Starting a Jamaican Music Collection Part 2b―Rock Steady: The Groups

Delving into the best of Jamaican rock steady

In the "Starting a Jamaican Music Collection" series, in part 1 we covered ska and in part 2a rock steady, the singer. We now come to rock steady, the groups. To recapitulate, ska lasted roughly from 1960 to the later part of 1966. Rock steady then took over the island. The fast tempi and thundering horns of many ska songs gave way to rock steady's much slower beat. Playing a much more prominent role in the new genre were the bass and drums and along with the old standard affairs of the heart, a major topic of these songs was now rude boys as well as other cultural issues . The harmony singing by these groups is outstanding--you're in for a real treat.

Before we delve into the specific groups, let me give you an example of rock steady's greatness. I'm throwing down the gauntlet. We'll hear The Impressions' classic "Gypsy Woman" (1961) and the Uniques' 1967 cover version with Slim Smith, my favorite rock steady singer, singing lead. In my experience a cover is seldom better than the original. Of course, at times it does occur. One example immediately coming to mind is the Rolling Stones' cover of The Valentinos' "It's All Over Now." The Stones' version has the right power and bite for the lyrics, the Valentinos' cut with Bobby Womack on lead, while good, is just a little too lighthearted. And if the original was a massive hit, as was the Impressions' single which reached #20 on the Billboard charts and #2 on the R&B charts, and is loved by everyone (including this writer), it is extremely rare it takes a backseat. But the cover cuts the original here. The slower tempo really lets Slim Smith shine. How can you possibly top him? Every word is perfectly emphasized and his yearning for the woman is agonizing and almost palpable.

The Impressions "Gypsy Woman"

The Uniques "Gypsy Woman"

(From the master tape with false start) 

The Groups

THE CLARENDONIANS

The wonderful duo of Fitzroy "Ernest" Wilson and Peter Austin, from Hayes in Clarendon Parish, began together in 1963 when Wilson was 11years old and Austin was 17.The two got together one day when Austin was approached by a young boy who had heard Austin singing and asked him to sing a song. Austin did and then asked the boy to sing one too. The boy turned out to be Wilson and when Austin heard the song he was so blown away by the boy's perfect timing and crystal clear vocal delivery, he immediately asked him to seek permission from his mother to join a group in which he was singing. So Wilson was now part of the Clarendonian band The Mercuries. But the duets with Austin were yet to come.

Austin recalls "He sang alone and I sang alone, but as destiny would have it, one day while I was at home, he came around as I was singing and he began to sing along and I was shocked by the harmony that was coming out." Immediately they teamed up, winning several talent competitions and then recorded for Leslie Kong and later for Duke Reid. In Kingston the duo stopped at Reid's Treasure Isle studio in 1964 and recorded two songs, "You Are a Fool" and "Muey Bien". But when Austin went to collect for their songs, Reid refused and beat him, resulting in Austin having to seek medical treatment at the Kingston Public Hospital. After Austin filled out reports at the Central Police Station and to the Denham Police, Reid responded by giving Austin 5 pounds and an emphatic "Don't come back, but the little one can come back." Thank heaven Reid was unable to tear the group apart. 

It was for Clement Dodd on his Studio One label that the boys had their greatest hits, and what a run they had. Six straight songs that were #1 hits on the Jamaican charts--" You Can't Keep a Good Man Down," "Sho Be Do Be," "Rude Boy Gone A jail," "Rudie Bam Bam," "You Won't See Me," and " You Can't Be Happy." All but one, the Lennon McCartney "You Won't See Me," are included on their classic album. This LP contains a mixture of ska, ska turning into rock steady and rock steady proper, but don't fret, the ska songs are all terrific and "Rudie Gone a Jail" is a ska scorcher of the highest order.

The duo broke up but reformed in the 1990's and performed in 2013 to celebrate their 50th anniversary. Austin died in 2021 at age 69.

There are eight pressings available on Discogs, many in VG to VG+ condition in the $50 range. There is also one CD of the album that adds three tracks but at the time of this writing none are for sale on Discogs

Originally issued on Coxsone label in 1972.

"Rudy Bam Bam"

"10 Guitars"

"He Who Laughs Last"

 

THE MELODIANS

One of the biggest selling groups on Duke Reid's Treasure Isle label, the Melodians excelled in both rock steady and reggae. They were formed in the Greenwich Town area of Kingston, Jamaica, in 1963, by Tony Brevett, Brent Dowe and Trevor McNaughton.

