culturaroots, Nov
2, 2007
-snip-
Total statistics as of Feb.12, 2024 at 12:43 PM
Totl # of views -
Total # of comments - 14,179
****
Edited by Azizi Powell
This post presents showcases a YouTube video of Chaka Demus & Pliers' 1992 Jamaican Dancehall song "Murder She Wrote". This post also presents a brief excerpt from this song's Wikipedia page.
This pancocojams post also provides a compilation of some comments from that video's discussion thread in which the commenters mention the name of their country or are replies to those comments. These comments were published in 2016-2024 (as of the date of the publication of this pancocojams post)*.
*After uploading numerous pages of comments from this video's discussion thread, my computer wouldn't upload any additional pages. It's likely that numerous comments that fit this sub-set of comments are featured in those pages that I wasn't able to upload.
Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2024/02/why-some-kenyans-some-other-africans.html for Part II of this pancocojams series.That post showcases the same YouTube video of Chaka Demus & Pleirs' 1992 Jamaican Dancehall song "Murder She Wrote". That post also provides a definition of the linguistic term "folk processing" as an explanation for why some Kenyans and some other Africans refer to the Jamaican Dancehall song "Murder She Wrote" as "Mama Shiro" or other similar titles
The content of this post is presented for historical, socio-cultural, entertainment, and aesthetic purposes.
These comments document that many people throughout the world have been aware of and have had an appreciation for Chaka Demus & Pliers' Dancehall song "Murder She Wrote" since that record's was first released.
All copyrights remain with their owners.
Thanks to Chaka Demus & Pleirs for their musical legacy. Thanks to Sly & Robbie for creating the bam bam riddem (beat) of this song that was/is also used for some other Dancehall songs. Thanks to all those who are quoted in this post and thanks to the publishers of this video on YouTube.
****
INFORMATION ABOUT THE JAMAICAN DANCEHALL SONG "MURDER SHE WROTE"
""Murder She Wrote" is a song by Jamaican reggae duo Chaka Demus & Pliers, from their 1993 album Tease Me. It was first released as a single in 1992 and again in late 1993, reaching number 27 on the UK Singles Chart in early 1994,[3] and number 57 on the US Billboard Hot 100, spending 17 weeks there. The song was certified gold in the UK in 2022.[4] The music to the song is based on the Maytals' 1966 song "Bam Bam", while the lyrics discuss abortion (as revealed in the third verse).[5]"
The song became a staple for weddings, BBQs, and clubs[2]
and has been called one of the best and most important dancehall tracks of all
time.[6][7] The tag team effort of call and response verses with melodic
choruses introduced a new format of toasting from Jamaica, influencing
pan-Caribbean culture[8] and crossing over globally. It went on to impact other
stars of the genre like Shaggy[9] and Sean 'YoungPow' Diedrick.[10]
Sampling wise, the song was included in Billboard's list of
the "Best Song Interpolations of the 21st Century", having been
interpolated in Omarion's "Post to Be",[11] and in XXL's list of
"20 of the Most Iconic Reggae Samples in Hip-Hop", being sampled in
French Montana's "Freaks".[12] The song was also interpolated in
Pitbull's "El Taxi",[13] in Jason Derulo's "Too Hot",[2]
and in the remix version of Black Eyed Peas' "Ritmo" featuring Jaden
Smith, as well as having been sampled and interpolated in many other songs.[14]
Writing and composition
The song is about abortion, as revealed in the third
verse.[5] Pliers wrote the song reflecting on being the age of 19. At the time,
he was dating a girl named Maxine who told him she was pregnant, but after 6
months there was no sign of the pregnancy,[15] waiting until 9 months and 10
months without any result of a child. The song title came from the detective
series Murder, She Wrote which was a TV show Pliers used to watch and was a fan
of.
[...]
The production duo Sly & Robbie had mainly been in the
analog sphere of reggae, recording live instruments in more relaxed dub
stylings, and entering dancehall music had them offer a digitized and energized
sound with their final version of the song[2] having been produced over a
simple four-bar loop known as the "Bam Bam" riddim.[18]
[...]
