A Machel's Dozen

Okay so, 2026 has now seen Soca supernova, Machel Montano, overtake the legendary Lord Kitchener (and everyone else) in securing his record twelfth Trinidad Road March title. It's taken him not even thirty years to accomplish (which is very low if you think about it: It averages greater than a staggering two wins every five years) and that definitely deserves an 'Encore'! It also deserves quite a bit of recognition and observation and today we're doing our part! Let's take a look back at the road to #12: A Machel's Dozen. 

1997 - 'Big Truck'

Nearly three decades on now and although it has aged, you can still CLEARLY see the attraction to Machel's first Road March winning effort, 'Big Truck', as still a member of the Xtatik Band. As most certainly basic as it was (and still is), 'Big Truck' was also damn infectious (....and it still is) and, in retrospect, absolutely perfect for the road. The music has definitely changed over the past thirty years but its core appears to remain intact and 'Big Truck' was your locked and stocked Soca tune that checked all the boxes and.... it still does.

2006 - 'Band Of De Year[BODY]' featuring Patrice Roberts

It would be nearly a decade before Machel would take the road again and when he did.... I'm fairly confident in saying that 'Band Of De Year' is my single favourite song that Montano has ever done that has actually won Road March (I may favour others (like 'Rollin', for example) that didn't take home hardware but 'BODY' is at the top of this particular mountain). Why, exactly? First of all I absolutely love the fact that it not only finds a melody in the madness but its melody almost threatens to overwhelm the chaotic nature of the song at times and, at its end, that's what happens. You walk away from this one lost in some non-rage inspired fit of euphoria and it is GORGEOUS! Machel's music typically does that when he's in-form but this is even higher than 'usual'. Furthermore, the song brings back a time when Machel Montano routinely paired with someone whom I think he did some of the finest work of his entire career with, the PERFECT sidekick, Patrice Roberts. Someday, HOPEFULLY, we'll get it back but what they left us with was top notch and few were better than 'Band Of De Year'. 

2007 - 'Jumbie'

I just told you about a song that I thought may be my favourite on this entire run and while I'm standing by that (at least for the moment), if something were to push it or come in as a '1B' it would likely be the song which would net Montano his third Road March title, the very next year following his second, the ghostly 'Jumbie'. Again: Maybe you aren't the biggest fan of Soca and Power Soca, in particular, but listen to this song. Isn't it catchy and just nice to listen to?? Maybe it is a bit too much for you and that would be what would separate you from Soca head but somewhere in there is just A VIBE! What came with that vibe was ridiculous. It was heinous and it was disgusting and I loved every second of it. 

2011 - 'Advantage'

Ridiculous to think that it's now fifteen years old, 'Advantage' is another of the best of the bests for me on this list and it's very simple; I won't overstate it AT ALL. 'Advantage'. 'Advantage' was a BEAUTIFUL MADNESS. It was insanity "of a certain kind" (biggup Gentleman) and the absolute highest level possible. It did not sacrifice a melody -- it's in there -- but this was a refined chaos the likes of which you very rarely encounter.... and an acrobatic Soca Monarch winning performance of this one did not hurt either.

2012 - 'Pump Yuh Flag [PYF]'

In its day and probably to this day I may not have given 'Pump Yuh Flag' its due credit. I'm going to owe that fact to a tune by Fay-Ann Lyons by the name of 'Miss Behave' which likely garnered the vast majority of my attention that same year though I will (begrudgingly) admit that 'PYF' was a better choice for Road March (though 'Miss Behave' was a better song!) given what it does. You take a seemingly customary Power Soca tune that very coyly injects a bit of PRIDE on the road and you end up with this one. Lift up your flag, whichever it may be, and be proud of it! DONE!

2014 - 'Ministry Of Road [MOR]'

Sometimes you just run out of space and you need MORE. Machel Montano and co. set out to give you just that with his stellar 'Ministry Of Road' from a dozen years ago now. If such a thing is even possible on a list of songs that are only on the list because of what they've achieved - I think 'MOR' has been a little underrated to a point. It is better than certain tunes here that are more popular and even better regarded by the masses. This song, from purely how it SOUNDS, is top notch and pinnacles with, undeniably, one of the greatest choruses here... and that is definitely something big. 

2015 - 'Like Ah Boss'

"Everyday it's fete

I come out to fete

I bet I feting MORE THAN YOU

It's sweat

I come out to sweat

I wet

I sweating MORE THAN YOU

I come to whine & jam and I sure to catch it MORE THAN YOU!

