The Mighty Ruddy T

Ruddy Thomas is a name I usually associate with lovers tunes: he did a nice version of 'Every Day Is A Holiday' for Joe Gibbs, for example, and 'Time To Leave Daddy' is simply magnificent. It's not so often that you hear him singing a serious roots tune, but far stranger things have happened.

'Go Home Son' is one of his best: it's the original vocal to Dillinger's 'Five Man Army' and although it has a more commercial sound it definitely holds its own against the other cuts. There's another vocal by Echo Minott: he versions 'Woman In Love' by Barbra Streisand, which I've always enjoyed in spite of myself!

All the clips of the Barbra Streisand version in youtube are restricted use, so I can't embed them. This one is Bronislaw Komarowski, the late speaker of the Polish parliament. 

Ride On!

Dr Alimantado is one of my favourite deejays, and this is one of his very best records. It's called 'Ride On': if you think you know it from his 'Best Dressed Chicken' LP, think again. This is a different version and it wipes the floor with the other one. 

The dub is superb as well. 

Let The People Go

OK posts on consecutive days - yes, I'm a bit bored. Here's a seriously arse-kicking roots tune from Milton Henry, aka Ras Midas: 'Let The People Go'.  It's quite a good follow up to 'Economical Crisis'  - just listen to the lyrics - I would've liked to have posted Junior Delahaye's 'Working Hard For The Rent Man' too but it's just been reissued.

Incidentally, I've always wondered what the connection to the Universal Life Church was.

Lucky 3

Let's make it 3 for tonight with a record that recently went for silly money on ebay (I wasn't the lucky seller). We already had 'Son Of A Slave' by Michael Anthony and you've probably heard (or heard of) the monumental 'Living In Sorrows' - this one, 'Sinner Man' is less well-known. My copy's got another vocal on the flip which I really like, 'No Trouble Rasta'. You sometimes see copies that have a dub instead, but I don't see how it could improve.

There's more nice roots tunes to come over the next few days (or weeks), including stuff by Ras Midas, Dudley Evans, Alric Forbes, Ruddy Thomas, the Tonals and King Miguel. Anyway, hope you've liked tonight's picks.

Sweet Reggae Music!

I can't believe we've never posted about Johnny Clarke before. Here's a record that I've always liked more for the b-side than for the vocal - 'Sweet Reggae Music'. Don't get me wrong the vocal's not bad: you can never go wrong with Mr Clarke's singing, but I reckon his lyrics can be a bit hit and miss. The dub reminds me a bit of the b-side to 'Glory Glory' by Beshara; heavy bass, soaring horns and hand drum set off the surprisingly delicate guitar. It has a true stereo mix as well - quite unusual in Jamaican music.

Economical Crisis

Hi everyone, when started preparing this post a couple of weeks ago I'd been woken at 2am by some people breaking into the jeweller's down the road, someone had tried to burn down the Poundland on the corner (talk about setting your sights low!), and you couldn't sleep through all the sirens and shouting. 

It's a great tune by Michael Prophet - 'Economical Crisis Deh Pon Top', and the lyrics really sum up the times we're living through. I've had this for many years and never really listened to it properly before last month.

Pounding Dub!

Here's an nice tune - it's 'Ethiopia' by Carol Cole and I'm sure that most of you know it already. Apart from being a thunderous classic of raw uptempo roots, it's interesting for another reason. This dates from 1980 and it's produced by Isha (Pauline) Morrison, Lee Perry's wife at the time. It seems she didn't actually record it at the Black Ark, but laid down the rhythm at Channel One (it's the same one she used for Winston Watson's song 'Dispensation') and got it voiced at King Tubby's.

The only other tunes I've got on this yellow Orchid label are both produced by Pauline Morrison as well: 'Dispensation' and Lacksley Castell's 'What A Great Day It Will Be'. 'Dispensation' sounds like a Jammy's mix, and 'What a Great Day' definitely is. I reckon that all three may only be connected to the Black Ark by marriage, but my God! What tunes!

Let The Wicked Repent

Here's a self-produced tune by Max Romeo from the early seventies - it's the next cut to 'Let The Power Fall On I' and it came out on his 'Prophet label. It's very, very rare - in fact, my copy's the only one I've ever seen, but it's not the sort of thing that goes for big money. I sold it about 10 years ago, and spotted it on sale again for a couple of euros on the Graal Records website last week.