- 01Engine 54: Let's Ska and Rock SteadyAn extract from the sleeve notes to the Ethiopians’ 1967 album Engine 54: Let's Ska and Rock Steady, which came complete with a series of step-by-step snapshots of a good-looking couple letting their ‘oily’ bodies do exactly that.from the chapter
- 02“Rock Steady”For evidence, take Alton Ellis's 1966 single ‘Rock Steady’: the song is widely accepted as the style's starting pistol, but this isn't for any better reason than that it was the first big hit to use the name in the title.from the chapter
- 03“Sound and Pressure”…started around this period and, although some of them and the smaller producers were moving towards a more obviously Jamaican sound, nothing didn't really happen until Hopeton Lewis come with a song called “Sound and Pressure”, and right after that with another one called “Take Your Time Take it Easy”, both originally recorded for the Merritone sound system – a relatively small sound system.from the chapter
- 04“Take Your Time Take it Easy”…started around this period and, although some of them and the smaller producers were moving towards a more obviously Jamaican sound, nothing didn't really happen until Hopeton Lewis come with a song called “Sound and Pressure”, and right after that with another one called “Take Your Time Take it Easy”, both originally recorded for the Merritone sound system – a relatively small sound system.from the chapter
- 05“Dance Crasher”The situation is best illustrated as early as 1963 by Alton Ellis's hit ‘Dance Crasher’:… dance crashers please don't break it up / Don't make a fuss / Don't use a knife to take another's life… You won't have a chance / And this will be your last dance… This was the beginning of the rude-boy era, the period in Jamaican history when violence was established as a popular profession; the gun, the…from the chapter
- 06“Guantanamera Ska”Much of what Roland Alphonso did under his own name tended towards the mellow – ‘Guantanamera Ska’, ‘The Cat’, ‘Song for My Father’ and so on; Tommy McCook, too, followed this trend over at Treasure Isle.from the chapter
- 07“The Cat”Much of what Roland Alphonso did under his own name tended towards the mellow – ‘Guantanamera Ska’, ‘The Cat’, ‘Song for My Father’ and so on; Tommy McCook, too, followed this trend over at Treasure Isle the Carib Beats frequently got an easy-action Latin vibe going – and while the Skatalites’ Studio One years threw up plenty of downtempo tunes, as might be expected, most of ska's available slow…from the chapter
- 08“Song for My Father”Much of what Roland Alphonso did under his own name tended towards the mellow – ‘Guantanamera Ska’, ‘The Cat’, ‘Song for My Father’ and so on; Tommy McCook, too, followed this trend over at Treasure Isle the Carib Beats frequently got an easy-action Latin vibe going – and while the Skatalites’ Studio One years threw up plenty of downtempo tunes, as might be expected, most of ska's available slow…from the chapter
- 09“Valley Prince”Two of his tunes in particular – ‘Valley Prince’ and ‘African Beat’ – are actually textbook examples of the rocksteady instrumental, yet the trombonist had died some while before the term was officially coined.from the chapter
- 10“Valley Prince”Two of his tunes in particular – ‘Valley Prince’ and ‘African Beat’ – are actually textbook examples of the rocksteady instrumental, yet the trombonist had died some while before the term was officially coined.from the chapter
- 11“African Beat”Two of his tunes in particular – ‘Valley Prince’ and ‘African Beat’ – are actually textbook examples of the rocksteady instrumental, yet the trombonist had died some while before the term was officially coined.from the chapter
- 12“You Done Me Wrong”Then, as far as vocalists go, check out ‘You Done Me Wrong’ by the Slickers, or ‘No Good Rudie’ by Justin Hinds and the Dominoes, or Dobby Dobson’s ‘Seems to Me I’m Losing You’.from the chapter
- 13“No Good Rudie”Then, as far as vocalists go, check out ‘You Done Me Wrong’ by the Slickers, or ‘No Good Rudie’ by Justin Hinds and the Dominoes, or Dobby Dobson's ‘Seems to Me I'm Losing You’.from the chapter
- 14“Seems to Me I'm Losing You”Then, as far as vocalists go, check out ‘You Done Me Wrong’ by the Slickers, or ‘No Good Rudie’ by Justin Hinds and the Dominoes, or Dobby Dobson's ‘Seems to Me I'm Losing You’.from the chapter
