Great Moments in Popular Music

For her recently released Throw Down Your Arms, aging (and formerly retired) Irish songstress Sinéad O'Connor teamed up with legendary Jamaican reggae producers/musicians Sly & Robbie for what amounts to a surprisingly good collection of vintage one-drop reggae. Let's listen in on the first few moments of this peculiar collaboration ...

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More About

• Sinead O'Connor
• Sly Dunbar
• Kingston (Jamaica)
• Sly & Robbie
• Robbie Shakespeare

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Feb. 11, 2005: The phone rings at Tuff Gong Studios in Kingston, Jamaica ...

Sly Dunbar: 'Ello, can mi help yuh?

Sinéad O'Connor: 'Owaya, oi'm callin' ter spake ter Mr. Sly Dunbar or Mr. Robbie Shakespeare.

SD:Dis is Sly, who's dis?

SO: 'Tis Sinéad O'Connor callin' -- yer know who oi em?

SD:Aren't yuh dat crazy peel-head dawta from Ireland?

SO:Yeah, but please don't say oi'm nuts, oi really 'ate dat. Oi might rip yer bake aff if yer call me nuts again.

SD:Hush gyal, wut can mi do for yuh?

SO:Well, ah've decided ter coom oyt of retirement an' oi want ter record a whole album av reggae cover songs.

SD:Bwaaaaa hahahahahahahaahaha!

March 17, 2005: Recording sessions forThrow Down Your Arms, day five ...

SD:Dawta, why dun yuh try singin' "Jah Nuh Dead" one mer tim?

SO:Oi'll sin' it again if yer want ... Meet me at de bank av de bonny river when yisser journey 'as end ... Oi and Oi 'ill discuss aboyt dis mutter ... Jah naw dead, Jah naw dead ... 'ey, wat de fook ye two 'ootin' an' 'ollerin' aboyt?

SD: "Oi an' oi"? "Oi an' Oi"??? Bwaaaaa hahahahahaahaha!

SO:What de fook yer expect, oi'm Oirish!

SD:Bwaaaa hahahahahahahaha. Lawd muh Gawd!

SO:Ah yeah? Yer guys are gonna slag me? Well, watch dis!

SD:Nooooo, dun tear up dat photo of Haile Selassie!!! Dawta, yuh need tuh chill, smoke summa dis.

SO:Ahhhhhhh, that's really grand! Oi can feel de Rasta vibe nigh, 'tis loike oi'm communicatin' wit Marcus Garvey 'imself! Let me try ter sin' it again ... Meet me at the bank of the beautiful river when your journey has end ... I and I will discuss about this matter ....

SD:Irie!! Nuh if only mi can get yuh ta spring sum dreadlocks outta dat crazy head.