"Bam Bam" is a 1982 song by Jamaican
dancehall
Dancehall is a genre of Jamaican popular music that originated in the late 1970s. Initially, dancehall was a more sparse version of reggae than the roots style, which had dominated much of the 1970s.Barrow, Steve & Dalton, Peter (2004) "The Rou ...
recording artist
Sister Nancy
Ophlin Russell (born on 2 January 1962), better known as Sister Nancy (or Muma Nancy), is a Jamaicans, Jamaican dancehall Deejay (Jamaican), DJ and singer. She is known to the world as the first female dancehall DJ and was described as being a ...
. The song's chorus was inspired by the 1966 song of the same name, by
The Maytals
The Maytals, known from 1972 to 2020 as Toots and the Maytals, are a Jamaican musical group, one of the best known ska and rocksteady vocal groups. The Maytals were formed in the early 1960s and were key figures in popularizing reggae music.
...
and
Byron Lee and the Dragonaires
Byron Lee and the Dragonaires (known as Byron Lee's Dragonaires after Lee's death and now The Dragonaires) are a Jamaican ska, calypso and soca band. The band played a crucial pioneering role in bringing Caribbean music to the world. Byron L ...
.
The song's instrumental samples the 1974 song "Stalag 17", by
Ansell Collins
Ansel Collins is a Jamaican musician, composer, singer, songwriter and producer, best known for his work with Dave Barker as Dave and Ansel Collins.
Biography
Born 1949 in Kingston, Jamaica,riddim
Riddim is the Jamaican Patois pronunciation of the English word "rhythm". In the context of reggae and dancehall, it refers to the instrumental accompaniment to a song and is synonymous with the rhythm section. Jamaican music genres that use the ...
, alternatively known as a backing track used repeatedly. The song has been labeled as a "well-known reggae anthem" by
BBC #REDIRECT BBC #REDIRECT BBC #REDIRECT BBC
Here i going to introduce about the best teacher of my life b BALAJI sir. He is the precious gift that I got befor 2yrs . How has helped and thought all the concept and made my success in the 10th board ex ...
and a "classic" by ''
The Observer
''The Observer'' is a British newspaper published on Sundays. It is a sister paper to ''The Guardian'' and ''The Guardian Weekly'', whose parent company Guardian Media Group Limited acquired it in 1993. First published in 1791, it is the w ...
''.
In 2016, ''
Billboard
A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertise ...
'' called the song "a strong contender for the title of most
sampled
Sample or samples may refer to:
Base meaning
* Sample (statistics), a subset of a population – complete data set
* Sample (signal), a digital discrete sample of a continuous analog signal
* Sample (material), a specimen or small quantity of so ...
reggae song of all time."
[Sister Nancy & Producer Winston Riley's Son Talk 'Bam Bam' Sample on Kanye West's 'The Life of Pablo'](_blank)
Billboard, 2016-02-16 When asked her opinion of the many songs that have used her voice over the years, she responded: "I don’t know if I hear all of them. They sample it so much times but none of them is my favorite. The reason why I say that is they know how to contact me. They know I live in the
U.S
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country Continental United States, primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 U.S. state, states, a Washington, D.C., ...
. and nobody try to contact me to do it in person. They always sample the tune. If they had contacted me and I would do it for them live then I would have a favorite."
In 2014, Sister Nancy's daughter pointed out that the song was playing on the TV in a
Reebok
Reebok International Limited () is an American fitness footwear and clothing manufacturer that is a part of Authentic Brands Group. It was established in England in 1958 as a companion company to J.W. Foster and Sons, a sporting goods company ...
commercial and thus she finally decided to seek legal advice and guidance on properly obtaining rights to her own music. For 32 years, Sister Nancy did not receive any royalties for her song. At the end of the settlement she was unable to receive compensation for all 32 years of unpaid royalties, however, she did receive compensation for the last 10 years and then obtained 50% of the rights to her song “Bam Bam”.
In 2015, the song topped the
iTunes
iTunes () is a software program that acts as a media player, media library, mobile device management utility, and the client app for the iTunes Store. Developed by Apple Inc., it is used to purchase, play, download, and organize digital mul ...
Reggae Chart.
