Andy stepped on big toes

Michael Manley's first stint as prime minister created a new political awareness among the youth, including Bob Andy. However, Fire Burning, a song spawned from this awareness, also raised Manley's ire.

"Michael call me and warn me off," Bob Andy said.

At a reception held at Jamaica House, Manley was being introduced to particular artistes. Each had a complaint or request, Andy said, and, when it was his turn he was introduced as "the infamous Bob Andy". to which Manley replied, "I am aware."

"Then he threw his head back and said 'what you want, Andy?" He wanted nothing personally, but pointed out that if there was a copyright law, he and budding musicians could find a place in the world.

"He said, 'You are a serious man'. I said, 'This is a serious time'. His tone changed and he said, 'You need to see me. Jean, take his number'."

Biggest boy

Andy was duly requested to attend a meeting and went to Heroes Circle exactly on time, but was told that he should go to Jamaica House. He did, but Andy was kept waiting (he said obviously it was never relayed to the prime minister that he was there) and the meeting did not happen. Two days later, he was taken to see Manley and spoke with him.

"He said, 'do you know who the biggest boy in Jamaica is?'," Andy recalled. He was thinking about the dons and well-known bad men of the day - Feather Mop, Kid Ralph, Jessie Hog. But Michael had someone else on his mind. "When he realised that I was not on target, he jumped up and hit his chest three times and said, 'me! The people of Jamaica say so. Tell your friends!'

"I left a bit confused," Andy said.

He pointed out, though, that Manley would have heard about him from the other entertainers. Also, Andy said he had turned down Clancy Eccles when he was organising artistes to perform as the People's National Party went across the country.

"They were aware of this. I thought if I did anything like that I would be taking sides. I felt as early as that as an artiste, I had the right to be apolitical," he said.

He saw Manley on other occasions, "but nothing as serious". That included the premiere of the film Children of Babylon, in which Andy appeared.