The Roots Reggae Library brings to you Reggae music in unique collections. This edition features all the material of The Wailers, with Bob Marley, Peter Tosh, and Bunny Wailer, among others, from 1963 until 1972. This collection is unique because of the way all the single songs have been categorized in six Ska albums and eleven Rocksteady albums.
Bob, Peter and Bunny, together with Beverly Kelso, Junior Braithwaite and Cherry Smith started making music together as one group. The lay-out of the music of their music, although normally scattered around, is fairly straightforward on the Roots Reggae Library. I will first introduce six albums from The Wailers, in which the content features songs in the period of 1962 - 1967. This is where the Wailers were making "Ska", the most dominant music on the island of Jamaica by the time. These six albums are the Ska Albums. Following the Ska Albums there will be a set of eleven Rocksteady Albums of The Wailers, from the period of 1967 - 1972. In this era they shifted to making "Rocksteady" and early "Reggae". Some songs will have other contributing artists on them. Bob once said, "everyone who play music with me is a Wailer!"
Following their signing with Island Records and their careers beyond 1972 this website has discographies of both Bob Marley and Peter Tosh.
Opening the ska era in which The Wailers produced numerous songs we find Destiny. An album which was originally released by Heartbeat Records in 1999, containing a number of the songs which you will find on my Destiny. It was named "rarities at Studio One". Others are duplicates of songs on other albums and are therefore omitted. The Wailers sing all songs together. Regarding the lead vocals you will find that Bob sings the lead on song number one, Bunny on two, and Peter on three. Themes ranging from love on numerous tracks to dreaming of a 'White Christmas', which none of these Jamaicans had seen before. A predominant ska rhythm can be heard although it it is not used for a couple of love songs. Especially 'One More Chance' will not appear on many other collections.
This album is very similar to the earlier shared Another Dance on the Bob Marley edition. However, Judge Not starts with a track with that same title. It is the first single ever recorded by Bob Marley, in 1962. On 'Don't Ever Leave Me' and 'Straight And Narrow Way' we hear Junior Braithwaite on lead vocals. The album gives a great ska impression to those not familiar with the style. Another "train-track", as often present in early reggae repertoire, is 'Lonesome Track'. 'Judge Not' itself was the first track that Marley ever recorded.
First of all, for Maga Dog I made the album cover myself. The title track is the song that evolved during the years from ska to rocksteady to reggae. Numerous hard to find songs appear on this album, such as 'Hooligan', 'Sunday Morning' and 'Go Jimmy Go'. We hear Lord Brynner from Trinidad sing on 'Where's Sammy Gone', with the Wailers harmonizing the chorus, questioning whether Sammy either went to London, or passed away. 'When The Well Runs Dry', an early version of the song that Peter Tosh would later sing on Legalize It.
'One Love', the well known Bob Marley song on Exodus, was first recorded by The Wailers as a ska song. Earlier versions of 'Mr. Chatterbox', namely 'Mr. Talkative' and 'Dreamland' by Bunny Wailer can also be found on this album. Also, Bunny and Rita join together to sing 'The Vow', a wonderful duet. Tosh sings lead vocals only once, on the mento-like Jumbie Jamboree. Nevertheless, you will hear all The Wailers harmonizing on most songs together.
Similar to Destiny, the Rude Boy album was compiled as a "greatest hits at Studio One" album. Not much has been changed from this original piece, although some songs have been moved to other albums. For example, it originally contained 'Maga Dog', which has a specific album contributed to it as you have previously read. It is interesting to see the coverage of existing songs by The Wailers in that time to find inspiration, such as 'Teenager In Love', 'And I Love Her' and 'Like A Rolling Stone'. The early version of 'Running Away' from Bob's Kaya album is 'Who Feels It Knows It'. It would become a signature song for Rita Marley later. 'Lick It Back' is edited by Roots Reggae Library, and you will find this track nowhere else as clean as here. Most versions are radio edits. The version here has no radio voice.
