Desmond Dekker (July 16, 1941 – May 25, 2006) was a
JamaicaJamaica is an island nation of the Greater Antilles, in length and as much as in width, amounting to 11,100 km
2. It is situated in the Caribbean Sea, about south of Cuba, and west of Hispaniola, the island harboring the nation-states Haiti and the Dominican Republic...
n
skaSka is a music genre that originated in Jamaica in the late 1950s, and was the precursor to rocksteady and reggae. Ska combined elements of Caribbean mento and calypso with American jazz and rhythm and blues...
,
rocksteadyRocksteady is a music genre that was most popular in Jamaica, starting around 1966, and its reggae successor was established around 1968.The term rocksteady comes from a dance style that was mentioned in the Alton Ellis song "Rock Steady"...
and
reggaeReggae is a music genre first developed in Jamaica in the late 1960s.While sometimes used in a broader sense to refer to most types of Jamaican music, the term reggae more properly denotes a particular music style that originated following on the development of ska and rocksteady. Reggae is based...
singer–songwriterA singer–songwriter is a musician who writes, composes and sings their own material including lyrics and melodies. They often provide the sole accompaniment to an entire composition or song, typically using a guitar or piano...
and
musicianA musician is a person who performs or writes music. Musicians can be classified by their roles in creating or performing music:* An instrumentalist plays a musical instrument.* A singer uses his or her voice as an instrument....
. Together with his backing group,
The AcesThe Aces, initially known as The Four Aces were a Jamaican vocal group who are best known for their work with Desmond Dekker, but who also recorded without him.-History:...
(consisting of Wilson James and Easton Barrington Howard), he had one of the first international
JamaicaJamaica is an island nation of the Greater Antilles, in length and as much as in width, amounting to 11,100 km
2. It is situated in the Caribbean Sea, about south of Cuba, and west of Hispaniola, the island harboring the nation-states Haiti and the Dominican Republic...
n hits with "
Israelites"Israelites" is a song written by Desmond Dekker and Leslie Kong that became a hit for Dekker's group, Desmond Dekker & The Aces. Although few could understand all the lyrics, the single was the first UK reggae number one and the first to crack the United States Top Ten...
". Other hits include "007 (Shanty Town)" (1967) and "
It MiekIt Miek was a 1969 hit song by the Jamaican musicians, Desmond Dekker & The Aces. After being re-released in June 1969, the single reached number 7 in the UK Singles Chart...
" (1969). Before the ascent of
Bob MarleyRobert Nesta "Bob" Marley was a Jamaican singer-songwriter and musician. He was the lead singer, songwriter and guitarist for the ska, rocksteady and reggae bands The Wailers and Bob Marley & The Wailers...
, Dekker was one of the most popular musicians within Jamaica, and one of the best-known musicians outside it.
Biography
He was born
Desmond Adolphus Dacres in St. Andrew, Jamaica and grew up in
KingstonKingston is the capital and largest city of Jamaica and is located on the southeastern coast of the island country. It faces a natural harbour protected by the Palisadoes, a long sand spit which connects Port Royal and the Norman Manley International Airport to the rest of the island...
, where he attended the Alpha Boys' School. After his mother took ill and died, his father moved him to St. Mary, and then to St. Thomas, where he apprenticed as a tailor before returning to Kingston and taking a job as a
welderA welder is a tradesman who specialises in welding materials together. The materials to be joined can be metals or varieties of plastic or polymer...
, singing around his workplace while his co-workers encouraged him. In 1961 he auditioned for
Coxsone DoddClement Seymour "Sir Coxsone" Dodd, CD was a Jamaican record producer who was influential in the development of ska and reggae in the 1950s, '60s and beyond...
(
Studio OneStudio One is one of Jamaica's most renowned record labels and recording studios, having been described as "the Motown of Jamaica."Studio One was involved with most of the major music movements in Jamaica during the 1960s and 1970s, including ska, rocksteady, reggae, dub and dancehall...
