| Sorrow Tears and Blood | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by Fela Aníkúlápó Kuti and the Afrika 70 Organisation | ||||
| Released | 1977 | |||
| Recorded | 1977 in Nigeria | |||
| Genre | Afrobeat | |||
| Length | 23:58 | |||
| Label | Kalakuta KK 001 | |||
| Producer | Fela Kuti | |||
| Fela Kuti chronology | ||||
| ||||
Sorrow Tears and Blood is an album by Nigerian Afrobeat composer, bandleader, and multi-instrumentalist Fela Kuti. [1] It was recorded in 1977 and originally released on the Nigerian Kalakuta label. [2]
Over a midtempo groove, and interspersed with Kuti's relaxed saxophone playing, [3] the title track features him reproving what he felt was a docility among Africans in the face of political hardship. [4] The song was written in the wake of a raid on Kuti's Kalakuta Republic compound by 1,000 armed members of the Nigerian army on February 18, 1977. The scene is described in his lyrics, "Everybody run, run, run / Everybody scatter, scatter / Some people lost some bread / Some people just die ... Them leave sorrow, tears, and blood / Them regular trademark". [3]
The second composition is titled after the inferiority complex called colonial mentality, and whose lyrics list a range of examples of "things dem dey do, dem dey overdo all the things dem dey do" such as "think wey black no good, na foreign things dem dey like" and "dem go turn air condition, and close them country away" no be so?[ citation needed ]
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [3] |
| Robert Christgau |  [5] |
| Tom Hull – on the Web | A− [6] |
The AllMusic review stated: "In contrast to the hard-edged and aggressive Afro-funk that Kuti and his Africa 70 became synonymous with, both the A-side title track and B-side, 'Colonial Mentality,' are seemingly staid, in light – or perhaps because – of the cruel state-sponsored attacks that he and his extended family suffered." [3]
The title song has been sampled by X-Clan on their 1990 song "Grand Verbalizer, What Time Is It?", Missy Elliott on her 2001 song "Whatcha Gonna Do", and Skales on his 2016 song "Temper"'s remix with Burna Boy. [7] The American singer Bilal and the rapper Common remade the song for the former's second album, Love for Sale . [8]
All compositions by Fela Kuti.
Afrobeat is a Nigerian music genre that involves the combination of West African musical styles from mainly Nigeria such as the traditional Yoruba and Igbo music and highlife with American funk, jazz, and soul influences. With a focus on chanted vocals, complex intersecting rhythms, and percussion. The style was pioneered in the 1960s by Nigerian multi-instrumentalist and bandleader Fela Kuti, who is most known for popularizing the style both within and outside Nigeria. At the height of his popularity, he was referred to as one of Africa's most "challenging and charismatic music performers."
Fela Aníkúlápó Kútì, also famously known as Abàmì Ẹ̀dá, was a Nigerian musician, bandleader, composer, political activist, and Pan-Africanist. He is regarded as the King of Afrobeat, a Nigerian music genre that combines West African music with American funk and jazz. At the height of his popularity, he was referred to as one of Africa's most "challenging and charismatic music performers". AllMusic described him as "a musical and sociopolitical voice" of international significance.
Olufela Olufemi Anikulapo Kuti, popularly known as Femi Kuti, is a Nigerian musician born in London and raised in Lagos. He is the eldest son of Afrobeat pioneer Fela Kuti and a grandchild of political campaigner, women's rights activist and traditional aristocrat Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti.
Tony Oladipo Allen was a Nigerian and French drummer, composer, and songwriter who lived and worked in Paris, France. Allen was the drummer and musical director of Fela Kuti's band Africa '70 from 1968 to 1979, and was one of the founders of the Afrobeat genre. Fela once stated that "without Tony Allen, there would be no Afrobeat". He was described by Brian Eno as "perhaps the greatest drummer who has ever lived".
Kalakuta Republic was the name musician and political activist Fela Kuti gave to the communal compound that housed his family, band members, and recording studio. Located at 14 Agege Motor Road, Idi-Oro, Mushin, Lagos, Nigeria, it had a free health clinic, and recording facility. Fela declared it independent from the state ruled by the military junta after he returned from the United States in 1970. The compound burned to the ground on February 18, 1977 after an assault by a thousand armed soldiers.