The group recorded some material with Prince Buster before Ken Boothe introduced them to Coxsone Dodd's Studio One label where in 1966 they recorded "Lay It On," "Meet Me" and "I Should Have Made it Up", all examples of ska turning into rock steady. Lead vocal duties were now shared between Brevett and Dowe. From 1967 to 1968 they had a number of hits for Duke Reid which are included on the recommended album below. The three tracks I've chosen are all unforgettable gems from the classic rock steady year,1967 They then recorded for Sonia Pottinger before having their biggest hit, "Rivers of Babylon," this time for Leslie Kong. The song became a Rastafarian favorite and was featured on the soundtrack of the movie The Harder They Come.

The best source of their famous rock steady songs is the compilation CD on Heartbeat Records. I own it and it sounds excellent with some of their reggae hits included. Some rock steady groups did not record enough songs in that style to fill out a whole CD, so as we go along, you'll see many compilations with both rock steady and reggae side by side. There are many CD's for sale on Discogs starting at $25.

Originally issued as a CD on Heartbeat Records in 1992.

"Last Train To Expo 67"

"You Have Caught Me"

"Come On Little Girl"

THE PARAGONS

It doesn't get much better than this. This wonderful group, with the fabulous John Holt singing lead, would make a great introduction to rock steady for someone just getting into the music. Garth "Tyrone" Evans and Howard Barrett provide the harmony. Holt went on to have a massive solo career--I love his voice and it is just perfect on their song "The Tide Is High," that Blondie turned into a #1 hit in both the UK and America.

The group was originally the duo of Bob Andy and Evans. They had high hopes of a successful recording career but in an interview Andy recalled there were many duos around at the time (the early 1960's) such as The Blues Busters, Higgs and Wilson, Keith and Enid and Alton and Eddy. So with the field so crowded they started listening to larger groups like The Four Tops, The Temptations and The Drifters.They recruited Barrett and Holt and as a quartet recorded their first sides for Coxsone Dodd at Studio One in 1964. Andy left soon after this to pursue a solo career and Holt took over as the lead singer. (More on Andy and Holt when we come to the reggae section of our survey.)

One reason why these Paragon songs sound so good is the studio over Duke Reid's liquor store in which they were recorded. The lumber construction made for a warm sound that perfectly suited the talented singers and players. Alton Ellis, whom we covered in part 2a, recalled spending time there. "The bright light was jus' the music an' the studio, bright in a mi mind all the while, so me nah bother the big riches y'know, me jus gone singin'...I used to go in a Duke studio an' siddung (sit down). Me alone, the studio empty. Me jus' go in there, play 'pon piano 'till me jus' drop asleep. Duke forget an' lock me up in there. Me never did get that high 'pon Downbeat (Studio One) studio, but I really did get a high 'pon Duke's studio. Me jus' feel at home there so."

The Paragons' classic rock steady album is On The Beach. first released in 1967 at the height of the rock steady craze in Jamaica. It has been re-released many times; Discogs lists 24 versions. An original pressing in VG condition will set you back a C-note but the two listed on Discogs both have no cover. Proceed with caution and try to hear any reissue before you buy. The compilation CD's might be a safer choice. There are two---Golden Hits and My Best Girl Wears My Crown (1966-1968). Golden Hits vinyl is available in VG+ condition starting around $55. At this time the CD is unavailable. There are plenty of CD's for sale of My Best Girl Wears My Crown, starting at $20.

Extremely difficult to pick only three songs from this album--they are all great.

Originally released on Treasure Isle in 1967

"On The Beach"

("One more box of Happs says the man to the bartender/One more box of Happs, I won't surrender." Happs was a brand of beer popular at the time of the song and an article states that ordering a box of Happs was akin to going up to the bar and saying "I'll have another." Glorious Jamaican days drinking beer and dancing on the beach to this classic tune.)

"The Tide Is High"

(Blondie covered this song, resulting in a massive hit--#1 on both the American and British charts.)

