# Please recommend a reggae starter/sampler CD **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [April 2, 2002, 4:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-recommend-a-reggae-starter-sampler-cd/101338 "2002-04-02T04:59:48Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![vivalostwages](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/d07c76/32.png) [@vivalostwages](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vivalostwages)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2002, 4:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-recommend-a-reggae-starter-sampler-cd/101338/1 "2002-04-02T04:59:48Z")
This would be for my 76-year-old mom, who–after years of Glenn Miller, Spike Jones, and Perry Como–just discovered reggae last week. (Seriously.) She really likes reggae songs now when she hears them on the car radio…so I need some recommendations for a greatest hits, compilation, or something. ---
**Author:** ![JillGat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9fc29f/32.png) [@JillGat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JillGat)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2002, 5:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-recommend-a-reggae-starter-sampler-cd/101338/2 "2002-04-02T05:14:00Z")
She may actually really like the early Jamaican rocksteady and ska stuff. But if you want to start with one, get “Legend” - Bob Marley. ---
**Author:** ![peepthis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/9d8465/32.png) [@peepthis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/peepthis)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2002, 1:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-recommend-a-reggae-starter-sampler-cd/101338/3 "2002-04-02T13:33:39Z")
Can you be more specific about what kind of reggae, since there are many different kinds? There’s the more traditional (Bob Marley, Big Mountain, etc.) all the way to dance hall reggae (Buju Banton, Bounty Killer, etc.). For a grandma I’m assuming the former, but then again maybe you’ve got a groovin’ granny! ---
**Author:** ![RTA](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b4bc9f/32.png) [@RTA](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTA)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2002, 1:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-recommend-a-reggae-starter-sampler-cd/101338/4 "2002-04-02T13:47:51Z")
I would suggest the soundtrack to the movie _The Harder They Come_. A true classic, and very accessible to all ages. ---
**Author:** ![Billy\_Baroo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/76d3ee/32.png) [@Billy\_Baroo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Billy_Baroo)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2002, 3:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-recommend-a-reggae-starter-sampler-cd/101338/5 "2002-04-02T15:38:13Z")
Black Uhuru _Guess Who’s Coming To Dinner_ – one of my all-time favorite records. ---
**Author:** ![\_your\_name\_here](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/_/919ad9/32.png) [@\_your\_name\_here](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/_your_name_here)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2002, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-recommend-a-reggae-starter-sampler-cd/101338/6 "2002-04-02T22:01:43Z")
i also suggest buju banton. ---
**Author:** ![vivalostwages](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/d07c76/32.png) [@vivalostwages](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vivalostwages)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2002, 10:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-recommend-a-reggae-starter-sampler-cd/101338/7 "2002-04-02T22:29:27Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by peepthis \* > \*\*Can you be more specific about what kind of reggae, since there are many different kinds? There’s the more traditional (Bob Marley, Big Mountain, etc.) all the way to dance hall reggae (Buju Banton, Bounty Killer, etc.). For a grandma I’m assuming the former, but then again maybe you’ve got a groovin’ granny! \*\* * * * Well, I’m not familiar with the various kinds myself…so I think I’ll aim for something traditional for a starter. Thanks, everyone! ---
**Author:** ![Truth\_Seeker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/5fc32e/32.png) [@Truth\_Seeker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Truth_Seeker)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2002, 2:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-recommend-a-reggae-starter-sampler-cd/101338/8 "2002-04-03T02:04:55Z")
**JillGat** is correct. Everyone’s else suggestions so far are excellent. But if you’re going to get just one album, it’s got to be Marley. If you’re going get just one Marley album, it’s got to be _Legend_. ---
**Author:** ![rackensack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e5b9ba/32.png) [@rackensack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rackensack)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2002, 4:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-recommend-a-reggae-starter-sampler-cd/101338/9 "2002-04-03T04:24:00Z")
The suggestion of the soundtrack to _The Harder They Come_ gets my vote as well, though if it hadn’t been out of print these fifteen years and more, I might suggest the various artists disc \*[This Is Reggae Music](http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=Aa9d0yl18xppb) \* originally released on Island Records in the mid 1970s. The track list: > [@](#): > > 1. This Is Reggae Music performed by Zap Pow - 3:07 > 2. I Shot the Sheriff performed by Wailers [1] - 4:40 > 3. The World Is Upside Down performed by Higgs, Joe - 2:55 > 4. Hey Mister Yesterday performed by Cliff, Jimmy - 2:55 > 5. Funky Kingston performed by Maytals - 4:55 > 6. Breakfast in Bed performed by Bennett, Lorna - 3:08 > 7. Louie, Louie performed by Maytals - 3:43 > 8. Guava Jelly performed by Gray, Owen - 2:59 > 9. Book of Rules performed by Heptones - 3:30 > 10. Concrete Jungle performed by Wailers [1] If you can ever find a copy, it makes a great companion piece to the _THTC_ soundtrack, since it has no overlap whatever with it, and includes performances by Joe Higgs, the Maytals, and of course, the Wailers. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Big\_Cheese](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8baadc/32.png) [@The\_Big\_Cheese](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Big_Cheese)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2002, 2:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-recommend-a-reggae-starter-sampler-cd/101338/10 "2002-04-03T14:43:24Z")
A movie I saw back in the '80’s was ‘Rockers’, and the album is very good also. It has Isaacs, Burning Spear, Third World, a lot of the popular ones at that time (when reggae was better than it is now-imho), big names save for Marley and Cliff. Another good one to check out. Harder They Come is the definitive album though, great movie too! ---
**Author:** ![Yookeroo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yookeroo/32/323_2.png) [@Yookeroo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yookeroo)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2002, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-recommend-a-reggae-starter-sampler-cd/101338/11 "2002-04-03T17:39:41Z")
I say go with **Legend** too. ---
**Author:** ![vivalostwages](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/d07c76/32.png) [@vivalostwages](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vivalostwages)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2002, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-recommend-a-reggae-starter-sampler-cd/101338/12 "2002-04-03T20:36:52Z")
Well, I ordered _Legend_ for ma and me. Thanks again for all the suggestions.