Ska Boom-Episode 023: Third World & 1865 (96 Degrees In The Shade)

On this episode, I focus on the Jamaican band Third World and their iconic song "1865 (96 Degrees In The Shade) from their 1977 album of the same name. As a kid who loved social studies and world history and paid attention to current events, '1865 (96 Degrees In The Shade)” really drew me.  In case you aren’t familiar with the song, it is a dramatic and powerful retelling of the events of the October 1865 Morant Bay Rebellion, headed by Baptist deacon and preacher Paul Bogle who led an armed group of freed Jamaican slaves against the British authorities.As a young kid, I didn’t grasp what was going on, I just knew it grabbed me like the best stories do.  The song  starts with the extended drum intro and the opening lyrics immediately paint a vivid picture of another place during another time:  “Said it was 96 degrees in the shade ten thousand soldiers on parade taking i and i to meet a big fat boy sent from overseas the queen employ”  I'll unpack everything going on in this classic song that dramatizes a central event in Jamaican history. If you’ve listened and received some value from this episode, then please help support the  podcast for as little as $3 per month on Patreon. Supporters get access to exclusive content like special episodes of the podcast and advanced promo chapters from the book.  Please note: The music clips included in this podcast fall under the “Fair Use Doctrine” as defined by Section 107 of the Copyright Act. The law allows for use of music clips for purposes of criticism, comment, and news reporting.Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices