We Love Jon HendricksコミュのAiregin

Sonny Rollinsの曲で、Jonが歌詞を書いたものです。
アパルトヘイトで犠牲になった黒人にささげたものだということは知っていたのですが歌詞の意味がよくわからず、Jon Hendricksに問い合わせたらお返事がきました。

Dear Kaori:

"Airegin" was written by Sonny Rollins. When I saw him, I asked him what that word meant. He told me it was Nigeria spelled backwards. So that gave me the story of the song. "Wait'll ya' dig it on the map, Airegin, spelled backwards. Really are closing up the gap- Airegin gone fac'-wards. (That means Nigeria had become a Western source of raw materials such as oil and other precious commodities.) Back, long time ago they saw a ghost. Ghost made a boast soon that ghost was host. Wait'll ya' dig it on the map Airegin spelled backwards. Really closin' up the gap Airegin gone fac'-wards. Those losing their hue, they goofed and got the wrong view, first, things reversed, last is first. Ya' dig it? (When the first white man came to Africa, the first Africans thought he was a ghost because all of their early folklore taught them that the ghost of their ancestors would come back. So they treated him with friendship and kindness, which was returned with brutality, murder and plunder.)

If there are any further questions, please let us know. It was so nice to meet your son. We look forward to seeing you and returning to Japan. Affectionately, Jon Hendricks

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