Two music videos were made, one with Dancehall Queen Carlene
Smith, and one without...
Actress Angela Lansbury (who starred in the TV series of
which the song was named after), after hearing the song finally in 2019 at the
age of 93 commented "Oh, reggae! Oh, I'm thrilled to be part of reggae. Of
course."...
-snip-
Click https://genius.com/Chaka-demus-and-pliers-murder-she-wrote-lyrics for the complete lyrics for Chaka Demus & Pleirs' song "Murder She Wrote"
****
SELECTED COMMENTS FROM THIS VIDEO'S DISCUSSION THREAD
This compilation presents some of the examples of comments that were published from 2016 through 2024 by people throughout much of the world. A few other comments about this song that were published as replies to these comments are also included in this post.
Examples of some comments from 2016 -2024 about the custom of Kenyans and some other Africans calling "Murder She Wrote" by the folk processed name "Mama Shiro" are given in Part II of this pancocojams series.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-av7F1JBmj4
2016
1. @iluvmyboba
"I remember back in '92 when I was living in Far Rock, Queens I went to school with Jamaican girls that dressed just like this. We'd be sitting right in 6th period math and when the bell rung these chicks looked like they were way their way to Chaka Demus & Pliers video shoot. I said all of that to say. I'm still upset that I could never wine by body like they could. Respect."
2. @cnsummers4086
"
**
Reply
3. @hereisayana820, 2018
"Yep they used to dress like that in the Bronx too, uptown...
remember when they put all of the glitter
designs on the skippy shoes ?
(keds)"
**
4. @davidmcfarlane9185
"I feel so old right now... Chaka Demus
and Pliers and the Original dance hall Queen Carlene 🙌🏾🇯🇲"
**
5. @jottaz144
"+soniakiwi This song is played at clubs
too, at least here in costa rica everybody knows murder she wrote"
**
Reply
6. @tanny786, 2022
"this is still played in clubs in the UK"
****
2017
7. @tyroneosborne2091
"This song is played in almost every part
of the world where there is Music !
This is more than Reggae, it is a king
of anthem !"
**
Reply
8. @rukshanunambuwa1336
"you are correct my friend, greetings from Sri
lanka and love this , they have got the tunes and riddim"
**
9. @keshanmootoo197
"this is a big track in Jamaica still"
**
10. @charj1108
"Wanda N same artist Chaka demus and plies called bam bam...i had the
album"
**
Reply
11. @mrsmoovable
"Reggae always uses the same instrumental
over and over. They just call them "Riddims". This one is the
"Bam Bam Riddim". This riddim is also what birthed reggaeton.
Reggae/dancehall is founded on recycling riddims. It's not considered stealing
in that genre."
****
2018
12. @araujocamposdias7516
"I am from Angola, a country in African
Continent, it was colonized by Portuguese people so I speak portugues and I can
speak english as well because I am studying in South Africa since 2011 and
they were colonized by English people, I grew up listening to this music in
Angola but I never thought that it was in english because that time I could
only speak portugues and also I never knew the title of the song to look for
that, but today accidentally I watched a video, a girl dancing and I could
understand this song and I came right now on YouTube search for that and
fortunately I could find it , murder she wrote, every Angolan guy dance while
listening to this music, nice one from Jamaica, in Angola the people consume
many Jamaican song because we know that we are only one people separated by an
ocean but we are sure that one day we are gonna be together and united as Bob
Marley had said already, and also people from South America, North America,
Center America, Latino America as well. the nice part but is that I can
communicate with Jamaican and North American people in english and Puerto
Rican, Dominican Republic, Venezuelan, Costa Rican, Hondurian and so on latino
people in portugues once it is similar to spanish and portugues to brasilian
people because they also speak portugues....One love for everybody/ Um abraço a
todos'
**
Reply
13. @sam693691, 2019
"One love from 🇯🇲.
