Brain Damage meets Vibronics
"Empire soldiers"

Vibronics & Brain Damage teamed up and decided to come together around a concept, a narrative inspiration that will undoubtedly surprise: Anglo-Caribbean and Franco-African soldiers’ experience during the first world war. 
The academic historian, poet & songwriter, Madu Messenger, uses the product of years of study and research, to develop, within that very framework, a series of texts on some key topics such as travel, friendship, war and death. This project thus aims at offering a learning experience about this often little-known period of our history. 
It will draw troubling parallels with some more contemporary considerations on culture shocks, immigration, imperial powers and horrors of war that still affects all of us today. Following their reflection on this sensitive issue, the musicians of the project’s – all of many other origins, Anglo-French, Jamaican or Asian – move towards a cultural alignment, opposite to certain enslaving and communitarian models.


DO U REMEMBER ? w/ SIR JEAN


Ah Me seh One, World War One
Two, World War Two
Do U remeber those African soldiers
Who died for your Freedom

Why, why ô why
A me seh why, why ô why
You never mention those African soldiers
Who died for your Freedom

Cuz when U big up de fallen soldiers
U nah name dem at all
Me check out your walls and monuments
Me nah see dem at all
Memorial days a come and U nah call dem at all
Me check out your books of history
We nah see dem at all
It is a shame
U don't remember dem
Dem have given dem youth and dem lives
Just for your Freedom
I come to call out their names
And put a little light pon dem
Their grand sons come to call out their names
And put a little light pon dem
Their African grand sons come to call their names
And put a little light pon dem
Lord of mercy
And put a little light pon dem

CHORUS

Baionets, Fixed !
B company, Fire !
African soldiers on the wire
They were Senegalese, Marocans, or Algerians
They were young, beautiful
And full of strength
They were lions trodding on da battlefield
Now they're lying in complete oblivion
Do U ever, ever remember dem ?
Their grand sons come to call out their names
And put a little light pon dem
And put a little light pon dem

CHORUS

They were fighting with glory
Forgotten at da moment of victory
Ô U used dem as manpower
African warriors
Courageous soldiers
African fighters on da frontline
But inna ya books dem nah have a single line
So we come fe mek de glory shine
Me seh de medal of merit haffi shine

CHORUS


Brain Damage meets Vibronics w/Sir Jean : "Do U remember ? (extended mix)"

Brain Damage