- 15“Girl I've Got a Date”And it was a responsibility he assumed with great gusto; witness the imposing bottom-end dexterity on ‘Ba Ba Boom’ by the Jamaicans, or the chugging, foundation melody delivered by the bass guitar on Alton Ellis's ‘Girl I've Got a Date’.from the chapter
- 16“Talking Blues”In the day's studio slang, the arranger would ask for this single strike by shouting to his drummer ‘Gimme a one drop’, and thus naming a way of doing things that formed the basis of generations of Jamaican music – indeed, it was still ‘felt’ by Bob Marley years later in ‘Talking Blues’.from the chapter
- 17“The Tide Is High”Suddenly, oozing electric organs, tricksy lead guitars, harmonicas, the odd solo brass instrument and even a violin (spin the Paragons' ‘The Tide Is High’ for proof of this) were carrying the melodies.from the chapter
- 18“Queen Majesty”Just consider the number of Curtis Mayfield-written cover versions that crop up in the rocksteady songbook: the Techniques’ ‘Queen Majesty’ is an adaptation of ‘Queen and Minstrel’; the same group's ‘You Don't Care’ is the Impressions' ‘You'll Want Me Back’; while the Uniques’ ‘Gypsy Woman’ didn't even go so far as to alter the title.from the chapter
- 19“You Don’t Care”Just consider the number of Curtis Mayfield-written cover versions that crop up in the rocksteady songbook: the Techniques’ ‘Queen Majesty’ is an adaptation of ‘Queen and Minstrel’; the same group’s ‘You Don’t Care’ is the Impressions’ ‘You’ll Want Me Back’; while the Uniques’ ‘Gypsy Woman’ didn’t even go so far as to alter the title.from the chapter
- 20“You'll Want Me Back”Just consider the number of Curtis Mayfield-written cover versions that crop up in the rocksteady songbook: the Techniques’ ‘Queen Majesty’ is an adaptation of ‘Queen and Minstrel’; the same group's ‘You Don't Care’ is the Impressions' ‘You'll Want Me Back’; while the Uniques’ ‘Gypsy Woman’ didn't even go so far as to alter the title.from the chapter
- 21“Gypsy Woman”Just consider the number of Curtis Mayfield-written cover versions that crop up in the rocksteady songbook: the Techniques’ ‘Queen Majesty’ is an adaptation of ‘Queen and Minstrel’; the same group's ‘You Don't Care’ is the Impressions' ‘You'll Want Me Back’; while the Uniques’ ‘Gypsy Woman’ didn't even go so far as to alter the title.from the chapter
- 22“Come On Little Girl”Brent Dowe was – and still is - leader of the top-ranking rocksteady trio the Melodians, who cut such classics as ‘Come On Little Girl’, ‘I Will Get Along’ and the all-time-genre anthem ‘Swing and Dine’.from the chapter
- 23“I Will Get Along”Brent Dowe was – and still is - leader of the top-ranking rocksteady trio the Melodians, who cut such classics as ‘Come On Little Girl’, ‘I Will Get Along’ and the all-time-genre anthem ‘Swing and Dine’.from the chapter
- 24“Swing and Dine”Brent Dowe was – and still is - leader of the top-ranking rocksteady trio the Melodians, who cut such classics as ‘Come On Little Girl’, ‘I Will Get Along’ and the all-time-genre anthem ‘Swing and Dine’.from the chapter
- 25“Put on Your Best Dress”Sure, Sonia Pottinger's Gay Feet label did very well with the sweeter side of it – Monty Morris's ‘Put on Your Best Dress’; the Melodians’ ‘Swing and Dine’ and ‘Little Nut Tree’; the Gaylads' ‘I Need Your Loving’; the Ethiopians' ‘The Whip’, ‘Train to Glory’ and ‘Stay Loose Mama’; and Stranger Cole's ‘Tell It to Me’.from the chapter
- 26“Little Nut Tree”Sure, Sonia Pottinger's Gay Feet label did very well with the sweeter side of it – Monty Morris's ‘Put on Your Best Dress’; the Melodians’ ‘Swing and Dine’ and ‘Little Nut Tree’; the Gaylads' ‘I Need Your Loving’; the Ethiopians' ‘The Whip’, ‘Train to Glory’ and ‘Stay Loose Mama’; and Stranger Cole's ‘Tell It to Me’.from the chapter
- 27“I Need Your Loving”Sure, Sonia Pottinger's Gay Feet label did very well with the sweeter side of it – Monty Morris's ‘Put on Your Best Dress’; the Melodians’ ‘Swing and Dine’ and ‘Little Nut Tree’; the Gaylads' ‘I Need Your Loving’; the Ethiopians' ‘The Whip’, ‘Train to Glory’ and ‘Stay Loose Mama’; and Stranger Cole's ‘Tell It to Me’.from the chapter
- 28“The Whip”Sure, Sonia Pottinger's Gay Feet label did very well with the sweeter side of it – Monty Morris's ‘Put on Your Best Dress’; the Melodians’ ‘Swing and Dine’ and ‘Little Nut Tree’; the Gaylads' ‘I Need Your Loving’; the Ethiopians' ‘The Whip’, ‘Train to Glory’ and ‘Stay Loose Mama’; and Stranger Cole's ‘Tell It to Me’.from the chapter