Beautiful said "We are one people separated by an Ocean""
**
14. @ceofounder
"1992 the best year of Reggae! This song ruled the summer of 1992! Growing up in Crown Heights and
Flatbush! Franklin Ave and Lincoln Place,
Jamaican Dons! Flatbush, Parkside Court
Jamaican Dons! Stone Love/Addies dances
in Biltmore Ballroom, Tilden Ballroom, Starlite Ballroom, Stone House on Rogers
Ave! Real Jamaican Dons in the
"90"s and Rutland Rd, Nostrand
Ave and Martense! Lenox rd and Flatbush! Patio Gardens, Ebbets Fields, Tivoli
Towers! Big up your chest!"
**
15. @blessed6252
"This is good but Reggae music was at its
best in 70's and 80's."
**
16. @chaleslim
"From Kenya... One Love.
So many memories growing up.
RIP to the friends we grew up with bouncing to this jam
#MlangoKubwa"
**
17. @Oceanemp
"I want to be a Jamaican when I heard
this song 🇯🇲
From France 🇫🇷❤️"
**
18. @molongombolongo3161
"I'm from DRC this song was the number one and till to day you can hear it to my country SHAKA DEMUS AND SHABBA RANKS forever they are legend like Bob marley"
-snip-
"DRC"= Democratic Republic Of The Congo
2019
19.
"This song was played on every African
party back in the day!"
**
Reply
20. @dvintsh9080, 2020
"Yes!!"
**
Reply
21, @everydayapps7225, 2020
"Even today!"
**
Reply
22. @lachitimon726, 2020
"In Cuba 🇨🇺 too 👌"
**
Reply
23. @tomatopaste1936, 2020
"Especially nigeria 😂"
**
24. @juliareano9417
"One of my favorites, i love this song from New York to Peru and the
whole world."
**
25. @gemelogarro2505
"Love this music, from COSTA RICA 😎"
**
26. @medmans3667
"Am here repping west Africa right....
tunes that can't die... Thumbs up Jamaica 👌👍👊"
****
27. @ecalder77
"Dominican Republic here. I love Jamaica!!! 🇯🇲
♥"
**
Reply
28. @876mostvaluabletreasure2
"Love from Jamaica to you guys"
**
29. @shenelledmund7382
"I love being part of the Caribbean we have
different styles of music culture
❤❤❤ we unique"
**
Reply
30. @towerakabars.5202, 2021
"Me too,✌🏼❤👑🔥🔥🔥🔥💯👌🏼"
**
Reply
31. @doobernow
"I have a Lammie cd from the Cayman's love the music!!"
**
Reply
32. @YudithFriederike
"No entiendo esta música pero me gusta y la
repito un millón de veces"
Reply
Google translate from Spanish to English
"I don't understand this music but I like it and I repeat it a million times"
**
33.@katlehomahadika7114
"Pumping the heart 🇿🇦🇿🇦🇿🇦"
-snip-
Za= [the nation of]South Africa
34. @estebantorregroza857
"God bless Jamaica 🇯🇲"
**
Reply
35. @andrewrukundokyakabale9754
"Uganda loves you. We danced to this through the 1990s"
****
2021
36. @kibalamajulius7776
"2021 anyone? Here havin' some HS nostalgia 😂"
-snip-
"HS" = high school
**
Reply
37. @nataliecorbin567
"Meeeee.....Barbados in the house"
**
Reply
38. @kibalamajulius7776
"Natalie corbin Caribbean I got you 😂"
**
Reply
39. @missjojohuia3366
"Yep!!! 🤩🤩👍👍 Australia ova heaaaa! 🇦🇺🇦🇺 love to you all! 💕💕💕💕"
**
Reply
40. @melissamontgomery1586
"2021 still ❤ this song"
**
Reply
41. @kibalamajulius7776
" Melissha Montgomery For the Culture ♥"
**
Reply
42. @missqali7124
"😄😄😆"
**
Reply
43. @galarthenry1450
"More like elementary school"
**
Reply
44. @theawhitter-c2640
"Straight 🔥🔥🔥🔥 (the music industry, several genres have used many parts of this song; that’s how you know a BIG chune)🇯🇲🇯🇲🇯🇲🇯🇲"
**
Reply
45. @DanimaldAnimal85
"Just popped into my head had to hear it 👊👊"
**
Reply
46. @RodrigoSantos-up8eo
"BRAZIL YES"
**
Reply
47. @boondockbwoy14
"Right here bless up in the 2021 big vibes taking me through
dem rough times here dis tune is legend Chaka Demus & Pliers murder she
wrote LOVE it bam bam riddim bubble riddim 💛🖤💚"
**
Reply
48. @nellymarlenewatkinss.9443
"I’m here in Covid lockdown... REGGAE ROCKS 😆"
**
Reply
49. @esperancemumararungu7420
"Kigali/Rwanda watching it now @ 12:34 on 11th.06.2021,
I started to enjoy it since 1992 up to now."
