NATIONAL TREASURE: SEARCH FOR THE GREATEST ALBUM THERE EVER WAS
Phone Nicolas Cage, the world’s greatest treasure has been decided: Jock James; cassette.
Although this more than likely was not the first cassette I owned, it was by far my most memorable and heavily used. This fantastic arena-themed mix accompanied me in family car rides, bedroom dance sessions and across many Walkman adventures. I have memories cauterized into my brain of little me jumping around while this cassette reverberated distorted dance tunes off all four walls of my tiny bedroom walls. Volume knob turned all the way to the right, of course.
If you ever had the pleasure of listening to this album, you know that both Side One and Side Two were jam-packed with bangers. A collaboration of dance/club/techno and hip-hop with a smidge of rock sprinkled in opened my ears to a world of music I had never stepped toe in. Below I have listed out a few of my favorite tracks from the album. Although I would listen to this cassette side-to-side without fast-forwarding through a single track, there were definitely certain songs that stood out among the rest.
Once that bell tings and Michael Buffer steps in, you know it’s on.
For reference, this is the kid that was listening to this cassette. Story about mark between the eyes coming soon.
A few of my favorite tracks:
“Let’s Get Ready To Rumble/Get Ready 4 This” - 2 Unlimited (feat. Michael Buffer)
“Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the main event.” Enough said.
“Ya’ll ready for this?”“Whoomp! There It Is” - Tag Team
One of the greatest party songs of all time? Possibly. The first hip-hop song I fell in love with? Absolutely. Not only was “Whoomp! There It Is” on this cassette but it was also the background jam to one of the best scenes in D2: Might Ducks, which makes it a double whammy.
“Here’s a shovel, can you dig it, fool?”“Pump Up The Jam” - Technotronic
The opening Hi-Hat is addictive and the smugness in vocals puts Cardi B to shame. Also, this song was Michael Jordan’s walkout song in Space Jam, which obviously makes it 1,000x cooler.**Oh dang, speaking of Space Jam leads my mind to one of the greatest hip-hop songs to ever enter my earholes. It also fits into this timeline very nicely. “Hit ‘em High” is the banger of all bangers. Coolio, Method Man, B-Real, LL Cool J and Busta Rhymes all on one track? Talk about a dream team. Dang, ain’t it beautiful?
B-Real lashes with sharp cadence. Coolio mellows things out a bit before Method Man murders all that stands. LL flows like an ocean of swagger and Busta seals the deal with samurai swords of ridiculousness. See for yourself here.
“The Power” - Snap
Dance club jam meets West Coast gangster hip-hop. As the song points out, it’s gettin’ kinda hectic.
“So please, stay off my back or I will attack, and you don’t want that.”“Come Baby Come” - K7
As a third grader, I had no idea what the context of this song was. Reflecting now as a thirty year-old I suppose my reaction is along the lines of “Yikes.” I mean, this song contains nothing that isn’t a sexual innuendo. I can only imagine what my parents thought when I was singing along to “When I come into the bedroom - WAM! BAM!” Regardless, this song features an addictive flow and group vocals that accent each line like the greatest punctuation mark that has yet to be discovered.“Rock and Roll (Part 2)” - Gary Glitter
Most commonly known as “The Hey Song” this is the simplest, yet most iconic song on the whole album. Being an addict of beat and flow, my heart beats (no pun intended) at an irregular rate mimicking the tempo of this song whenever it comes on.This song is the ultimate stadium jam. You get everybody from hip-hop and rock fans keeping the beat with their nodding heads to grandparents out of their seats swaying hips and clapping along (you know you’ve seen it).
This song also happens to be the frontrunner on my bucket list of songs to sing karaoke to. I think it would be a magical experience.
Most of the music on this album falls into genres I do not listen to today. I’m not a fan of club/dance/techno music but that will not keep me from discarding the memories I have attached to those included in Jock Jams Vol. 1. This album still remains to this day one of my most treasured childhood memories. I do not exit a record store before searching the ‘used’ cassette stacks for this beautiful piece of plastic encased in an orange sleeve of nostalgia. I know for a fact one day the universe will reconnect us.
Keep Disney Studios on the line, because that will be the find of all finds.
If you’re not familiar with this album, you can find the majority of the playlist here.