With CONCACAF World Cup qualifiers set to restart early next month, some of Jamaica’s top musicians are contributing to the Reggae Boyz cause as they have been recording a new theme song for the Jamaican national football (soccer) team.
The Reggae Boyz will begin the second round of qualifiers on June 8 against Guatemala as they attempt to make it to the 2014 World Cup in Brazil. Should they succeed in their efforts, it would be the first time qualifying for football’s most prestigious tournament since the 1998 World Cup in France.
As locals try to rally the troops for their ‘Road to Rio’ World Cup campaign, Dancehall & Reggae artistes are lending their voices as support for the national team by recording a new theme song to help cheer them on. The song, Fever Taking Over was co-written by prominent songwriter/producer, Mickey Bennett, who revealed that he was asked by the Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) two months ago to write a piece that would help spark the Reggae Boyz campaign.
Luckily for Bennett, internationally acclaimed Dancehall/Reggae artistes, Luciano and Mr. Vegas were in his studio recording a song for the latter’s double album, Sweet Jamaica and both laid down verses for Fever Taking Over.
The new theme song, also co-written by MacKeehan Solomon, Montana Soloman and Gary Moulton also features younger artistes such as Natel, G Blunt and Utras and could feature even more established musicians as the process unfolds.
"I am going to call Capleton, as he brings that kind of energy; we are going to call for Elephant Man and so on, but everybody cannot be on the song,” Mickey Bennetttold the Jamaica Gleaner.
"The best thing about a product like this is everybody leaves their ego behind and says 'this is for the Reggae Boyz, so let's bring our A-game.”
For Bennett, doing such an effort for the Reggae Boyz marks a humbling occasion for him and expressed his pleasure with collaborating on the project.
"It is a big honor, and someone like me goes through sleepless nights just to take up the challenge, but one of the secrets that I have learnt over the years is just to surround yourself with people that you trust," he said.
Fever Taking Overhails as the first theme song for the Jamaican national football team since Rise Up which became a popular anthem throughout the 1998 World Cup campaign in France. Rise Up featured Reggae legends such as Buju Banton, Ziggy Marley, Shaggy, Maxi Priest Diana King and Tony Rebel to name a few.
As for this theme song and the campaign it represents, Mr. Vegas believes that this song will inspire players and fans alike while expressing optimism regarding the Reggae Boyz’ chances to reach the 2014 World Cup.
"It is always a pleasure to do something for your country, and especially the Reggae Boyz that people love so much here in Jamaica and around the world…The campaign start and wi just want to be a part of it to help propel them (Reggae Boyz) to the World Cup stage,” he told the Gleaner.
"It is real positive and I have a good feeling about the team. We grow up with Brazil being our favorite team, and for the World Cup to be keeping in Brazil it is like an extra energy and these players are going to put out to reach, because it is so close to home."
The Reggae Boyz will battle Guatemala, Antigua and Barbuda as well as the United States in their second round qualifying group. The top two from this group will advance to the final, hexagonal stage of qualifying in which six teams will vie for three spots from CONCACAF plus a playoff place against a team from Oceania.
Various Artistes - Rise Up (Jamaica United) - Reggae Boyz Theme Song (1998)
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