There are a number of things I can’t believe!
I can’t believe this guy isn’t a household name!
I can’t believe you can’t get hold of his brilliant CD!
I can’t believe they killed him!!
Today’s Music to keep me SsSAaAannnNeeee in Isolation – Michael Smith – Mi Cyaan Believe It
Possibly the best reggae album ever produced. He was stoned to death so we only have this and it is not available on CD. A superb album.
Michael Smith – Mi Cyaan Believe It (1982) Full Album – YouTube
537 Essential Rock albums – Michael Smith – Mi Cy-aan Believe It – A reggae Dub gem
This is one of my favourite reggae albums – full of fire and brilliant. It has variety, great songs and a brilliant voice. This poem is superb.
- Michael Smith – Mi Cy-aan Believe It
It is a great injustice that this album is not available on CD. It is one of the best reggae albums ever made.
Michael was an outspoken, political Dub-poet from the early seventies. He was an inspiration for the likes of Linton Kwesi Johnson.
Legend has it that Michael was stoned to death by an angry mob after speaking out at a political rally. Jamaica was a scary place.
Michael had the most amazingly rich voice which was highly emotive and his poetry was so original. There are poems and songs. It starts with the short poem ‘Black ‘n’ White’ which melds into ‘Mi feel it’ with its hypnotic and highly original bass line. The Reggae music is heavy and dense with rhythm and power and would be incredible on its own. When married to words of this quality it goes up another notch. It was truly outstanding.
This album has the fabulous poem that is the title track but it also has amazing tracks like ‘Long time me no have no fun’, ‘Picture or no picture’ and ‘It-a come’. It was brilliant reggae with great poetry and political sentiments.
How can something of this quality remain unreleased?
https://www.google.co.uk/?gws_rd=ssl#q=you+tube+mi-cyaan+believe+it
Rock Album Recommendations – Michael Smith – Mi Cy-aan Believe It
This was number 37 in my book.
Michael Smith – Mi Cy-aan Believe It
It is a great injustice that this album is not available on CD. It is one of the best reggae albums ever made.
Michael was an outspoken, political Dub-poet from the early seventies. He was an inspiration for the likes of Linton Kwesi Johnson.
Legend has it that Michael was stoned to death by an angry mob after speaking out at a political rally. Jamaica was a scary place.
Michael had the most amazingly rich voice which was highly emotive and his poetry was so original. There are poems and songs. It starts with the short poem ‘Black ‘n’ White’ which melds into ‘Mi feel it’ with its hypnotic and highly original bass line. The Reggae music is heavy and dense with rhythm and power and would be incredible on its own. When married to words of this quality it goes up another notch. It was truly outstanding.
This album has the fabulous poem that is the title track but it also has amazing tracks like ‘Long time me no have no fun’, ‘Picture or no picture’ and ‘It-a come’. It was brilliant reggae with great poetry and political sentiments.
How can something of this quality remain unreleased?
Michael Smith – Mi Cy-aan Believe It – social lyrics from Jamaica and the best Reggae poet of his generation
Michael Smith would be a household name up there with Bob Marley if he had not have been murdered. He talked up at a political meeting in Jamaica and they murdered him.
His one album is amazing. It has some of the best reggae, best poems and best lyrics all done with an amazing voice.
Such a shame! Enjoy the poem!
Mi Cyaan Believe It
Mi seh mi cyaan believe it
mi seh mi cyaan believe it
room dem a rent
mi apply widin
but as me go in
cockroach rat an scorpion also come in
waan good
nose haffi run
but me naw sideung pan igh wall
like Humpty Dumpty
mi a face me reality
one lickle bwoy come blow im orn
an mi look pan im wid scorn
an mi realize ow me five bwoy pickney
was a victim of de tricks
dem call partisan pally-trix
an mi ban mi belly
an mi bawl
an mi ban mi belly
an mi bawl
Lawd
mi cyaan believe it
mi seh mi cyaan believe it
what a night what a plight
an we cyaan get a bite
mi life is a stiff fight
an mi cyaan believe it
mi seh mi cyaan believe it
sitting on de corner wid me fren
talkin about tings an time
me hear one voice seh
“Who dat?”
mi seh “A who dat?
A who dat a seh who dat
when mi a seh who dat?”
When yuh teck a stock
dem lick we dung flat
teet start fly
and big man start cry
an mi cyaan believe it
mi seh mi cyaan believe it
do odder day me pass one yard
pan de hill
when me teck a stock
me hear “Hey bwoy!”
“Yes, Mam?” “Hey bwoy!”
“Yes, Mam?” “You clean up de dawg shit?”
“Yes, Mam”
an mi cyaan believe it
mi seh mi cyaan believe it
Doris a modder of four
get a wul as a domestic
boss man move in
an bap si kaisico she pregnant again
bap si kaisico she pregnant again
an mi cyaan believe it
dah yard de odder night
when mi hear “Fire!”
“Fire, to plate claat!”
Who dead? You dead?
Who dead? Me dead?
Who dead? Harry dead?
Who dead? Eleven dead
wooeeeeeee
Orange Street fire de pan me head
an mi cyaan believe it
mi seh mi cyaan believe it
Lawd, mi see some black bud
livin inna one buildin
but no rent no pay
so dem cyaan stay
Lawd, de oppress an de dispossess
cyaan get no res
what nex?
Teck a trip from Kingston
to Jamaica
Teck twelve from a dozen
an mi see mi muma in heaven
MAD OUSE! MA OUSE!
mi seh mi cyaan believe it
mi seh mi cyaan believe it
yuh believe it?
how yuh fi believe it
when yuh laugh
yuh blind yuh eye to it?
But mi know yuh believe it
mi know yuh believe it