The Simmer Down album was originally released as The Wailing Wailers in late 1965, produced by Clement Coxsone Dodd. I have not changed much of the content. As on other albums one may notice the popularity of covering USA songs at the time. On Simmer Down we find 'Ten Commandments Of Love', and 'Wings Of A Dove' which does not originally appears on the album. 'Simmer Down' itself was the first big hit that The Wailers produced in Jamaica. Their recognition followed soon after that. 'One Cup Of Coffee' was the second track to be ever recorded by Marley. 'I Need You' is different from 'I Need You So' on the Destiny Ska Album.
Turning to the Rocksteady Albums compiling the period of 1967-1972 you will find them listed here as they will appear on your iTunes, alphabetically ordered. You will find that every album has a different twist, mixing different feelings of joy, love, rhythm and sadness.
Therefore we start the series with Freedom Time, which itself starts with 'Hypocrites', a song which Marley performed live at the 1979 Reggae Sunsplash. Those hypocrites we know he woulld be observing in 'No Woman, No Cry'. The name of the album is represented by the second song, 'Freedom Time', in which we are prepared for a different state of mind. 'Lyrical Satirical' is an instrumental, followed by the well known 'This Train', of which an early version is found on Simmer Down. However, the lyrics "when I was just a kid, my mommy used to sing this song" originate from 'Where Is My Mother' on Destiny. On Legalize It Peter sang 'Burial', which was previously recorded as 'Funeral'. This song will feature on a another Rocksteady Album having a different melody. A duo performance by Marley and Tosh gives us 'Pound Get A Blow'. A young Peter will then perform his 'Stepping Razor' which would later become one of his signature tunes. Tosh fans know the song from Equal Rights, the 1977 album of Peter. A different rhythmic vibe accompanies the song on Freedom Time. The vibe continues in 'I'm Hurting Inside', where Bob asks happiness to come back to him, having missed it for a long time. The song would be one of the soundtrack tunes for The Migthy Quinn (1989), a Jamaican film featuring Denzel Washinton as a detective. 'Dem A Fi Get A Beatin'' must also sound familiar to Tosh fans as it is heard on Bush Doctor. He follows with 'Fire Fire', in which we already hear the "who you gonna run to" line he used in his later 'Downpressor Man'. Bob had written 'Play Play Play', which Rita Anderson/Marley sings beautifully on Freedom Time. "Long time, we no have no 'Nice Time', a different version of the song we will hear on a later Rocksteady Album. Peter gets it off against those who appear to be rasta, but whose actions do not comply in 'Lion'. The next piano riff introduces 'Fallin' In & Out Of Love'. The title says quite a bit about the song. The album ends with a 'Rhapsody' sang by Rita Marley.
Although at first the album seems to start with 'Bend Down Low', it actually doesn't. 'All In One' gets its name from the lines of various songs being combined into one melody. We hear some of 'Bend Down Low', which overlaps into 'Nice Time'. 'One Love' we had heard in the Ska Albums, followed by the tremendous 'Simmer Down'. Bob continues to sing a line from 'It Hurts To Be Alone', which beautifully connects to 'Lonesome Feeling' and 'Love And Affection' as if they were made for this song. The song originally ends with 'Put It On' and a fading piece of 'Duppy Conquerer'. I have added a couple more seconds which have been taken from a second recording of 'All In One', in which we turn back to the lines of 'Put It On'. Fans of Peter Tosh will be glad to hear his voice sing 'Can't Blame The Youth', a song which of course featured later in his career. He sings about the youth of today being taught the wrong things, in terms of fairy tales and history. An important early recording of 'Concrete Jungle' is the third track on the album. We hear the beautiful voice of Bunny Wailer sing a cover of 'My Dream Island' from El Tempos. He named it 'Dreamland'. On 'Brand New Second Hand' Peter's gives a sarcastic tone to a specific type of girl. The song is introduced and backed up beautifully by Bob. Some will be surprised by the early version of 'Kaya'. A more emotional Bob sings 'Comma Comma'. Whereas he sang a love song now and then, Peter used his emotions in a different manner. You can hear this on 'Oppressor Man', an updated version of 'Sinner Man' on Simmer Down, which would later become 'Downpressor' and 'Downpressor Man'. The album is named after the next song, 'Keep On Skanking' which is being introduced by Bunny. Skanking is a typical way to dance to ska music, and Marley urges us to keep on doing so with rocksteady. On the 'Soul Rebel' tune we will hear Marley sing 'Run For Cover', followed by a strange tuned 'Shocks Of Mighty'. The next tune, 'Who Is Mr. Brown', is about a rumour that swept through Jamaica causing much hysteria. We switch to a little melodica in 'A Little Love'. Very unknown is the song 'Music Gonna Teach', which is quite special as Bob speaks his mind about a subject we now Peter Tosh to rebel about more often. Rather than being taught about sea pirates he would prefer to be taught about some great Africans. Ending the album with Peter Tosh sentencing many of the same pirates hypothetically to death in 'Here Comes The Judge'.
