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Just watched King Sunny Ade singing a version of the classic and controversial Easy Motion Tourist song for a Glo advert and it had me thinking a bit about this accreditation matter because the circumstances were a bit similar.
Here's a Highlife Music thread with some lessons:
Here's a Highlife Music thread with some lessons:
What we definitely know of that song is that KSA was not the original composer but it featured on his Grammy-nominated 1998 album titled Odu.
Sunny's case in this thread is helped by the fact that his version is one I got used to and he made it most popular.
So, who wrote it?
Sunny's case in this thread is helped by the fact that his version is one I got used to and he made it most popular.
So, who wrote it?
I watched Fatai Rolling Dollar in the late 90s or early 2000s claim that he wrote the song, along with some band members whom he didn't name in that interview I watched.
Further research at the time attributed the song to his band of three Highlife maestros called Rhythm Blues.
Further research at the time attributed the song to his band of three Highlife maestros called Rhythm Blues.
Rhythm Blues was formed in 1953 by Seni Tejuosho, Julius Araba (J.O. Araba) and Fatai Rolling Dollar but 3 of them had been Highlife singers before then, singing individually.
Their band was close to Uncle Steve Rhodes who had massive influence at the time on who got airplay.
Their band was close to Uncle Steve Rhodes who had massive influence at the time on who got airplay.
Two things to understand the controversy:
The song Easy Motion Tourist belongs to a sub-genre of Highlife called Palmwine Highlife - a freestyle territory where lyrics are often unrelated and disjointed.
For instance, what exactly is "Easy Motion Tourist" as a phrase?
The song Easy Motion Tourist belongs to a sub-genre of Highlife called Palmwine Highlife - a freestyle territory where lyrics are often unrelated and disjointed.
For instance, what exactly is "Easy Motion Tourist" as a phrase?
It has no definition, just a random phrase and the lyrics of the song it titles also mirror that randomness as did Palmwine Highlife - music for the relaxation of Lagos drinkers in the 50s/60s.
But one phrase was unique to one particular Highlife singer whom we'll come back to.
But one phrase was unique to one particular Highlife singer whom we'll come back to.
Second thing is that the Highlife scene back then was also disjointed - Singer A sang back-up for Singer B on Thursday and Singer B played lead guitar for Singer A on Friday before both played in the band of Singer C on Saturday...and so on.
A lot of songs were "borrowed".
A lot of songs were "borrowed".
The line "Won t'ilekun m'omo onile" from the Easy Motion Tourist song was attributed to Seni Tejuosho whose father it was said, once locked him out of the house for late night outing.
Fatai though in that 2000 interview said their band was the one locked out by a landlord.
Fatai though in that 2000 interview said their band was the one locked out by a landlord.
Rhythm Blues broke up in 1957 after 4 years of making music together, Seni Tejuosho sang Easy Motion Tourist on his album, J.O. Araba also sang his own to little success.
Both men died, Sunny Ade sang his own and it became a mega-hit worldwide like many of his songs.
Both men died, Sunny Ade sang his own and it became a mega-hit worldwide like many of his songs.
Sunny Ade along with others infused other sounds into Highlife and called it Juju music and he had other major hits - he didn't need Easy Motion Tourist but he did a version and performed it at the Hollywood Palace in US around 1994 then put it on his 1998 album.
Fatai Rolling Dollar had by then become a relic until someone in Govt rehabilitated him and he did Won Kere Si Number Wa.
Interviews followed and Baba began to claim Sunny Ade "stole" his song or their song.
Sunny Ade went to Baba with gifts and prostrated to him.
Interviews followed and Baba began to claim Sunny Ade "stole" his song or their song.
Sunny Ade went to Baba with gifts and prostrated to him.
Baba collected everything and then went ahead to finally record his own version of Easy Motion Tourist in 2000 and something.
It didn't blow.
He died in 2013.
And this morning in 2020, there is Sunny Ade crooning Easy Motion Tourist for a glo advert...and I enjoyed it.
It didn't blow.
He died in 2013.
And this morning in 2020, there is Sunny Ade crooning Easy Motion Tourist for a glo advert...and I enjoyed it.
The person that gets the most glory in a collaborative effort is the person that has most proven themselves in individual efforts.
Sunny's glory wasn't dependent on Easy Motion Tourist but maybe that song also contributed to his glory.
Sunny was and is a Star, regardless of it.
Sunny's glory wasn't dependent on Easy Motion Tourist but maybe that song also contributed to his glory.
Sunny was and is a Star, regardless of it.
Las last, we revert to what Kollington sang:
"Edumare f'ise yin wa, gbogbo wa/Lagbaja l'o da Fuji s'ile/Tamedu l'o da Fuji s'ile/Edumare f'ise yin wa, gbogbo wa"
"May the Creator reward us all of our works whether or not this or that person is the originator of Fuji music."
"Edumare f'ise yin wa, gbogbo wa/Lagbaja l'o da Fuji s'ile/Tamedu l'o da Fuji s'ile/Edumare f'ise yin wa, gbogbo wa"
"May the Creator reward us all of our works whether or not this or that person is the originator of Fuji music."
The person with the idea is not always the most rewarded for the execution of the idea.
Whether Sunny Ade's success riding on a genre where many never succeeded, angered a lot of them, I can't say.
But bitterness in any situation never helps the creative spirit - keep moving.
Whether Sunny Ade's success riding on a genre where many never succeeded, angered a lot of them, I can't say.
But bitterness in any situation never helps the creative spirit - keep moving.
People will take your stuff, package it better and make money and fame from it - get better, not bitter.
It's natural to be angry but turn that anger into making something for yourself, don't get bitter at the person or mad at the world for acknowledging them and not you.
It's natural to be angry but turn that anger into making something for yourself, don't get bitter at the person or mad at the world for acknowledging them and not you.
And whatever is worth doing, is worth doing well.
Whatever you're doing for fun, like my twitter threads for instance, someone might be compiling somewhere and selling.
(If you do that to me sha, I will harass you and maybe sue you but without bitterness
)
Whatever you're doing for fun, like my twitter threads for instance, someone might be compiling somewhere and selling.
(If you do that to me sha, I will harass you and maybe sue you but without bitterness
)