**
Reply
50. @allmoneyinaccess7839
"That’s me and my cousins in the video in the old building we
call it open land our play ground"
**
Reply
51.@TitusRec1
"highschool??? this was like 2nd grade for me im 23 now..
Stay safe everyone"
**
Reply
52. @katrinaarchibald3607
"just joined the party"
**
Reply
53. @richardochola6382
"...and we corrupted it in 254 as "mama ciru"*
-snip-
*254 = Kenya
-snip-
Part III of this pancocojams series has more comments about singing this song with the folk processed words "mother shiro".
Reply
54.
"Yessss I was around 18 in Flatbush Brooklyn 🥰"
**
Reply
55. @godsfavchildkenyetta1976
"Yes East Orange High NJ all the way Jamaican,Hatian Guyanese , Trinidad . Talent shows"
**
Reply
56. @koulatsega6901
"Now and always.my love from Greece"
**
Reply
57. @frankdunphy4595
"100 per cent rockin to this tune , brings back great
memories mad times, best wishes from Irishman living in London."
58.
"Lol, my Mexican mom sings “where does she go”, 😂"
**
Reply
59. @Mabrrrr
"🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣💯❤️👌"
**
Reply
60. @duncanotema
"Where does she go with her bad character 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣"
**
Reply
61.@briankelley5124
"Bruh.... LMAO!!! 🇲🇽"
**
Reply
62. @wilfredstober4665
"Now that’s hilarious"
**
Reply
63. @jamaicashields9565
"Lmfao.... Im bout to start saying that lol"
**
Reply
64. @carloslemus2550
"Facts 🤣🇲🇽"
**
Reply
65. @jaxw8765
"Duncan Otema 😂😂 and 'her pretty face'😂"
-snip-
This is an example of folk processing lyrics by people who don't understand
the language that the song is sung in. Read Part II of this pancocojams series for
more folk processed examples of the Jamaican Dancehall song "Murder She Wrote".
66.
"It’s 2021 and I’m here still jamming to this all the way from Nigeria"
**
67. @dashfernando8982
"i love jamaican people,their culture and their music
so much love from sri lanka."
**
68. @calumbasilva868
"Greetings from Angolans 🇦🇴"
**
69. @secundario5286
"Yoo desde españa!"
-snip-
Google translate from Spanish to English -"Yo" [Hey*] I’m from Spain!"
-snip-
I added that standard English translation for the African American Vernacular English word "Yo".
**
70. @NancyLopez-hs8bt
"Dancing this in my car right now! 😁 💃🏽 Puerto Rico, when I was in high school 💪🏽"
**
71. @adebayoadeniran832
"I am. Feeling nostalgic of December, 1993 when I first heard the song and it became a bit regularly played song in my country Nigeria then"
**
72. @hourglas39
"Yes, dancing to this song at Bob Marley Day Festival at the Long Beach Arena back in the day, major flashbacks, good times. 💖😁👍🏼"
****
2022
74. @michael_saleh
"Here in Kenya. There was omega and vibrators discos across all ask shows. Then in 1997 the duo visited. Golden era."
**
75. @haaji99
"The most famous beat in the world the 90's was the best era thats why we love jamaica and it's artist."
