Great Side of South American Political Funk

This track can be found on the “Singles Mixer Vol. 2” podcast.

What wonders the world holds for us, it’s into December and the only blizzard of the season is a month behind us and we’re otherwise enjoying a string of moderate days.  (Maybe though, it’s less of a wonder and more of a direct byproduct of global warming turning New England into a more temperate zone as the Earth is put into our hand-made tanning booth.)

Today’s 45, and what a 45 it is, by Tony Morgan & Muscle Power is appropriately world travelling, bringing the some amazing afro-cuban (nearly west african) rhythm to us via the Chicago blues label founded by Polish Jew Leonard Chess.

Released on Chess in 1973 “Racial Segregation” was written, arranged and produced by Eddy Grant, who you may know from his gigantic 80’s hit Electric Avenue or if you dig below that his massive 60’s hit with The Equals “Baby, Come Back” or my personal favorite “Black Skinned Blue Eyed Boy.”  After a medical issue in 1971 Eddy left his adopted home in the UK to return to his native Guyana to run his Ice label, where he produced this and a cover of “Black Skinned Blue Eyed Boy” which was a big disco hit in the UK, along with a few others for Tony Morgan & Muscle Power (alternately spelled ‘Mussel Power’, not sure if that’s a food pun or failed translation, but it shows up regularly).

This record was released on a number of labels internationally, but for American distribution Chess, now run by the much more psychedelically inclined son Marshall Chess, got the nod.  My copy is a DJ Promo so I’m not sure how much noise this made on the charts (nothing according to what I can tell by the silences in Billboard/Cash Box etc) but since when did chart action equate to the quality of a record?

This record is an absolute shaker with every part of the arrangement- voice, clean guitar, horns, percussion- heavy and locked in enough to carry the whole song. Again, harkening to the West African vibe, I can’t help but hear some of the Fela style influence both in rhythm, use of horns and making the song a clear political weapon. It’s worth noting the flip is an instrumental version that hits just as hard but I prefer the fearless politicizing of the vocal.  A pretty unique record on most accounts and without a doubt worth dropping the coin on if you come across it in your travels.

Till next time, health and happiness,

-George / Snack Attack