No Condition Is Permanent

Pictured: Sylvia Robinson.

As far as Sylvia Robinson was concerned, all the track needed was for Grandmaster Flash & the Furious Five to lay down the vocals, only for Flash to protest the song was “way too dark, way too edgy, and way too much of a downer.” Melle Mel didn’t share Flash’s concerns, however, and offered Fletcher additional lyrics he had written for Grandmaster Flash & the Furious Five’s “Super Rappin’ No. 2” that told the story of a kid who grew up in poverty and died young in prison. Flash’s dismay increased when Robinson outlined her intention to have Mel deliver the lyrics solo. “This is what I was afraid of,” recalls the dj in his autobiography. “This is how things fall apart. This isn’t about Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five. This isn’t everybody shining at the same time. This isn’t about teamwork. This isn’t about taking five mcs and making ’em sound like one, which has been our thing from the very beginning. This is about Mel. This is about Sylvia. This is about money.” The dj tried to turn the situation around by having the Furious Five deliver the song, only for Robinson to reject everything save for Flash’s name, turning to Mel to deliver the lyrics as a solo rap. “All the rappers, including us, were scared to do something serious,” Mel told Steven Hager. “Sylvia Robinson is the only one who believed in ‘The Message.’ She told us it would be a big song for us.”

— Tim Lawrence, Life and Death on the New York Dance Floor 1980-1983.

LISTEN TO EPISODE 309 OF NO CONDITION IS PERMANENT:

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Here’s what we played in Ep. 309 of No Condition Is Permanent:

THE FIRST SET

The O’Jays — “Back Stabbers” — Back Stabbers

Pasteur Lappé — “More Sekele Movement (Papa Ni Mama)” — African Funk Experimentals (1979 to 1981)

The Starfires — “Re-Entry” — Surf Guitars Rumble Vol. 1

Money Chicha — “Echo en Mexico” — Echo en Mexico

Gene & Eunice — “Bom Bom Lulu” — Great Googly Moo (And More Undisputed Truths)

Thongmi Malai — “Lam Phloen (Put A Girl In Her Place)” — Classic Productions By Surin Phaksiri 2: Molam Gems From The 1960s-80s

La De Da’s — “Don’t You Stand In My Way” — La De Da’s

Michel Laurent — “Matla La Mouyé” — Lèspri Ka: New Directions In Gwoka Music From Guadeloupe 1981-2010

IT’S MADISON TIME…

The Mothers of Invention — “My Guitar Wants to Kill Your Mama” — Weasels Ripped My Flesh

THE SECOND SET

Noro Morales Quintet — “Saona” — Welcome To The Party

Dennis Landry — “Concentration” — Southern Funkin’: Louisiana Funk and Soul 1967-1979

Treasure Isle All Stars — “Arabian Dub” — Flashing Echo: Trojan In Dub 1970-1980

Jr. Walker & the All Stars — “Roadrunner (I’m A)” — Hitsville USA: The Motown Singles Collection 1959-1971

T.P. Orchestre Poly-Rythmo — “Avoun Doupou Me Douga” — The Kings Of Benin Urban Groove 1972-80

Sylvia — “Pussy Cat” — Disco 75

Manzanita y su Conjunto — “Salomé” — Trujillo, Perú 1971-1974

Howlin Wolf — “Shake-For-Me” — Chess 45rpm

Tony Allen — “Ire Omo [feat. Adunni & Nefretiti]” — Film of Life

THE THIRD SET

Brother JT — “T. Rex Blues” — The Svelteness Of Boogietude

Hamid El-Shaeri (حميد الشاعري) — “Maktoub Aleina” — The SLAM! Years 1983-88

Orgone — “Swinging Grits” — Fuzzed Up

Junior Byles And The Versatiles — “Cutting Razor (Alternate Mix)” — Cutting Razor: Rare Cuts From The Black Ark

The Gemtones — “Man With the Golden Arm” — Frolic Diner Part 1

Les Gypsies De Pétion-Ville — “La Nuit Tombe” — “Haiti”

The Atlantics — “Monkey Tree” — The Michigan Box: 1950s & 1960s Oddball Labels

Eng Nary — “I Wonder” — Cambodian Nuggets

THE FINAL SET

The Eyes Of Blue — “Supermarket Full Of Cans” — The Mod Scene

Bobby Pauneto — “No-Van-Co” — Boogaloo Pow Wow: Dancefloor Rendez-Vous In Young Nuyorica

Nathaniel Mayer — “From Now On” — I Just Want to Be Held

Joe Gibbs & The Professionals — “Rema Dub” — African Dub All-Mighty Chapter 3

The Stooges — “Down On The Street” — Fun House

Remmy Ongala & Orchestre Super Matimila — “Nalia Mwana Libala” — Sema

Flash Terry & Orchestra — “She’s My Baby” — West Coast Guitar Killers Vol 2 (‘52-‘69)

Los Corraleros De Majagual — “Pomp Del Pilón” — The Afrosound Of Colombia Vol. 2

LORD BUCKLEY’S WEEKLY BENEDICTION…

Joe Hisaishi — “Sonatine 1 (Act of Violence)” — Sonatine OST