Tuesday, May 15, 2018

#24 Miriam Makeba "Miriam Makeba"

What a contrast between this album and the last. Makeba's music is generally a lot more fun, more energetic than Baez' and yet it has similar roots. The music comes from Africa and the Caribbean and is mixed here and there with some English updating. It also seems to predict the popularity of Calypso music to come later in the 60s. One tune in particular sounded very familiar; Mbube reminded me a LOT of "The Lion Sleeps Tonight." Also, "House of the Rising Sun" was included here as it was on Baez' album though in Baez' case, it sounded more like a sunday morning chastisement while here, it retained that bluesy, wish I hadn't done that feeling which fits better, to my ear, with the song. This album goes under the 'never would have heard it otherwise, I'm glad I did' category.

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