Throwback Thursdays: Machel Montano’s “Too Young To Soca”

Words by Jesse Serwer—

Another year, another set of crowns for Machel Montano. “Mr. Fete” won the Power category again at the International Soca Monarch competiton on Friday with “Ministry of Road (M.O.R.),” narrowly missing a sweep as Kerwin DuBois took Groovy Soca Monarch. “M.O.R.” meanwhile was inescapable at Mas in Port of Spain, taking the Road March title with a whopping 374 plays, more than six times the nearest competitor. In light of his continued success, it’s only appropriate on this Throwback Thursday back to where it all started for Machel.

Just nine at the time, Machel jumpstarted his career with “Too Young to Soca” in 1986. The Winsford “Joker” Devines-penned track was a phenomenon across the Caribbean, and remains one of Montano’s best known recordings to this day. He even performed it on Star Search. If you’re a fan of Machel or jus’ a Trini, you know the tune, but did you know there was a video made as well?  Starting off with family photos and newspaper clippings documenting his early success, the clip finds young Machel in a classroom sharing his plans with schoolmates before leading a kiddie takeover of his schoolyard.

If that’s not enough mini Machel for you, YouTube also hosts some performance footage of the song at the Dimanche Gras at the Queen’s Park Savannah, Port of Spain from the same year. Actually, Machel might not appreciate the continued existence of this clip, unless he has a sense of humor about the baby get-up they had him dressed in, complete with an ill-fitting diaper. Watch below, and don’t tell him we told you about it.