Origins of Ska
Balderdash and Piffle (BBC2 tonight) investigated the origin of the word Ska. Four theories were explored: 1) the sound of a guitar note (sk), 2) from scat (eg scat singing), 3) skavoovie (apparently a word used by a certain Jamaican DJ of the period), and 4) Scatter (a friend of Prince Buster of that name). Interesting to see not only Buster but Byron Lee and King Stitt interviewed by Benjamim Zephania on the programme. None of the theories totally convinces me so I would be interested in suggestions. The earliest recorded reference to the word was said to be in March 1964 in an article in the Daily Gleaner by Maureen Cleave, who was a journalist on the London Evening News and who probably wrote the piece for that paper before it appeared in the Gleaner. Anybody got any other theories or proof of an earlier reference? For what it's worth I have a 45 by Sugar and Dandy released in 1964 called Let's Ska.
posted by Nick @ 10:12 pm
4 Comments
4 Comments:
Given the title of the 64 record you have and the fact that the title feels so similar to a whole host of dance, reggae and other records I've come across over the years I would be inclined to suppose that 'ska' was seen as a dance style as well as a musical style at the time - in fact perhaps almost as a dance style first and before being recognised as a durable musical genre (as I guess it later became). That said it isn't titled Lets Do The Ska but that doesn't necessarily mean anything... intriguing!
When does Balderdash suggest it first appearing as a term - the article might be the first (or earliest surviving) written record but most things are in the vernacular of underground culture for a LONG while before that.
Thanks for the comments from Ken and ChrisB. Hope you keep reading!. I guess I knew Ska as Blue Beat at the time (from the label) but according to Maureen Cleave it was Chris Blackwell (founder of Island Records) who called it Ska. He lived in Jamaica before making his fortune in the UK.
Cool stuff here!
Thanks mate... just dropped by. Will look for BIKE STN when we get to Seattle. Still in Buenos Airies.
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