Under Mi Sleng Teng

While the advent of digital riddims didn't completely change--at least not immediately --the riddims that were ruling reggae during the pre-digital "dancehall" era (digital versions of Studio One classics like "throw me corn," "heavenless" and others continued and still do continue to appear), the digital style, by opening the door to poor, Waterhouse-based singers and deejays like Nitty Gritty, Tenor Saw, King Kong, Lt. Stitchie, General Trees, Pompidou, and others, did change the style of dancehall. Just as rocksteady toasters like Dennis Alcapone had to hang it up when Sly & Robbie's "rockers" updates of Treasure Isle and Studio One rocksteady/early reggae classics started to take over in the mid-70s, the digital riddims demanded new singing and deejaying styles--and in many cases, necessitated a changing of the guard. The "waterhouse style," (epitomozed in Tenor Saw's flat, nasal singing) was in, and success in the dancehall--and thus in reggae--depended upon one's ability to adapt.

I would argue that it wasn't until 1987, with the release of Jammy and Admiral Bailey's "punaany" riddim, that the elements of soca and calypso began to conspire with reggae to produce what would eventually become the "hardcore" ragga beats that are so often associated with reggae post-1985. Still, Wyne Smith's "Under Me Sleng Teng" remains the first digital riddim track, and thus, is recognize as the root of ragga. If you're interested in other sleng teng versions, listen to Sugar Minott's "War and Crime" and "Jam in the Street," or Tenor Saw's "Pumpin Belly."

http://www.floorshow.com/foodteam/MT40.jpg

there's whey in my brain?
it's way in my brain?
they're weigh-ing my brain?

he's singing 'it's way in my brain'.

Under me sleng teng, me under me sleng teng
Under me sleng teng, me under me hey hey
Under me sleng teng, me under me sleng teng
Under me sleng teng, me under me hey hey

Way in my brain, no cocaine
I don't wanna, I don't wanna go insane
Way in my brain, no cocaine
I don't wanna, I don't wanna go insane

Because-a inna me eyes there is red like blood
and I been moving around like a human flood
Smoke out of me mouth and outa me nose
I blow it in the air 'a mek de smoke expose

In Westmoreland a where the sense a-come from
put it in a crocus bag pon the mini van
tek de seed an me mek de 'ash oil
an me put in de barrel 'ca me know it no spoil

I said me smoke it and me pass it thru de windah
an me give it to my nex door neighba
Me said me smoke it and me pass it thru de windah
an me give it to my nex door neighba

I asked about this on the Rolling thread and got no reply... how do people rate Sleng Teng Resurrection?

"Pumpkin Belly"!!!

http://www.dustygroove.com/images/products/z/zzwatchhowthepeopleda_101b.jpg

Various -- Watch How The People Dancing -- Unity Sounds FromThe London Dancehall 1986-1989 . . . LP . . . $18.99 List Price: $22.98 (Item: 62068)
Honest Jon's (UK), 1986-1989 (2LP) Condition: New Copy View Cart
Unity Sounds was one of the top, if not the top sound system in London throughout the 80s, and like so many Jamaican greats, went on to start cutting their own rhythms. In the post Jammy's era, this meant stripped down digital beats -- round, bouncing basslines and tinny Casio drums, the reggae equivalent to the nascent electro sound of early hip hop. Each of the tracks here is followed by it's version, and they're all voiced by singers, no deejays, twenty one tracks in all, over seven mighty rhythms, including Selah Collins' "Pick A Sound", Richie Davis "You Ha Fe Cool", Kenny Knots "Ring My Number", "Run Come Call Me" and "Watch How The People Dancing", Peter Bouncer "Ready For The Dancehall Tonight" and Mikey Murka "Ride The Rhythm". Plus there's a nice fold out with photos and an extensive interview with Ribs of Unity Sounds.

http://ec3.images-amazon.com/images/P/B000FJAVLY.01._AA240_SCLZZZZZZZ_V63195268_.jpg

there's a bonus disc dvd apparently:

Also included here is a wonderful DVD with interviews with Jammy's his co-producer, Johnny Wonder and many others, including Ninja Man. Ninja gets into a rather funny 'clash' with Bunny General right in front of Jammy's studio and you get a really interesting look at the very very rich old man still recording JA's finest in one of the most violent ghettos in all of JA, with absolutely no intention of leaving. You get rare glimpses and interviews with individuals such as Tupps, Jammy's selector who had achieved a near mythical mysterious reputation when I was coming up, you watch him as he ever so quietly and carefully work. And you get alot of the King's peers and protoge's talking of the man and his work and MANY of the artists who voiced for him, from Josey Wales to Elephant Man; his peers such as Bobby Digital and Black Scorpio (and nice footage of their clash) and even his wife, the documentary is every bit as good as the cd.

King At The Controls (Part 1/10)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TNFsdHr_ImQ

whats he saying on this?
there's whey in my brain?

― pisces, Tuesday, May 2, 2006 7:06 AM (4 years ago)

otm

In jamaican fasion the dub was used on 100s of tracks

Sad news from Jamaica:

http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/latestnews/Wayne--Sleng-Teng--Smith-is-dead

Ah, there is thread for this. Read that sad news on another thread. RIP you pioneer

Shit. RIP. 'Under Mi Sleng Teng' is *such* a good song.

sleng teng is all time

vey sad news.

cosmically strange timing that he died the day i released a sleng teng record.

oh no! RIP

only 48 too - not just sad to die so young but also surprised me given that Sleng Teng is nearly 30 now

Aw that sucks. Have more or less gotten used to hearing of roots icons passing, not ready for 80s legends too. Sleng Teng fans should check out Ain't No Meaning too, Smith could really sing. RIP

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Pbtfd7RomQ

check out the NUH FRAID riddim from Jah Snowcone!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tQY35sF5Ox4

^^ CANNOT REP THIS ENOUGH

heard the Bounty Killer the other day--didn't realize was like 10 more versions! Agent Sasco sounds really at home on this, got a kick out of hearing his Wa Da Da Dengs

yes!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=leo7s2DqOas

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0tXPCaebPg8

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KqvC0aZjJQQ

BIG UP THE REAL DON

Dude sounds so much like Pinchers there, which I don't think I've ever thought about Vegas before

Okuda Hiroko: The Casio Employee Behind the “Sleng Teng” Riddim that Revolutionized Reggae

https://www.nippon.com/en/japan-topics/g02027/

Love that story.

it's not a fucking Eddie Cochran riff, old ILM was so dumb

god forbid a woman (who was a lifelong reggae fan) would have come up with that on her own

What a cool story!

the Eddie Cochran thing has been part of the Sleng Teng narrative for as long as i can recall, but i'm happy to find out it is nonsense as I couldn't ever hear it in there.

thanks for sharing!

I remember reading about Hiroko and Sleng Teng over a decade ago, but I was super into that era of dancehall then so maybe it was a really obscure piece. I vaguely recall it mentioning that there is a Bowie song that is a better match than the Cochran

^"Hang On To Yourself"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R_Hko8LRdyo

Should've imbedded with a time mark: go to 6:30

yes! that's it exactly willem, thank you

that said, it's amazing to learn she was so into reggae, what a wonderful story