**
76. @raenaldo
"Reminds me of being in Panama. 🇵🇦 🦅 🇺🇸"
**
77. @docaries9106
"Legends!! Love from Samoa 🇼🇸"
**
78. @joaquinjiren4264
"im dominican and this is an anthem in my country"
**
79. @dawn5056
"2022, was in my early 20's ..LA Cali luv"
**
Reply
80. @mikelugo8983
"@mikelugo8983
Cheesus Christ85 Me tooo Bronx Love 183. you already know. lol"
**
81. @ramon3960
"This one was BIG in my native 🇵🇷, and it was part of my youth."
**
82. @jerome3028
"Toute mon adolescence ça fait plaisir de récouté"
-snip-
Google translate from French to English:
"Throughout my adolescence it was a pleasure to listen to again"
**
83. @lunalea1250
"My friend "Maxi" me, "Wire Waist", used to "Boogle" to this masterpiece all over NYC, great memories, still dancing!🥳💥"
-snip-
**
84. @jamaljons2294
"2022 from Somalia mate
One💓"
**
85. @donelbetu129
"I heard this song when I watched this movie were they were in a club whining their waist to this song and I was like I wanna learn how to whine like dat . Lucky I'm Congolese so I didn't struggle 😅
**
86. @jennifernyambura2620
"At my age 43, almost broke into a dance in supermarket. This is my teenage hood jam🤸"
**
Reply
87. @thatssomonchel
"Don’t fight it! Wine them hips!!"
**
Reply
88. @Cosmicmorales
"I'm dancing in my room rn as we speak"
**
Reply
89. @AMJ_Miller
"This song is about his disapproval of a woman’s character because she has a lot of sex & has gotten abortions. He also talks about how she’s no good because she’s not the type who will cook & clean for him. So many people are just like “wow what a fun song” but… not really lol. Guy sounds like jerkoff."
**
Reply
90. @emeraldkaysgarden
" @amandamiller8283 this song ain't for you. Go sit down somewhere."
**
Reply
91. @canadian1700
"your my age, good times sister, i'm a white guy from canada, bbq dance music, boom"
**
Reply
92. @WATP1872LR-G
"I wish you had started dancing! I can't be the only one that dances in the freezer aisle!!!"
**
Reply
93. @FBH6O, 2024
"Im 63, Here in Barbados 4th January 2024 at work. Had 2 run in d rest room wid my fone, so I cud dance and sing 2 dis without getting fired 😂. ❤🇧🇧"
**
Reply
94. @grahamtauni3532
"In 2022 and this song still slap😍 much love from 🇰🇪🇰🇪"
-snip-
"Ke" = Kenya
**
Reply
95. @jumahamis227
"Even in Tanzania it’s still played everyday 😆"
Reply
96. @boobs4790
"
**
Reply
97. @AromaBlue
"Europe too🤣👍🤝"
**
Reply
98. @andrewsgreatoutdooradventu612, 2023
"In Canada I’ve been listening to this since it came out and it never gets old."
**
Reply
99. @myramartinez8289, 2023
"They still play it here in Belize too😂"
**
Reply
100. @feonor26, 2024
"Play it at my local bar in Norway all the time too😂"
****
2023
101, @lindanavarro1674
"LAWD HAVE MERCY. ME CUBAN. CUBANA. BUT ME LOVE JAMAICA SOOOOO MUCH. WE SISTER ISLANDS/COUNTRIES. LONG LIVE JAMAICA & THE WHOLE CARIBBEAN. LONG LIVE REGGAE!!!! THIS SOOOOO GOOD & CLASSIC. 🇨🇺🇨🇺🇨🇺🇨🇺🇨🇺🇨🇺. 🇯🇲🇯🇲🇯🇲🇯🇲🇯🇲🇯🇲🇯🇲🇯🇲🇯🇲🇯🇲🇯🇲"
**
102. @benardarcher6323
"Good music never die, it takes me back 90s ..... Much love❤ from Ghana 🇬🇭🇬🇭🇬🇭"
**
103, @michaelkarimi2483
"Never grows old.By then I couldn't afford a radio it was on KBC station....How we loved and danced this.... It's nostalgic....Long live"
-snip-
KBC= Kenyan Broadcasting Corporation
**
104. @truthhurts3305
"Growing up in the UK they used to play this at every African party 😂"
**
105. @Dandelion180
"I remeber i was 4 and my family was having a kickback were from Spanish town Jamaica and my mom and her sisters were having the time of their life so me and my twin brother and cousins joined and we learned the lyrics like this and the nostalgia is so amazing"
**
106. @p.d6923
"I'm out my back garden cutting the grass in Belfast thinking I'm in Jamaica swinging about like a empty tracksuit hahaha"
**
107. @sonybravia74
"Fam I was in 11th grade I think. Hitting the Maryland College Park parties and
Maryland Eastern Shore parties."
