Piece of the day: Yellowman’s Zungguzungguguzungguzeng

Today, January 15, is Yellowman’s birthday! To celebrate its 69th anniversary, let’s take a look at the history of the most unpronounceable title in dancehall history: Zungguzungguguzungguzeng. C’is one of the most notable hits of Yellowman’s career. “Jump fe happiness and jump fe joy” which made this title famous upon its release in 1983. The king of dancehall at the time borrowed this tune and this phrasing from a crowd haranguer by politician Michael Manley and placed it on the Diseases Riddim by Junjo Lawes, boss of the Volcano label. It hits the mark and even if the song is banned from the radios (probably by Manley and his team who do not look favorably on this cover), it becomes No. 1 and the famous melody will become one of the most recycled of 80s in sound systems, causing public hysteria at each mention.