Friday! Whew, we made it and inna fine style with some more classic reggae on Sound Travels. Started with a classic from John Holt, who as well as being the leader of the Paragons, writer of Blondie's hit "Tide Is High" was also a singer of some of the most romantic reggae tunes ever written; this one I played is a perfect example. Also a crucial cut from Ranking Dread called "Fattie Boom Boom," a minor hit for him in the UK. Rankin Dread was a bad man for real, and ended up being labelled one of the "most dangerous foreign nationals" in England for his ties to the Jamaican underworld and his own criminal activies, he would later be kicked out of the US and died in a Jamaican prison.
Niel Diamond's "Red Red Wine" gets the reggae treatment with a version from Tony Tribe recorded in 1969 that I think is more definitive than the UB40 version that got hot in the 80's. In fact, it was this version that inspired UB40 to cover it, not Neil Diamonds.' Jacob Miller here too with my favorite song of his, which is also the vocal side to the incredible King Tubby dub "King Tubby Meets The Rockers Uptown." Miller, another tragic reggae hero, was killed before his prime in a car accident, just as his star was on the rise. He is also made a cameo in the Jamaican cinema classic Rockers.
Johnny Osbourne closes the set with his hit "Buddy Bye Bye," a call-and-response crowd favorite he recorded in the 80's. Good stuff...here it is again...
John Holt "Sweetie Come Brush Me" His Story
Ranking Dread "Fatie Boom Boom" Most Wanted - Fattie Boom
Tony Tribe "Red Red Wine"
Jacob Miller "Baby I Love You So"
Johnny Osbourne "Buddy Bye Bye" Riddim Driven: Sleng Teng Extravaganza
