Under Dub Covers

I love reggae and dub and I love cover versions and it's been a while since I've posted either, so I've mashed them up in one (nearly) hour-long selection.

A 15-track compendium, mostly 21st Century, but with a clutch of 1970s classics thrown in for good measure. I couldn't decide between two Nicky Thomas covers so they both went in!

Nicky's in good company: Rhoda Dakar, 15 16 17, Hollie Cook, Brown Sugar, Xan Tyler, Earl 16, Dr. Israel, LSK, Peter Tosh, Suggs, Little Roy, Prince Fatty, Mad Professor and Adrian Sherwood.

Proof of concept, if needed, that every song should have a mandatory reggae version.
 

1) Everyday Is Like Sunday (Cover of Morrissey): Rhoda Dakar (2021)

2) Brain Damage (Cover of Pink Floyd): Easy Star All-Stars ft. Dr. Israel (2003)

3) Lola (Cover of The Kinks): Nicky Thomas (1974)

4) Love Will Tear Us Apart (Single Version) (Cover of Joy Division): Capitol 1212 ft. Earl Sixteen (2020)

5) Space Oddity (Dubmix) (Cover of David Bowie): Adrian Sherwood ft. LSK aka Leigh Kenny (2012) 

6) Here Comes The Sun (Single Version) (Cover of The Beatles): Peter Tosh & The Wailers (1971)

7) Lets Go Crazy (Cover of Prince & The Revolution): Radio Riddler ft. Suggs (2014)

8) Emotion (Album Version By Castro Brown & Dennis Bovell) (Cover of Samantha Sang): 15 16 17 (1978)

9) Lithium (Album Version By Prince Fatty) (Cover of Nirvana): Little Roy (2011)

10) And The Beat Goes On (Dub) (Cover of The Whispers): Prince Fatty & Hollie Cook (2012)

11) Guns Of Brixton (Manasseh Dub 5) (Remix By Nick Raphael) (Cover of The Clash): Dub Spencer & Trance Hill (2020)

12) Lay Lady Lay / In The Midnight Hour (Medley) (Cover of Bob Dylan / Wilson Pickett): Nicky Thomas (1972)

13) Hello Stranger (Cover of Barbara Lewis): Brown Sugar (1977)

14) Be Here To Love Me (Cover of Townes Van Zandt): Xan Tyler & Mad Professor (2021)

15) Master Blaster (Vocal Version) (Cover of Stevie Wonder): Dubby Wonder ft. Eugene Tambourine (2022) 

1971: Here Comes The Sun EP: 6

1972: Tell It Like It Is: 12

1974: Lola EP: 3

1977: Hello Stranger EP: 13

2003: Dub Side Of The Moon: 2

2005: Magic Touch: 8

2011: Battle For Seattle: 9

2012: Prince Fatty Presents Hollie Cook In Dub: 10

2012: Space Oddity EP: 5

2014: Purple Reggae: 7

2020: Guns Of Brixton EP: 11

2020: Love Will Tear Us Apart EP: 4

2021: Clarion Call: 14

2021: Everyday Is Like Sunday EP: 1

2022: Master Blaster EP: 15

Under Dub Covers (58:56) (GD) (M)

Someday Roots, Sunday Culture

Today's selection is by way of compensation to Ernie at 27 Leggies for last Sunday's crushing disappointment of posting a mixtape side titled Roots 'n' Culture that was completely devoid of dub and reggae.

No red herrings here, with plenty of bass-heavy rhythms amongst the genre-hopping bakers' dozen of tunes. At least one tune from each of the last six decades and, as far as I can tell, all appearing here (in these versions at least) for the first time. 

Lee 'Scratch' Perry is hidden in plain sight, collaborating with Bob Marley on the opening song and reappearing as the Upsetter on the penultimate track. 

 

There are a trio of tunes from 1982, quite by accident, featuring UB40, Rico ably accompanied by The Specials and one of the greatest voices of all time, Bim Sherman.

 

As you may have guessed, International Beat was a spin-off from The Beat, their debut album produced by none other than Ranking Roger.

 

The 21st Century is well represented by Richard Norris, Adrian Sherwood and Prince Fatty, plus Wrongtom remixing Staines skankers Hard-Fi.

There are a couple of covers, with Rico and The Special AKA taking on the title track of Japanese jazz musician's Sadao Watanabe's 1979 album Morning Island.  

 

For Me You Are by Prince Fatty, Hollie Cook and Horseman has a rather more complicated history. The song was originally titled Bei Mir Bistu Shein and written by Jacob Jacobs and Sholom Secunda in 1932 for a Yiddish language comedy musical, I Would If I Could, performed by Aaron Lebedeff and Lucy Levin.

Five years later, Sammy Cahn and Saul Chaplin got their hands on the song, wrote English lyrics, Germanised the song title spelling and created a global hit for The Andrews Sisters with Bei Mir Bist Du Schön (Means That You're Grand)

 

The name of Prince Fatty's 2012 remake is an approximation of the original Yiddish to English song title translation, To Me You're Beautiful. 