"Yellow Bird"

(Originally a 19th century Haitian song composed by Michel Mauleart Monton with lyrics from a poem by Oswald Durand, "Choucoune" was rewritten with new lyrics in the 20th century and retitled "Yellow Bird." An instrumental version by the Arthur Lymon Group reached #4 on the U.S. charts in 1961. It has been covered many time by artists such as the Norman Luboff Choir, Keely Smith, the Mills Brothers, Roger Williams, Johnny Tillotson, The Brothers Four, Gary Crosby and Lawrence Welk. Harry Belafonte recorded an excellent version but with different lyrics. Belafonte's voice is wonderful but so is John Holt's and this cut with Holt singing lead over sweet harmonies with a rock steady beat is the best of all the "Yellow Bird" covers.)

THE TECHNIQUES

The group was formed by Winston Riley in 1962 while still at school. The initial lineup was Riley, Slim Smith, Franklyn White and Fredrick Waite. They performed regularly at Edward Seaga's Chocomo Lawn club where Columbia Records' talent scouts spotted them and signed them to the label. Columbia released their first single, "No One" in 1963 in the U.K. They were introduced to Duke Reid in 1965 by Stranger Cole and thus began a string of hits on Treasure Isle that are included on their classic album. Smith left the group in 1966 to go solo, replaced by Pat Kelly, another wonderful singer.

Their best rock steady album is Classics. Discogs lists 14 first and early pressings in at least VG+ for sale with prices ranging from $30 to $80, many in the $40- $50 range. You might have a good chance at scoring a nice copy since this compilation was released in the 80's not the 60's.If you don't want to risk the vinyl, there are two excellent sounding CD's that are chock full of great rock steady--Rock Steady Classics on Rhino and Run Come Celebrate: Their Greatest Reggae Hits on Heartbeat. Yes, there's some (excellent) reggae on the Heartbeat CD but plenty of ace rock steady. Heartbeat probably named the CD like that because reggae sells, rock steady not so much.

Originally released on Techniques label in 1982.

"Love Is A Gamble"

(Sublime.)

"You Don't Care"

"Queen Majesty"

BOB MARLEY AND THE WAILERS

Like many other singers and groups in our survey, the Wailers excelled in ska, rock steady and reggae, all three genres, but their rock steady tracks are not as well known to the casual fan as their ska and reggae songs.

From Bob Marley and the Wailers Definitive Discography. "Although their time with Coxsone (Clement Dodd) at Studio One produced a multitude of local hits (in ska style), the Wailers were unhappy with the lack of financial rewards, receiving, according to Bunny (Wailer), "only three pounds a week each, no matter how many thousands of records we were selling at the time." Frustrated, Bob took a temporary leave from the Wailers and moved to America in February, 1966, joining his mother who had moved to Delaware in 1962. He took a job sweeping floors in the Dupont Hotel in Wilmington, trying to save enough money to start his own label and gain control of the profits of his own work. When the American army asked him to register for the draft eight months later, he quickly returned to Jamaica. The small amount of money he had accumulated allowed him to press the Wailers' first single, "Freedom Time," a cry of liberation from Dodd, and its flip side, "Bend Down Low," done in the new rock steady style that had superseded ska."

Most of the Wailers' rock steady catalog is on the Wailers' own Wail 'N' Soul 'M label. But they did record some gems for Coxsone such as this famous Bob Dylan song, "Like a Rolling Stone," around August, 1966. Bunny sings lead and adds his own lyrics to the song, including the wonderful line "Time like scorpion stings without warning." Tosh and Constantine "Vision" Walker supply the harmony. No Bob here, he was in Delaware. At the reggae store we used to joke that Bob Dylan was visiting Jamaica in 1966, heard the Wailers sing this song, and liked it so much he immediately flew back to New York, recorded it and had a massive hit.

By my count, the Wailers recorded 18 rock steady songs on their own label and the one CD compilation that collects most of them is Wail 'n Soul'm Singles Selecta on Universal. Discogs has three for sale starting around $25. If you just want eight of the Wailers' most well known rock steady tracks but would like to get into their whole catalog, Bob Marley - Songs of Freedom is a terrific introduction. Starting with the first two songs Bob ever recorded in 1963 as a solo artist, the 8 LP box set will set you back a few hundred dollars but the 4 CD box set is now only $20 in many places. That is a great price and the sound on these CD's is excellent.

Compilation released on Universal in 2005.

