everything he gave me, while the dream was fresh, while the gift was warm, then went back to sleep. That weekend I showed it and played it for Trevor, and gave hime the chart. Trevor took it home and made the first beautiful electric recording, as a surprise gift to me. We took it back into my studio, finalized it, and the rest is reggae history. This song belongs to three specific entities: flutemanjohn, Trevor, and the Natural Mystic. We now give it to you. It is overarchingly a meta protest song (I have something to say!). It is about Word, Sound, and Power, the power of lyric and protest music to transform and effect change. It is about the power and glory of meditation, the power of social conscious lyrics, single-mindedness and redemption, faith and prayer, knowing there is something beyond yourself, and doing something about it !!!
Peace and Love
This recording is from Nov 2004, fried piper studios, Houston Texas
lyrics
lyrics:
when i’m into singing, stiddly bop oh yeh (crucial lyrics yeh)
i’ve got something to say
when i’m into dubbin, widda drum and base, (widda version ace)
i’ve got something to say
when i’m into jammin, let me hear you play, (jam de nite away)
i’ve got something to say, every day
when i’m into rammin, people in da place, (nothin in my way)
i’ve got something to say, any way
of such a beautiful day
take all the sadness away
fall to my knees and i pray
cause i’ve got something to say
love songs and flowers
lightness and lace
word, sound, and power
make a better place, for the human race
credits
released October 18, 2021
track credits:
flutemanjohn for lyrics, lead vocals, flutes, chords, music, REM state, engineering, production
Trevor Flowers for lyrics, lead and backing vocals, saxophone, keyboards, sequencing, inspiration, friendship, knowledge.
The Natural Mystic for everything related to this message music.
I played flute ten years (2000-2010) with Bob Marley's immortal band The Wailers. Other folks I got to play with include
Umphrey's Magee, Peter Rowan, New Monsoon, Ancient Harmony, Carolyn Wonderland, and many more. I write & record all my own original music. Please follow me on BandCamp. My music is ever evolving. Please check my new $6 paperback on Amazon under Books: "Lyrics Poems Tales" fmj...more
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