From Britain, With Love
When the British captured socio-political and economic control of the geographical space called Nigeria, love had absolutely nothing to do with it (Thanks, Tina Turner!). It was purely in alignment with the expansionist proclivity of “Empire” and with expansion came the transposition, ascendancy and inculcation of British culture onto a foreign clime. Britishness or Englishness, if you will, contested for relevance alongside the indigenous languages and cultures.
It however, did not emerge victorious because certain pockets of the indigenous society were determined to preserve ancestral customs and traditions in honour of the ancestors and for the sake of posterity. What ensued was the emergence of a bifurcated space which enabled a side-by-side existence of the indigenous and foreign culture. It behooved the colonized to choose sides- if they were going to be pro-English or pro-indigenous or hybridized “in-betweens”.
Within the media landscape, radio particularly, room was allowed all nuances of music under the sun to shine. And yes, British music unceasingly bombarded the airwaves. When a British artist sang, his national identity betrayed itself without much ado from the radio host. And no, the singer’s accent was not the marker!
Every individual in this world is distinctive and unique. The same can also be said of every nation. Encoded within the British DNA is the penchant for conservatism, modesty, demureness and sobriety which ironically belies her imperial might. British music with its eccentric peculiarity embodies the foregoing, in that, it is pretty reserved and a far cry from flamboyancy. The music production is devoid of excessive embellishments. It is modulated and mostly melancholic. Oftentimes, the vocals manage to simultaneously encapsulate melancholy and joy (think Lighthouse Family’s “High” or Sade’s “Paradise”).
To the best of one’s knowledge, there is no unifying British music which evokes solidarity and pride in Britishness, especially since Britain is composed of several ethnic nations like the English, Irish, Scottish and Welsh. However, Britain’s most predominant music form is pop. Furthermore, the British music stratosphere from observation embraces a plethora of music genres ranging from rock (The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, U2), soft rock (Elton John, Phil Collins), Rhythm and Blues (Eternal, Shola Ama), blue-eyed soul (Leo Sayer, George Michael, Amy Winehouse), commercialized reggae (UB40, Maxi Priest), etc. Singers of mixed or immigrant backgrounds have also had the opportunity of showcasing musical excellence before the world like the legendary Freddie Mercury, Sade Adu, Seal, Emeli Sandé, Michael Kiwanuka, etc.
The smooth texture and crooning disposition embodied by most British songs conveys an undeniable value to the listener. British music is what you need to unwind after a tedious day. It is characteristically dulcet, euphonious and extremely comforting. It is a pleasurable cathartic experience which promotes deep emotional reflection. And remember to keep some tissue wipes on the side, as you may, in some cases, be compelled to cry some.
From the depths of childhood and not-so-distant memories, accompanied by a heavily nostalgic heart, I present you a playlist of some of the finest songs to emanate from the Brits.
Amy Winehouse. "It's My Party" Quincy Jones’ Q Soul Bossa Nostra (2010).
Annie Lennox. "Why" Diva (1992).
Beatles. "Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da" The White Album (1968).
Billy Ocean. "The Colour Of Love" Tear Down These Walls (1988).
Craig David. "Booty Man" Born To Do It (2001).
Culture Club. "Karma Chameleon" Colour By Numbers (1983).
David Bowie. "This Is Not America" Soundtrack to the film The Falcon and the Snowman (1985).
Des’ree. "Life" Supernatural (1998).
Dido. "Thank You" No Angel (1999).
Elton John. "Sacrifice" Sleeping With The Past (1989).
Emeli Sandé. "Read All About It, Pt. III" Our Version Of Events (2012).
Eternal. "I Wanna Be The Only One" Before The Rain (1997).
Freddie Mercury. "Living On My Own" Mr. Bad Guy (1985).
Gabrielle. "Dreams" Find Your Way (1993).
George Michael. "Freedom! ‘90" Listen Without Prejudice Vol. 1 (1990).
Imagination. "Just an Illusion" In The Heat Of The Night (1982).
Jamie Cullum. "Next Year Baby" Twentysomething (2003).
Joe Cocker. "Up Where We Belong" Soundtrack to the film An Officer and a Gentleman (1982).
John Lennon. "Give Peace A Chance" Gimme Some Truth : The Ultimate Mixes (2020).
Leo Sayer. "When I Need You" Endless Flight (1976).
Lighthouse Family. "Ocean Drive" Ocean Drive (1995).
Mark Morrison. "Return Of The Mack" Return Of The Mack (1996).
Maxi Priest. "Close To You" Bonafide (1990).
Musical Youth. "Never Gonna Give You Up" The Youth Of Today (1982).
M People. "Fantasy Island" Fresco (1997).
Phil Collins. "That's Just The Way It Is" …But Seriously (1989).
Queen. "Another One Bites The Dust" The Game (1980).
Robbie Williams. "Angels" Life Thru A Lens (1997).
Rod Stewart. "The First Cut Is the Deepest" A Night On The Town (1976).
Sade. "Smooth Operator" Diamond Life (1984).
Seal. "Crazy" Seal (1991).
Shola Ama. "Still Believe" In Return (1999).
Sinéad O’ Connor. "Nothing Compares 2 U" I Do Not Want What I Haven’t Got (1990).
Smokie. "Don't Play Your Rock 'N' Roll To Me" Changing All The Time (1975).
Spice Girls. "Viva Forever" Spiceworld (1997).
Sting."Englishman In New York" …Nothing Like the Sun (1987).
Take That. "Back For Good" Nobody Else (1995).
The Rolling Stones. "Brown Sugar" Sticky Fingers (1971).
Tom Jones. "It's Not Unusual" Along Came Jones (1965).
U2. "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For" Rattle And Hum (1988).
UB40. "C'est La Vie" Promises and Lies (1993).
Westlife. "Soledad" Coast to Coast (2000).
DISCLAIMER: The songs on this page are not mine, but the exclusive property of the respective artists here listed.
