Covered Dub

Back in April, I posted Under Dub Covers, a selection of reggae and dub cover versions and it was well received, so here's the follow up!

Fourteen tracks this time, a 50/50 split between reggae and dub, 60s-90s and 21st Century, but 100% certified excellent. Well, the tunes, if not the sequencing!

Some of my all-time favourite singers are featured, opening with Pat Kelly and Marcia Griffiths, taking in Horace Andy, Dennis Brown and Jackie Edwards and, more recently, Shniece McMenamin.

Sly & Robbie, Adrian Sherwood and Lee 'Scratch' Perry feature heavily throughout, whether up front or in the studio.

This week in 1985, I Got You Babe by UB40 "with guest vocals by" Chrissie Hynde first entered the UK singles chart at a modest #22. It was Top 5 a couple of weeks later and #1 a couple of weeks after that. 

There was a dub version on the flip side but no extended version on the 12", so I've taken the liberty of creating my own edit for this selection. I've literally spliced the dub intro and outro with (most of) the vocal version. A dub sandwich, if you will, crackles and all.

1) Stoned In Love (Cover of 'I'm Stone In Love With You' by The Stylistics): Pat Kelly (1979)

2) It's Too Late (Cover of Carole King): Marcia Griffiths (1974)

3) A Wonderful Version (Cover of Louis Armstrong): Rhoda Dakar ft. Natty Campbell (2023)

4) Safe From Harm (Album Version By Adrian Sherwood) (Cover of Massive Attack): Horace Andy (2022)

5) Night Nurse (Dub With Vocal) (Remix By Mick Hucknall) (Cover of Gregory Isaacs): Sly & Robbie ft. Simply Red (1997)

6) To Love Somebody (Album Version By Lee 'Scratch' Perry) (Cover of Bee Gees): Busty Brown (1969)

7) The Model Dub (Cover of 'Das Modell' by Kraftwerk): Prince Fatty ft. Shniece McMenamin (2020)

8) Chase The Devil (Adrian Sherwood Dub) (Cover of Max Romeo): Dubblestandart ft. Lee 'Scratch' Perry, Coshiva & Emch (2014)

9) I Got You Babe (Dub Sandwich Re-Edit By Khayem) (Cover of Sonny & Cher): UB40 ft. Chrissie Hynde (2025)

10) Long As I Can See The Light (Adrian Sherwood's Dub Lighting) (Cover of Creedence Clearwater Revival): Monkey Mafia ft. Shirzelle (1998)

11) Dock Of The Bay (Cover of '(Sittin' On) The Dock Of Tthe Bay' by Otis Redding): Dennis Brown (1972)

12) Everything I Own (Dub Version By Stewart Levine) (Cover of Bread): Boy George (1987)

13) All Shook Up (Cover of Elvis Presley): Jackie Edwards (1979)

14) Exodus (Dubvisionist Dub) (Remix By Felix Wolter) (Cover of Bob Marley & The Wailers): Tackhead (2011) 

1969: The Upsetter: 6

1972: Superstar: 11

1979: So Proud: 1

1980: All Shook Up EP: 13

1987: Everything I Own EP: 12

1997: Night Nurse EP: 5

1998: Long As I Can See The Light EP: 10

2011: Exodus EP: 14

2014: Dubblestandart In Dub: 8

2015: Play Me / Sweet And Nice (Expanded Edition): 2

2020: Disco Deception Dubplate LP: 7

2022: Midnight Rocker: 4

2023: What A Wonderful World EP: 3

2025: I Got You Babe (bootleg MP3): 9

Covered Dub (59:23) (GD) (M)

You can find Under Dub Covers here

A few cover versions that didn't make today's final selection were produced by the legend that is Dennis Bovell. That didn't sit right with me so, as compensation, I've restored links to the two DB-themed selections that I've previously posted. With the above, that's pretty much four hours of dub nutrition!

Weakened/Weekend In Dub (August 2023)

From Conception To The Grave (October 2021)

If Summer Is Here, I'm Still Waiting There

What better way to offset what has so far been a pretty washed out May in this neck of the woods than with a dozen reggae tunes to let some sunshine in?

Many of the usual suspects - and Dubhed regulars - are present and correct: Gregory Isaacs, Marcia Griffiths, I-Roy, Junior Murvin, Carroll Thompson and Dennis Brown. A couple that have appeared less than I had thought: Black Uhuru and Bob Marley & The Wailers. The biggest surprise is that this is the first time here for Jackie Mittoo. Why so long?!

