By Jean Paul

Recently overheard at a local rumshop:

SALTPRUNES: Boysie how yuh feelin de 2012 soca so far?

BOYSIE: All I know de vybes cyant done so dey callin me Mr.Fete.

SALTPRUNES: Steuuuuuuuuups. You like a Bunji tune ah bam bam.

Last weekend on a road trip to an out-of-town comedy club a white comic had to endure a steady diet of 2012 soca in the car. Out of courtesy I told him if he wanted to hear different music he could bring an iPod. While I don’t consider soca music a seasonal thing, truth be told, right now I am in full blown Carnival mode.

Some people call me a soca head. They assume just because I’m from Trinidad and Tobago that by law I’m forced to like soca music. First of all I don’t like soca music… I love it. Secondly I’m not just a soca head, I’m a music head. I love all forms of music - soca, jazz, hip hop, RnB, Latin, house, alternative, reggae and I even dig some classical music (… and no, I’m not referring to old Gregory Isaacs. I mean Tchaikovsky and fellas like that).

Music is supposed to be part of someone’s life journey - almost like a soundtrack to life. I can certainly say that about soca. It’s been there from day one (… literally. My dad had Kitchener’s road march-winning Margie jamming in the delivery room)

Lots of people complain that soca is just made up of jump-and-wave tunes. Nothing could be further from the truth. Those songs are to soca what pop music is to adult contemporary. Soca music is filled with great storytellers and wordsmiths that ride a riddim like nobody’s business.  If you understand and give soca a real listen it finds it’s way into your heart, soul and waist.

Soca music is just freeing. It puts me in a different frame of mind. When I hear a tune I love, I close my eyes and I can actually feel the music. So much so that I automatically hold my head, let out a loud “Ooooooh gooooouuud!” and head straight to the nearest bar.

Like most West Indians, soca just has a different rhythm, a different vibe, a different energy. It’s the reason that no other region in the world responds to the music like we do - from banging on walls to raising non-existent guns to fire a salute of appreciation. That doesn’t happen at the opera. I’d like to believe in the history of opera that no tenor or soprano has ever had a solo interrupted by an audience member that jumped up loudly expressed their appreciation with BRAP BRAP BRAP!

One of my friends says he doesn’t like soca music because it’s too happy for him. Wow…now if that’s your biggest complaint, soca is clearly the least of your problems.

I’m not trying to force anyone to like soca music, nor is this some sort of apology for loving it. I just want to make it clear that it doesn’t offend or even bother me when people tell they hate soca or say it’s corny. Nothing that is said to me about the music I love is going to change my attitude. In fact the opposite happens - it just brings me closer. I’m too deep in it for me to ever forsake my soca now. I’ve chipped behind many a truck, jumped up in countless fetes spinning my shirt in my hand, watched the sun rise inside a breakfast party and took a wine on too many bumsees to count for me to turn my back on soca music now. So to all the haters out there no matter what you say just remember- I’m a bacchanalist and this foot is mine, I go jump if I want to, wave up or bend down and wine…I HEART SOCA.

P.S.- If anyone is looking for me you can find me in the gym getting my bam bam ready for Carnival. Send all hate email to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it