Mel Cooke, Freelance Writer

Everyone came out to have fun, even the little people. This woman and her companion got down to the oldies but goodies. - Nathaniel Stewart/Freelance Photographer

The street was full and High Tension was in good form on Sunday night as the weekly oldies jam in Rae Town attracted its loyal following of music lovers, who came not to profile but to dance.

And dance they did, not only to the five 'Ds' that dominated - the songs of Delroy Wilson, Dennis Brown, the Mighty Diamonds and Errol Dunkley as well as disco and dancehall - but also to virtually everything else the selectors sent their way.

Playing in showcase style, Delroy Wilson was the first of the 'Ds' just past 2:30 a.m., musing I Can't Stand It, followed appropriately enough by Have Some Mercy. The social mix of Rae Town oldies was reflected in the two-wheeled transportation parking between a cane cart and a jerk chicken vendor, as a bicycle was propped up among a couple scooters and a large, powerful motorcycle.

After another Delroy cut, the Mighty Diamonds weighed in with Right Time, the selector restarting as the crowd sang "Marcus Garvey prophesy say ...". It got two restarts, one of many songs that night to get multiple play, one young lady's bleached face glowing brighter than the streetlight above, to which she turned her closed eyelids in delight.

A thin, shirtless, barefooted man passed The Gleaner, an empty Heineken beer bottle in each of his four pants pockets and one hand holding up his pants, his eyes scouring the ground for more empties, but still managing to shuffle to the Diamond's Have Mercy.

WOMEN ON THE DANCE FLOOR

It was another 'thinners' that attracted the most attention, though, her already imposing height stepped up five notches with high heels, short jeans shorts threatening to cut off her blood supply, mass of OPH (other people's hair) tumbling down her back and long, coloured OPF (other people's fingernails) set against a bag of marijuana.

High Tension's selector appealed to the women on the disco and they duly responded, chirping and chipping along to Aint No Stopping Us Now and the femme favourites Like a Virgin and I Will Survive, which got extended play. And their Money O! favourite received a rapturous response even before the opening lyric "boy what can you do for me?" hit, the refrain "no romance without finance" getting solid support.

One older man, dressed like a Mormon missionary, made dancing his mission, commanding a spot in the middle of the street. However, a scratched Part-Time Lover cut the flow, the selector moving on after two attempts and the Rae Town crowd duly 'stepping in the name of love'. It was the introduction to as up-to-date a song as would be heard at Rae Town on a Sunday night, as Alicia Keys' No One swung.

SPOTLIGHT

The headlights of a car passing through the audience placed a temporary spotlight a woman in a pink top and white pants who writhed down to the ground solo style, Akon coming before the beat was changed around.

Then it was straight dancehall time, a remake of Just The Two of Us, Sunshine Lady, Papa San and Lady G's Legal Rights and Nut's Woman Deh Ya among an extended run, a woman substituting the door of Corolla for the required hardness to back up on.

And when the dancehall was done, it was time for the final two 'Ds'. Errol Dunkley contributing Black Cinderella and You're Gonna Need Me ("It nah tek no time!" one dreadlocked man shouted as Dunkley sang "and it won't be long"). The Dennis Brown series befitting his catalogue was excellent and extended, Ghetto Girl, Foundation, If I Had The World and Here I Come among them.

As The Gleaner hit the road at 4:30 a.m., just ahead of the cock-crowing hour, Tenor Saw was singing of his 'golden hen'.