) and
Duke ReidArthur "Duke" Reid, CD born 1915 in Portland, Jamaica, died 1975 ,was a Jamaican record producer, DJ and label owner.He ran one of the most popular sound systems of the 1950s called Duke Reid's the Trojan after the British-made trucks used to transport the equipment...
(Treasure Isle). Neither was impressed by his talents, and the young man moved on to
Leslie KongLeslie Kong was a Chinese Jamaican, reggae record producer.-Career:Leslie Kong and his brothers used to run a restaurant, ice cream parlour and record shop called Beverley's in Orange Street, Kingston...
's
Beverley'sBeverley's was a Jamaica-based record label owned by the Chinese Jamaican record producer Leslie Kong. Beverley's was essential to the development of Ska and Rocksteady into Reggae...
record labelIn the music industry, a record label is a brand and a trademark associated with the marketing of music recordings and music videos. Most commonly, a record label is the company that manages such brands and trademarks, coordinates the production, manufacture, distribution, marketing and promotion,...
, where he auditioned before
Derrick MorganDerrick Morgan is a musical artist popular in the 1960s and 1970s. He worked with Desmond Dekker, Bob Marley, and Jimmy Cliff in the ska genre, and he also performed rocksteady and skinhead reggae....
, then the label's biggest
starA celebrity is a person who is famously recognized in a society or culture.Generally speaking, a celebrity is someone who gets media attention and most frequently has an extroverted personality. The desire to be notable is implied by some to be a part of Western culture and more specifically the...
.
Career
With Morgan's support, Dekker was signed but did not record until 1963 because Kong wanted to wait for the perfect song, which "Honour Your Mother and Father" was felt to be. "Honour Your Mother and Father" was a hit and was followed by "Sinners Come Home" and "Labour for Learning", and at this time
Desmond Dacres became
Desmond Dekker. His fourth hit made him into one of the island's biggest stars. It was "King of Ska", a rowdy and jubilant song on which Dekker was backed by The Cherrypies (also known as
The MaytalsToots and the Maytals, originally called simply The Maytals, are a Jamaican musical group and one of the best known ska and reggae vocal groups. According to Sandra Brennan at Allmusic, "The Maytals were key figures in reggae music...
). Dekker then recruited four brothers, Carl, Patrick, Clive and Barry who became his backing band, The Four Aces.
Dekker and the Howards recorded a number of hits including "Parents", "Get Up Edina", "This Woman" and "Mount Zion". Until 1967 Dekker's songs were polite and conveyed respectable, mainstream messages. In that year, however, he appeared on
Derrick MorganDerrick Morgan is a musical artist popular in the 1960s and 1970s. He worked with Desmond Dekker, Bob Marley, and Jimmy Cliff in the ska genre, and he also performed rocksteady and skinhead reggae....
's "Tougher Than Tough", which helped begin a trend of popular songs glamorizing the violent
rude boyRude boy, rudeboy, rudie, rudi or rudy were common terms for juvenile delinquents and criminals in 1960s Jamaica, and have since been used in other contexts...
culture. Dekker's own songs did not go to the extremes of many other popular tunes, though he did introduce
lyricsLyrics are a set of words that make up a song. The writer of lyrics is a lyricist or lyrist. The meaning of lyrics can either be explicit or implicit. Some lyrics are abstract, almost unintelligible, and, in such cases, their explication emphasizes form, articulation, meter, and symmetry of...
that resonated with the rude boys starting with one of his best-known songs, "007 (Shanty Town)". The song established Dekker as a rude boy icon and he also became an established hero in the United Kingdom's mod scene. "007 (Shanty Town)" was a Top 15 hit in the
UKThe United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is a sovereign state located off the northwestern coast of continental Europe. It is an island country, spanning an archipelago including Great Britain, the northeastern part of Ireland, and many small islands...
, and Dekker toured that country with a posse of mods following him.
Dekker continued with songs in the same vein such as "Rude Boy Train" and "Rudie Got Soul", as well as continuing with his previous themes of religion and morality in songs like "It's a Shame", "Wise Man", "Hey Grandma", "Unity", "If It Pays", "Mother's Young Girl" and "Sabotage". His "Pretty Africa" is a long-standing favourite among his fans and may be the earliest popular song promoting
repatriationRepatriation The process of returning a person back to one's place of origin or citizenship. This includes the process of returning refugees or soldiers to their place of origin following a war...
