This Is Reggae Music: The Golden Era 1960β1975 | |
---|---|
Box set | |
Released | 2004 |
Recorded | 1960β1975 |
Genre |
|
Length | 4:30:37 |
Label | Trojan |
This Is Reggae Music: The Golden Era 1960β1975 is a reggae retrospective anthology issued as a 4-CD box set in 2004 by Trojan Records. [1] [2] [3] The anthology, which was compiled by Colin Escott and Bas Hartong, is arranged in chronological order and features tracks by various artists, starting with mento and ska from the first half of the 1960s, then progressing to the slower rhythms of rocksteady and reggae, which both emerged later in the decade, continuing into the 1970s. [1] [4] Several of the acts featured are Derrick Morgan, Desmond Decker & the Aces, Toots & the Maytals, Jimmy Cliff, and Bob Marley and the Wailers. [1] [3] [5]
The first disc features ska and other precursors to reggae. [6] Colin Escott's liner notes point out the influence of American R&B on Jamaican acts. [4] The set begins with "Iron Bar", a traditional by Lord Tanamo, reflecting reggae's early mento roots. Derrick Morgan follows with the Latin-influenced "Fat Man". [7] Millie Small's 1964 offbeat version of " My Boy Lollipop", previously recorded by Barbie Gaye, was the first ska song to achieve international success. [1] [8] Several of the songs, such as the Clarendonians's "Rude Boy Gone to Jail" and Desmond Decker & the Aces' "Rudie Got Soul" display a preoccupation with the " rude boy" culture of post-colonial Jamaica that was fashionable in the lyrics of much of ska and early reggae. [9] Several other numbers by Desmond Decker & the Aces are featured in the set, and the disc also includes "007 (Shanty Town)" (1967) and their worldwide 1968 hit "Israelites", which heralded the transition from ska to reggae. [10]
Disc 2 concentrates on (post-ska) rocksteady and reggae tracks recorded between 1968 and 1970, such as Toots & the Maytals' "Do the Reggay", "Monkey Man" and "Pressure Drop", as well Jimmy Cliff's " Wonderful World, Beautiful People" and " Many Rivers to Cross". [1] [11] The Slickers' "Johnny Too Bad", like several of the other tracks on this compilation were featured in the movie, The Harder They Come starring Jimmy Cliff, and its soundtrack album. [1] [12] Tony Tribe does a rendition of " Red Red Wine", originally written and performed by Neil Diamond, which later became a hit for UB40. [13]
The third disc continues with more early examples of early reggae, stretching into the early 1970s. Freddie Notes & the Rudies sing a version of Bobby Loom's hit, "Montego Bay". [14] Also featured is Greyhound's version of " Black and White", originally composed by David Arkin and Earl Robinson, which later supplied a major hit for Three Dog Night. [15] Several pre-fame songs recorded by Bob Marley and Peter Tosh with the Wailers are included on disc 3, which were produced by Lee "Scratch" Perry. [1] [16] Tosh sings the lead vocal on "400 Years" and Marley on "Duppy Conqueror", " Small Axe", and " African Herbsman". [1] [16]
The final disc in the set covers the period between 1972 and 1975, when reggae was beginning to reach a much wider audience. [17] Other songs by Bob Marley and Peter Tosh recorded with the Wailers appear on this side, such as "Trenchtown Rock" and " Brand New Second Hand". [18] " I Can See Clearly Now" provided a worldwide hit for Johnny Nash in 1972. [19] He also does a rendition of Bob Marley's " Stir It Up", included here. [19] Also featured is "Better Must Come" by Delroy Wilson and "The Time Has Come", by Slim Smith. [1] The set ends with "Marcus Garvey", a tribute to the black nationalist, by Burning Spear. [20]
This Is Reggae Music: The Golden Era 1960β1975 | |
---|---|
Box set | |
Released | 2004 |
Recorded | 1960β1975 |
Genre |
|
Length | 4:30:37 |
Label | Trojan |
This Is Reggae Music: The Golden Era 1960β1975 is a reggae retrospective anthology issued as a 4-CD box set in 2004 by Trojan Records. [1] [2] [3] The anthology, which was compiled by Colin Escott and Bas Hartong, is arranged in chronological order and features tracks by various artists, starting with mento and ska from the first half of the 1960s, then progressing to the slower rhythms of rocksteady and reggae, which both emerged later in the decade, continuing into the 1970s. [1] [4] Several of the acts featured are Derrick Morgan, Desmond Decker & the Aces, Toots & the Maytals, Jimmy Cliff, and Bob Marley and the Wailers. [1] [3] [5]
The first disc features ska and other precursors to reggae. [6] Colin Escott's liner notes point out the influence of American R&B on Jamaican acts. [4] The set begins with "Iron Bar", a traditional by Lord Tanamo, reflecting reggae's early mento roots. Derrick Morgan follows with the Latin-influenced "Fat Man". [7] Millie Small's 1964 offbeat version of " My Boy Lollipop", previously recorded by Barbie Gaye, was the first ska song to achieve international success. [1] [8] Several of the songs, such as the Clarendonians's "Rude Boy Gone to Jail" and Desmond Decker & the Aces' "Rudie Got Soul" display a preoccupation with the " rude boy" culture of post-colonial Jamaica that was fashionable in the lyrics of much of ska and early reggae. [9] Several other numbers by Desmond Decker & the Aces are featured in the set, and the disc also includes "007 (Shanty Town)" (1967) and their worldwide 1968 hit "Israelites", which heralded the transition from ska to reggae. [10]
Disc 2 concentrates on (post-ska) rocksteady and reggae tracks recorded between 1968 and 1970, such as Toots & the Maytals' "Do the Reggay", "Monkey Man" and "Pressure Drop", as well Jimmy Cliff's " Wonderful World, Beautiful People" and " Many Rivers to Cross". [1] [11] The Slickers' "Johnny Too Bad", like several of the other tracks on this compilation were featured in the movie, The Harder They Come starring Jimmy Cliff, and its soundtrack album. [1] [12] Tony Tribe does a rendition of " Red Red Wine", originally written and performed by Neil Diamond, which later became a hit for UB40. [13]
The third disc continues with more early examples of early reggae, stretching into the early 1970s. Freddie Notes & the Rudies sing a version of Bobby Loom's hit, "Montego Bay". [14] Also featured is Greyhound's version of " Black and White", originally composed by David Arkin and Earl Robinson, which later supplied a major hit for Three Dog Night. [15] Several pre-fame songs recorded by Bob Marley and Peter Tosh with the Wailers are included on disc 3, which were produced by Lee "Scratch" Perry. [1] [16] Tosh sings the lead vocal on "400 Years" and Marley on "Duppy Conqueror", " Small Axe", and " African Herbsman". [1] [16]
The final disc in the set covers the period between 1972 and 1975, when reggae was beginning to reach a much wider audience. [17] Other songs by Bob Marley and Peter Tosh recorded with the Wailers appear on this side, such as "Trenchtown Rock" and " Brand New Second Hand". [18] " I Can See Clearly Now" provided a worldwide hit for Johnny Nash in 1972. [19] He also does a rendition of Bob Marley's " Stir It Up", included here. [19] Also featured is "Better Must Come" by Delroy Wilson and "The Time Has Come", by Slim Smith. [1] The set ends with "Marcus Garvey", a tribute to the black nationalist, by Burning Spear. [20]