World Hits

[coll]: World Hits
Reviewed by Sadie O., 8/6/07
Collection of monster global crossover hits of all sorts. They seem to have focused on stuff from the 60’s to 80’s, perhaps the songs that got people in the US to notice that there was music happening outside. I can think of a few other tracks I would have included (and I, personally, don’t think I can listen to Lambada ever again), but it’s nice to get most of these classics back into circulation again.
No FCCs detected. Mostly great, but I like track 10 best.
1. ***midtempo roots rock Reggae, cool keyboard bubble. This even made it to MTV, didn’t it? Who cares – it’s good, and Tosh’s vocals are always a joy.
2. ***lovely downtempo Reggae with a nice bounce, vocals in Senegalese.
3. **ethereal and relaxed downtempo groove, Senegalese and English. Big hit in France, not so much here.
4. ***slow makossa groove, Cuban soul-jazz cover of a Herbie Hancock hit. Great horns, great swing.
5. ***just in case you’d forgotten, Santana had a big hit back in the day… And lo, it was good.
6. ***upbeat roots rock Reggae bubble – may well have been the single biggest influence in waking the US up to Reggae. Damn fine movie, too.
7. *yes, it’s the Lambada… It’s actually a catchy upbeat rhythm – too bad most of us can never stand to hear it again…
8. ***different (rather slower and more relaxed) version of Makeba’s huge crossover hit of the 60’s. Pretty and swingy.
9. ***pretty midtempo English/Zulu mashup – apparently an earlier (?) version of the song that became a huge hit for Clegg with Savuka. Have to give them props for anti-apartheid and appreciation of original SA cultures.
10. ****70’s Afro-funk, downtempo and as hip as hip can possibly get.
11. ***bit of guitar intro, then uptempo and swingy flamenco-cuban groove that popularized the Gypsy Kings, and certainly gave a boost to World Music in general.