Where I had previously added 'Why Should I', edited and with the I-Three's in the back vocals on Confrontation, we now hear the original take of The Wailers on Life Line. I have named the album after a Bunny Wailer recording, 'Life Line'. "Fly away in your mellow cali mood" is the message of the song. We hear Peter sing an early version of his well known track on Bush Doctor, 'The Toughest'. We turn back to Bunny who tells us to 'Bide Up'.The two-two is completed when Tosh sings 'No Mercy'. Marley expresses his mind again in 'Mellow Mood'. Just like the next 'Lovelight' they are different versions of the same songs on other Rocksteady-albums. That can not be said for the instrumental 'Mellow Skank', although the sounds in the far background suggest it is a dub meant for a different song. This song however was definitely not released. The version of 'Concrete Jungle' seems quite similar to the one we listened to on Keep On Skanking. However, keen listeners will notice that in this version there are additional background vocals from Bunny and Peter which come very close to those on Catch A Fire. Also Bob goes jamming after one minute and twenty-eight seconds. 'It's Alright' we did not find before. 'Keep On Moving' would later be covered by UB40 on their first Labour Of Love. On 'Give Me A Ticket' we hear Rita and Bunny sing, although it is actually the recording of the background vocals of the song that will feature on a later Rocksteady Album. If you listen carefully you will be able to hear the voice of Peter in the distance. Peter does sing 'Arise Blackman'. Then next, 'Rightful Ruler' begins with the talking of Peter Tosh as well, and is overtaken by U-Roy after forty-four seconds. The album ends with 'A Little Prayer' from Mortimer Planno, the spiritual Rastafari teacher of The Wailers in that time. In the end of this last track some will remember The Melodians' 'Rivers Of Babylon' on Jimmy Cliff's The Harder They Come album, as Planno chants Psalm 19:14.
The album cover of Lonesome Feeling is somewhat of a different quality as the other Rocksteady Albums. However, its songs are just as good. As the title suggests, the songs have a strong taste of romance. This is felt immediately at 'Stir It Up', the Rocksteady recording of the song we know so well from Catch A Fire. Although we know 'Satisfy My Soul' on Kaya, 'Satisfy My Soul Babe' is a very different song. "You're like cool water to my thirsty soul", "you keep me warm when the times are cold". The song that Mick Jagger would record with Peter Tosh on Bush Doctor had been written by Peter earlier, and features here as 'Don't Look Back'. Freedom Time presented us earlier with 'I'm Hurting Inside', but this version is notably different. Exactly the same thing can be said about 'Dem A Fi Get A Beatin''. This version is different from the one found on Freedom Time. Again we hear Tosh, although now he sings the early version of his Legalize It contained song 'No Sympathy'. The 'Lonesome Feeling' track had been recorded under a ska beat on Simmer Down. It is very nice to see the transformation of this song through the two different era's. With an aim in mind Marley sings 'Oh Lord, I Got To Get There'. He sings about a better time for everyone feeling bad. We hear Rita again as she sings 'Lonely Girl'. On an earlier version of 'It Hurts To Be Alone', found on Simmer Down, it was Junior Braithwaite who sang the lead vocals. On Lonesome Feeling we hear all The Wailers sing the song together. Interesting is that the version in the rocksteady period is actually more uptempo than that recorded in the earlier years. As I mentioned at Life Line, we would come across 'Lovelight' again, a different version though. 'Send Me That Love', well, the title speaks for itself. Rita and Bob join in together to bring us 'Hold On To That Feeling'. Who listened to the Simmer Down album already knows 'I'm Still Waiting'. It is one of the better Marley love songs. Which version you like better is a matter of taste. As a final call we hear 'Milk Shake & Potato Chips', which are not on his menu.
