“Wonderful World, Beautiful People”  Jimmy Cliff  A&M Records  1969.  One of my favorites!  Supposedly Bob Dylan said that “Vietnam” was the best protest song he ever heard.

(28 votes, average: 2.82 out of 5)

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One of the cool UK PAMA label covers and rocksteady/reggae compilations, “Straighten Up Vol. 4.” (1972) Trojan Records, PAMA’s rival reggae label put out a similar series called “Tighten Up.”

The Groovers- Soul Sister / Jerry Lewis- The Godfather / BB Seaton - Lean On Me / Winston Reedy- Breakfast In Bed / Cornell Campbell - My Confession / Delroy Wilson - Here Comes The Heartaches / The Avengers - Life And All Its Dreams / U Roy - Black Heart / The Avengers - Hijack Plane / BB Seaton - I Want Justice / Stranger Cole - Our High School Dance / Les Foster & Ansel Collins - The Man In Your Life / Junior Byles - Fever / The Clarendonians - Good Hearted Woman / Owen Grey - I Hear You Knocking / Junior English - I Don’t Want To Die

(16 votes, average: 3.56 out of 5)

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Third World “Journey to Addis”  (1978)  Including the hit reggae version of the O’Jays song “Now That We Found Love”, (which was later done as a rap song by Heavy D and the Boys).  Also on this record are the songs “Cool Meditation” “Journey To Addis”, “One Cold Vibe”, “Cold Sweat” and “African Woman”.  Nice island illustration.  I like the hemp lettering of the title too.

(14 votes, average: 2.79 out of 5)

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Bob Marley “Catch A Fire”  Island Records.  1973.  This is the record that made Bob Marley an international star.  His first on a major label.  With Peter Tosh and Bunny Wailer and Aston and Carlton Barrett on bass and drums. Produced by Chris Blackwell.  The album including the classics “Stir It Up”, “Concrete Jungle” and “Kinky Reggae” is 125 on Rolling Stone magazine’s top 500 list (the highest of Marley’s four Lps to make the list).  The first 20,000 copies released were encased in this Zippo lighter die-cut sleeve.  The sleeve opened like a lighter case with a side hinge.  Rob Weiner and Rod Dyer designed.

(13 votes, average: 4.54 out of 5)

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“Double Barrel” Dave and Ansell Collins Big Tree Records. A Trojan Record Production.  Written and produced by Winton Riley. (1971) One of the earliest recordings to feature renowned drummer Sly Dunbar, who was reportedly 14 when the song was recorded.

The single reached #1 on the UK singles chart for two weeks in April 1971 and became the first reggae single to reach the top 30 of the Billboard Hot 100 peaking at #22. The song has been covered by late ska acts such as The Selecter and The Specials.

(7 votes, average: 3.29 out of 5)

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Ska from 1964 featuring Byron Lee and the Dragonaires Jamaica’s number one band backing the Maytals, the Charmers, Ken Lazarus and others. Keytone Records.

(4 votes, average: 4.75 out of 5)

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“Israelites” Desmond Dekker & the Aces  UNI Records.  (1969)  One of the great ones.   From “007″ to “Rudie Got Soul” to “Israelites”, Desmond was the first international Reggae star before Bob Marley and continued to perform until his death in 2007.

(13 votes, average: 4.31 out of 5)

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“Moonlight Groover”  A great ska compilation featuring Tommy McCook, John Holt, Winston Wright and others.  I’m in love with her too.

(5 votes, average: 4.4 out of 5)

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Byron Lee and the Dragonaires “Rock-Steady Explosion”  Cool songs here like “Napoleon Solo” and “Pup-a-Lick”  On Soul Records.

(5 votes, average: 3.6 out of 5)

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Originally issued in 1970, Soul Rebels was the first album credited to Bob Marley and the Wailers and it was also the band’s first full-length collaboration with producer Lee “Scratch” Perry for whom they had already recorded a string of fairly successful singles. Check it out and the other more than 200 ska, rock steady and early reggae singles cut by Marley before he signed with Island Records in 1973 and became Bob Marley, the international Reggae superstar.

(1 votes, average: 4 out of 5)

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