Mel Cooke, Freelance Writer
ISAACS
NORMALLY, NOBODY waits on anything much in Three Miles, at Portia Simpson Miller Square, in the midnight hour. A few taxis congregate at the Texaco gas station and the sound of the traffic signals changing is audible as a few stragglers head for Portmore or to and from 'country' (or Spanish Town, as the case may be).
That changed on Sunday night into Monday morning, however, as a cheerful gathering came for 'Grooving' in the Three Miles Plaza, Purple Love providing the music for the oldies session.
At just past midnight, dancehall was pounding out from the plaza, across Spanish Town Road, the end of Hagley Park Road and the beginning of Marcus Garvey Drive, the deejay expressing the lament of the married man with 'cyaan tek me madda in law'. There was a shot of Nicodemus before Sugar Minott urged 'come down natty dread come down'.
FIRE FROM THE COOL RULER
Quite a few persons had plates in hand and drinks flowed, as Gregory Isaacs' Hard Drugs was started over twice. The Cool Ruler also got another 'pull up' as he nasally queried 'now who's gonna hold and squeeze you tight' in Love Overdue. I'm Still In Love and When I Fall In Love followed before the selector currently at the turntables, Super Barry, spoke.
"If yu don't treat yu woman good she gwine leave yu mek yu sing da tune yah," he said and the hands went up for Dennis Brown's How Could I Live. Lone Ranger chanted about his baby who lives next door before Super Barry went onto more bloody matters. "De man dem whe a walk an a kill innocent people, a one ting me call dem," he said and the hands went up for Barrington Levy's Murderer, which was started again.
THRILLING THE LADIES
And there were more forwards for Shabba Ranks' Respect, as Barry Jimmy Metro's No Lazy Body and For Your Eyes Only led up to the closing reggae song of the segment.
And he had a speech for the change to soul music too, sending Homely Girl to all the ladies. And the ladies sang loudly on the line 'the boys used to say, you look better in the dark'. My Sunshine Has Come' and Tell Me You Will, On My Own and Penny Lover kept the soul music going as the many singles stood and swayed and the few couples clutched and also swayed.
Wee Pow took over the controls of his Purple Love at a few minutes past 1:00 a.m., keeping the rocking soul going with Members Only and Lady In Red.
The Gleaner left Three Miles Plaza with Don't Burn Your Bridges Down muting the click of the filter arrow for the right turn from Spanish Town Road to Hagley Park Road, leaving the party people rocking on a peaceful night.
