Informer (song)

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"Informer" is a 1993 single by Canadian reggae musician Snow, featuring MC Shan as guest artist and producer, from his debut album 12 Inches of Snow. The single was released shortly before Snow was imprisoned for a year on an assault charge. Upon his release from prison, it became a chart topping hit, spending seven consecutive weeks at #1 on the Billboard Hot 100.

1 Plot and lyrical analysis
2 Remakes
3 Trivia
4 External links

[edit] Plot and lyrical analysis

In Jamaica and other Caribbean countries, "informer" is the slang term, usually derogatory, for a police informant, who is protected in exchange for critical information used to solve cases. Informers are universally disliked; reggae musicians in particular never fail to mention the punishments awaiting an informer or snitch, who is seen as betraying a trust.

In the song, the narrator is apparently being accused of participating in a homicide near his home, but claims he was somewhere else when it happened and that the police informant who gave his name in is deliberately trying to wreck his life and career goals, disrupting his personal life. Given Snow's record, he probably thought a police informant was behind his arrest and used this single to strike back.

Unfortunately for Snow, the serious implications of the song are at least partially masked by the choppy pace and lilting Jamaican patois he uses. Critics have found the song difficult to evaluate for these reasons and tend to dismiss it as novelty, or worse, attempted commercial swindling.

[edit] Remakes

In the television series In Living Color, Jim Carrey poses as Snow with similar sunglasses and parodies the song as "Imposter".
The song was also covered by Arash and Aneela as "Chori Chori".

[edit] Trivia

Informer was 39th on VH1 and Blender Magazine's list of the "50 Most Awesomely Bad Songs... Ever". [1]
Won a Juno Award for Best Reggae Recording in 1994.

Preceded by "A Whole New World" by Peabo Bryson and Regina Belle	Billboard Hot 100 number one single March 13, 1993- April 24, 1993	Succeeded by "Freak Me" by Silk