Hey I Don’t Know – Kongos
Okay, I know this is the 4th song from Kongos’ album ‘Lunatic’ to make this list, but it is just such a great album that virtually every tack could be on here. We have had ‘Escape’, ‘I’m Only Joking’ and ‘Come With me Now’, now its time for ‘Hey I Don’t Know’, another thunderstomp of a song.
A single drum beat introduces the song which then immediately jumps into a funky strut beat that is simultaneously heavy and bouncy. It is reminiscent of some of the 70’s heavy rock of Led Zeppelin and Deep Purple where those bands put a bit of funk into their sound. Deep Purple’s ‘Sail Away’ (off the album ‘Burn’) is one that immediately comes to mind. What Kongos don’t do is the higher pitched wail that those bands sometimes injected into their vocals. Rather the Kongos brothers keep it steady at a controlled growl level.
Like ‘Come With Me Now’ and ‘ I’m Only Joking’, there is something primal in the beat of ‘Hey I Don’t Know’. It bashes it’s way into your senses, searching out the animal in you and pokes it a nudge, waking up parts of your psyche that you keep under control when sitting in the office or shopping in the mall, but this song sets that part of you free when you are at home and no one is around, you can crank up the volume, dance like a banshee and feel free.
The apple did not fall far from the tree in the Kongos family as the sons of Johnny made an album full of excellent pounding rock that their dad must be proud of. I am not planning to feature any more songs from the album on this list but do recommend you check out the others. It’s a stonkingly good album. I say I’m not planning to feature more, but things change and maybe I will, maybe I won’t, but hey, I don’t know for sure.
Where to find it:
Lunatic – Kongos (2014), Epic
Video: