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This should have been posted a few weeks from now, but with the news breaking today of Little Richard’s death, I’ve brought it forward because it owed its place on Peel’s running order for this show due to him finding it during his year long Little Richard cover search. Having reached the C section of his singles collection, Peel played this 1977 single and announced that he was currently in the middle of what he termed, “a Culture revivalist period.”
Recorded for Joe Gibbs Record Globe, I Am Not Ashamed starts out like a Stax soul record of the period - all urgent hi-hat and Saturday night bar-room saxes, but it quickly reverts to classic reggae style chopping guitar and stabs of discreet organ. The momentum comes from some outstanding percussion work and an earworm chorus line declaring faith in Jah. The song may be seen as a Rastafarian update on the 18th Century gospel hymn, I’m Not Ashamed to Own My Lord. Not only as a result of the title similarities but in the open acknowledgement of how faith in the Lord has sustained the subject when little else, including family in Culture’s case, could do so.
Videos courtesy of jahquarius (Culture) and PS Fred Evans.
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