So named for the distinctive hue of his skin, the result of albinism, Winston Foster grew up an orphan in Kingston, Jamaica, according to Wikipedia.
Abandoned by his parents, Foster grew up in Maxfield Children’s Home and the Alpha Boys School where he became interested in music. As a young adult Yellowman performed in the reggae sub-genre called dancehall. He went on to became nearly as popular and well known as Jamaica’s reggae icon Bob Marley.
This record features renowned rhythm section Sly Dunbar and Robbie Shakespeare, keeping tight the reggae beat throughout. In addition to the title track other reinterpreted songs include the Gambler, made famous by Kenny Rogers. On the album the title is “No Lucky in Gambling.’
He follows that with a reggae version of ‘Amen.’
Below is the album I have with a different version of Amen.
I thought I had the album with his big hit: ‘Electric Avenue.’
But I don’t.
My album ‘Going For Broke’ is the album AFTER his big one. My album is pretty good, rock inflected reggae, which means it has rock guitar in it. It’s not what I’d call real roots reggae, more of a fusion pop reggae.
On this album, he has a song “Romancing the Stone’ which was commissioned for the hit movie starring Kathleen Turner, however it was not used in the movie (except for a short guitar solo). The song, a so-so piece of reggae pop, never succeeded at the level of ‘Electric Avenue.’
In Barbados, Grant operated a popular recording studio for years. He also wrote ‘Police on my Back’ recorded by the Clash, one of the better tracks on the Clash’s Sandinista album.
I have to say after a few listens, this album is nice. Good playing, happy reggae beat. I’ll play it again and keep my eye open in record stores for ‘Electric Avenue.’
ALBUMS: The Harder They Come (1973); We all are one (12-inch single, 1983)
MVC Rating: Harder 4.5 $$$$; One 3.5 $$$
Jimmy Cliff, mon. If somebody walked up to me right now and said they don’t know anything about reggae music and wanted to buy something, relatively cheap, to see if they like this genre, I’d waver on a recommendation.
It’s a tough one to choose between Bob Marley’s ‘Natty Dread’ and the Jimmy Cliff vehicle soundtrack ‘The Harder They Come.”
‘Natty Dread’ was my introduction many years ago and ‘No Woman No Cry’ is in my Top 10 song list (It is? Ok for now it is.) And when I first heard Marley sing in Rebel Music: “Hey Mr. Cop, I ain’t got no birth-surf-a-ticket on me now,” I thought it was the coolest thing. I still pronounce birth certificate like that to this day.
But as much as I love that album, I might steer this newby to the Cliff album. Esteemed and rarely demeaned Rock Critic Robert Christgau, whom I cite a lot in my musical meanderings, called this the best rock movie soundtrack ever or the soundtrack to the best rock movie or the best rock compilation…Oh you read it, I can’t keep jumping back to Christgau’s Consumer Guide, he’ll think I’m plagiarizing him.
The soundtrack featuring Cliff and others is indeed excellent. Cliff’s ‘Many Rivers to Cross’ is on my Top 10 list of great songs, and so is the Melodians ‘Rivers of Babylon. OK my list is going to need some work pruning and expansion. But the above two songs prove if you got rivers you got good reggae.
Let the words of our mouth and the meditations of our heart Be acceptable in thy sight here tonight
Let the words of our mouth and the meditation of our hearts Be acceptable in thy sight here tonight
By the rivers of babylon, there we sat down Ye-eah we wept, when we remembered zion
I also have from 10 years later a promotional single. I distinctly remember buying this from Charlemagne Records in Birmingham probably 1983 or so. (I also bought a 12-inch single by Niles Rogers, which I hope to find and review when I get to the ‘R’s.).
We all are one (We all) We are the same person (Same person) I’ll be you, you’ll be me (I’ll be me, you’ll be you) We all are one (We all), same universal world I’ll be you, you’ll be me
\The only difference I can see
Is in the conscience And the shade of our skin Doesn’t matter, we laugh, we chatter We smile, we all live for
We all are one … now here’s a great rendition by Cliff himself of his classic:
LBUM: Going for Broke