"It's gonna be a 'Long Long Winter' for me", missing his girl, Bob opens More Axe. 'Stop That Train' was originally recorded by The Spanishtonians, later covered by Keith & Tex and others. Peter Tosh offers a completely different sounding song with the same title. We would hear it again later on Catch A Fire but it would also feature on Mama Africa in Tosh his solo career. For anyone feeling down I strongly suggest you listen to 'Cheer Up'. Another song that is found in Tosh his later career is 'Soon Come' (on Bush Doctor). The brilliant riddle on 'Soul Captives' fits the album and would get the same recommendation as 'Cheer Up'. Peter's lower voice smoothly chants 'Go, Tell It On The Mountain'. Just as 'Cheer Up' and 'Soul Captives' The Wailers sing about their people to be free. Those who have progressed as far as Mystic Man will know about 'Can't You See', and will be happy to realize Peter had written this song in his younger years. We can even dive back into the Ska Albums and find that an even faster version was recorded and is found on Rude Boy. On my previous Wailer-albums release, 'Soul Shakedown Party' was only included as a dub plate. We can now hear Bob inviting us to his special vacation party. Who doesn't love 'Who The Cap Fit' on Rastaman Vibration? Then now enjoy 'Man To Man'! On Judge Not there is a song by the same name but it is completely different. 'Jah Is Mighty' is an alternative take of 'Corner Stone', which we will hear later. Before we see that there is another alternative take on this album we first hear 'More Axe'. "If you are the big tree, we are the small axe, ready to cut you down", as a reflection upon the Jamaican music business, in which the weak were not given a change to prosper. You might realize that the song is quite sad. Climbing out of that, 'Turn Me Loose' is a 'Kaya'-alternate. Tosh then speaks about the Jamaican police who brutalized him on a frequent basis, "I see the 'Mark Of The Beast' on their ugly faces". This all is followed by the upfull melody of 'We Can Make It Uptight'. Just as 'A Little Love' it appeared on the JAD Can't Blame The Youth album originally. 'Sun Is Shining' is used to provide 'Heathen's Rage', on which we hear Johnny Lover, and here and there Peter Tosh, overdubbing their verses.
This album has hardly been changed from the original Rock To The Rock by JAD Records. As on Keep On Skanking we start with hearing 'Bend Down Low', but here it is the actual track, where first we only heard it on 'All In One'. It is also represented on the earlier Rude Boy Ska Album. 'Chances Are' was written right before Bob and Rita decided to move to Nine Mile to live a rural life for some time. 'How Many Times' seems to start quite positive, but is a rather sad song. It would be covered by Stephen Marley in 2011 as 'Pale Moonlight'. On Judge Not you can locate a much earlier version of this song as 'Do You Remember'. Quite uncommon for Peter Tosh, we hear him express a lot about 'Love'. The next two songs we have heared previously, but as different versions from the songs on Rock To The Rock. Mellow Mood' is one of them, 'Nice Time' is the other. On the second Island Records album Burnin' there is 'Put It On'. Also Judy Mowatt, one of the I-Three's would record her version on Black Woman, of whom there will definitely be a blog written at a later stage. "All they want us to do is see that we might get fed up, but tell the world this is just another shake up", 'Rock To The Rock'. After that a lovely tribute is given to the style of music being played in 'Rocking Steady'. The strong 'Soul Rebel' will be the name of another Rocksteady Album, but we must recognize that the tune given here, especially the musical introduction is stunning. I always pitied that Peter never re-recorded his beautiful rocksteady song 'The World Is Changing'. On Maga Dog, the Ska album, we had 'There She Goes', which is track number 12 on Rock To The Rock. As number 13 Bob shouts 'Touch Me'. All Bunny Wailer wants is to 'Treat You Right'. What goes up must come down, and 'What Goes Around Comes Around'.
