Why do the good always die young? Of course, I’m provoking you to some degree. Not all good people left this world at young, fragile ages, but a good deal have. There are too many names to list here, but I’m quite sure that ninety-five percent of those reading this will stop and think about the artists they loved who are no longer creatively strolling on the surface of this world. It’s insane. But look at the lives more than half of them lived; it seems inevitable that they had to leave us early. The only light that shines through this rather grim reality is the fact that most of their music lives on several decades onwards. So why hold on to what is no more, when all you have to do is pick up the CD, Vinyl of mp3 of the given artist and spin it? You’ll forget the tragedy soon, and positive vibes will shudder through the space in your living room.
[wpaudio url=”https://dl.dropbox.com/u/11754590/Dreadlocks%20Party.mp3″ text=”BILLY BOYO – DREADLOCKS PARTY” dl=”0″]
Kingston, Jamaica has birthed many, very many talented artists. Billy Boyo, born Billy Theophilus Rowe, is just another prime example of what the optimistic impact of the Caribbean can do. What can it do? you may ask. Well, listen, the people are cheerful, they follow a general belief which provides nutrition for the souls, the “higher meditation”, they praise Jah; oh, this list too is endless. But something else makes them special: they give thanks to the healing of the nation, Cannabis. Oh yes, that smokeable shit that has in it this substance called tetrahydrocannabinol. Right.
[wpaudio url=”https://dl.dropbox.com/u/11754590/Wicked%20She%20Wicked.mp3″ dl=”0″ text=”BILLY BOYO – WICKED SHE WICKED”]
Anyhow, the healing of the nation is a topic basically every Rastafari sings about and highly praises. I mean, if everybody else does it, why shouldn’t you? I don’t criticize, I’m rather jealous, to be honest. Billy Boyo left the world too soon, but within the short span of his adventurous life, he hit the studio in his young years of puberty -albeit studios with fairly moderate recording material – and recorded some of Kingston’s finest and timeless anthems. Babylon music, the mountain and the cool breeze. When the sun comes down, the earth gets hotter.
[wpaudio url=”https://dl.dropbox.com/u/11754590/One%20Spliff%20A%20Day.mp3″ dl=”0″ text=”BILLY BOYO – ONE SPLIFF A DAY”]
It’s sad to see Boyo leave the world so soon, too soon, but his music indeed lives on, so long as we support it and play it. Dreadlocks Party, Wicked She Wicked, and One Spliff A Day are just three anthems the young hipster produced somewhere in a side street in the village of Kingston, a long, long time ago. Think of it this way: take for granted what he made, for that is the most valuable treasure he left behind for us. But lament not, fellow listeners, but rather, let these bellowing, yet lovely shining words by Billy himself echo in your ears, and try to learn something from then. May I remind: One spliff a day would keep the evil away. I ah Billy Boyo, she gi’ me love right away. ?
