Desmond Dekker: The Best Of Desmond Dekker
Desmond Dacres grew up in the church tradition of singing and, in 1961 auditioned at Studio One, as did so many reggae singers. He was initially rejected, however. Not deterred, though, he began singing ska, proceeding in the mid-sixties via rocksteady to being one of the main lights of the "skinhead reggae" boom of the late sixties/early seventies.
Even then, his ska-developed instincts for a catchy tune prevailed, and many of those songs from the 1968-72 period became his biggest hits. We are talking, of course, in the first case, about the iconic Israelites, with its memorable vocal intro of "get up in the morning - slavin' for breads, sir..". What a song it was. Indeed it was the first song that got me into reggae when I first heard it as an eleven year-old. I loved it and have done ever since. It began a lifelong love of reggae. For me, it started here.
For Dekker it began with the first producer to accept him, Leslie Kong, and he remained steadfastly loyal to Kong for throughout his most successful period. Kong's production had a clear, commercial tone to it and this is clear in many of Dekker's hits.
Other great hits on here are It Mek, the rude boy anthem 007 (Shanty Town), Intensified '68 (Music Like Dirt), Rudy Got Soul, You Can Get It If You Really Want, Sing A Little Song, Pickney Gal and his very first single from as early as 1963, Honour Your Father And Mother. It's all essential, starting point stuff for anyone with an interest in reggae, its early roots and its first classic period.
This is skinhead reggae at its stomping finest. Get those oxblood boots on.
