Crate Digger: Olatunji, master Nigerian percussionist, in 1971

Post Author:

Download the cheeriest out-of-print Nigerian percussion pop song on the A Side of this most cheery, out-of-print LP.

Welcome to a new series in which I rip rare old vinyl tracks that I can't find anywhere else on the internet. Enjoy the crackle.

Babatunde Olatunji's most widely heralded material was his earliest recorded work in the states, done in the late 50s for Columbia Records on the heels of an education in public administration at NYU. He went on to perform with many great jazz and rock musicians including, early on, John Coltrane and later Carlos Santana, Cannonball Adderley, Quincy Jones, and you can read his Wikipedia too.

Drums, Drums, Drums was recorded in 1971 and opens with this woozily uplifting song whose title, in his native Yoruba, I can't translate. Still, my attempts at internet-translating give me these assurances: Aiye means “house” Re, “is”, and Me “my”. Do with that what you will.

Also, I think Panda Bear heard this song before recording Person Pitch.

Olatunji, “Aiye Mi Re”