Dandy Livingstone: The Best Of Dandy Livingstone

Dandy Livingstone made his name as a ska and rock steady reggae singer in the mid-late sixties, when most of his recordings were credited to "Dandy" only. Some were credited to "Boy Friday" as well. 

Other tracks on this compilation are Livingstone productions, for artists such as Jackie Robinson, Tito Simon, Audrey Hall, The Superboys, The Israelites, Bobby Thompson and The Brother Dan All-Stars. In the early seventies he had some chart success with an easy-skanking, poppy reggae style. His voice was always soft and sweetly melodic. I always had memories of pictures of Livingstone from the time, in his studious-looking glasses and flower-power round collared shirt not seeming anything much like a pop star.

Livingstone's biggest hit was the irresistibly catchy Suzanne Beware Of The Devil which did really well in the UK in 1972. He also recorded the original of A Message To You Rudy, memorably covered by The Specials. Rico Rodriguez, who played on The Specials' version, also contributes a wonderful trombone backing on this original version. 

Reggae In Your Jeggae was a forerunner of the mid/late seventies' DJ toasting, with meaningless lyrics over a rootsy rhythm. It was one of the earliest examples of a reggae song that concentrated more on its rhythm as opposed to its lyrical content as a song. 

Can't Get Used To Losing You, the cover of the Andy Williams easy-listening classic, was better-known in a reggae format by its cover by The Beat in 1980, but this was the original reggae makeover for the song. Big City, with its distinctive synthesiser riffs, was another excellent Livingstone song too, which features his smooth voice at its best. The typical slice of Jimmy Cliff-esque early seventies reggae that was Think About That was another minor hit for Livingstone. Same Old Fashioned Way is also a very poppy number that summed up its era.

Two recommended albums from Dandy Livingstone are Dandy Livingstone from 1972 and Conscious from 1973, recorded on the Mooncrest label, which contained the excellent single, Black Star.