Born in Kingston and raised in Denham Town in the West of the city, Gordon was influenced by Lord Kitchener, who lived in Jamaica in the 1940s. His interest in music began at an early age when he heard a rumba box being played by local musician Cecil Lawes. He went on to perform locally as a teenager, singing calypsos accompanied by Lawes, and began performing in hotels in the early 1950s.
He first recorded for Kingston businessman and sound system operator Stanley Motta, and later recorded with a backing band that included Theophilus Beckford and Ernest Ranglin. His early hits included "Blues Have Got Me Down" (1960) for producer Emil Shallit.
He switched to ska in the early 1960s, and was a founding member of the Skatalites, singing with the band on tracks such as "Come Down" and "I'm In The Mood For Ska". He recorded for Clement Dodd, Duke Reid, and Lindon Pottinger in the 1960s, and had hits with adapted folk songs such as "Iron Bar" and "Matty Rag", and had further hits with songs such as "Ol' Fowl". In 1965 he won the Festival Song Contest with "Come Down". In 1970, he recorded a reggae cover of Tony Joe White's "Rainy Night in Georgia", which was a number one hit in Jamaica for seven weeks. He was based in Canada from the mid-1970s, where he married a local woman and opened the Record Nook shop, selling Jamaican-produced records, although he returned to Jamaica to record. During one of these trips back he recorded the 1979 album Calypso Reggae, for Bunny Lee.
In 1990, his ska cover of "I'm in the Mood for Love", gave him his only UK hit, reaching no. 58 in the UK Singles Chart after being featured in a television advert for Paxo in 1989.
In 2002, Tanamo performed as part of the 'Legends of Ska' concerts in Toronto, the performances recorded and released as a film in 2014. Tanamo continued to perform with the Skatalites into the 21st century, including a set at the 2003 Glastonbury Festival.
In January 2008 it was stated in a Jamaican newspaper that Tanamo was in a nursing home in Canada after suffering a stroke that had left him unable to speak.
He died in Toronto on 19 April 2016.
I'm In the Mood for Ska
Lord Tanamo Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Simply because you're near me.
Funny, but when you're near me
I'm in the mood for love.
Heaven is in your eyes
Bright as the stars we're under
Oh! Is it any wonder
Why stop to think of whether
This little dream might fade?
We've put our hearts together
Now we are one, I'm not afraid!
If there's a cloud above
If it should rain we'll let it
But for tonight, forget it!
I'm in the mood for love
Lord Tanamo's song "I'm in the Mood for Ska" is a classic ska tune from the 1960s that was later covered by a number of artists, including The Selecter and Madness. The song features a catchy, upbeat melody and simple, romantic lyrics that capture the joy and excitement of being in love. The opening lyrics, "I'm in the mood for love, simply because you're near me," set the tone for the rest of the song.
The lyrics are about the singer's strong feelings of love and attraction for someone who is clearly very special to him. He describes how he feels when he is near the person he loves, and how he is inspired by their presence to feel happy and optimistic about the future. The middle section of the song includes the lines, "We've put our hearts together, now we are one, I'm not afraid!" which reveal the singer's deep commitment to the person he loves and his confidence in their relationship.
Overall, the song is a celebration of love and the joy and excitement that it can bring to our lives. The upbeat tempo and catchy melody make it a classic of the ska genre, while the simple yet powerful lyrics continue to resonate with audiences of all ages.
Line by Line Meaning
I'm in the mood for love
Feeling amorous and romantic
Simply because you're near me.
The presence of the person is arousing the romantic feelings
Funny, but when you're near me
It seems amusing but it's true that the presence of the person evokes romance
Heaven is in your eyes
The eyes of the person look divine and celestial
Bright as the stars we're under
The eyes of the person look as bright and sparkling as the stars above us
Oh! Is it any wonder
It's not surprising to feel what he feels given how attractive the person is
I'm in the mood for love?
He is feeling romantic and emotional
Why stop to think of whether
Reflecting on not worrying about the uncertainty of the future
This little dream might fade?
Wondering if this romantic mood would disappear
We've put our hearts together
Both hearts have joined and made one entity
Now we are one, I'm not afraid!
Feeling confident and secure that they are one entity
If there's a cloud above
If there are potential problems or issues
If it should rain we'll let it
Letting things happen the way they should despite potential setbacks
But for tonight, forget it!
Concentrating on enjoying the moment and not worrying about anything else
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Dorothy Fields, Jimmy Mchugh
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@fionasatiro1955
This was our first dance song at our wedding. ❤️❤️❤️
@ginoterminiello1953
Absolutely love this from Lord Tanamo, Grew up with SKA and this wonderful tune is right up my street, Lord Tanamo SKA legend 😀😀
@ryanlove1576
I’m 21, and this song is everything to me, it’s incredibly wholesome and no matter when I heard it I’ll always put it on to either cheer me up or when I’m happy, jah! ❤️
@keironhiggspoet
whenever i hear this, i think of late jamaican grandfather and his sharp dressed sense, with his gold capped grin trying to chat up any lady that made his presence. he loved ska and was the life of every party.
@disahur666
Simplemente hermosa hermosa música larga vida al rocksteady
@msolo5785
Rest in peace Lord Tanamo 1934 - 2016
@SuperOlleri
Our wedding tune.
@TheBubbleMoo
Been hearing this about for years, but it took me forever to find the right version (no disrespect to Ella or the other greats)
@TCP83
top tune..like da vid too..yum!
@totoxclub
Gracias por compartirlo, Saludos desde Colombia