"Hypocrite"

(Bob sings in patois."Dip for diplomatic, hip for hipocratic, dry for dryland tourist, top for Topper Norris. See the hypocrites dem a galong deh." A dryland tourist is one who claims to have traveled broadly but who has never left the island dryland of Jamaica. Topper Norris refers to upper class elites who run things and live on the surrounding hilltops looking down on Kingston. The patois term "gravalicious" in the lyrics means greedy.)

"Pound Get a Blow"

(Peter and Bob share lead vocals. Rita Marley on harmony. Evidently the British pound was devalued in 1967 and the Wailers, to put it mildly, were not too keen on it. As Peter says "Prepare for starvation.")

"Funeral"

(Peter on lead, Bob and Rita provide harmony. Bunny said he and Peter wrote the song as a message to Coxsone Dodd. IMO the song is about the refusal of the Wailers to be at funerals of, say, politicians (most likely corrupt) even though they were probably asked to show up. Also many Rastafarians do not attend funerals because they don't believe there is any death, only change.)

THE GAYLADS

For a long time my favorite rock steady group was the Paragons but gradually my taste shifted and now the Gaylads have my heart. Formed in Kingston by Harris "B.B." Seaton, Winston Delano Stewart and Maurice Roberts, the Gaylads started out in the ska era with some excellent songs like "Gal & Boy." Their ska output has been collected on an excellent CD titled Ska Days (which has many tracks that are quite rare including one of their most famous, "Don't Say No," which is not included on the two albums I'm recommending. If you want to hear The Gaylads in their infancy, Ska Days is mandatory.

The Gaylads had to change their name at one point in mid career due to the repercussions they experienced from their name. During the 1960's the word "gay" had nothing to do with homosexuality but as time progressed and it took on a new meaning, the narrow minded idiots appeared and in the mid 70's the Gaylads had to change their name to The Psalms. In a 2012 interview, Maurice Roberts said the trio was a happy bunch of guys who loved to have fun and that's how they got their name. "It was Mr. Dodd's (Coxsone Dodd at Studio One) choice because in those days it meant happiness, joyfulness and fun. So it's not what people take it to mean today. It was one of the things that held back our career in later years."

There are two albums to recommend, Soul Beat and Seal of Approval. An original pressing of Soul Beat would be a wonderful thing to own and there are three for sale on Discogs. However, all three have serious condition flaws and, oh yes, they range from $180-$580. Discogs lists 22 pressings of Soul Beat so a much safer bet is either a vinyl repress or a CD.. The ones I've heard sound fine. Seal of Approval collects many of the group's ace rock steady tracks not found on Soul Beat. Currently there are none for sale on Discogs or Ebay but they occasionally show up so keep your eyes open for one.

Originally issued on Studio One in 1967.

(Picking out just three songs from this magnificent album is the hardest thing I've done since I spent one week in San Francisco delivering newspapers and magazines to people's doors at 5 AM in the night without even knowing where I was going or how to get there on a bus. There are at least eight songs I'm crazy about.)

"Red Rose"

"Love Me With All Your Heart"

(All time great rock steady with the mighty Soul Vendors backing the Gaylads at their most passionate.)

"She Want It"

Originally issued on CD on Sudio One in 2003

"You'll Never Leave Him"

"No Good Girl"

"Don't Try To Reach Me"

THE HEPTONES

Leroy Sibbles, Earl Morgan and Barry Llewellyn formed the Heptones in 1965 in Kingston. Their original name was "The Hep Ones" but it was changed to The Heptones when Morgan saw a Heptones Tonic bottle in a pile of trash.

The group was one of the biggest selling acts at Studio One, rivaling the Wailers and the Gaylads in hit records. No article on rock steady and reggae would be complete with mentioning the contribution of Sibbles. The Soul Vendors, the house band at Studio One, was responsible for some of the most enduring rhythms in all of Jamaican music.The band was led by arranger/ organist/pianist Jackie Mittoo with Sibbles on bass, creating some of the most insinuating and unforgettable bass lines, endlessly recycled down through the decades in other songs by other artists.

From an interview with Leroy Sibbles during the Reggae On The River concert tour in 1996.

