1973â€™s Gentleman is the last of Felaâ€™s early 1970s transitional albums â€“ it was followed by 1974â€™s Alagbon Close, on which he brought all Afrobeatâ€™s signature

Gentleman

1973â€™s Gentleman is the last of Felaâ€™s early 1970s transitional albums â€“ it was followed by 1974â€™s Alagbon Close, on which he brought all Afrobeatâ€™s signature ingredients together. On its title track, 1973â€™s Gentleman presents one of Felaâ€™s most perfect lyrics, sung in call-and-response with the backing vocalists. â€œI no be gentleman at all,â€ Fela sings, â€œAfrica hot, I like am so; I know what to wear but my friend donâ€™t know; him put him socks him put him shoes; him put him pants him put him singlet; him put him trouser him put him shirt; him put him tie him put him coat; him come cover all with him hat; him be gentleman; him go sweat all over; him go faint right downâ€¦.I no be gentleman at all-o; I be Africa man original.â€œ Thereâ€™s plenty more. As so often with Felaâ€™s songs, â€œGentlemanâ€ can be interpreted literally or as metaphor concerning a wider issue. In this case, Felaâ€™s topic is the colonialism-induced inferiority complex which led many in Africaâ€™s new governing elites to reject African style, concepts of beauty and modes of behaviour in favour of European imports. It was a subject Fela returned to on 1976â€™s Yellow Fever, whose title track attacked the craze for skin whitening creams among African women, and 1977â€™s Johnny Just Drop, whose title track lampooned the social pretensions of Africans returning home after working or studying abroad. Gentlemanâ€™s other tracks, â€œFefe Naa Efeâ€ and â€œIgbe,â€ have briefer lyrics. On â€œFefe Naa Efe,â€ an Ashanti motto from Ghana, Fela tells a woman dumped by her boyfriend that she must get over the heartache and move on.
Country USA
Brand Partisan Records
Manufacturer Partisan Records
Binding Vinyl
ReleaseDate 2016-10-14
UnitCount 1
UPCs 720841206910
EANs 0720841206910

Country	USA
Brand	Partisan Records
Manufacturer	Partisan Records
Binding	Vinyl
ReleaseDate	2016-10-14
UnitCount	1
UPCs	720841206910
EANs	0720841206910

Gentleman

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