I’ve never been a big fan of the genre (tropical vibes notwithstanding) but I just stumbled onto a reggae song that has become my favorite (you will be amazed):
What's yours?Some obvious choices follow, and I’ll admit that reggae, ska, rocksteady, dancehall etc all work in my head the same, so if your definition is strict then I’m sorry. (Billy Joel, tho)
Toots and the Maytals Pressure Drop
Dawn Penn *No No No* - this is probably my fave, tbh The Skatelites *Guns of Navarone* Barrington Levy *Murderer*
Sister Nancy Bam Bam
Alton Ellis Rocksteady
Well, that was certainly … different.
My first thought, too (not being an expert in the genre), was Pressure Drop by Toots and the Maytalls (and I like pretty much every cover of it, too.)
Also, The Harder They Come by Jimmy Cliff.
The reggae, ska etc stuff that originated in the Caribbean cross-fertilised with the UK skinhead and later punk scene really quite splendidly.
The Specials A Message to You Rudy
The Selecter *On My Radio* The Beat *Mirror in the Bathroom*
Madness The Prince
UB40 One in Ten
Long Shot Kick The Bucket - Pioneers.
(It’s about a horse race, if you were wondering)
Too many to choose from!
Love the old Trojan stuff like Dandy Livingstone Suzanne Beware of the Devil
or Dave & Ansel Collins Double Barrel
Also Bunny Wailer
Dance Rock
Dreamland
Buy Me A Condo by Weird Al Yancovic.
Israelites by Desmond Dekker and the Aces.
Right, way too many to mention (especially now that it’s summer).
Here’s a good one: LEE SCRATCH PERRY - Curly Locks (Arkology III) - YouTube. The real stuff.
PS. HUGE Dawn Penn fan here!
It always cracks me up when I hear that used in a financial commercial, just because it has the line “Better think of your future”. I always sing the next line: “Before you go to jail.”
For anyone who likes reggae and hasn’t heard the more recent Toots album full of guests (True Love?) … go find it. Clapton playing on Pressure Drop, duets with Willie and Shaggy, it’s wonderful.
I’m trading the city for a tropical tree,
And if you meet anyone who’s asking for me.
Tell all and each,
That they can reach,
Me on the beach down St Thomas way.
This is fun too: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sjh0JuyovP4
I’m going to go with a another Toots & The Maytals song, Funky Kingston. That said I also don’t mind listening to some of the great Bob Marley tunes either.
There’s a holy trinity for me from Bob Marley.
and the live version of “no woman no cry”, alongside “purple rain” that must be in the running for best live single release ever.
and an honorable mention to the Clash and “white man in Hammersmith palais”
and many many others. I do love a bit of reggae and ska.
Another Desmond Decker… 007
Another Toots and the Maytals… 54-46 Was My Number. Fantastic start to this one.
Another Toots and the Maytals–their fantastic cover of John Denver’s Take Me Home Country Roads
Here’s one for you then. Train to Skaville - The Ethiopians.
Hard to pick a fave. Lots of good songs already mentioned.
I’ll throw in tho the mix the entire 1982 Third World album You’ve Got the Power
it’s pretty much an easy listening listen reggae album. Some songs or arrangements by Stevie Wonder
Also, lots of early Police stuff had a very reggae feel to them, especially when you heard them do it live. Yeah, I know, but still…
Late 70s, early 80s Steel Pulse songs still get into my music mix, too.