As the bones of the Nazarites, Bob sings he is 'Redder Than Red'. Thereby we enter another Rocksteady album which name might start a curiosity about the link to 'Satisfy My Soul Babe', the song on Lonesome Feeling. We will come to that later. Feelings of love are manifested in 'Guava Jelly'. After which 'Craven Choke Puppy' is meant for those who are greedy, who want everything, but once they get it can not handle it. Then it is 'Satisfy My Soul Jah Jah', another version of the song we previously enjoyed as the second track on Lonesome Feeling. "'Pour Down The Sunshine' of your loving" is brought with enthusiasm and a lot of vibe. The tone is set strongly for 'Gonna Get You'. Then The Wailers urge us to 'Dance, Do The Reggae', now who can resist that? Later we would hear Bob "dance to Jah music" in 'Them Belly Full'. 'Cry To Me' has two different earlier versions. One on Judge Not and one on Rude Boy. The one that we hear on Satisfy My Soul Jah Jah clearly has a new jacket. In the same vibe there is 'Stay With Me', which is new on the Rocksteady album. Similar to the enthousiasm in 'Pour Down The Sunshine' we get 'Reggae On Broadway'. This song has a lot of groove to it. Then the more timid 'Lick Samba'. Singing about 'Screw Face' is meant towards those followers of evil, and we will hear the song again later on another album. Peter singing 'Rasta Shook Them Up' is alegedly The Wailers first recorded mentioning of Rastafari. 'Small Axe' is another version of 'More Axe', which we have discussed earlier. As you will find on Burnin', the title of the song here is the title that stuck around. Bob ends this album singing an 'Acoustic Medley' containing a number of songs. He starts with 'Guava Jelly', moves to 'This Train', then comes 'Corner Stone', after which 'Comma Comma' kicks in. We then hear 'Dewdrops', which was never released as a song itself. He displays some beautiful lyrics of it. He then lends lines from 'Stir It Up' and 'I'm Hurting Inside' to conclude his medley.
Now we get to the song that transformed it's way into 'Satisfy My Soul', the one we know from the Kaya album. It was originally recorded as 'Don't Rock My Boat'. Deciding not to retake either 'Satisfy My Soul Babe' or 'Satisfy My Soul Jah Jah' this song, containing the lines 'Satisfy My Soul' as well, became such. Bob says to his soul "take courage", 'The Lord Will Make A Way Somehow', it is a song of hope. A different version, with an acoustic opening, of 'Chances Are' is third on an album which I did not alter playlist-wise, in terms of the original Selassie Is The Chapel of JAD Records. 'Crying In The Chapel' is a song originally created by Artie Glenn in 1953, sung by his son Artie, but known better for being sung by Elvis Presley. Mortimer Planno, who we met on Life Line, transformed the lyrics after which Bob sang the song as 'Selassie Is The Chapel', as a tribute to Haile Selassie, King of Ethiopia. Bunny feels the spirit in 'Tread Oh', singing "you're like a stick of macaroni in bed". A psychadelic ode to the sense of feeling in 'Feel Alright', which was mentioned before, literally followed by a 'Rhythm'. We became familiar with 'Rocking Steady' on Rock To The Rock. 'Adam And Eve' is an upbeat song which has its roots in the Bible, as the title suggested. The melody of 'Wisdom' is pleasing, and so are the very strong lyrics, which share a close relation with the later 'Fools Die' on Peter Tosh his Wanted Dread & Alive. To me it has always felt as Peter's final farewell to Bob. "Said I'm in no competition, but I make my decission. You can keep your opinion, I'm just calling on the wise man's communion" on 'Thank You Lord'. Although 'This Train' was heard previously, on Selassie Is The Chapel it is has a very different altitude. As anticipated there is 'Give Me A Ticket', now performed by Peter Tosh on lead vocals. It is actually a cover of 'The Letter' by The Box Tops. 'Trouble On The Road Again' is a solid track, with a great vocal ability from Bob, followed by 'Black Progress' which concludes the album emphasizing black pride.