Early influences
The
Jamaican sampling culture has provided an inclusive space in which artists are able to repurpose one sound over and over again to share a cultural identity and indulge in a sort of “Call and Response” practice rooted in African oral traditions. These artists are called by one song or its artist to respond with their own versions and all are consequently brought together in an antiphonetic musical dialogue. Sister Nancy's Bam Bam is no exception to this musical dialogue.
The popular phrase “bam bam” was introduced into the music scene first in 1966 by a reggae band called Toots and the Maytals. The catchy hypnotic phrase, bam bam, led to its longevity that surpassed the popularity of roots reggae and was incorporated into the resurging dancehall genre, where many dancehall vocalists (or deejays) would use the lyrics and/or the popular phrase.
Mike Steyels states that Sister Nancy's immediate inspiration to sing the popular phrase was “hearing Yellowman and Fathead record their own version of ‘Bam Bam’ over the ‘Taxi Riddim’ in another studio just weeks before her own recording”. Sister Nancy, however, sampled the Toots and the Maytals's Bam Bam over the Stalag riddim instead, a popular reggae riddim which came to prominence in the 1970s. The Stalag riddim was first introduced in a reggae song called “Stalag 17,” written and performed by Ansell Collins and released by Winston Riley's Techniques record label in 1973.
The melody and cadence of the "Bam Bam" refrain in the chorus of Sister Nancy's version closely follows the original background melody of Toots and The Maytals' "Bam Bam". R. Henry Gordon, N. N. McCarthy and Frederick "Toots" Hibbert hold the copyright to the original version of the song, but were never compensated royalties for use of the song by Sister Nancy or any artist who sampled her cover.
[ R. Henry Gordon, N. N. McCarthy & Frederick Hibbert (1978) "ABC reggae & 260 other titles. (Part 001 of 002)", United States Copyright Office, Document Number V1700P105]
International success
Sister Nancy was unaware of "Bam Bam"'s success outside of Jamaica until she moved to the United States in 1996.
After Sister Nancy released her ''
One, Two
''One, Two'' is a 1982 album by Sister Nancy. Originally issued on LP record, vinyl, it was reissued on compact disc in 1992.
Track listing
#"One Two"
#"I Am A Geddion"
#"Aint No Stopping Nancy"
#"Gwan A School"
#"Coward Of The Country"
#"Bam B ...
'' album, she recalls never hearing "'Bam Bam' play one time in Jamaica".
However, her producer traveled all over the world during the recording of her album and after it was released. He knew how popular "Bam Bam" had gotten, yet he "never wanted
ister Nancyto know".
Once Sister Nancy heard her song in the 1998 film
''Belly'', she realized its impact and popularity. It also dawned on her that she has not been credited or given royalties for the past 16 years since the song had been released. Sister Nancy tried to contact and set up a meeting with her producer, but he never showed or tried to meet with her. She believed he avoided her all this time and kept her in the dark because he knew she would ask him for money.
This was not uncommon at this time as many producer and recording companies kept fees and royalties away from black artists if their song was sampled or used by other artists or media.
''
Rolling Stone
''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner, and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. It was first kno ...
'' ranked "Bam Bam" at number 454 on its 2021 edition of the "
500 Greatest Songs of All Time
"The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time" is a recurring survey compiled by the American magazine ''Rolling Stone''. It is based on weighted votes from selected musicians, critics, and industry figures. The first list was published in December 2004 in ...
".
Certifications
Samples and interpolations
"Bam Bam" has been sampled well over one hundred times, in different media alike, making it, arguably, one of the most sampled reggae songs ever.
According to
WhoSampled
WhoSampled is a website and app database of information about sampled music or sample-based music, cover songs and remixes.
History
Nadav Poraz founded the site in London, England in 2008, as a way to track musical samples and cover songs. ...
, a user-generated website cataloging samples, Bam Bam has appeared in over 130 tracks as of 2022.
One of the most famous electronic songs that sampled "Bam Bam," and is sometimes referred to as a remix of Sister Nancy's song, is "Waterman" by
Olav Basoski
Olav Basoski (born 1968, Haarlem, Netherlands) is a Dutch DJ, remixer, house music producer and trainer in Electronic dance music techniques. He is best known for records such as "Windows" (1991), "Don't turn your back on me" (1993), "Opium ...
featuring Michie One, released in 2005. In the song, there is frequent use of the "Bam Bam" riddim in addition to use of Sister Nancy's own vocals.