Cause when I feting off-course

I just do it like a boss

I feting morning and evening!

This is my home, I'm not leaving!

I can't over this feeling!

THIS FEELING! 

I Just want to play mehself

Leave me, let meh play a mas

I just want to whine on something

I CAN'T LET NO BUMPA PASS

Mi pride in the lost and found

Watch me, how I whining down

I all on the dutty ground

And nothing can stop me now!

This whole year, I live for the Carnival

And I know, that it will be magical 

Misbehaving, and I doh care at all

SO DONT TRY STOP MI, I'S A PROFESSIONAL!"

You'll think of LYRICS and Soca and Trinidad and, of course, Bunji Garlin comes most immediately to mind and with good reason but do not sleep on, for what it was, the borderline genius that was ultra-popular 'Like Ah Boss'. 

2016 - 'Waiting On The Stage'

Maybe it was just me or maybe it wasn't but... wasn't there something kinda EVIL about 'Waiting On The Stage'??? The Badjohn Republic produced track had this wickedly intoxicating and pulsing intensity behind it that makes it a standout even amongst one or two songs that I may hold in ever so slightly higher regard. With that being said, however, make no mistake about it: Whatever 'Waiting On The Stage' had going for was well powerful enough to see it sitting at least in range of the very best material that Montano has ever done in my opinion. 

2018 - 'Soca Kingdom' featuring Super Blue

Here's a really interesting one. On paper, 'Soca Kingdom' lights up. It links Machel Montano with the legendary Super Blue who is, himself, one of the most decorated Soca stars in history; with TEN Road March titles of his own and a record SEVEN Soca Monarch crowns (including the first one ever) (and he's also, biologically responsible for even more hardware as the father of both multi-time Road March champion and former Soca Monarch, Fay-Ann Lyons and Terri Lyons (who just won her second Calypso Monarch crown this year). So you bring THAT type of talent to one song and it's no surprise the attention that it would receive. As for the actual song, while I can't call it a favourite of mine anymore, I have to confess that that, SOMETHING happens to me when I hear the beginning of 'Soca Kingdom'. Possibly because I haven't heard it much in recent years (but whatever it is), when this tune jumps on I get the feeling that something IMPORTANT is about to happen. That intro before what ultimately becomes the chorus is.... royal and wholly befitting of a kingdom with two kings. 

"FORWARD IS NOT ENOUGH

I WANT YOU TO JUMP UP" 

2019 - 'Famalay' featuring Bunji Garlin & Skinny Fabulous

There was just all kinds of magical goodness behind 'Famalay'. RIDICULOUSLY, the song would mark the very first Road March win by the great Bunji Garlin as former rivals, Montano & Garlin, would unite to produce, arguably, one of the most memorable Soca songs.... like ever. Furthermore, not to be forgotten is the presence of the always flaming Skinny Fabulous who would become the first non Trini to win Trinidad's Road March. What the trio would come up with was absolutely fantastic and it was also heavy, Power Soca music with a message. 

"We don't see race, one or the other

ONCE HE IS BREATHING ON THIS EARTH, HIS IS MY BROTHER"

The fitting unity anthem checked lyrical boxes. It was infectiously chaotic and one of THE best songs either of the three have ever done. Perfect for the road. 

2025 - 'Pardy'

TRINIDAD most certainly didn't need a reminder but maybe you did: Sometimes you just need to reward yourself for all of that hard work you do. Sometimes you have earned the right to misbehave in a major way. That was the sentiment behind Montano's hit, 'Pardy', which took top honours just last year. Produced by both XplicitMevon and BadJohn Republic, 'Pardy', in retrospect, was an affirmation of something that I've known for a very long time. Soca IS the musical reward of your hard efforts. It just is. It is the musical shot of dopamine that we all require once in awhile (or like all the time) and such a thing definitely deserves celebrating. Enter 'Pardy'. 

2026 - 'Encore'

And for #12, unsurprisingly Montano captured attentions and affections with the GOLDEN 'Encore'. Where 'Pardy' was a celebration of some very particular aspect of things, 'Encore ' was a FULLER experience. It was a total ceremony of a damn song and, following all that preceded it, it was completely appropriate. Get into the body of 'Encore' and attempt to detach it from any type of greater significance and you arrive at such a BEAUTIFUL level of delirium ["SHOW THEM THE TIME OF THEIR LIFE!"], showing a master still well within the peak of his abilities. That's it for now but Machel Montano certainly figures to add at least one more jewel to his gaudy catalogue which is already unmatched in the genre.