This Rocksteady Album starts with the quite unknown earlier version of the song 'Pass It On' which Bunny Wailer sings on Burnin'. The melody is very different from the song that is more well known. Secondly we turn to another Burnin' jewel, namely 'Duppy Conqueror'. Where Peter did re-record 'You Can't Blame The Youth', he never made a new version of 'You Can't Fool Me Again'. It displays exactly where the verbally militant Peter stands for. 'Here Comes The Sun', a beautiful track by The Beatles, written by George Harrison in 1969 on their Abbey Road album. Peter altered the song to make a personal version. On the Ska Album One Love there is 'Mr. Talkative', transformed into 'Mr. Chatterbox' on this Soul Adventurer album. It shows Bob's altitude towards a chatty mouth. "One good thing about music, when it hits you feel no pain". Many wallpapers have been made with these lines. Of course they originate from 'Trench Town Rock'. He would write another song later in his career about the neigbourhoud in Kingston, in which Bob and Bunny met Peter and where they spend a great deal of their youth, it is found on the posthumous Confrontation, 'Trench Town'. Another song that can be found on a later album, but also on an earlier album is 'Maga Dog'. It was recorded as ska first, and located on the Maga Dog Ska Album. Peter redid the song for his Mama Africa album in 1983. "Maga dog turn round bite you" is a Jamaican proverb, and is so typical for Peter's later lyrics in which he always warns people for those who are closest to you. The version of 'Screw Face' on this albumis slightly slowed down. The song 'Once Bitten' by Tosh does not have the best quality but is a good song nevertheless. It is aimed at the relationship with record owners. 'Lively Up Yourself' was performed on Natty Dread using the I-Three for background vocals, here it is played with The Wailers. A cover of 'Ain't Nobody's Business' is done by Tosh as 'Leave My Busines'. We then get into 'Sugar, Sugar', "I just can't believe the loveliness of loving you". As we have already heard and introduced the first version of 'Its Alright' I will not further go into it. The same goes for 'Thank You Lord'. Ending this album with the sweet rhythm of 'Well Bred' we have seen another great Rocksteady Album from The Wailers.
Named after a song we have already heard on Rock To The Rock we start the album with exactly that song, 'Soul Rebel'. Marley takes an altitude of comfort in 'Try Me'. "If you need satisfaction, listen baby I've got the action. Where I am that's where it's at, so listen baby it's tit for tat". Another version of 'No Sympathy' is played by Peter, different from the one on Lonesome Feeling. 'My Cup' is a very raw Wailer song, it gives a sad feeling. "Get yourself together in any kind of weather" for 'Soul Almighty'. In 'Rebel's Hop' we jump back and forth from some numbers. First we start with 'Walk The Proud Land' which was written by Bunny Wailer. I did not include this song on the discography blog of Bob Marley (only in Talkin' Blues), but will be included in the revision of that blog edition, as The Wailers recorded it in a San Fransisco recording studio in 1973. You can now find it on the Catch A Fire album. On 'Rebel's Hop' we switch from 'Walk The Proud Land', to 'Keep On Moving', to 'Cloud Nine', a Carl Dawkins track on which The Wailers sang background vocals. We already heard the footnote of 'Corner Stone' as it was included in the medley on Satisfy My Soul Jah Jah and it was related to 'Jah Is Mighty' on More Axe. One of Peter's signature tunes which we hear again on Catch A Fire and Equal Rights is '400 Years'. For the true fan this song needs no introduction. A song with great momentum is 'Reaction'. This is one of those for which we are glad to look into the early Wailer period. The next six songs will bring you exactly that same feeling. First we have the newly evolved 'Downpresser', which came from 'Sinner Man' and 'Oppressor Man'. For even a fourth version one should turn to Equal Rights. Marley ends the album with five clean strikes. 'Back Out' is a good tune, with a happy bassline. In 'No Water' we hear a thirsty Marley with an interesting background vocal line. Numerous proverbs pass by in the lyrics. Feelling the love crawl all over him, sings 'Do It Twice'. We come across the most unusual 'Hammer'. Who could have thought that Marley would sing this song at this time, while Peter Tosh would sing it later in his solo career. It is therefore a special and unique song. Sometimes refered to as 'Pyaka' there is 'Bus Dem Shut' at the end of the album.
