Author: The Don
When Wayne Smith unleashed "Under Me Sleng Teng" at the Waltham Park Road soundclash between King Jammy and Black Scorpio, it wasn't the first time that the digital sound had been flexed in Jamaica - Prince Jazzbo, Sly & Robbie and Paul Blake & The Blood Fire Possee had all got there first. But it was the first digital reggae, or ragga, riddim to blow up in such spectacular fashion. Starting life as a slowed down version of the "Rock" demo preset on a Casio Music Box, and re-recorded at Jammy's studio by session musician Tony Asher, it quickly became one of the most influential pieces of music in Jamaican history. But frankly, the background is nothing compared to the actual sound of the record - the bouncy, elastic bassline and cheap reverbed snares just have such an amazing smile-factor that no riddim since has really managed to recapture.
1. Wayne Smith - Under Me Sleng Teng
The original classic version. Wayne Smiths distinctive vocals complement the riddim perfectly and the lines: "I said me smoke it and me pass it thru de windah / an me give it to my nex door neighba" always makes me grin.
2. Johnny Osbourne - Buddy Bye
Much more dubby than the original, and some excellent toasting including lyrics from "Frere Jaques" and call-and-response. "Whoa!" "Yeah!"
3. Wayne Smith - Under Mi Sleng Teng (Muggs Remix)
Eh.. kinda in two mind about this. It's cool to hear the Under Mi Sleng Teng vocals over a new beat, but was Cypress Hill's DJ Muggs really the best choice? Good, if only for the novelty value.
4. Cocoa Tea - Hey Bobby
Just a straight version over the Sleng Teng riddim but the vocal melody is so joyful I can't help but love it.
5. Egyptian - X-Rated
The beats get toughened up and the riddim gets the cut-up treatment, with extra keyboard flourishes. The vocals aren't much to write home about though, fairly monotonous.
6. Bunny Lee - Metal Sleng Teng
Odd one this. Recently brought to my attention by fellow Sleng Teng fan and Optimo DJ, Twitch. His description was "If Sigue Sigue Sputnik had come from Jamaica" and I can't really argue with that. Being a SSS fan (yes, there are some SSS fans..), I love this.
7. SL2 - Way In My Brain
Ah the memories! The Sleng Teng made up the bulk of this old-skool rave anthem, lifting the riddim and the "Way In My Brain" vocal refrain. One for the whistle crew.
8. Yellowman - Under Mi Fat Thing
Unlike the also excellent version by Anthony Red Rose, this reproduced the Sleng Teng riddim with bass guitar and piano, rather than sampling the original.
9. Kid 606 - Catstep, My Kitten (Catnip Vatstep DSP remix by Hrvatski)
Sandwiched between sheets of screeching noise lies two fantastic Sleng Teng sampling sections, with synthesized speech bigging up the Kid and advising the "ganja man" to "put out ya spliff". Personally I think that if these sections had been expanded and the extraneous noise-nikery dropped then this would be 100% perfect.
10. Eddie Cochran - Something Else
The track that the "Rock" preset on that Casio Music Box was based on. Without it there would be no Sleng Teng, and as such this is classic, regardless of whether or not you like Eddie Cochran.
Of course, there are dozens of other great versions, but I think these give the best overview of the many different takes on the Sleng Teng.
When Wayne Smith unleashed "Under Me Sleng Teng" at the Waltham Park Road soundclash between King Jammy and Black Scorpio, it wasn't the first time that the digital sound had been flexed in Jamaica - Prince Jazzbo, Sly & Robbie and Paul Blake & The Blood Fire Possee had all got there first. But it was the first digital reggae, or ragga, riddim to blow up in such spectacular fashion. Starting life as a slowed down version of the "Rock" demo preset on a Casio Music Box, and re-recorded at Jammy's studio by session musician Tony Asher, it quickly became one of the most influential pieces of music in Jamaican history. But frankly, the background is nothing compared to the actual sound of the record - the bouncy, elastic bassline and cheap reverbed snares just have such an amazing smile-factor that no riddim since has really managed to recapture.
1. Wayne Smith - Under Me Sleng Teng
The original classic version. Wayne Smiths distinctive vocals complement the riddim perfectly and the lines: "I said me smoke it and me pass it thru de windah / an me give it to my nex door neighba" always makes me grin.
2. Johnny Osbourne - Buddy Bye
Much more dubby than the original, and some excellent toasting including lyrics from "Frere Jaques" and call-and-response. "Whoa!" "Yeah!"
3. Wayne Smith - Under Mi Sleng Teng (Muggs Remix)
Eh.. kinda in two mind about this. It's cool to hear the Under Mi Sleng Teng vocals over a new beat, but was Cypress Hill's DJ Muggs really the best choice? Good, if only for the novelty value.
4. Cocoa Tea - Hey Bobby
Just a straight version over the Sleng Teng riddim but the vocal melody is so joyful I can't help but love it.
5. Egyptian - X-Rated
The beats get toughened up and the riddim gets the cut-up treatment, with extra keyboard flourishes. The vocals aren't much to write home about though, fairly monotonous.
6. Bunny Lee - Metal Sleng Teng
Odd one this. Recently brought to my attention by fellow Sleng Teng fan and Optimo DJ, Twitch. His description was "If Sigue Sigue Sputnik had come from Jamaica" and I can't really argue with that. Being a SSS fan (yes, there are some SSS fans..), I love this.
7. SL2 - Way In My Brain
Ah the memories! The Sleng Teng made up the bulk of this old-skool rave anthem, lifting the riddim and the "Way In My Brain" vocal refrain. One for the whistle crew.
8. Yellowman - Under Mi Fat Thing
Unlike the also excellent version by Anthony Red Rose, this reproduced the Sleng Teng riddim with bass guitar and piano, rather than sampling the original.
9. Kid 606 - Catstep, My Kitten (Catnip Vatstep DSP remix by Hrvatski)
Sandwiched between sheets of screeching noise lies two fantastic Sleng Teng sampling sections, with synthesized speech bigging up the Kid and advising the "ganja man" to "put out ya spliff". Personally I think that if these sections had been expanded and the extraneous noise-nikery dropped then this would be 100% perfect.
10. Eddie Cochran - Something Else
The track that the "Rock" preset on that Casio Music Box was based on. Without it there would be no Sleng Teng, and as such this is classic, regardless of whether or not you like Eddie Cochran.
Of course, there are dozens of other great versions, but I think these give the best overview of the many different takes on the Sleng Teng.
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