. Many of the hits from this era came from his debut album,
007 (Shanty Town).
In 1968 Dekker's "Israelites" was released, appearing on both the
USThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
Billboard Hot 100The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday; while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
and
UK Singles ChartThe UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record industry. The full chart contains the top 200 singles based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 of this list...
s, and eventually topping the latter and (in June, 1969) peaking in the Top Ten of the former. He was the first Jamaican artist to have a hit record in the US with a form and style that was purely Jamaican, though he never repeated the feat. Equally, the track became the first reggae song to top the UK chart. That same year saw the release of "Beautiful and Dangerous", "Writing on the Wall", "Music Like Dirt" (which won the Festival Song Contest), "Bongo Girl" and "Shing a Ling".
1969 saw the release of "It Mek", which first had only lukewarm success but was re-recorded and then became a hit both in Jamaica and the UK. Dekker also released "Problems" and "Pickney Gal", both of which were popular in Jamaica but had only limited success elsewhere.
1970s
In the 1970s Dekker spent most of his time touring and moved to the UK, where he continued to record. Among his best known releases of this period was "You Can Get It If You Really Want", written by
Jimmy CliffThe Honourable Jimmy Cliff, OM is a Jamaican ska and reggae singer, musician and actor. He is the only currently living musician to hold the Order of Merit, the highest honour that can be granted by the Jamaican government for achievement in the arts and sciences...
. Dekker had not wanted to record it but was persuaded by Leslie Kong. Dekker's version uses the same
instrumentalRock Instrumentals have a separate page.An instrumental is a musical composition or recording without lyrics or any other sort of vocal music; all of the music is produced by musical instruments. This term is used when referring to popular music rather than to other musical genres such as European...
backing track as Cliff's original. Kong, whose production had been a crucial part of both Dekker's and Cliff's careers, died in 1971 and both his protegés lost direction for a period before returning to music.
Dekker continued recording, but with only limited success until he began working with the production duo Bruce Anthony in 1974. His first hit with the pair was 1975's "Sing a Little Song" which climbed into the UK's Top Twenty. Dekker was unable to follow its success, however, and did not chart in the UK again for some time (except for the Top Ten re-charting of "Israelites" in 1975). Dekker also found only a limited audience in Jamaica.
At the end of the 1970s, Dekker signed with
Stiff RecordsStiff Records is a record label created in London in 1976 by entrepreneurs Dave Robinson and Andrew Jakeman , and active until 1985. It was reactivated in 2007....
, a
punkPunk rock is a rock music genre that developed between 1974 and 1976 in the United States, the United Kingdom and Australia. Rooted in garage rock and other forms of what is now known as protopunk music, punk rock bands eschewed the perceived excesses of mainstream 1970s rock...
label linked with the
2 Tone2 Tone is a music genre created in England in the late 1970s by fusing elements of ska, punk rock, rocksteady, reggae and pop...
movement, a fusion of punk and ska. He recorded an album called
Black & Dekker which featured his previous hits backed by The Rumour,
Graham ParkerGraham Parker is a British rock singer and songwriter who is best known as the lead singer of popular British New Wave band Graham Parker & the Rumour.-Early career :...
's backing band. "Israelites" became the first hit and a Top Ten
BelgianThe Kingdom of Belgium is a country in northwest Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts its headquarters, as well as those of other major international organizations, including NATO...
hit and was followed by "Please Don't Bend", Jimmy Cliff's "Many Rivers to Cross" and "Book of Rules". His next album was
Compass PointCompass Point may refer to:* Compass point, a direction on a traditional compass* Compass Point * Compass Point Shopping Centre, a shopping mall in Singapore...
, produced by Robert Palmer. Though it did not sell well, Dekker was still a popular live performer and toured with The Rumour.
