A sample of Tenor Saw

Entertainment

BY KEVIN JACKSON Observer writerSaturday, August 10, 2013

TWENTY-FIVE years since his death, Tenor Saw’s music lives on through sampling by a number of hip-hop, rap and rock acts.Ska/rock group Sublime sampled the singer’s first hit Roll Call for their song Jailhouse.German rap group Dynamite Deluxe produced a track called Lots of Sign with guest singer Patrice performing the hook from Tenor Saw’s song of the same name.American hip hop group Lifesavas used the melody and lyrics of Fever for their song of the same title. The song is from their Spirit in Stone album which was released 10 years ago.Probably the most sampled Tenor Saw recording is Ring the Alarm, his biggest hit.Produced by Winston Riley and released in 1985 on the Techniques label, Ring the Alarm topped charts locally and overseas. It was done on the legendary Stalag beat.American ska/rock band 311 sampled the song for Prisoner, a song taken from their 1997 album Transistor.Rap group Fu Schnickens also did a version of Ring the Alarm which has also been covered by Daniel Lanois’ Black Dub.The song Fell, Destroyed by Fugazi includes the line ‘Ring the alarm or you’re sold to dying’. The lyric sheet from the parent album pays “respects to Tenor Saw”.Rap artistes Brother Ali and Mos Def have also both sampled Ring the Alarm. Brother Ali for his song Champion from his album Shadows on the Sun, and Mos Def in his song Universal Magnetic.Tenor Saw performing in Japan.

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A sample of Tenor Saw