     Q-- Maximum respect to the Heptones, to all three of you. I'm wondering if you could go back . . . we all love Studio One and there was a time there when the ska turned into rock steady and the sound was changing and it became so Jamaican, so strictly Jamaican for the first time. And as a musician too, as a bass player, if you could talk about when that slow-down of the rhythm occurred and what part you had to play in that as a studio musician?
    A-- Well, when we were listening as kids to music, it was ska. Bob Marley was doing ska. Toots & the Maytals were doing ska, Delroy Wilson was doing ska. I was even as a kid, when I left school and started doing arc welding, electrical welding, I was singing some Delroy Wilson songs, which was really up-tempo, right? And a lot of people was saying, even then, 'hey, you sound good and you . . .' but I wasn't taken that much seriously. Then, when we got together, our kind of music was much slower than the ska thing. I would not say that the Heptones were the ones who changed the music, but we know that we were responsible for the change too. Because when we started, we started with songs like "A Change Has Got To Come." And it was much slower than what was happening. We were a part of the change for sure. We started doing songs like "Ting A Ling A Ling," and dem songs deh. And dem songs was different.
     Q--So when that vibe caught on was everyone, was there a real feeling like, 'this is something special that we're coming into a time,' or did you have to look on it later and say. . . Did you know at the time how crucial that new sound was?
     A-- What we know at the time was what we felt. We felt that we were a part of something now. And that felt really good. We had a purpose in this world right now. That was one of the greatest things, the greatest feeling. We were somebody. We were a part of this world. We had a say for once in our lives. And that was the most important thing. We weren't even thinking of money. When we did these songs and we heard these songs and we see how people respond in our community all around us. That was the most important thing.

And later in the interview Sibbles says " Singing is our life. And this is what we do and what we'll always do no matter what. We enjoy doing this. We love to have the opportunity to do this. I know I was born for this. And I'll show you why. When I was from about nine years old, growing, I used to have a vision. When I sleep at night, I used to see myself float off the ground to about the height of a telephone pole. And was floating, not flying, just floating there and a crowd would gather and would be pointing up at me. And I'd be looking down at them . . . and that vision used to haunt me. And I would never, could never understand what that meant. And it was like about ten years ago while I was living in Canada in Toronto, the visions stop for a while, and they start coming back to me again. And it hit me one day, and you know what I saw out of that vision? Myself on stage. And a crowd of people around me, pointing at me. I say yes. I had that before even now. That's why when I do so, it comes so easy. I'm telling you, it's a natural thing. I was made for this. And I tell you something else that is so ironic, whenever I try to do anything else, it doesn't work. Believe it. And no matter where I go in the world, whenever I sing for people, they understand, they love it, and it comes naturally. What I do is real, cause if I'm having a bad night, everyone will know it too. Yes. I can't hide it. I'm having a good night. I'm having a good week."

Probably the most famous album by the Heptones is On Top, and while that is indeed a masterpiece, most of the tracks are either rock steady turning into reggae or pure reggae. So the go to album for rock steady is their eponymous debut, also called Fattie Fattie on CD; every track wonderful rock steady.

Discogs shows three first pressings but like The Gaylads first pressing, all have major flaws and the owners are asking $180--$312. So again, you'd be better off with a later pressing or the CD.

Originally issued on Studio One in 1967

"The Best Things In Life"

"Tripe Girl"

(An extremely bitter song aimed at a girl. "Girls of your type should be selling tripe/Get out of my range, you've got pure mange" Yeow, some serious hate here!

"Take a Tip From Me"

THE TERMITES

There is very little information about The Termites, not even a Wiki writeup. They were not as famous as other Studio One groups like the Wailers, the Gaylads or the Heptones but the one album they released is outstanding. Every song is excellent with the sweetest, innocent lyrics and harmony from the duo of Lloyd Parks and Wentworth Vernon. Parks went on to lead the group We The People and has had a long career in music playing bass and singing.

I found this interview with Parks from United Reggae Online Reggae Magazine in 2017.

"We were all living in Waterhouse at the time and there was a guy there called Wentworth Vernon. We were a duo and he was the other half of the group. He could play a little guitar. So we teamed up and started rehearsing and he started to teach me harmony. When we figured we were ready, the first recording that we did was for Federal. A song called We Are Going To Make It by the Termites. But it never really went anywhere.