 

1) The Boom: Tapper Zukie (1979)

2) Warriors (Album Version): Gregory Isaacs (1978)

3) Mr. Bojangles (Cover of Jerry Jeff Walker): John Holt (1973)

4) Fresh And Clean: I-Roy (1974)

5) Solomon: Junior Murvin (1977)

6) I Just Don't Want To Be Lonely: Marcia Griffiths (1974)

7) Just A Little Bit (Album Version): Carroll Thompson (1981)

8) I Don't Want To Go: Pat Kelly (1979)

9) Waiting In Vain (Album Version): Bob Marley & The Wailers (1977)

10) Drum Song (Re-Recorded Version): Jackie Mittoo (1977)

11) What Is Life? (UK Remix Album Version): Black Uhuru (1983)

12) So Long (Rastafari Calling): Dennis Brown (1974)

 

If Summer Is Here, I'm Still Waiting There (42:59) (Box) (Mega)

Been Losing Long Enough To Know

Woke up this morning
With a funny funny feelin'
And that feelin'
Was an unusual feelin'
Inna my bone yeah
It inna my blood
Inna my toes
Coming up to my brain
Went to the doctor
To check out what's matter
I Went to the doctor
To find out the matter
Doctor said, "Son,
You have a Reggaemylitis"
I said, "What"
Doctor said, "Son,
You have a Reggaemylitis"

 

I've been prescribed an hour of reggae and dub, twice daily, for the next week.  

Apologies to Peter Tosh for pinching the lyrics to Reggaemylitis and then not having the common decency to include the song in today's selection. Reparations are due.

1) Walking In The Sun: Candy McKenzie (1977)

2) Workshop (Red, Gold And Green): Burning Spear (1976)

3) Monkey Spanner: Dave & Ansel Collins (1971)

4) I Don't Want to See You Cry: Ken Boothe (1976)

5) Jah Love Light: Horace Andy (1980)

6) Time After Time: Sylvia Tella (1981)

7) Cool Dub: King Tubby ft. U-Roy (1975)

8) What Colour?: Carroll Thompson (1981)

9) Soulful I: The Upsetters (1969)

10) Chant Down Babylon: Freddie McGregor (1978)

11) Wiseman Dub: The Roots Radics ft. Gladstone Anderson (1982)

12) No More Will I Roam: Dennis Brown (1975)

13) The Way I Feel About You: Marcia Griffiths (1979)

14) Pick The Beam: Yabby You (1977)

15) Feel No Way: Janet Kay (1980)

16) Drum And Bass Line (Live @ Notting Hill Carnival, London): Aswad (1983)

Been Losing Long Enough To Know (58:23) (Box) (Mega)

Couldn't Drag Me Away

Today's eclectic selection is linked by one thing. According to Apple Music, I last listened to these songs on 16th December in previous years. I'll leave you to surmise which ones got an airing last year and which haven't troubled a playlist since 2015 and which have fallen into varying degrees of neglect in between.

Nothing wrong with any of the songs per se, it's one of the challenges of having so much (too much?) music to listen to, with more new stuff coming in all the time, this year being no exception.

The selection opens with two of 2022's top acts, Working Men's Club and Confidence Man coming together in a remix soundclash. Prince appears in potty-mouthed abusive character from The Black Album, recorded in 1987 but shelved until an official, limited release in 1994. Another Prince - Prince Fatty, that is - pops up twice, firstly with Big Youth and Marcia Griffiths and again at the controls with Horseman. There's also a rematch between The Beatles (courtesy of My Brightest Diamond) and The Stones.

 

As I said, an eclectic selection that starts off in the club, staggers to the late night cafe and then stumbles home, regretting the excess the following morning. Perfect for a Friday going into Saturday, in that case.

1) First Class Bitch (Working Men's Club Remix): Confidence Man (2020)

2) Lararari (Canzone Felice) (Santos Disco) (Edit) (Remix By Sabino Contartese & Davide Marsilio): Santos & Sabino (1998)

3) Bob George: Prince (1987)

4) Gangster Tripping (Long Edit): Fatboy Slim (1998)

5) Of Course I'm Lying (The Truth Is) (Remix By Boris Blank & Dieter Meier): Yello (1989)

6) Steppin' Out Of Babylon: Prince Fatty ft. Big Youth & Marcia Griffiths (2019)

7) Wild Horses (Acoustic): The Rolling Stones (1971)

8) I Sold My Soul On Ebay: Swansea Sound (2020)

9) No In A Dat (Album Version): Horseman (2014)

10) Everybody's Got Something To Hide Except Me And My Monkey (Cover of The Beatles): My Brightest Diamond (2008)

 

1989: Of Course I'm Lying EP: 5

1994: The Black Album: 3

1998: Gangster Tripping EP (USA promo CDS): 4

1998: VC Recordings Summer Sampler EP: 2 

2008: The White Album Recovered (Mojo magazine promo CD): 10

2014: Dawn Of The Dread: 9

2015: Sticky Fingers (Deluxe Edition): 7

2019: In The Viper's Shadow: 6

2020: First Class Bitch EP: 1

2021: Live At The Rum Puncheon: 8

Couldn't Drag Me Away (45:19) (Box) (Mega)

Tough Act To Follow

I wasn't expecting to have to post another celebration so soon after Olivia Newton-John yesterday but here is a modest tribute to Lamont Dozier, who arrived 16th June 1941 and departed 8th August 2022.

