Wah Wah 45s present the first of two very special cover versions from our beloved Afro-electronic duo, Raz & Afla. Having recently released their sophomore LP, Echoes Of Resistance, to great acclaim and support ranging from Nick Grimshaw on BBC 6 Music to Tash LC on BBC Radio 1, the pair offer up their version of a classic piece of music that has become a mainstay in their live sets, and means a lot to them personally, as Raz Olsher explains:
“We love this song. The lyrics resonate with us, talking about the meaning of connection to a land and its people. The history of this song is also fascinating, from Hugh Masekela and Orlando Julius through Odyssey and Richie Havens. We wanted to give it our own flavour. You can’t choose your heritage and where you are born. It is always a part of you and we like to celebrate that.”
Written and first recorded by Lamont Dozier in 1977, Going Back To My Roots was famously covered by Richie Havens in 1980 before becoming a huge crossover hit when interpreted by disco outfit Odyssey in 1981. It’s that version that provides the inspiration for the artwork on this release, courtesy of designer Michael Sallit, but musically Raz & Afla very much give their take their own unique dance floor feeling. It’s a version which has already been receiving early support from Craig Charles on BBC 6 Music.
“It’s just one of those ones that you’ve got to dance when you hear it! It’s definitely gonna be in my DJ sets this year, I’ll tell you that!“ Craig Charles
Look out for a second, very unexpected, cover version from Raz & Afla, coming in April.