2021 Song Draft- Round 1/ Selection 2: Aphoristical selects ‘Expensive Shit’- Fela Kuti
Aphoristical’s blog Aphoristic Album Reviews- can be found at https://wordpress.com/read/feeds/118838899
I’ve already made a list of my ten favourite songs, so it wasn’t challenging to regurgitate that. Instead, I decided to add a restriction. 90% of the songs in this draft will be in English, or perhaps jazz or classical pieces with no words. So my theme for this year’s draft is artists from outside the English-speaking world. I also avoided a few artists like ABBA who record in English and are ubiquitous.
My first-round pick is from Fela Kuti, arguably the best-known artist on my draft list. He was nominated for the rock and roll hall of fame this year, although in a less American-centric hall he could have been inducted years ago. Kuti was born in Nigeria in 1938, the son of an Anglican minister. His brothers became doctors but Kuti chose to study trumpet at Trinity School of Music.
Returning to Africa, Kuti pioneered Afrobeat, adding African textures to James Brown’s lengthy funk jams. He sang in Yoruba or in pidgin English. He lived a colourful life – in 1978 he married 27 women at once. He declared his communal compound, the Kalakuta Republic, an independent state. Because of his outspoken political views, Kuti faced oppression from the Nigerian government, as demonstrated in ‘Expensive Shit’. I’ll let Wikipedia explain:
The title of the album and first track refers to an incident in 1974. The Nigerian police planted a joint on Kuti. Before he was arrested, he ate the joint, but the police brought him into custody and waited for him to produce the (titular) excrement. According to legend, he managed to use another inmate’s feces and was eventually released.
Expensive Shit, Wikipedia
Typically, ‘Expensive Shit’ is a lengthy song, stretching to almost a quarter of an hour and taking an album side. When Kuti’s not singing, his saxophone is also prominent. It’s fun to hear his joyous mix of pidgin English and Yoruba – the way he pronounces “shit” is delicious.
Kuti passed away from AIDS in 1997, but the string of joyful yet provocative music he recorded in the 1970s is impressive.
slicethelife 
A cool & interesting choice Graham!
Thank you – it’s much more fun for me having a self-imposed restriction, I think.
Indeed. With Hans leaving the draft wide open, I’m having a bit of a struggle figuring out my approach going forward as well.
there are so many songs to choose from. I don’t know if I have a strategy- I do know what I want for my first pick- after that? I will let the Osmonds along for others to pick.
Kuti is featured in the doc I saw on Ginger Baker so I learned some about him but they didn’t play any of his music in it. This is cool music, tribal jazz, so full of life.
A lot of his stuff that I’ve heard sounds pretty similar – James Brown meets traditional African sounds – but it works.
What a great pick Aph. Im digging it right now (You are sending me on a Fela listening party). Jazz/funk with all that African rhythm. Sax and percussion are hard for me to resist. What a groove!
Were you into him already?
I knew of him through Baker but also picked up a tribute of his that made me explore more.
Like Lisa I learned some about him some in the Baker doc…I’ll have it playing today at work.
It might be the longest song in the whole countdown unless someone does classical or prog.
I had never heard the song before- I had heard of the artist.. good stuff. A sleeper pick.
I think most of my choices will be sleeper picks that no one else was planning to draft.
It’s been my backdrop today on repeat.
Glad you’re enjoying.
Groovy stuff, Graham. And what a background story!While I’ve noted Fela Kuti and Afrobeat in a couple of previous posts, I haven’t explored his music.
I imagine your self-imposed restrictions should result in other uncommon picks. I’m looking forward to the rest of your list!
It’s hard to pick my favourite Fela Kuti song as they often sound quite similar, so I just chose the one with the best back story.
It’s really hard to top that background story!😆
Great choice Graham! My knowledge of non-English speaking music is next to nothing so I’m looking forward to a little musical education and taste expansion. I’ve heard of Fela Kuti before but don’t know his music. I imagine being politically persecuted for doing your art adds a whole ‘nother dimension to the creative process.
Maybe to pull off that kind of music you need to be an interesting personality- it’s personality driven music.
I have never heard this. First listen, I dig it! Thanks for sharing this.
Thanks for listening!