- 29“Train to Glory”Sure, Sonia Pottinger's Gay Feet label did very well with the sweeter side of it – Monty Morris's ‘Put on Your Best Dress’; the Melodians’ ‘Swing and Dine’ and ‘Little Nut Tree’; the Gaylads' ‘I Need Your Loving’; the Ethiopians' ‘The Whip’, ‘Train to Glory’ and ‘Stay Loose Mama’; and Stranger Cole's ‘Tell It to Me’.from the chapter
- 30“Stay Loose Mama”Sure, Sonia Pottinger's Gay Feet label did very well with the sweeter side of it – Monty Morris's ‘Put on Your Best Dress’; the Melodians’ ‘Swing and Dine’ and ‘Little Nut Tree’; the Gaylads' ‘I Need Your Loving’; the Ethiopians' ‘The Whip’, ‘Train to Glory’ and ‘Stay Loose Mama’; and Stranger Cole's ‘Tell It to Me’.from the chapter
- 31“Tell It to Me”Sure, Sonia Pottinger's Gay Feet label did very well with the sweeter side of it – Monty Morris's ‘Put on Your Best Dress’; the Melodians’ ‘Swing and Dine’ and ‘Little Nut Tree’; the Gaylads' ‘I Need Your Loving’; the Ethiopians' ‘The Whip’, ‘Train to Glory’ and ‘Stay Loose Mama’; and Stranger Cole's ‘Tell It to Me’.from the chapter
- 32“Hold Them”New boy Joe Gibbs made his mark, too – Roy Shirley's ‘Hold Them’ – but the Duke was the king.from the chapter
- 33“Carry Go Bring Come”Justin Hinds and the Dominoes' second version of ‘Carry Go Bring Come’; the Techniques' ‘I'm in the Mood for Love’, ‘Queen Majesty’ and ‘You Don't Care’; Alton Ellis's ‘Rock Steady’; the Jamaicans' ‘Ba Ba Boom’ and ‘Things You Say You Love’; the Paragons' ‘My Best Girl’; the Melodians' ‘Come on Little Girl’… this is just the tip of an iceberg big enough to have sunk the Titanic.from the chapter
- 34“I'm in the Mood for Love”Justin Hinds and the Dominoes' second version of ‘Carry Go Bring Come’; the Techniques' ‘I'm in the Mood for Love’, ‘Queen Majesty’ and ‘You Don't Care’; Alton Ellis's ‘Rock Steady’; the Jamaicans' ‘Ba Ba Boom’ and ‘Things You Say You Love’; the Paragons' ‘My Best Girl’; the Melodians' ‘Come on Little Girl’… this is just the tip of an iceberg big enough to have sunk the Titanic.from the chapter
- 35“You Don't Care”Justin Hinds and the Dominoes' second version of ‘Carry Go Bring Come’; the Techniques' ‘I'm in the Mood for Love’, ‘Queen Majesty’ and ‘You Don't Care’; Alton Ellis's ‘Rock Steady’; the Jamaicans' ‘Ba Ba Boom’ and ‘Things You Say You Love’; the Paragons' ‘My Best Girl’; the Melodians' ‘Come on Little Girl’… this is just the tip of an iceberg big enough to have sunk the Titanic.from the chapter
- 36“Ba Ba Boom”Justin Hinds and the Dominoes' second version of ‘Carry Go Bring Come’; the Techniques' ‘I'm in the Mood for Love’, ‘Queen Majesty’ and ‘You Don't Care’; Alton Ellis's ‘Rock Steady’; the Jamaicans' ‘Ba Ba Boom’ and ‘Things You Say You Love’; the Paragons' ‘My Best Girl’; the Melodians' ‘Come on Little Girl’… this is just the tip of an iceberg big enough to have sunk the Titanic.from the chapter
- 37“Things You Say You Love”Justin Hinds and the Dominoes' second version of ‘Carry Go Bring Come’; the Techniques' ‘I'm in the Mood for Love’, ‘Queen Majesty’ and ‘You Don't Care’; Alton Ellis's ‘Rock Steady’; the Jamaicans' ‘Ba Ba Boom’ and ‘Things You Say You Love’; the Paragons' ‘My Best Girl’; the Melodians' ‘Come on Little Girl’… this is just the tip of an iceberg big enough to have sunk the Titanic.from the chapter
- 38“My Best Girl”Justin Hinds and the Dominoes' second version of ‘Carry Go Bring Come’; the Techniques' ‘I'm in the Mood for Love’, ‘Queen Majesty’ and ‘You Don't Care’; Alton Ellis's ‘Rock Steady’; the Jamaicans' ‘Ba Ba Boom’ and ‘Things You Say You Love’; the Paragons' ‘My Best Girl’; the Melodians' ‘Come on Little Girl’… this is just the tip of an iceberg big enough to have sunk the Titanic.from the chapter
- 39Ska after Ska after SkaThere’s a readily available, first-hand example of the Duke’s no-nonsense approach to production technique on the Treasure Isle compilation CD Ska after Ska after Ska. The track entitled ‘Duke Speaks’ is a thirteen-second snatch of when the tape was left running between takes.from the chapter
- 40“Rude Boy”It would be silly to try to pretend that ‘Tougher than Tough’ or ‘Rude Boy’ hadn't been written, and no better than turning the same blind eye to the huge number of records with titles like ‘Come on Little Girl’ or ‘Feel Like Jumping’.from the chapter
- 41“Feel Like Jumping”It would be silly to try to pretend that ‘Tougher than Tough’ or ‘Rude Boy’ hadn't been written, and no better than turning the same blind eye to the huge number of records with titles like ‘Come on Little Girl’ or ‘Feel Like Jumping’.from the chapter