Bismark Boachie (DJ Premier), author
“Beautiful women and sexually explicit songs, enemies has done this and that songs” are not the only ones we want to hear!
As I watched TV, following the “GH convid-19 tracker” launch, a lot was running through my mind.
Excuse me but how did most of these musicians who performed feel when they were performing? They felt we needed entertainment during times like this?
I’m sorry we needed motivation, inspiration, we needed hope, which needn’t have any relationship with religion!
It clearly showed how young Ghanaian musicians have mostly spent time writing songs about women, enemies, ghetto youth, sex etc with some even singing about Christmas during such times. I don’t blame them but I hope they take a cue from this pandemic and learn how to write songs that can inspire people during hard times like this.
These new musicians have failed us, they should go back and listen to “say a little prayer” - Kojo Antwi, Daddy Lumba’s “Onyame wer3 mfiri ne mma” and other countless songs written by some of our old musicians!
1. "Keep Changing the World"—Mikeschair
2. "One Day"— Matisyahu
3. "One Love"— Bob Marley
4. "Waving Flag"—K'naan
5. "We Are the World"— Michael Jackson
6. "Hey World (Don't Give Up)"— Michael Franti
7. "With My Own Two Hands"— Ben Harper
8. "East to the West"— Michael Franti & Spearhead
9. "Seasons of Love"— Rent
10. "Peace"— Luminaries
11. "Imagine"— John Lennon
12. "Once a Day"— Michael Franti & Spearhead ft. Sonna Rele
13. "Galactic Love"— New Nobility
14. "Whatever"— Oasis
15. "The World Is Ours"— Aloe Blacc & David Correy
16. "Change the World"— Colby & Awu
17. "One Tribe"— Black Eyed Peas
18. "We're All in This Together"— Ben Lee
19. "One Song— A Song for World Peace and Togetherness" by Mitchell Jay
20. "Do Something"— Matthew West
21. "I'm Good"— The Mowgli's
22. "Letter to the Future"— You I Am
23. “Heal the world” - Michael Jackson
24. “We’re the world" - USA for the world
These amongst others are songs people can perform during stormy times like this. This shows how unprepared our musicians are!
I’ve always asked that so aside the old high life musicians who sang songs which are played during funerals and probably obour’s “Eye me ya” the new musicians only sing about merry making, women with endowed bodies amongst other unnecessary things!
So in case any of these new musicians die, then we fall back to the old songs again. Ghanaian musicians please kindly sit up, because one day you’ll get an opportunity to perform on a world stage and unfortunately your songs will be a misfit.
As for the gospel musicians, the less i speak about them the better!
I’m challenging our young song writers and musicians to pause, reflect and think about this!