Those that remember the African Herbsman album which has now become quite obscolete with the arrival of the complete Wailer history will be drawn towards this album more easily as it features quite a number of songs that were found on its tracklist. The tremble of 'Caution' sets it all off. 'African Herbman' is a great track which is credited to Richie Havens as being it's writer, for it was him who sang 'Indian Rope Man'. This is a song from 1969 which Marley used to make 'African Herbsman'. On 'Heathen's Rage' the melody of the early 'Sun Is Shining' was already given. Many will know this song from Kaya. Bunny sings about the 'Brain Washing' of the poor. He continues by singing 'Riding High' too, on which we hear Peter Tosh clearly in the background. As we had done on Rock To The Rock we are going to listen to 'Put It On', but again a different version. 'Stand Alone' too is a beautiful song that would later be covered by Ziggy Marley, Bob's first born son, together with the Melody Makers (whose members are other Marley born and/or raised children) on an album called Joy And Blues in 1993. 'Fussing And Fighting' is one of those immensely strong Wailer songs about the hardships of daily life. With it's rhythm it is impossible not to start moving. Both 'Stand Alone' and 'Fussing & Fighting' would be covered by The Gladiators on Symbol Of Reality. We then get the instrumental music of 'Memphis'. The alternative version of 'Guava Jelly', a song that was earlier presented on Satisfy My Soul Jah Jah, is another song on this album. Here the singing is slowed down slightly. Bunny Wailer joins in again to share some of his feelings in 'Searching For Love', a beautiful and very unknown track. Tosh sings about the 'Little Green Apples', a Bobby Russell song that fits him very well. We are reminded of the first track of Selassie Is The Chapel when we hear another version of 'Don't Rock My Boat'. We close of the series of Rocksteady Albums with two songs of Peter Tosh. 'Babylon Queendom', which he would record again later in life, and 'Simpleton', a rare track with inferior quality and which would not be recorded again.
Ska Albums
«««¶¶ (1963 - 1967) Destiny
«««¶¶ (1963 - 1967) Judge Not
«««¶¶ (1963 - 1967) Maga Dog
«««¶¶ (1963 - 1967) One Love
«««¶¶ (1963 - 1967) Rude Boy
«««¶¶ (1963 - 1967) Simmer Down
Rocksteady Albums
««««¶ (1968 - 1972) Freedom Time
««««¶ (1968 - 1972) Keep On Skanking
««««¶ (1968 - 1972) Life Line
««««¶ (1968 - 1972) Lonesome Feeling
««««¶ (1968 - 1972) More Axe
««««¶ (1968 - 1972) Rock To The Rock
««««¶ (1968 - 1972) Satisfy My Soul Jah Jah
««««¶ (1968 - 1972) Selassie Is The Chapel
««««¶ (1968 - 1972) Soul Adventurer
««««¶ (1968 - 1972) Soul Rebel
««««¶ (1968 - 1972) Soul Revolution
Original Date Of Publishing: March 2013
Wow! Great work! :) Many (if not all) of the YouTube links don't work anymore though.
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