BY HOWARD CAMPBELL—
Observer senior writer—
Wayne Wonder
In 1992, Wayne Wonder was a dancehall star on the rise and searching for another hit song. He wanted to cover I Don’t Know Why , a classic rocksteady track by Delroy Wilson, one of his heroes.
Done as Movie Star, it remains one of his biggest hits. Recently, he returned to Wilson’s impressive catalog and unearthed I’m Not A King, which he covered as I’m A King.
“Delroy Wilson was di artiste who ask mi to sing Movie Star an’ Feel Like Crying (Have Mercy). Is one a mi favorite artiste, so mi jus’ decide fi knock it (I’ m Not A King) back,” he told the Jamaica Observer’s Splash. “Di original song was entitled I’m Not A King, but mi been in it so long, Wayne Wonder is a king, so wi jus’ switch it (lyrics) instead of riches, wi sey ‘blessings fi call my own’. ‘Cause wi have life, an’ with life wi can do much things.”
Wonder, who performs at The New Vibe Lounge in Long Island, New York on Sunday, produced I’m A King for his Singso Music label. He also has other songs on the market, including Only Me for Real Squad Records, and Fling it Up, a joint production for Nostra and Blackieyaad Productions.
Produced by Donovan Germain for Penthouse Records, Movie Star helped make Wayne Wonder (real name Vonwayne Charles) one of dancehall’s biggest stars of the 1990’s. A collaboration with Buju Banton on the song (known as Bonafide Love) made it even more popular.
Wonder has performed on Buju Banton’s comeback Long Walk to Freedom shows in Kingston and Nassau, The Bahamas.
Wilson, one of reggae’s most influential singers, died in 1995 at age 46.Sponsored Links
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