Red Hot + Riot is the fourteenth in a series of music compilation projects produced by Paul Heck and John Carlin of the Red Hot Organization and Grammy-winning music producer Andres Levin to be used as a fundraising tool for AIDS awareness efforts. The album, which takes inspiration from the late Nigerian musician Fela Kuti, was released by MCA on October 15, 2002 and featured more than three dozen artists on a score of tracks.
Expensive Shit is the twelfth full-length album by pioneering Afrobeat artist Fela Kuti and his Africa '70 band, released in 1975. It was reissued in 2000 by MCA Records, packaged with Kuti's He Miss Road (1975) on the same CD.
Oluseun Anikulapo Kuti, popularly known Seun Kuti, is a Nigerian musician, singer and the youngest son of Afrobeat pioneer Fela Kuti. Seun leads his father's former band Egypt 80.
Lemi Ghariokwu, also known simply as Lemi, is a Nigerian painter, illustrator and designer who is most renowned for providing many of the original cover images for the recordings of Nigerian musician Fela Kuti.
Fela! is a jukebox musical with a book by Bill T. Jones and Jim Lewis, based on music and lyrics by the late Nigerian singer Fela Kuti, with additional music by Aaron Johnson and Jordan McLean and additional lyrics by Jim Lewis. It is based on events in the life of groundbreaking Nigerian composer and activist Fela Anikulapo Kuti. It portrays Kuti in the days when he was the target of 1,000 government soldiers assigned to end his public performances at the legendary Lagos nightclub The Shrine.
Confusion is a 1975 album by Nigerian Afrobeat musician Fela Kuti and his Africa 70 band. It was arranged, composed, and produced by Kuti, who recorded the album after choosing to emphasize his African heritage and nationalism in his music. Confusion is a commentary on the confused state of post-colonial Lagos and its lack of infrastructure and proper leadership at the time. Kuti's pidgin English lyrics depict difficult conditions in the city, including a frenetic, multilingual trading market and inextricable traffic jams in Lagos' major intersections.
Gentleman is a 1973 studio album by Nigerian Afrobeat musician Fela Kuti. It was written and produced by Kuti and recorded with his Afrika 70 band. The cover artwork's depiction of a monkey's head superimposed on a suited body is a reference to the album's title track, which Kuti composed as a commentary on the colonial mentality of Africans who adhered to European customs and clothing.
Unknown Soldier is an album by Nigerian Afrobeat composer, bandleader and multi-instrumentalist Fela Kuti, recorded in 1979 and originally released on the Nigerian Skylark label.
Why Black Man Dey Suffer is an album by Nigerian Afrobeat composer, bandleader, and multi-instrumentalist Fela Kuti recorded in 1971 and originally released on the Nigerian African Sounds label after EMI refused to release it.
L.I.F.E is the debut studio album by Nigerian singer Burna Boy. It was released on August 12, 2013, by Aristokrat Records. The album serves as the follow-up to his second mixtape, Burn Identity (2011), and sold 40,000 copies on the first day of its release. Aristokrat Records later sold the album's marketing rights to Uba Pacific for ₦10 million. L.I.F.E was supported by the singles "Like to Party", "Tonight", "Always Love You", "Run My Race" and "Yawa Dey". The album was produced entirely by Leriq and features guest appearances from 2face Idibia, M.I, Timaya, Olamide, Reminisce and Wizkid.
Felabration is an annual music festival conceived in 1998 by Yeni Anikulapo-Kuti in memory and celebration of her father Fela Kuti, a Nigerian musician and human rights activist known for pioneering the afrobeat genre of music. The one-week-long event which is held annually at the New Afrika Shrine in Ikeja, attracts visitors from different countries and has thus been considered as an official tourist destination by the Lagos State Government.
Teacher Don't Teach Me Nonsense is a 1986 studio album by Fela Kuti and the Egypt 80.
Army Arrangement is a 1985 studio album by Fela Kuti.
Ọmọ́rìnmádé Kútì known professionally as Made Kuti, is a Nigerian afrobeat singer, songwriter and instrumentalist. He released his debut album titled For(e)ward in 2021.
Beasts of No Nation is an album by the Nigerian musician Fela Kuti. It was released in 1989. Kuti is credited with his band Egypt 80.