 

Phew, history lesson over, time to enjoy the music!

1) Keep On Skanking: Bob Marley (1972)

2) Golden Morning Song: Bim Sherman (1982)

3) Better Do Better (Wrongtom Wild Inna 81 Version): Hard-Fi (2006)

4) Rock Steady: International Beat (1989)

5) Foundation Style: Richard Norris (2024)

6) Two Versions Of The Future: Adrian Sherwood (2006)

7) I Won't Close My Eyes (Remix): UB40 (1982)

8) Jah Vengeance / Jah Bible: Yabby You & Trinity (1980)

9) For Me You Are (Single Version) (Cover of Aaron Lebedeff & Lucy Levin / Andrews Sisters): Prince Fatty ft. Hollie Cook & Horseman (2012)

10) Tapper Roots: Tapper Zukie (1979)

11) Easy Dub: Alpha & Omega (1994)

12) Rumplesteelkin: Upsetter (1973)

13) Easter Island (Cover of 'Morning Island' by Sadao Watanabe): Rico ft. The Special AKA (1982)

 

1973: Rhythm Shower: 12

1979: Tapper Roots: 10

1980: Jah Jah Way: 8

1982: Across The Red Sea: 2 

1982: Jungle Music EP: 13

1982: UB44: 7

1989: The Hitting Line: 4

1990: The Best Of Bob Marley 1968-1972: 1 

1994: Safe In The Ark: 11

2006: Becoming A Cliché: 6

2006: Better Do Better EP: 3

2012: Prince Fatty Versus The Drunken Gambler: 9

2024: Oracle Sound Volume Three: 5

Someday Roots, Sunday Culture (47:54) (KF) (Mega)

...But A Dream

For no other reason than she's brilliant, here's the wonderful Hollie Cook with a couple of "tropical pop" singles from her 2022 album, Happy Hour.

 

And if that's whet your appetite for more Hollie, then here are a few more audio and visual delights.

Dance In The Sunshine (2019)

And The Beat Goes On (Cover of The Whispers): Prince Fatty & Hollie Cook (2012)

Body Beat: Hollie Cook ft. Horseman (2011)

Postman (2014) 

 

It's the first Bandcamp Friday of 2024 on 2nd Feb, so amongst the many Hollie Cook back catalogue recommendations, the dub version of the Happy Hour album is high on the list.

 

Hollie's performing at the last date of Bristol Sounds 2024 on Sunday 23rd June, along with Count Skylarkin, Kiko Bun, Dreadzone, The Dualers, The Skints and headliners Gentleman's Dub Club. Not sure that I'll be able to go but what a line up.

Hollie has appeared on a couple of GDC songs, including Play My Games from last year's On A Mission album, so hopefully in addition to her set she'll pop back up on stage to perform with them. Here's a taster if you've not heard them before.

 

Get With The Groove

The combination of January, winter, Monday, lousy weather and another working week leaving and returning to home in pitch darkness combine to flip me into a funk. I'm talking funk here in the sense of Leonard Cohen, not George Clinton.

So, what better way to banish the blues than to light the place up with some global grooves, taking in Niger, Spain, Malawi, England, Mauritania, Mali, Jamaica and the USA?

 

Several of these have come from compilations by Sahel Sounds (USA), NYP Records (Belgium) and Dub Store Records (Japan), available as a name your price purchase via Bandcamp. All highly recommended.

I prescribe 45 minutes per day, taken with water and plenty of (dance-based) exercise. You'll feel much better for it.

 

1) Tunan: Mamman Sani (1978)

2) O.D.O.O. (F.E.L.A. Tribute Rework): DJ Makala (2012)

3) Tumastin: Mdou Moctar (2019)

4) Tadekha (Too Young To Start It): Andy One (2020)

5) Nyash! E Go Bite You!: Yaaba Funk (2008)

6) Elyn: Jeich Ould Badu (2022)

7) 3: Tallawit Timbouctou (2020)

8) Cry (Disco Mix By Prince Fatty): Hollie Cook ft. Horseman (2011)

9) Dangerous System (Single Version By King Jammy): Pad Anthony (1986)

10) Ribes: The Bombillas (2020)

11) Majrad Ajen: Amanar (2010)

2010: Ishilan n-Tenere: 11

2011: Hollie Cook: 8

2013: La Musique Electronique Du Niger: 1

2014: Dub Store Records Sampler Volume One: 9

2019: Ilana: The Creator: 3

2020: Sahel Sounds Label Sampler 2: 7

2021: Global Riddims Volume 4: 4, 10

2021: Mukambo Presents Global Afrobeat Movement 2: 2, 5

2022: Music From Saharan WhatsApp: 6

 

Get With The Groove (45:09) (Box) (Mega)