My Whole World.

Again, I didn't intend to drop this project for so long. Work got hard, houses flooded, and sending out music felt a little trivial as the world was bursting open with racial justice struggle, exposed violence, pain and inspiring actions. The pandemic and quarantines had already left me feeling disoriented and that many of the yardsticks I used to measure progress and possibility had changed. The past month -George Floyd's murder, the uprising and movements sparked, the reevaluations of our needs and strategies, etc.- confirmed that times 100.

I'm not the world's deepest thinker and I don't know how to write, so no real contributions to those discussions are likely to be found here... But maybe, as I dip my toes back into this, a few of the songs that soundtrack my processing, panic and occasional progress will do something for you too.

Bim Sherman ‎– My Whole World

Pressure Sounds ‎– PSS 017

Vinyl, 7", 45 RPM, UK, Released: 2007

info

A My Whole World

B Dub World

One of my favorite songs by the great Bim Sherman. Look, maybe it's not the most uplifting song ever... but since I first heard it as a teenager, it's been a go to song for me in hard times. Maybe it makes me feel like there might be some hope in tough times? Or (more likely) maybe I just appreciate something so beautiful being honest about what a mess things are and giving me permission to wallow.

It was originally released on Sherman's own Scorpio label in 1975 or '76. The self-produced Jamaican single was mislabeled, accidentally (or saving a buck by?) reusing labels from another similarly titled 1975 track of his. The song would be rerecorded a few times during Sherman's many years associated with On-U Sound and Adrian Sherwood: most importantly in a New Age Steppers version (with lead vocals by Ari Up of the Slits) and as the re-titled "Can I Be Free From Crying" on Bim Sherman's 1996 acoustic-reggae-meets-Bollywood-soul masterpiece, Miracle. (If that description even slightly intrigues you, I should probably be planning a future post. It's a beautiful album like nothing else that I know of.)

The original 1975 cut has popped up on a few compilations, but I don't think the single ever saw another pressing (or proper song titles) during Bim's lifetime. In 2007, Pressure Sounds, a great UK reggae reissue label, finally gave the "My Whole World" single (including it's original B side dub version) correct track names and a reissue. This is taken from a copy of that Pressure Sounds 7". The sound quality limitations of many 45 year old JA recordings are there, but (with some added clean up by me) I think this reissue sounds pretty good.

I really hope some of you enjoy a song that I've loved for a long time now. 24 bit FLAC or MP3 below.