The Jolly Boys – Iron Bar – Free Download
MENTO was the music of the Jamaican dancehalls before ska, rocksteady and reggae came along. A people’s music typically played in the countryside on acoustic–sometimes homemade–instruments, it dates to the late 19th century. Its lyrics generally dealt with rude or slack topics, or addressed the social issues of the day. Although often confused with calypso (largely because calling it “calypso” was a handy way of marketing it to tourists who didn’t know any better), it has a rawness and rhythmic feel that is uniquely Jamaican.
MODERN MENTO is the next stage. This new development takes the tradition’s old-time style–its instruments, rhythms and timbres–and introduces it to the songs, beats and vibe of contemporary pop music. Finding fresh sounds in common ground, modern mento slams the tradition’s creative doors open and represents a new stylistic direction for Jamaican music.
FREE DOWNLOAD “Iron Bar” is one of mento’s oldest and most beloved songs. A rude song about a drunken domestic mixup, it was once commonly performed by road workers and farmers as a “digging song.” Its many recorded versions have made it an enduring mento classic.
go to the website here to download the free download of a classic mento track – http://www.jollyboysmusic.com/download.php