I had very little time to prepare this post so, as you might expect, I've avoided the obvious - and frankly overwhelming - route of focusing on the dozens and dozens of original Motown classics that Lamont Dozier wrote with brothers Brian Holland and Eddie Holland. 

 

Instead, I've pulled together a brisk 10-song, 40-minute selection of cover versions, spanning Colourbox to Marcia Griffiths, The Fall to Odyssey and The Rolling Stones to Snuff. I've also included a couple of Lamont Dozier co-writes from the 1980s: Alison Moyet and Simply Red were on the long list but didn't make the cut; Boy George is perhaps a lesser known cut but everyone of a certain age will remember the Four Tops song, particularly if they found themselves at a late 1980s work do...

 

Today's selection is named after a track from Lamont Dozier's 1979 solo album, Bittersweet, and I couldn't think of anything more apt.

1) You Keep Me Hanging On (7" Version) (Cover of The Supremes): Colourbox (1985)

2) Standing In The Shadows Of Love (Cover of Four Tops): Snuff (1996)

3) There's A Ghost In My House (Cover of R. Dean Taylor): The Fall (1987)

4) Going Back To My Roots (Broots Club Mix By John Morales & Sergio Munzibai) (Cover of Lamont Dozier): Odyssey (1987)

5) Can I Get A Witness (Cover of Marvin Gaye): The Rolling Stones (1964)

6) My World Is Empty Without You (Cover of Diana Ross & The Supremes): The Afghan Whigs (1991)

7) Seven Rooms Of Gloom (Live @ The Apollo Theatre, Glasgow) (Cover of Four Tops): Blondie (1979)

8) Sold (12" Version By Les Adams): Boy George (1987)

9) Band Of Gold (Cover of Freda Payne): Marcia Griffiths (1974)

10) Loco In Acapulco (PH Balance Mix By Phil Harding & Ian Curnow): Four Tops (1988)

Tough Act To Follow (40:41)

Lovers Rock

Inspired by watching Steve McQueen's Lovers Rock (finally!) and loved up following the recent brace of excellent love-themed mixes over at The Vinyl Villain from Jez* and JC himself, today's selection features a groovy kind of love (though thankfully no Phil Collins).

 

Mrs. K & I have made a very belated visit to Steve McQueen's Small Axe series of films, originally premiered on BBC One in late 2020. No excuse for leaving it so long, really, as they are an absolute joy in film-making and storytelling, with an excellent cast. Lovers Rock is the second of five films and both have been essential viewing so far.

Despite a deep love of reggae and dub, I cannot pretend to be an expert in any way, but I'm reasonably confident that the lovers rock label legitimately applies to all of today's featured artists. Some - Janet Kay, Carroll Thompson, Marcia Griffiths, Dennis Brown, Gregory Isaacs, Horace Andy, Pat Kelly - I have loved for a long, long time. Others have been more recent discoveries, several via Mojo magazine's "How To Buy...Lovers Rock" - Jean Adebambo, Vivian Weathers, Jimmy Lindsay, 15 16 17, Candy McKenzie and Love Joys. All are an aural delight for the ears, with sweet vocals complemented by rocksteady rhythms and joyous basslines.

 

Apologies for pops, crackles and skips on some songs. No apologies for the sheer quality of the tunes.

1) Lovers Rock JA. Style: Freddie McGregor (1981)

2) Breakfast In Bed (Cover of Dusty Springfield): Candy McKenzie (1977)

3) Sweet, Bitter Love (Album Version By Lloyd Charmers): Marcia Griffiths (1974) 

4) Stoned In Love (Cover of 'I'm Stone In Love With You' by The Stylistics): Pat Kelly (1979)

5) Black Pride: Brown Sugar (1977)

6) Money In My Pocket (Pt.1) (Single Version By Joe Gibbs): Dennis Brown (1979)

7) Let Me Rock You Now (12" Version By Lloyd Barnes): Love Joys (1982)

8) Steal Away Girl: Sugar Minott (1980)

9) No, You Don't Know (Album Version): Carroll Thompson (1981)

10) Caught You In A Lie / Pt. 2 Caught Dubbing (12" Version By Sir Coxsone): Louisa Mark (1975)

11) Black Skin Boys: 15 16 17 (1977)

12) The Way You Walk: Vivian Weathers (1978)

13) Something's On My Mind (Album Version By Tad A. Dawkins & Sylvan Morris): Horace Andy (1980)

14) Something Nice: Gregory Isaacs (1975)

15) Look At Me, I'm In Love: Sylvia Tella (1981)

16) Pipe Dreams (Album Version By Desmond Lyken): Jean Adebambo (1983)

17) Love Was Never Meant For Me: Jimmy Lindsay (1979)

18) Silly Games (Album Version By Dennis Bovell): Janet Kay (1982)

 

Lovers Rock (1:07:23) (GD) (M) 

 

* Jez is also responsible for A History Of Dubious Taste, another of my regular, essential reads when exploring the blogosphere.