The wife asked me to review this. See she speaks Samoan like a princess, formal chat and all that. Me, I have a few words that I use on the cat and daughter like. So, she said this is a great record of oral histories in song. Given recordings date back to 1910, it also captures songs which may have had their origins in pre Christian times. There is also a song commemarating the 1918 flu epidemic, not to mention the Mau rebellion. Oh, marriage, war, standing dance and politcal lament-and don't we all need that at the moment. For me, as a palagi, I note there are no songs on eating and drinking, something in my view Samoans have down as a world sport that they excel in. Be mindful, some of the recordings are scratchy but the wife said the words are the treasure and the way of stringing them together a thing of beauty. So Samoans, young and old, this is something to prize and remind you of the power and beauty of Samoan music and culture. Of course I will just doze, as I do, at the next family gathering when the oldies put this on the turntable and get down with it. Samoan miusic did not start with Savage, or the skinny one in the Laughing Samoans and you know the other one is Elvis living away from fame and fortune and all those mothers who want to marry him off to their daughters. And you think it is hard being a Geordie? Seek, find and enjoy.
