As part of Black History Month tonight we are looking at the influence that Jamaican music had on the post-punk scene. Specifically the ska revival movement in the late 70's and early 80's. Download an mp3 file here.
We start with “Armagedeon Time”, a song played a few times on the show but only as the Willie Williams version or the Clash’s version, but never mixed together. The song was originally in Malton in 1979 for Coxsone Dodd’s label and was covered by the CLASH on “Black Market Clash” a year later. I took the Willie Williams version and mixed it with the two versions that appear on “Black Market Clash” to start out tonight’s show. We have prepared a number of mixes for tonight's show that start with the original and mmix in the cover.
WILLIE WILLIAMS / THE CLASH - Armagedeon Time / Justice Tonight / Kick It Over (Coxsone // Epic / Nu Disc)
KING STITT – Fire Corner (New Beat)
TONY TRIBE / UB40 – Red Red Wine (Downtown / Fontana / United Artists // Virgin / A and M / DEP)
DAVE AND ANSEL COLLINS /THE SPECIALS - Double Barrel (Trojan / Techniques / Big Time / Wind / Sterling Sound / Island / Big Tree // Receiver / Trojan / Black Butcher)
BOB MARLEY AND THE WAILERS - Punky Reggae Party (Island)
PRINCE BUSTER / MADNESS – Madness (Blue Beat / Fab / Prince Buster / Sequel // Stiff)
PRINCE BUSTER / THE SPECIALS – Too Hot (Blue Beat // Two-Tone / Chrysalis)
PRINCE BUSTER / THE SPECIALS / BAD MANNERS – Al Capone / Gangsters (XYZ / Blue Beat / Spartan // Two-Tone / Chrysalis // Ska in the World / Randale)
PRINCE BUSTER / THE SPECIALS – 10 Commandments (Prince Buster // Island / UMC)
PRINCE BUSTER / THE ENGLISH BEAT – Rough Rider (Fab / Blue Beat / Prince Buster / Skank / Westmoor // Sire / Go Feet)
PRINCE BUSTER / THE ENGLISH BEAT – Wash the Pum Pum / Whine and Grind / Stand Down Margaret (Prince Buster / Skank / Westmoor // Sire / Go Feet)
Too Hot
There were other bands that covered Prince Buster. The SPECIALS took a B-side from a 1967 single called “Too Hot” and re-recorded it for their first LP.
Al Capone / Gangsters
Another song they did was a song the SPECIALS called “Gangsters”, but was known as "Al Capone". Prince Buster released this sing in 1965 and the SPECIALS released it as their first single which was a split with the SELECTER who are also from Coventry.
10 Commandments
The 10 Commandments was one of Prince Buster’s biggest hits released in 1967. It was covered by many including the SPECIALS for their recent release “Encore” which does a proper 180 from the female perspective. It is probably my favourite of the ska era re-makes, which I originally heard on a podcast called “Ska-Phase” on Razorcake.
Rough Rider / Wash the Pum Pum / Whine and Grind
Then the ENGLISH BEAT also covered Prince Buster a couple of times on their first album “I Just Can’t Stop it”. Rough Rider was released in 1968 and “Whine and Grind’ which was titled “Wash the Pum Pum” by Prince Buster in 1969 and the English Beat turn it into one of their most famous songs which is a criticism of the Thatcher government and becomes an even greater insult knowing the original title.
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Written by George Agard of the PIONEERS, a cousin of Desmond Dekker’s, this song was first covered by the SELECTER in 1980 and then by the RESTARTS in 1997. I first heard it in our studio 3 session with the RESTARTS back when “Outsider” was released.
THE PIONEERS / SELECTER / RESTARTS – Everyday (Times Hard) (Trojan // Two Tone / Chrysalis // Social Bomb / Active)
THE PIONEERS – THE ENGLISH BEAT – Jackpot (Amalgamated // Sire / Go Feet)
THE PIONEERS / THE SPECIALS – Long Shot Kick de Bucket (Trojan // Two-Tone / Chrysalis)
DESMOND DEKKER / THE SPECIALS – 007 (Shanty Town) (Trojan // Kuff / Virgin)
Long Shot Kick de Bucket
THE SPECIALS also covered the 1968 single “Long Shot Kick de Bucket” under a live recording from 1979.
Jackpot
Released in 1968 on a number of singles and an album, this was another of the PIONEERS hits. This gets covered by the ENGLISH BEAT and gets a memorable toast added by Rankin’ Roger in the middle to modernize the song.
007 (Shanty Town)
Originally released in 1967, Desmond Dekker wrote the hit along with so many others. In the movie Rudeboy, there is a scene re-enactment of Desmond being mobbed by a crowd. He was a star with songs like “Israelites”, “Many Rivers to Cross”, “Pickney Gal”. The Specials would cover him later in their career.
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Rudy, A Message To You
Recorded by Dandy Livingstone in 1967 this song was the lead track on the SPECIALS LP and was probably one of the best known covers as a result.
DANDY LIVINGSTON / THE SPECIALS – Rudy, A Message to You (Ska Beat // Two-Tone / Chrysalis)
TOOTS AND THE MAYTALS / THE SPECIALS – Monkey Man (Universal / Island // Two-Tone / Chrysalis)
DAVE AND ANSEL COLLINS / SELECTER - Monkey Spanner (Techniques / Trojan / Interfusion / Big Tree // Receiver)
ROLAND ALPHONSO / BAD MANNERS – El Pussycat (Trojan // Magnet / Beograd)
CLANCY ECCLES / BAD MANNERS – Fattie Fattie (New Beat / Trojan // Magnet)
Monkey Man
Written by TOOTS AND THE MAYTALS and released in 1969 on “Sweet and Dandy”. The song would be covered by the SPECIALS and would be one of the more well known songs for it’s rawkousness.
Monkey Spanner
The opening intro should give you an idea of where MADNESS stole their bit for “One Step Beyond”. SELECTER did a cover later in their career to give the duo their due. This song originally came out in 1971.
El Pussycat
BAD MANNERS also covered Roland Alphonso’s “El Pussycat”. It was slightly rude and had the sexual double entrende. This was covered on their first album “Loonie Tunes”
Fattie Fattie
This song was written by Clancy Eccles who was part of Coxsonne Dodd’s stable. This song came out as a single and an album in 1969 and was covered by BAD MANNERS on their debut album “Ska ‘n B” It was an anthem for the singer who’s stage name is Fatty Buster Blood Vessel.
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James Bond
Spies were an early theme in Jamaican ska and Jackie Mittoo did the theme song which was covered by SELECTER. Jackie Mittoo would have a song written about him by SUPERCHUNK called “me and You and Jackie Mittoo” and was a legendary keyboard player and producer in Coxsonne Dodd’s studios.
JACKIE MITTOO / SELECTER – James Bond (Mango / Island // Two-Tone / Chrysalis)
THE UPSETTERS / SELECTER - Return of the Ugly (Punch / Upsetter // Receiver / Trojan)
Return of the Ugly
Written by Lee Perry’s studio band the UPSETTERS and released as a single in 1969. Covered by a later period SELECTER in 2000 and released as part of a series of Trojan songbook tributes.
Skinhead Moonstomp
Symarip wrote this song in the studio in one take and it was released on Treasure Isle in 1969. It became an anthem, inspired many ska songs about the moon and was a tribute to the British born allies.
SYMARIP / ARTHUR AND THE SPOONERS - Skinhead Moonstomp (Trojan // Steeltown / Contra)
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