Mus149G

| NZ Music

Essay 2 | October 2014

Michael de Alwis | 5948597

Music 144G | Rock to Reggae: New Zealand Music

Essay Assignment 2: Herbs French Letter (1982)

Michael de Alwis (5948597)

With reference to EITHER Herbs' French Letter OR Patea Maori's Poi E, discuss how
the song was a response to social and/or political events of the time. You should
consider the historical and cultural background, as well as looking at the song's
lyrics.

Prior to the 1980s, it was highly rare to hear mainstream New Zealand music that
was driven political or social events. It was with the emergence of the reggae
genre that Kiwi artists would begin to embrace politicized themes and songs of
protest, and perhaps the most significant forerunners of this shift was Herbs.
Herbs were a reggae group whose music spoke about many of the major issues
that New Zealanders were facing at the time. The bands first single, French
Letter, was released in 1982 as a response to nuclear testing taking place in the
Pacific Ocean at the command of France. The songs statement is apparent not
only in its lyrics, but also its sound.

Bob Marley visited New Zealand in 1979 and with him he brought the wave of
reggae and an attitude that very quickly captured the minds of New Zealanders.
This was a time where political and social issues were wholly scarce from
mainstream music in New Zealand, despite reggaes roots in activism. While the
sound of reggae may have been easy to replicate, few had been able to capture
the outlook and boldness of Marley and other international reggae stars. This all
changed, however, with the arrival of Herbs.

Mus149G | NZ Music

Essay 2 | October 2014

Michael de Alwis | 5948597

Managed by Will Ilolahia; co-founder of the Polynesian Panthers, the band

embraced socio-political themes in their music, often focusing their songs on
important events taking place in New Zealand at the time. Because of this,
audiences connected with Herbs. Their music confronted issues over Maori land
rights, controversy surrounding the dawn raids, and the mistreatment of Maori
and Polynesian youth in New Zealand, among others. Their first EP, Whats Be
Happen? was released in 1981 as New Zealand was in the midst of heavy protest.
The Springboks, South Africas national rugby union team, had arrived in New
Zealand for a near two month-long tour, but many were incensed by the decision
for the tour to go ahead with the tour despite the ongoing apartheid South Africa
was facing at the time. With Whats Be Happen?s release, Herbs used their music
to encourage New Zealanders to fight for their beliefs and the values of the
nation. On the cover of Whats Be Happen? was a photograph of police evicting
Maori land protesters upon the occupation of Bastion Point in 1978.

By this point, New Zealanders were already stirring in protest. France had begun
nuclear testing in Mururoa, a site positioned in the Pacific Ocean, in 1966, and this
was the subject of great criticism and pressure around the world, particularly in
New Zealand. The nation was unanimously opposed to the testing, and had
voiced their objection through various rallies and protests, so it seemed that
when Herbs released their first single, French Letter, in 1982, that the band were
speaking for the nation, to the world.

Mus149G | NZ Music

Essay 2 | October 2014

Michael de Alwis | 5948597

French Letter had a clear message: Ki te la Pacific get out of the Pacific. Yearning
for a nuclear free sea, it felt as though Herbs were truly speaking on behalf of
New Zealand, and had managed to articulate the concerns and protests of the
nation in a manner which kiwis across the country could connect with:

Is there nothing at all who can appease your greed?
Could you please leave the air we breathe?
Why is it something we've done?
You all seem to forget
About nuclear fallout and the long-term effects

Outside of the lyrics, the instrumentation of the song emphasizes its themes. The
song farcically features a French accordion, amongst a typical reggae beat,
developing a distinct Pacific sound.

French Letter was a major mainstream success. While earlier Herbs works had also
been driven by sociopolitical themes this was their first single, giving it an
outreach that spread the message across the country. Nationwide, however,
radio stations ignored the song mostly due to the titles innuendo but this
wouldnt stop French Letter from staying on the charts for eleven weeks after its
debut. It was precisely because of its message that French Letter was able to
stand out against other reggae music at the time, and maintain mainstream
prominence for so long.

Mus149G | NZ Music

Essay 2 | October 2014

Michael de Alwis | 5948597

Unfortunately, while inspiring Kiwis, the record was unable to stop France from
nuclear testing in the Pacific, and the testing, and subsequent protest continued
into the mid-1990s. In 1995, Herbs rerecorded and rereleased French Letter, whose
message was just as poignant, prevalent and just as relevant as when it was
released over a decade prior. The French finally ceased testing in Mururoa in
January 1996, months after the records rerelease.

The early 1980s saw a major rise in social and political activism in New Zealand,
which came hand in hand with the local emergence of reggae. In 1982, reggae
group Herbs released their first single French Letter. The song was recorded as a
response to French nuclear testing in the Pacific, with themes and lyrics that
resonated with the masses of protesters and activists in New Zealand who had
fought against the testing.

Mus149G | NZ Music

Essay 2 | October 2014

Michael de Alwis | 5948597

REFERENCE LIST:

'French letter' by Herbs. New Zealand History. Retrieved October 2, 2014, from
http://www.nzhistory.net.nz/media/video/french-letter, (Ministry for Culture and
Heritage)

Moffatt, G. (n.d.). HERBS HISTORY. HERBS. Retrieved October 2, 2014, from
http://www.glenmoffatt.com/herbs_history.

'Nuclear testing in the Pacific'. New Zealand History. Retrieved October 2, 2014
from http://www.nzhistory.net.nz/politics/nuclear-free-new-zealand/testing-in-
the-pacific, (Ministry for Culture and Heritage)

Reid, G. (2012, September 2). HERBS, NEW ZEALAND'S POLITICISED REGGAE
REVOLUTION INTO THE HALL OF FAME (2012): Hard tings an' times. Elsewhere by
Graham Reid. Retrieved October 2, 2014, from
http://www.elsewhere.co.nz/reggae/2753/herbs-new-zealands-politicised-reggae-
revolution-into-the-hall-of-fame-2012-hard-tings-an-times/

South Pacific Protest Song * French Letter. (n.d.). New Zealand Folk Song.
Retrieved October 2, 2014, from http://folksong.org.nz/french_letter/index.html