**
108. @rodriguenankeng4794
"2023 depuis le Cameroun 🇨🇲, qui est là ??????????"
-snip-
Google translate from French to English: [I'm] from Cameroon 🇨🇲, who [else] is [from] there????"
-snip-
I added the words that are in brackets to conform with standard English. As of the date and time that this pancocojams post was published, no one from the Cameroons had replied to that comment.
**
109. @handsomemw
"2023 we still on it, 🔥greetings from south Africa ✊"
**
110. @iamkevingbtw
"Am the only Hispanic in here who still bumps this banger 🕺🏻🔥"
**
Reply
111. @fatjeezussouthtexasoutdoor5244
"Nope 👍👍"
**
112. @sharonchristie7579
"🙏💝💜💖🇯🇲 GREETNS WORLD, EVERY BLOODY DAY WE HERE DIS CLASSIC, STAND STILL!"
**
113. @SauteKing8760
"Heard this n jamaica on the beach party couldn’t stop dancing what a tune never will forget Jamaica got married over there went back 14 years later which our son all dancing on the beach to this classic lol gone so fast."
**
114. @wanguirhods265
"I am a Kenyan lady and I was 10yrs old but I would stop to dance this song every time heard it from my neighbor's speakers"
**
115. @scarboroughboy3960
"Olivia Chow's Campaign in Toronto rocking this tune last night at her Victory Celebration.....Big up Jamaica...."
-snip-
From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Olivia_Chow
""
**
116. @yaymaravillaverde3947
"Por la cercanía geográfica en el oriente cubano hay mucha influencia de estos ritmos jamaiquinos (reggae, raggamuffi, dancehall, dembow)...especialmente en las provincias Guantánamo y Santiago, por su cultura y tradiciones las más caribeñas de la Isla🎼🎧👌"
-snip-
Google translate from Spanish to English:
"Due to the geographical proximity in eastern Cuba, there is a lot of influence of these Jamaican rhythms (reggae, raggamuffi, dancehall, dembow)...especially in the Guantánamo and Santiago provinces, due to their culture and traditions, the most Caribbean on the Island🎼🎧👌"
**
117. @takesomemolly1660
"We sure danced to this song in Nigeria like crazy at every party..."
**
118. @mrbdx
"1992. Summertime in VA! This sh!t was ROCKING! The girls used to Bogle and do nasty dances. 😆"
-snip-
This is the way that this comment was written in this discussion thread.
****
119. @yolaeddie9830
"I was 15 years old when they released this song the first time in a party. It was during a party in my town : Man, part of the west region of Ivory Coast my country"
**
120. @georgelrodriguez9756
"Sierra Madre CA 2024❤"
**
121. @damianbutterworth2434
"My mum and dad from the UK went to Jamaica for a holiday in the 1990`s and I ask them to bring me some Reggie music back from local bands and they brought this tape back with their album on. Great. :)"
**
122.@JamesMiles-ew8ff
"1992, I was living in Flatbush section of Brooklyn. This was the anthem, and I never got tired of it. I came here in Feb 2024 because I just heard it on the radio on Philly and had all kinds of flashbacks!"
****
This concludes Part I of this two part pancocojams series.
Visitor comments are welcome.
