OLDIES SUNDAY: Margarita – Woman Come (1964)

In recognition of Women’s History Month, we take the time out to feature Women who have made great contributions to our music culture. While we celebrate the Women all year over here, we recognize some through our Oldies Sunday section. Today, our selection comes from the late Anita Mahfood a.k.a. Margarita “The Famous Rhumba Queen” with the track, “Woman Come“.

Produced by Arthur “Duke” Reid and released through the Black Swan label in 1964, “Woman Come” (sometimes labeled “Woman A Come”) was Margarita’s “love letter” to then boyfriend Musician Don Drummond. With Rastafarian influences thanks to backing by The Skatalites, the band that Drummond was a member of and composed songs for. This was Margarita’s first release, and she was one of the first female artists to do so, and sadly her last release. Her lyricism was praised, and was arguably an inspiration for female Dancehall movement in the following decades. The song was a popular one among her growing fanbase, with hopes that she would continue releasing more. Sadly, on December 31, 1965, Margarita’s life was tragically taken at the hands of Drummond (more on that here), but she left a mark that would seal her as a legend in Jamaica. She would be later honoured at the University Of Technology, and at the Jamaica Music Museum.