Artists who have sampled or interpolated "Bam Bam" include:
*
CL Smooth
Corey Brent Penn, Sr. (born October 8, 1968, New Rochelle, New York), known by his stage name CL Smooth, is an American rapper. He is best known as the vocal half of the hip-hop duo Pete Rock & CL Smooth.
Career
After the duo Pete Rock & CL Sm ...
and
Pete Rock
Peter O. Phillips (born June 21, 1970), better known by his stage name Pete Rock, is an American record producer, DJ and rapping, rapper. He is widely recognized as one of the greatest hip hop producers of all time, and is often mentioned alongs ...
, on their 1992 song "The Basement".
*
Lauryn Hill
Lauryn Noelle Hill (born May 26, 1975) is an American singer, songwriter, rapper, and record producer. She is often regarded as one of the greatest rappers of all time, as well as being one of the most influential musicians of her generation. ...
interpolated "Bam Bam" in her song "Lost Ones", from the album ''
The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill
''The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill'' is the debut solo album by American singer and rapper Lauryn Hill. It was released on August 25, 1998, by Ruffhouse Records and Columbia Records. ''The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill'' is a neo soul and R&B album ...
''.
*
Groove Armada
Groove Armada are an English electronic music duo, composed of Andy Cato and Tom Findlay. They achieved chart success with their singles "At the River", "I See You Baby" and "Superstylin'". The duo have released nine studio albums, four of whic ...
on their 2001 song "
Fogma".
*
Chris Brown
Christopher Maurice Brown (born May 5, 1989) is an American singer, songwriter, dancer, and actor. According to '' Billboard'', Brown is one of the most successful R&B singers of his generation, having often been referred to by many contempo ...
featuring
Wiz Khalifa
Cameron Jibril Thomaz (born September 8, 1987), better known by his stage name Wiz Khalifa, is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, and actor. He released his debut album, ''Show and Prove'', in 2006 and signed to Warner Bros. Records in 200 ...
, on the 2011 song "Bomb".
*
Kat DeLuna
Kathleen Emperatriz DeLuna (born November 26, 1987) is an American singer.
DeLuna began pursuing a career as a singer when she was a teenager and later signed with Epic Records. Her debut single, "Whine Up", released in 2007, went on to become ...
interpolated
In the mathematical field of numerical analysis, interpolation is a type of estimation, a method of constructing (finding) new data points based on the range of a discrete set of known data points.
In engineering and science, one often has a n ...
"Bam Bam" on her 2015 song "
Bum Bum
"Bum Bum" is a song by American singer Kat DeLuna featuring Trey Songz, released by Entertainment One Music, eOne as a standalone single on March 30, 2015. A Dance music, dance song, it Sampling (music), samples and Interpolation (popular mus ...
".
*
Kanye West
Ye ( ; born Kanye Omari West ; June 8, 1977) is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, record producer, and fashion designer.
Born in Atlanta and raised in Chicago, West gained recognition as a producer for Roc-A-Fella Records in the ea ...
featuring
Rihanna
Robyn Rihanna Fenty ( ; born February 20, 1988) is a Barbadian singer, actress, and businesswoman. Born in Saint Michael and raised in Bridgetown, Barbados, Rihanna auditioned for American record producer Evan Rogers who invited her to the ...
sampled "Bam Bam" on the 2016 song "
Famous
Famous may refer to:
Companies
* Famous Brands, a South African restaurant franchisor
* Famous Footwear, an American retail store chain
* Famous Music, the music publishing division of Paramount Pictures
* Famous Studios, the animation division ...
", from ''
The Life of Pablo
''The Life of Pablo'' is the seventh studio album by American rapper and producer Kanye West. It was released on February 14, 2016, through GOOD Music and distributed by Def Jam Recordings. Recording sessions took place from 2013 to 2016, in It ...
''. Sister Nancy has noted that she has missed out on a lot of money as a result of not receiving credit, but thought it was a positive that Kanye West used it: "When I heard
estdo it I just thought: ‘Well, that’s good for me.’ Whatever way he takes it, it’s very good for me because it keeps me moving. Do you know what I’m saying? It keeps me working."
