Throw Down Your Arms Explained
| Throw Down Your Arms |
| Type: | cover |
| Artist: | Sinéad O'Connor |
| Cover: | Sinead O Connor Throw Down Your Arms Cover.jpg |
| Released: | 4 October 2005 |
| Recorded: | 2004 |
| Studio: | Tuff Gong Studios and Anchor Studios in Kingston, Jamaica |
| Genre: | Reggae |
| Length: | 95:36 |
| Label: | Chocolate and Vanilla |
| Producer: | Sly and Robbie |
| Prev Title: | Collaborations |
| Prev Year: | 2005 |
| Next Title: | Theology |
| Next Year: | 2007 |
Throw Down Your Arms is the seventh studio album by Sinéad O'Connor, also known as her reggae album. O'Connor sings cover versions of classic roots reggae songs, with production by Sly and Robbie.
The album was recorded in Kingston, Jamaica at Tuff Gong Studios and Anchor Studios in 2004 and released by Chocolate and Vanilla on 4 October 2005. In her memoir Rememberings, O'Connor said that she felt so strongly about making Throw Down Your Arms that she personally paid $400,000 of her own money for the record's production. 10 per cent of the profits went to support Rastafari elders in Jamaica.
The album contains a cover of the Bob Marley song "War", which O'Connor famously performed on Saturday Night Live in 1992 while ripping up a photo of Pope John Paul II.
The cover art depicts a photograph of O'Connor in the dress and veil she wore at her First Holy Communion as a child.[1]
Track listing
Note:
- Sinéad O'Connor cover of "Downpressor Man" is closer to Peter Tosh recording made in 1977. But the song was previously recorded three other times by Peter Tosh with The Wailers: "Sinner Man" (1966, produced by Coxsone Dodd), "Downpresser" (1971, produced by Lee Perry) and "Oppressor Man" (1972, produced by Peter Tosh).
- The cover of "Marcus Say Jah No Dead" is closer to Burning Spear's a cappella version featured on the Rockers soundtrack.
- A few other reggae covers were done by Sinéad O'Connor when she was touring to promote the album, such as "Rivers Of Babylon" (by The Melodians), "None A Jah Jah Children No Cry" (by Ras Michael & The Sons Of Negus), "Keep Cool Babylon" (by Ras Michael & The Sons Of Negus), "Stepping Razor" and "Creation" (by Peter Tosh).
Personnel
- Sinéad O'Connor – vocals, low whistle
- Sly Dunbar – drums
- Robbie Shakespeare – bass
- Mikey Chung – lead guitar
- Dalton Brownie – rhythm guitar
- Glen Brownie – acoustic guitar on "Untold Stories"
- Robbie Lyn – keyboards, Hammond organ
- Carol "Bowie" McLaughlin – piano
- Steven "Lenkky" Marsden – piano on "Curly Locks"
- Uziah Thompson – percussion
- Dean Fraser – saxophone
- David Madden – trumpet
- Pam Hall, Keisha Patterson, Katrina Harley – backing vocals
Charts
Notes and References
- Web site: My Favourite Things (MFT): July 27 | Sinéad. Cathleen. Falsani. 27 July 2023.
- Web site: Part of Sinéad O'Connor's ARIA chart history 1988 to 2022, received from ARIA in 2022. ARIA. Imgur.com. 3 December 2023.
- Web site: Independent Albums Chart. Billboard.
- Web site: Reggae Albums Chart. Billboard.