So we still continued practising and went to Studio One. Coxsone Downbeat said "Boy, you guys sound good but you have to go home and listen to your radio". Meaning different lyrics - better lyrics. So we went home, did that and went back the day of the audition again. He said "Yes! You can go in the studio now". Because every audition day you have the musicians there. Every week you have sessions, so they always had the auditions the same day as the session. So if you are fit enough you just go straight in and record. I recorded a song called Have Mercy Mr. Percy. That song went into the top 10. And then after that Mr. Dodd recorded an album with us called Do The Rocksteady.
Q--How did you learn to play guitar?
A--Now, when we went to Studio One and we recorded a first song, Coxsone said - everybody's was name Jackson - "Hey Jackson I pay you only £7.10 you know!" So I said okay because I just wanted to record. So we got £7.10 and the both of us bought that guitar. Incidentally, Wentworth Vernon was the one who taught me three chords on the guitar. G, C and D. I was determined man. I wanted to be a guitarist. You could call it a self-taught musician. For the opportunity I give thanks to Coxsone Downbeat.
Q--What happened to the Termites and why did you leave Coxsone. 
 A--We split. We went separate ways. The Termites. Mainly it was for two reasons. One reason was me and the guy we couldn't get on. We couldn't see eye to eye. And the second one was I saw Coxsone Downbeat punch down Joe Higgs, that guy that taught Bob Marley and the Wailers harmonies. He went for royalties and maybe he went in the morning and Coxsone told him tomorrow? And he insisted he wasn't going to wait. And I saw him bam! It was the first time I ever witnessed somebody get a punch and I witnessed the eye swelling and blood dropping out of his eye. And I left and I never came back. I never even bothered to wait for any royalties. (Laughs) So that was the two reasons. So then I decided to go solo. "

Want to own a first pressing of this terrific album? I know I do. Well, there is one for sale on Discogs with vinyl VG and cover G. It will only set you back $850. Like so many groups in this article, you're better off with a later pressing or the CD. Both are easy to find.

Originally issued on Studio One in 1967.

"It Takes Two To Make Love"

"Have Mercy Mr. Percy"

(Rent problems with the landlord yield up a sublime rock steady song.)

"Mommy Didn't Know"

THE UNIQUES

The group first released some singles in 1966 with members Roy Shirley, Slim Smith and Franklin White, but soon disbanded and reformed a year later with Smith singing lead and Jimmy Riley and Lloyd Charmers providing harmony. This was the classic lineup that had massive hits in the rock steady and reggae eras.

As mentioned in part 2a The Singers, Slim Smith is my favorite rock steady singer. Please go to that post to read more about Smith. I've rarely heard emotion like this in the voice of a young singer and his tragic death at only 25 years of age was one of the most devastating events in Jamaican history.

Since the Uniques with Smith singing only started recording in 1967, a good deal of their output will be reggae with some rock steady. So every album and CD of theirs will either be all reggae or half and half. (You won't mind the reggae, trust me, mon.) So the best way to hear most of their rock steady is The Best Of The Uniques.1967-1969 CD. You get 24 tracks, half rock steady and half early reggae and it contains their cover of Gypsy Woman that we referenced at the beginning of this survey. Too bad it doesn't have "Let Me Go Girl" but that's a minor grouse. There are currently 16 for sale on Discogs starting at only $14. Grab one ASAP.

Compilation originally issued on CD on Trojan in 1994.

"Speak No Evil"

"Lessons Of Love"

"My Conversation"

THE ETHIOPIANS

Leonard Dillon, Stephen Taylor and Aston Morrison got together at the end of the ska era. Dillon was raised by his grandparents in a strict Seventh Day Advenrist household and with his grandfather a church choirmaster, as a youngster he had a good environment for musical training. After being raised in the small community of Boundbrook, he moved to Kingston as a teenager to find work. Following a trip to Florida in 1963 for seasonal farm work, he moved to Trenchtown where he met Peter Tosh who introduced him to Bob Marley and Bunny Livingston and a recording session at Studio One was arranged for Dillon. He cut his first four songs with the Wailers backing him on three and Delroy Wilson on the fourth. All were released under the name Jack Sparrow. The records were not big sellers and with harmony groups the rage in Jamaica in late 1966, he reformed the trio and sales improved. Not enough for Morrison, however, who had a family to support and he quit the group. So almost all the subsequent Ethiopian songs are by the duo of Dillard and Taylor.