*
Beyoncé
Beyoncé Giselle Knowles-Carter ( ; born September 4, 1981) is an American singer, songwriter, and actress. Beyoncé's boundary-pushing artistry and vocals have made her the most influential female musician of the 21st century, according to ...
used a sample of "Bam Bam" interpolated with her live performance of "Hold Up" from her 2016 album ''
Lemonade
Lemonade is a sweetened lemon-flavored beverage.
There are varieties of lemonade found throughout the world. In North America and South Asia, cloudy still lemonade is the most common variety. There it is traditionally a homemade drink using le ...
''.
*
Jay-Z
Shawn Corey Carter (born December 4, 1969), known professionally as Jay-Z, is an American rapper, record producer, entrepreneur, and founder of Manhattan-based conglomerate talent and entertainment agency Roc Nation. He is regarded as one of ...
, in the song "Bam" from the 2017 album ''
4:44''. Jay-Z actually traveled to Jamaica to record the music video for his song, "Bam." While on his visit, Jay-Z stopped by and met Sister Nancy, who is featured in the video. He spent three days with her.
*
Lizzo
Melissa Viviane Jefferson (born April 27, 1988), known professionally as Lizzo, is an American singer, rapper, and flutist. Born in Detroit, Michigan, she moved to Houston, Houston, Texas with her family when she was 10 years old. After col ...
, on her 2017 song "
Truth Hurts".
*
Logic
Logic is the study of correct reasoning. It includes both formal and informal logic. Formal logic is the science of deductively valid inferences or of logical truths. It is a formal science investigating how conclusions follow from premises ...
featuring My Dad, in the song "BOBBY" from the 2019 album ''
Confessions of a Dangerous Mind''.
*
Main Source
Main Source was an East Coast hip hop group based in New York City/Toronto, composed of Toronto-born DJs and producers, K-Cut and Sir Scratch, and Queens MC and producer Large Professor. Later, another Queens MC, Mikey D (Michael Deering), repla ...
on Just Hangin' Out from the 1991 album
Breaking Atoms
''Breaking Atoms'' is the debut album of American/Canadian hip hop group Main Source, released July 23, 1991, on Wild Pitch Records. Production was handled by the group, primarily by member Large Professor, and took place during 1989 to 1991 at ...
In other media
In 1998, "Bam Bam" was featured in the
Hype Williams
Harold Williams (born August 1, 1970) is an American music video director, film director, film producer, and screenwriter.
Early life
Williams was born in Queens, New York. He is of mixed African-American and Honduran descent. He attended Adel ...
film ''
Belly
Belly may refer to:
Anatomy
* The abdomen, the part of the body between the pelvis and the thorax; or the stomach
** A beer belly, an overhang of fat above the waist, presumed to be caused by regular beer drinking
** Belly dance
* The fleshy, cent ...
''. In 2014, "Bam Bam" was featured in the
Seth Rogen
Seth Aaron Rogen (; born April 15, 1982) is a Canadian-American actor, comedian and filmmaker. Originally a stand-up comedian in Vancouver, he moved to Los Angeles for a part in Judd Apatow's series ''Freaks and Geeks'', and then got a part on ...
/
Evan Goldberg
Evan D. Goldberg (born September 15, 1982) is a Canadian-American filmmaker and comedian. He has collaborated with his childhood friend Seth Rogen on the films '' Superbad'', ''Pineapple Express'', ''This Is the End'', ''The Interview'', and ''Go ...
film ''
The Interview
''The Interview'' is a 2014 satirical alternate history action-comedy film co-produced and directed by Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg in their second directorial work, following ''This Is the End'' (2013). The screenplay was written by Dan Sterl ...
''. The song was also featured in the
EA's skateboarding video game ''
Skate
Skate or Skates may refer to: Fish
*Skate (fish), several genera of fish belonging to the family Rajidae
* Pygmy skates, several genera of fish belonging to the family Gurgesiellidae
* Smooth skates or leg skates, several genera of fish belongin ...
''. In 2022, it was featured in the fourth season (first episode) of
Ozark
The Ozarks, also known as the Ozark Mountains, Ozark Highlands or Ozark Plateau, is a physiographic region in the U.S. states of Missouri, Arkansas, Oklahoma and the extreme southeastern corner of Kansas. The Ozarks cover a significant portio ...
.
References
{{authority control
Jamaican songs
Dancehall songs
Reggae songs
1982 singles
1982 songs
Sampling (music)