Mambo Nassau : 80/82 the Grigri Years
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MAMBO NASSAU : 80/82 THE GRIGRI YEARS... After touring to promote « Press Color », her debut album, with a funk band, Lizzy Mercier Descloux traveled to Europe with companion•film•maker Seth Til- lett. They worked in Italy on a serie of short films where she played Anna Mag- nani, Suzanna Agnelli, filmed Renzo Rossellini at Cinecitta about the Emerginati movement, met Federico Fellini during the filming of « Cita della donna », discov- ered the label Ocora (traditional music from all around the world) and with all this in mind started writing songs with help of drummer Bill Perry. In Paris they audi- tionned many african musicians cause after wild child funk the idea was to make a record malaxating african roots music, french buzz vocals, albatross swing and some bizarre soundtracks. The record was made in Nassau, Bahamas at Compass point, Island Records studios under kindness support of Chris Black- well. Walli Badarou who worked there as a house musician with Sly Dunbar and Robbie Shakespeare, joined Lizzy’s band. Steve Stanley a young engineer from Jamaica who was also working on Grace Jones’s album, produced the sound, he later also produced Tom Tom Club, Third World and lots of Island records. « Mambo Nassau » was all instinctive pulsations, improvized energy. Each song is an attempt to mix the urban vibes of city like New York, raw tempo and acro- batic drum beats, african harmonies, hirsute guitars, heavy pulse of bass lines, anachronistic chants, derisive laughter, a blissfull ignorance of the rules of good taste. Music to snatch and glean with a big black sun in the middle of it. World music was not in the cards, it was a step by step adventure, everyday was a sur- prise, an uncompromizing ride, a motherfucking hot stew and they had the ocean to get lost. Eric Clapton, who was recording next door, showed Lizzy his legendary guitars and she sang him an Edith Piaf Song. Nassau is an island for Les millionnaires, drug center, casinos, american ladies looking for sex but Lizzy and the band lived like ermits in the studio, outside Lee Perry was talking to his tree and FIVE TROUBLES MAMBO IT’S YOU SORT OF I’m a trouble alone one Its you sort of I’m trouble to you two It’s you j’ai la dance de St Guy three I kinda feel something hot in my back Chut, chut, chut you bore four Holding me dumb, hoarse, hoarse, hoarse and worst I’m no mascotte in Macao I don’t know why Or an amp fuzz in Las Vegas It’s like letting it go for its shadow A rififi at Chac Mool Beach It’s you sort of When I sing “my darling spinning top” It’s you I kinda feel something scoring my throat I’m a trouble alone one Feel, feel I’m trouble to you two Holding me wet, wet, rough LIZZY j’ai la dance de St Guy three It’s pure gold running on purpose MERCIER Chut, chut, chut you bore four It’s you sort of DESCLOUX This is for real my babe jive five I kinda feel something not in my throat MAMBO NASSAU It’s you sort of Lizzy Mercier Descloux 1981 Its you © 2004 ZE Multimedia Music Lizzy Mercier Descloux 1981 © 2004 ZE Multimedia Music ROOM MATE Lazy, lazy , lazy Cue me Cue me I’m mixed up Mix it up Leaky, leaky, leaky Cue me Cue me I’m mixed up Mix it up Dizzy just like Just like the whirling dervishes Diva just like Orianna Fallacci Lava, lava, lava Cue me Cue me I’m mixed up Mix it up Sqeamish just like, just like The whirling dervishes Rapper, just like Orianna Fallacci Lizzy Mercier Descloux 1981 © 2004 ZE Multimedia Music SPORT SPOOTNIKS Ah cha cha cha, in the Pampa Ah chi chi chi, look in the arena Oh aie aie aie, there’s pimps Oh aie aie aie, los caballeros Ah cha cha cha, a chartless life Ah chi chi chi, los picadores Oh aie aie aie, a cheerless fight Ah aie aie aie, they grow grow Eh matadwarf Eh matadwarf There’s specialist They’re perverted No they’re spootnicks No they’re spootniks Spootnicks Perverted ? Non Spootniks Ah cha cha cha, not too chatty El toro, El toro Oh aie aie aie, their size are phony Matador Ah cha cha cha, these guys are spots Torero Oh aie aie aie. these spots are bad Troops in the mood Eh matadwarf Matadwarf There’re perverted Troops in the mood No they’re spootnicks Perverted, Hein Lizzy Mercier Descloux 1981 Spootniks © 2004 ZE Multimedia Music MAÏTA Maïta vit à côté de son temps Maïta n’a pas sa langue dans sa poche Battue par le sable, Elle rit parce qu’il a beaucoup plu De derrière, de devant Elle crie parce qu’elle a beaucoup bu Et une ribambelle d’enfants Et alors ! Un par an Pas de nouvelle, bonne nouvelle De bonne guerre! Mais pas à Soweto Autre temps, autres moeurs Loin des yeux loin du coeur Mais pas à Soweto Mais pas à Soweto Loin des yeux, loin du coeur Une vie de bout de chandelles Mais pas à Soweto C’est cela à Soweto Elle remplace l’homme Maïta vit nue comme un ver Emmuré, disparu Elle broie du noir De bête de somme, ses muscles Elle brasse du vent L’ont changé en statue Elle tourne en rond A cette cadence, rivée aux pieds du mur Dans la lumière du couchant Néanmoins elle garde sa plus fière allure Elle s’aveugle, Mystère Elle fait des cravates aux mouches Vivre et voir venir, Et morte de fatigue! Mais pas à Soweto Finalement elle se couche A tout prendre, à vrai dire Atmosphère, atmosphère Mais pas à Soweto Mais pas à Soweto Vogue la galère Son et lumière, C’est cela à Soweto Mais pas à Soweto Mais pas à Soweto Les premiers seront les derniers Black is beautiful Certes pas à Soweto But not in Soweto D’amour et d’eau fraîche Mais pas à Soweto Lizzy Mercier Descloux 1982 On ne vit qu’une seule fois © 2004 ZE Multimedia Music Même pas à Soweto 2.28 Lyrics Lizzy Mercier Descloux / Music Wally Badarou 2.44 Lyrics Lizzy Mercier Descloux / Music Lizzy Mercier Descloux & Yahn Leker 4.21 Lyrics Lizzy Mercier Descloux / Music Lizzy Mercier Descloux & Yahn Leker 4.22 Lyrics & Music Lizzy Mercier Descloux 0.50 Music Nino Rota / Arrangements Wally Badarou 4.10 Lyrics & Music Kool & the Gang 3.40 Lyrics Lizzy Mercier Descloux / Music Philippe Lemongne 2.17 Lyrics Lizzy Mercier Descloux / Music Yahn Leker & Philippe Lemongne 3.08 Music Lizzy Mercier Descloux & Yahn Leker 2.14 Lyrics Lizzy Mercier Descloux / Music Mercier Descloux & Wally Badarou 3.52 Lyrics & Music Lizzy Mercier Descloux 3.14 Lyrics & Music Lizzy Mercier Descloux 2.16 Lyrics & Music Lizzy Mercier Descloux 2.49 Lyrics & Music Bob Marley 2.40 Lyrics Lizzy Mercier Descloux / Music Lizzy Mercier Descloux & Michel Bassignani .