Nico started a successful career as a model in Berlin and Paris, studied acting at Lee Strasberg's New York Actor Studio. She then became part of the Swinging London scene, and had a short relationship with The Rolling Stones' Brian Jones and she recorded her first record in London in 1965, the single I'm Not Saying/The Last Mile, produced by Jimmy Page, for Rolling Stones manager Andrew Loog Oldham's label Immediate Records. Thanks to Jones she met Andy Warhol in New York City and became part of Warhol's Factory, and Warhol introduced her to the Rock band The Velvet Underground, with whom she recorded the album "The Velvet Underground & Nico", featuring the legendary banana cover designed by Andy Warhol. The album has been named by numerous publications as one of the top 100 albums of all time, and is often considered one of history's 10 most influential albums by critics.
Nico later recorded several solo albums, including the folksy Chelsea Girl in 1967, followed by original albums such as The Marble Index and Desertshore, which were much darker and avant garde in style. She released several more albums throughout the 1970s and 1980s, including The End..., but died in 1988 from a cerebral hemorrhage after falling from her bike in Ibiza, Spain. She is buried in Berlin, next to her mother.
Solo studio discography:
1967 - Chelsea Girl
1969 - The Marble Index
1970 - Desertshore
1974 - The End...
1981 - Drama of Exile
1985 - Camera Obscura
Live discography:
1974 - June 1, 1974 (with Kevin Ayers, John Cale, and Brian Eno)
1986 - Behind the Iron Curtain
1986 - Live Heroes
1986 - Nico in Tokyo
1989 - Hanging Gardens
1993 - Do or Die!
1994 - Heroine
1994 - Fata Morgana
1994 - Live in Pécs 1985
2000 - In Europe: Do or Die, Diary 1982
2001 - Janitor of Lunacy
2003 - 1972-01-29: Le Bataclan, Paris, France (with Lou Reed and John Cale)
2007 - All Tomorrow's Parties: Live
The Sound
Nico Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Give reggae music a chance
O-o-o-o-o
Give reggae music a chance
Mi wan hear more sound, sound, sound, sound,
That mi wan hear inna mi town
When the DJ play, mi wan him play dancehall and reggae!
That mi wan hear inna mi town
When the DJ play, mi wan him play dancehall and reggae!
Babylon a try hard fi fight this thing,
Can't take the revolutionary vibes it a bring,
It a make the people dem a dance and sing,
It a make the people criticize the system,
So dem a blaze di fyah, pon reggae music,
And dem a blaze di fyah, pon dancehall music
My musical power, mi no fraid fi use it,
Straight fi di goal and mi nah face defeat!
Mi wan hear more sound, sound, sound, sound,
That mi wan hear inna mi town
When the DJ play, mi wan him play dancehall and reggae!
Mi wan hear more sound, sound, sound, sound,
That mi wan hear inna mi town
When the DJ play, mi wan him play dancehall and reggae!
I went to a club just down the way
A pure house music and techno dem a play,
Mi know dem do dem thing, and that's fine with me,
But mi wanna hear dancehall and reggae,
I'll never blaze the fyah, pon reggae music,
I'll never blaze the fyah, pon dancehall music,
My musical power, mi no fraid fi use it,
Straight fi di goal and mi nah face defeat!
Mi wan hear more sound, sound, sound, sound,
That mi wan hear inna mi town
When the DJ play, mi wan him play dancehall and reggae!
Mi wan hear more sound, sound, sound, sound,
That mi wan hear inna mi town
When the DJ play, mi wan him play dancehall and reggae!
Selecta give it to dem inna dancehall style,
Selecta give it to dem inna rubadub style,
Selacta give it to dem inna one drop style,
Cuz the people dem want it
Selecta give it to dem inna dancehall style,
Selecta give it to dem inna rubadub style,
Selacta give it to dem inna one drop style,
Cuz the people dem need it!
Mi wan hear more sound, sound, sound, sound,
That mi wan hear inna mi town
When the DJ play, mi wan him play dancehall and reggae!
Mi wan hear more sound, sound, sound, sound,
That mi wan hear inna mi town
When the DJ play, mi wan him play dancehall and reggae!
So if you love your sound,
Let me see you put your hand inna di air
And if you love your sound,
Let me see you a lighter in the air,
Boom bless!
In Nico's song "The Sound", the singer is calling for more reggae and dancehall music to be played in their town. They express frustration with clubs playing predominantly house and techno music and call for a change. The lyrics are a call to action for DJ's and Selecta's to play more reggae and dancehall music to satisfy the cravings of the people who are yearning for authentic Jamaican music. The chorus repeats the message of "give reggae music a chance" because they believe it deserves more airtime, and it's becoming unpopular due to societal pressure.
The lyrics communicate a deeper meaning that goes beyond just music preference. Babylon or the oppressive system is trying to suppress the revolutionary and critical messages that reggae and dancehall music convey. These genres of music have gotten people to criticize the system, and that's why it's being fought hard by the powers that be. Nico warns against 'blazing the fyah' or fighting against reggae music itself because it possesses a unique ability to empower and inspire people to fight for change.
Overall, "The Sound" by Nico is an anthem that celebrates reggae and dancehall music while addressing the underlying societal issues that hinder their popularity. The song is a rallying cry for cultural expression, and it encourages people to embrace their cultural music while advocating for change.
Line by Line Meaning
O-o-o-o-o
Give reggae music a chance
The singer is urging the listeners to give reggae music a chance.
Mi wan hear more sound, sound, sound, sound,
That mi wan hear inna mi town
When the DJ play, mi wan him play dancehall and reggae!
The singer wants to hear more reggae and dancehall music in his town when the DJ is playing.
Babylon a try hard fi fight this thing,
Can't take the revolutionary vibes it a bring,
It a make the people dem a dance and sing,
It a make the people criticize the system,
So dem a blaze di fyah, pon reggae music,
And dem a blaze di fyah, pon dancehall music
My musical power, mi no fraid fi use it,
Straight fi di goal and mi nah face defeat!
The authorities are trying to suppress the revolutionary messages in reggae and dancehall music that make people dance, sing, and criticize the system. Despite this, the singer is not afraid to use the power of music to achieve his goals and will not be defeated.
I went to a club just down the way
A pure house music and techno dem a play,
Mi know dem do dem thing, and that's fine with me,
But mi wanna hear dancehall and reggae,
I'll never blaze the fyah, pon reggae music,
I'll never blaze the fyah, pon dancehall music,
My musical power, mi no fraid fi use it,
Straight fi di goal and mi nah face defeat!
The singer went to a club where they played house and techno music, which is okay, but he wants to hear dancehall and reggae. He won't use music to cause conflict, but will still use his power to achieve his goals without fear of defeat.
Selecta give it to dem inna dancehall style,
Selecta give it to dem inna rubadub style,
Selacta give it to dem inna one drop style,
Cuz the people dem want it
Selecta give it to dem inna dancehall style,
Selecta give it to dem inna rubadub style,
Selacta give it to dem inna one drop style,
Cuz the people dem need it!
The singer wants the DJ (Selecta) to play different styles of reggae music because the people want and need it.
So if you love your sound,
Let me see you put your hand inna di air
And if you love your sound,
Let me see you a lighter in the air,
Boom bless!
The singer is calling out to his audience, asking those who love their sound to show their appreciation by raising their hands or lighters as he blesses them.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: Nicolas Holter, Henrik T. Seip
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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