The Specials - Ghost Town

Laurel Aitken - Nobody But Me

It is a Ska kinda day. The weather is warm and foggy. Laurel Aitken is one of my faves.

Desmond Dekker - Hippopotamus

 This is what we are skanking to today. I like this slower more skanky version. Desmond Dekker is one of my favorite original Ska artist and he always had a hot band backing him.

The flip side OO7 shanty town

This is one of the few vintage live clips of Desmond Dekker I could find.

Broadway Jungle or Dog Ska War or School Days

This may be my favorite song from the Islands. The song has crawled inside my head and it won't leave. When I first heard this song I was stunned. I can't count the number of times I've heard it and it still doesn't sound old. Then I realized there were other versions but they don't come close to the original. It was produced by the legendary Prince Buster and performed by the Maytals. The song Dog Ska War is a hyper manic ganjaic romp of ska ecstasy. In the immortal words of my friend Sterno "it rocks the fuck".

Excerpt from an online song review. Interesting history about the song.
If any one song can be said to have captured on vinyl the true exhilaration of the Maytals, this was it. "Broadway Jungle" -- or "Dog War" as it was also known -- absolutely sizzles with excitement. From the opening piano intro to its final yip, the song never lets up. The solid ska beat sets the pace, buttressed by the rest of the band; superb brass solos float in and out, and through it all comes an exuberant chimp-like yipping that can barely be contained. In this jungle setting, Toots Hibbert sets up his revival tent and leads the chorus of Jerry Matthias and Henry "Raleigh" Gordon in a reassuring dance for joy. The group may be lost in the jungle, but that's no reason not to celebrate. The single was cut for Prince Buster in early 1964 and would quickly appear in British shops as well. Unbeknownst to the trio at the time, many of their records were being leased across the Atlantic, where they were credited to the Flames or the Vikings. The labels only became aware of these subterfuges after Buster leased the song to the Island label as the Vikings' "Broadway Jungle," then subsequently leased it to Blue Beat as the Maytals' "Dog War." The Maytals themselves did not become aware of this disreputable situation for a few more years. Under either title, the single remains a masterpiece; it's one of the group's greatest songs, as well as one of the Prince's most memorable productions.

Original recording Maytals Dog Ska War. This was the best I could find but poster disabled embed option.

Click here to hear the original Dog Ska War. This is incredible.





Slow Skank Version 1976


Toots and The Maytals 2000 version
Sorry for the add but worth the wait.


Dog War (Broadway Jungle or Jamaica Dog SkaWar or School Days)
1964 Single

Skaba-liba-lay (down)
Ska-day (down)
One last stop in the jungle
We leave for the first time
We were tied in the jungle
At the hands of a man
We're all in the jungle
Couldn't find a way
So Come on the jungle
Man to man
When we really don't know this jungle
Which way to jump and dance
Hey hey, ha ha ha ha hey
Oh baby lay (down)
Jump in the line
Rock your body in time
Everything is alright
We're going to Broadway
Very first time
We're out of the jungle
Everything is alright
Skaba-liba-lay (down)
Ska-day (down)
We're out of the jungle
We're going to Broadway
Come on boys
Come on girls
Let's jump in the line
Rock your body in time
Everything is alright
Let's go to Broadway
Come up
Everything is alright
We're really gonna stay in the jungle
Skaba-liba-lay (down)
Ska-day (down)
Skaba-liba-lay (down)
Ska-day (down)
Ha ha ha ha hey hey hey ha ha ha
Come on, come on, come on, everything's in line
Everything is alright
Don't have no scars
Don't get no scrapes
Everything is alright
We're out of the jungle
Everything is alright
Ska-liba-liba-lay (down)
Ska-day (down)
Come on boy
Come on girl
Just jump in the line
Rock your body in time
Let's got to Broadway
etc.



Yes I know I'm a little obsessed.

This is Ska! BBC Recorded 1962 Broadcast 1964

I can't believe this exist. Don't care how to dance the Ska I love this for the early performances from Jimmy Cliff, Prince Buster, and Toots and the Maytals. Oh yeah. I'm a sucker for Island music. It is amazing how far some of these acts progressed and evolved. Pass the dutchie mon.










This post originated at retro vintage modern hi-fi http://itishifi.blogspot.com

Madness Take It Or Leave It

When I was a kid I listened to everything I could get my ears around. Started on my dads country, my brothers 60's rock and my uncles classical music. Then on a trip to England when I was a little whipper snapper I heard the new re-branded ska 2tone sound. This was bands like The Specials, The Selector, The Beat, The Bodysnatchers and Madness. I dove into this music head first. Of course this was just a primer to prepare me for the music that influenced these bands which was even better.

Long story short I always liked the first couple Madness albums One Step Beyond, Absolutely, and 7 but after these albums they lost their way and went for that sold out pop sound. I totally recommend One Step Beyond it is a classic. Not long after One Step Beyond was released the band did something very interesting they made a movie about the forming of the band called Take It Or Leave It. Making a movie 8 months after your first hit is a really strange thing to do. This movie is about the forming of the band to the point that they are packing out pubs in London on and on the brink of hitting it big in the UK. I had waited so long to see Madness when they were in their prime in the late 70's early 80's and this is it. This move is a glimpse into that time period right as they started their career. A saint has uploaded the movie to youtube in 9 parts so check it out before it is gone. If you click on this link it should take you to the youtube playlist for the movie Take It Or Leave It and play each part consecutively http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NIswqSdhHy8&playnext=1&list=PLECCA09F160ABFCD3 . Click here