The majority of the group's material was recorded in the reggae years but they did have great success in the rock steady era. The double CD I'm recommending, Train To Skaville: Anthology 1966 To 1975, is excellent, starting with two fine examples of ska turning into rock steady and then twelve prime rock steady tracks with Lynn Taitt and the Jets providing the perfect backing. You then get 42 top notch reggae songs and this 2CD package is by far the best source of their rock steady output. Discogs currently has two for sale for around $40 and this will make a good segway into part 3 of our survey when we meet the deejays.

Originally issued in 2002 on Trojan

"Train To Skaville"

"The Whip"

"Cool It Amigo"

Bonus CD. RUDIES ALL AROUND

You might have noticed, unlike the singers we covered in part 2a, almost all the songs by groups other than the Clarendonians sidestep the rude boy phenomena. Nothing lacking in quality with any of the songs referenced in this article but speaking personally, I do miss songs about these troubled, but certainly colorful youth who were the main topic of conversation on the island at that time. I wrote about rude boys in part 2a. but I need my "rude boy fix" here in part 2b. Here is what the Jamaican Gleaner wrote on the subject in 2018.

"The years following Jamaica's inaugural Independence in 1962 were turbulent ones, especially in Kingston.

One would have expected that with attaining Independence, the nation would be in a united state, and crime would be on the decline. But quite the opposite occurred. There was a sudden escalation of crime, and the rude-boy syndrome suddenly reared its ugly head.

One contributing factor was the large number of young men who migrated to the city in search of jobs. Buoyed and inspired by the throbbing ska beat that had engulfed the nation at Independence, many suddenly fancied their chances of getting into a recording studio without even having their talent assessed.

When that was not forthcoming, it led to discontent and resentment, which sometimes were expressed in outbursts of violence. Ratchet knives and handguns suddenly became an ever-present companion to hoodlums who sought to earn a bread by dishonest means. The emergence of the popular James Bond celluloid adventure movies at the time seemed to have contributed to the lawlessness as many of Kingston's young criminals sought to emulate and name themselves after notorious characters in these action-packed movies.

In the meantime, some vocalists and record producers, in particular, began to realise that there was a large audience and a fledgling market for rude-boy songs and immoral messages and duly capitalised on the trend by investing huge sums into record production. Some producers sought to glamorise the phenomenon in their recordings; others tried to condemn it; while some vocalists used the opportunity to send a message to the rude-boys about the impending doom that awaited them."

A very good CD with all the songs about rude boys is Rudies All Around. Twenty songs, some of them quite rare, either praising them, warning them to straighten up or simply mentioning their exploits. Not expensive--Discogs has one shipping from USA for $13. I own it and listen to it often.

Issued on Trojan Records in 1994.

The Rulers..."Don't Be a Rude Boy"

(Quite sensible advice to rude boys. "I don't want to be no rude boy/I just want to be a good boy/And when you grow to a man/You don't spend your days in the can/And when you walk down the street/People could respect the man they meet.")

The Valentines aka The Silvertones..."Blam Blam Fever"

(Did you read the news/I'm a bit confused/The gun fever is back. the gun fever/Rudeness and guns is the talk of this town/The gun fever is back, the gun fever")

Stranger Cole & The Conquerors..."Drop The Ratchet"

(Zeroing in on the rude boys' weapon of choice, this song urges them in no uncertain terms to leave the German made knife at home)

Joe White..."Rudies All Around"

(A sweet little song with a dire message for most Jamaicans--rude boys are everywhere on the island. They don't fear and they don't care!!)

Pioneers..."Rudies Are The Greatest"

Albums and CD's recommended in this article

THE CLARENDONIANS                  The Best of the Clarendonians

THE MELODIANS                            Swing and Dine

THE PARAGONS                              On the Beach with the Paragons

                                                          Golden Hits

                                                          My Best Girl Wears My Crown (1966-1968)

THE TECHNIQUES                          Classics

                                                          Rock Steady Classics

                                                          Run Come Celebrate: Their Greatest Reggae Hits

BOB MARLEY AND THE WAILERS Wail 'n Soul'm Singles Selecta

                                                          Bob Marley - Songs of Freedom

THE GAYLADS                                 Soul Beat

                                                          Seal of Approval

THE HEPTONES                              The Heptones aka Fattie Fattie

THE TERMITES                                Do The Rock Steady

THE UNIQUES                                 The Best of the Uniques (1967-1969)

THE ETHIOPIANS                            Train To Skaville

Various Artists                                 Rudies All Around