Understand We Must All Live In Peace On Earth

Some Mandatory Monday Reggae for you, courtesy of Prince Fatty aka Mike Pelanconi, who dropped a couple of new singles last Monday (14th).

 

100 Weight Of Collie Weed was originally written and recorded by Carlton Livingston in 1984 and Prince Fatty delivers four versions as a name your price EP via Bandcamp: a vocal version featuring Earl 16, a Disco Mix with additional vocals from Horseman and instrumentals of both.

The lead release is another cover, available on 7" and digital single, offering reggae and dub treatments of Expansions, Lonnie Liston Smith's classic from 1975. Featuring regular collaborator Shniece McMenamin on vocals, backed by an all-star band comprising ON-U Sound legend Carlton "Bubblers" Ogilvie (organ & piano), Finn Peters (flute) and Horseman aka Winston Williams (drums), it's an uplifting take on a personal favourite.

 

Not that Lonnie Liston Smith's version was the first time time I knowingly heard Expansions. Oh no. It was this release on PWL back in 1991...

I used to have Xpand Ya Mind (Expansions) by Wag Ya Tail on CD single and Lonnie Liston Smith is credited on the front and as a collaborator on a couple of mixes, but it's a far cry from his original jazz-funk odyssey. Speaking of which...

 

I finally added the song to my collection when I purchased cheapo-but-excellent compilation CD Soul Brother from my local Woolworths in 1999 or 2000.

 

The original version of Expansions is unbeatable but, as ever, Prince Fatty, Shniece and co. have done the song justice. You can buy the singles via Bandcamp or for the real (Dub)heads, Prince Fatty is offering up stem packs for these and many others via his online shop.

On an unrelated but happy note, after I finish today, I'm not back at work again until next Tuesday. It’ll be business as usual here. I have a very special gig coming up which I'll write about later in the week, plus a few more Dubhed selections together with the usual nonsense. I will also have the chance to post more comments on other music blogs, which I have continued to enjoy but have sorely neglected in the past few weeks. 

Mostly though, it's a chance to relax and expand my mind by listening to some mighty fine music.

 

Soul Tight

Side 1 of a mixtape, compiled sometime in February 2000. Time for some sweet Saturday sounds.

 

This is essentially an edited and re-sequenced selection from the 1998 budget price CD Soul Brother, which I would have picked up on CD for a few quid from Woolworths, along with a Northern Soul compilation which I filleted for Side 2.

It's chock full of classics, many of which I grew listening to courtesy of my parents' Ronco and K-Tel chart hits albums. The songs also crept into my collection over the years, having been covered by the likes of Bryan Ferry, Massive Attack, Talking Heads, Sade, The Jam and, er, Wag Ya Tail and New Kids On The Block. Alright, alright, I didn't have the latter, but my friend's sister did and it was bloody annoying hearing that when all we wanted was R.E.M., The Smiths or Julian Cope.

The cheap and cheerful CD section in Woolies was a great way of sampling genres, before investing further in an artist's albums and Soul Brother was one of the better examples, even if it did have a rather crap cover.

 

1) Expansions (Album Version): Lonnie Liston Smith ft. The Cosmic Echoes (1975)

2) Feel The Need In Me: Detroit Emeralds (1971)

3) Move On Up (Single Version): Curtis Mayfield (1971)

4) Have You Seen Her (Album Version): The Chi-Lites (1971)

5) I Need It: Johnny Guitar Watson (1976)

6) Didn't I (Blow Your Mind This Time): The Delfonics (1970)

7) Be Thankful For What You've Got (Part 1): William DeVaughn (1973)

8) Love T.K.O.: Teddy Pendergrass (1980)

9) Walking In Rhythm: The Blackbyrds (1974)

10) Take Me To The River: Al Green (1974)

11) Why Can't We Live Together (Album Version): Timmy Thomas (1972)

1970: The Delfonics: 6

1971: (For God's Sake) Give More Power To The People: 4

1971: Move On Up EP: 3

1971: You Want It, You Got It: 2 

1972: Why Can't We Live Together: 11

1973: Be Thankful For What You've Got: 7

1974: Explores Your Mind: 10

1974: Flying Start: 9

1975: Expansions: 1

1976: Ain't That A Bitch: 5 

1980: TP: 8

Side One (46:13)