'Zungguzungguguzunguzeng' revealed

Mel Cooke, Gleaner Writer

Zungguzungguguzunguzeng sticks out in a dancehall arena where constructed words and catch phrases are slung left, right and centre, the genre's very colourful characters putting their stamp on what was once the Queen's hallowed English. Those who think the phrase has some special meaning will be sorely disappointed, as Yellowman tells The Gleaner that 'Zungguzungguguzunguzeng' (which became an album title as well) "is jus' a slang, like a man say 'boom' or 'ribbit'".

However, the line "You nuh fi call Yellowman nuh bway" has significant pedigree, from an arena which is not shy to borrow liberally from dancehall. "(Michael) Manley used to say, 'Yuh should'n trouble Manley bway'," Yellowman said. He took the melody and attitude from the Manley statement, put in the Zungguzung-guguzunguzeng and was off and running with yet another hit.

However, not being able to understand what Yellowman was saying in Zungguzungguguzungu-zeng, the deejay said, those responsible for keeping the airwaves sanitised assumed it was something raunchy and initially banned the song. It was not, in the first place and, as Yellowman reminded the audience at Pulse's Trafalgar Road, New Kingston, headquarters last week Sunday, he does not do slackness.

It is entertainment.

Committed to broken tour

Yellowman casually tells The Gleaner that he will not be leaving Jamaica until next month, which seems an unusually long time for the deejay renown for touring heavily to not 'fly out'. He will be going to California for two to three weeks, completing a tour that was broken, as he had to come back to Jamaica to deal with work permit matters.

"Now mi get it, mi a go do the California leg," Yellowman said, this after going through Canada, Hawaii, Argentina and Peru earlier. He will be with Sagittarius Band, most of whose members live abroad.

"We nah do Europe 'til next year," Yellowman said.

It is an annual tour, but he points out that each time, a new country or venue is added. So, the last time around, Slovenia was added to the roster. The year before that, it was the Czech Republic. At other points, the new territories have been Ireland, Portugal and Poland, this being in addition to the customary France, Germany and Holland, among other well-travelled European reggae markets.