THE 1000 BEST SONGS IN THE WORLD EVER.

523-Grandmaster & Melle Mel-White Lines (Don’t Don’t Do It)

1984-Number 7 single.

Best Bit-At 3.25. A second wonderful ‘Message.’

When ‘White Lines (Don’t Don’t Do It’) was originally released on the ‘Sugar Hill’ record label, it was credited to ‘Grandmaster & Melle Mel,’ this was to mislead the public into thinking that ‘Grandmaster Flash (see also best songs 290 and 87) had participated on the record, as he had done a year earlier on ‘The Message,’ but he hadn’t, as he had recently left ‘Sugar Hill’ records over a dispute about royalties.

Melle Mel was born Melvin Glover on May 15th, 1961, in The Bronx, New York City, United States, it is said that he may have been the first rapper to call himself ‘MC’ (master of ceremonies.) Melle Mel was one of the six founding members of the ‘Hip-Hop’ group ‘Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five,’ who were formed in The Bronx, New York City, in 1978. Another of the groups members was Keith ‘Cowboy’ Wiggins, (1960-1989) who is credited with coining the term ‘Hip-Hop,’ in 1978, while teasing a friend who had just joined the U. S. Army, by scat singing the made up words ‘hip/hop/hip/hop,’ in a way that mimicked the rhythmic cadence of marching soldiers. The discography of Melle Mel includes his only solo Album ‘Muscles,’ from 2007, and his two Albums as part of ‘Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five,’ in 1982, and 1988, he was also part of the group ‘Die Hard,’ who released an Album called ‘On Lock,’ in 2001. Melle Mel has released four collaborative Albums with others between 1984-2006, and he appears on 12 compilation Albums issued between 1983-2010. On the singles front, he has appeared on 47 tracks, as either a solo artist, as part of a group, or in collaboration with others between 1979-2016, but of course Melle Mel will always be best remembered for providing the ‘Rap’ on the Chaka Khan 1984, Billboard Number 3 & UK Number 1 single ‘I Feel For You’ (see also best songs 85.)

‘White Lines (Don’t Don’t Do It’) was released as a stand alone single in October 1983, on the ‘Sugar Hill’ record label, and can be filed under ‘Old-school Hip-Hop.’ The track was co-written by Sylvia Robinson, (1935-2011) (see also best songs 597-466-290 and 17) and Melle Mel, with the production credited to them both, as well as Joey Robinson Jr. (1962-2015.) Like it’s predecessor ‘The Message,’ the song is considered as an inspiration for future socially conscious, and politically orientated ‘Rap’ groups such as ‘Public Enemy, (see also best songs 578 and 37) and N.W.A. (see also best songs 564 and 128.) ‘White Lines (Don’t Don’t Do It’) is a song about Cocaine, and urges listeners not to take it. The song also makes the case that the drug laws in the United States are racist and unjust, with poor black kids getting much harsher penalties for drug offences than white businessmen. Some of the lyrics refer to the American car manufacturer John DeLorean, (1925-2005) who in 1982 became involved in a scheme to save his company from bankruptcy using drug money. He was arrested by the ‘FBI’ for trying to buy 24 kilos of Cocaine, but successfully defended himself against the charges, as he proved his alleged involvement was because of entrapment by federal agents.

‘White Lines (Don’t Don’t Do It’) heavily samples the song ‘Cavern,’ by the American group ‘Liquid Liquid,’ from 1983, interloping the bass line from that track, as well as that songs vocal melody, with ‘What side,’ becoming ‘White lines.’ ‘Liquid Liquid’s’ record label ’99 Records’ successfully sued ‘Sugar Hill’ records for $660,000, but ‘Sugar Hill’ who were struggling financially at that time didn’t pay, instead declaring themselves bankrupt.

In 1995 Melle Mel joined forces with the British group Duran Duran to record a new version of ‘White Lines (Don’t Don’t Do It’) for their covers Album called ‘Thank You,’ the song was a hit in the UK reaching Number 17, although the single and it’s parent Album were critically panned, with the British magazine ‘Q’ voting ‘Thank You’ the ‘Worst Album Ever Made in 2006.’

‘Ticket to ride, white line highway, tell all your friends, that they can go my way. Pay your toll, sell your soul, pound for pound costs more than gold. The longer you stay, the more you pay, my white line go a long way, either up your nose or through your vein, with nothin’ to gain except killin’ your brain. Freeze, rock, freeze, rock.’