Tenor Saw facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Tenor Saw
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| Birth name | Clive Bright |
| Born | 2 December 1966 Kingston, Jamaica |
| Died | August 1988 (aged 21) Houston, Texas, United States |
| Genres | Reggae, dancehall |
| Occupation(s) | Singer-songwriter, singjay |
| Years active | 1980s |
Clive Bright (born December 2, 1966 – died August 1988), known as Tenor Saw, was a famous Jamaican dancehall singer. He was also a "singjay," meaning he could both sing and rap. He became very popular in the 1980s. Many people think he was one of the most important singers in early digital reggae music. His most well-known song was "Ring the Alarm" from 1985. This song used the famous "Stalag" riddim (a reggae term for the instrumental track of a song).
About Tenor Saw
Clive Bright was born in Kingston, Jamaica. He was the fourth of six children. His family lived in different parts of West Kingston before settling in Duhaney Park. Clive grew up in a religious family. He sang in his church choir.
He wanted to become a recording artist. He tried to get help from many music producers in Kingston. After some rejections, George Phang gave him a chance. Tenor Saw recorded his first song, "Roll Call," in 1984. It was for Phang's Powerhouse record label.
Tenor Saw then worked with Sugar Minott's Youth Promotion sound system. He also worked with the Black Roots Records label. He had several hit songs in Jamaica. These included "Lots of Sign," "Pumpkin Belly," "Run Come Call Me," and "Fever."
His biggest hit was "Ring the Alarm." He recorded this song for Winston Riley's Techniques label. It used the "Stalag" riddim. The success of his songs led him to work with King Jammy. He recorded "Pumpkin Belly" on Jammy's new "Sleng Teng" riddim.
More hit songs followed in 1986. One was "Golden Hen." Sugar Minott released Tenor Saw's first album, Fever, that same year. Many dancehall albums from that time used digital versions of older songs. These older songs were often from the 1960s and 1970s.
Around the time his album came out, Tenor Saw moved to Miami. There, he recorded "Dancehall Feeling" and "Bad Boys." He then recorded "No Work On a Sunday" for Donovan Germain. After that, he moved to New York City. He recorded with Freddie McGregor on the song "Victory Train." His very last recording was "Chill Out Chill Out." It was a duet with General Doggie.
His Passing
In August 1988, Tenor Saw died in Houston, Texas. He was only 21 years old. The official reason for his death was a hit and run accident. This means he was hit by a car, and the driver did not stop. Tenor Saw is still remembered as a very important singer. He helped shape the sound of digital reggae in the mid-1980s.
His Musical Impact
Tenor Saw had a big impact on other musicians. His friends and fellow artists honored him after he passed away. Nitty Gritty recorded "Who Killed Tenor Saw?" King Kong recorded "He was a Friend." Both songs were tributes to Tenor Saw.
Super Cat's song "Nuff man a Dead" also talks about Tenor Saw's death. It mentions other famous artists who passed away too.
The English Hip Hop group The Nextmen mentioned Tenor Saw in their song "Amongst the Madness." They also referenced his hit song "Ring the Alarm."
A small part of "Ring the Alarm" is used in a TV show. It's in the opening of Mark Ronson's show Watch the Sound with Mark Ronson. This show is about how technology is used in modern pop music.
The band Sublime covered a Bob Marley and Wailers song called "Jailhouse." Their version also used parts of Tenor Saw's song "Roll Call."
Albums by Tenor Saw
- Clash (1985) Witty (with Don Angelo)
- Fever (1986) Blue Mountain/RAS
- Wake the Town: Tribute to Tenor Saw (1992)
- Strictly Livestock (1986) Greensleeves (with Various Artists)
- Clash (1987) Witty (with Cocoa Tea)
- Tenor Saw Lives On (1992) Sky High
- With Lots Signs (2003) Jet Star (Tenor Saw meets Nitty Gritty)
- Tenor Saw Meets Nitty Gritty (2008) VP