1980s and later
In the early 1980s, as the
2 Tone2 Tone is a music genre created in England in the late 1970s by fusing elements of ska, punk rock, rocksteady, reggae and pop...
movement died out, he saw his fortunes dwindle and he was declared bankrupt in 1984. Only a single live album was released in the late 80s, but a new version of "Israelites" reawakened public interest in 1990, following its use in a
Maxell, or Maxell, is a Japanese company which manufactures consumer electronics. The company's notable products are batteries and electronics -- the company's name is a contraction of "maximum capacity dry cell" -- and recording media, including audio cassettes and blank VHS tapes, and recordable...
advertisement. He re-recorded some old singles, and worked with
The SpecialsThe Specials are an English 2 Tone ska revival band formed in 1977 in Coventry, England. Their music combined a "danceable ska and rocksteady beat with punk's energy and attitude", and had a "more focused and informed political and social stance" than other ska groups...
for 1992's
King of KingsKing of Kings is a title that has been used by several monarchies throughout history, and in many cases the literal title meaning "King of Kings", i.e...
, which used hits from Dekker's musical heroes, including Derrick Morgan. He also collaborated on a
remixA remix is an alternative version of a song, different from the original version. This name is also used for any alterations of medias other than a song ....
version of "Israelites" with reggae
artistA musician is a person who performs or writes music. Musicians can be classified by their roles in creating or performing music:* An instrumentalist plays a musical instrument.* A singer uses his or her voice as an instrument....
Apache IndianApache Indian is the stage name of the reggae dee jay/toaster, Steven Kapur .-Career:Kapur grew up in Handsworth, a racially mixed area with large Black and Asian communities, home of reggae bands such as Steel Pulse, and by the early 1980s he was working with local sound systems and wearing...
.
Dekker died of a
heart attackMyocardial infarction or acute myocardial infarction , commonly known as a heart attack, is the interruption of blood supply to part of the heart, causing some heart cells to die...
on 25 May 2006, at his home in
Thornton HeathThornton Heath is a district in the London Borough of Croydon, 7.2 miles south of Charing Cross.Thornton Heath High Street is the centre of a large area of north Croydon known as Thornton Heath between West Croydon and South Norwood.-History:...
in the
London Borough of CroydonThe London Borough of Croydon is a London borough in south-west London, England and is part of Outer London. It covers an area of and is the largest London borough by population. It is the southernmost borough of London...
,
EnglandEngland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west and the North Sea to the east, with the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, aged 64. He was preparing to headline a world music festival in
PraguePrague is the capital and largest city of the Czech Republic. Nicknames for Prague have included "the mother of cities" , "city of a hundred spires", or Stověžatá Praha in Czech and "the golden city" or Zlaté město in Czech.Situated on the River Vltava in central Bohemia, Prague has been the...
. Dekker was
divorceDivorce or dissolution of marriage is the final termination of a marriage, canceling the legal duties and responsibilities of marriage and dissolving the bonds of matrimony between two persons...
d and is survived by a son and a daughter.
Backing band
The Aces - The current line up for Dekker's backing band, who are still performing tribute concerts includes:
- Delroy Williams - Backing Vocals / M.C.
- Gordon Mulrain
Gordon Mulrain, aka Innerheart, has been a performing musician since 12 years of age, in the studio and on the stage. He joined UK reggae outfit Jah Warriors as bass player and worked with artists like Lee Perry, Mikey Dread and Aswad...
- Bass guitarist and session musicianSession musicians are instrumental performers or vocalists who are available for hire for live performances or recording sessions, as opposed to musicians who are either permanent members of a musical ensemble or who have acquired fame in their own right as bandleaders...
. Mulrain is also known as the producer, Innerheart, for the British record labelIn the music industry, a record label is a brand and a trademark associated with the marketing of music recordings and music videos. Most commonly, a record label is the company that manages such brands and trademarks, coordinates the production, manufacture, distribution, marketing and promotion,...
, Sativa Records.
- Aubrey Mulrain - Keyboard player and session musician.
- Steve Roberts - Guitarist and session musician, also a member of the British band Dubzone.
- Leroy Green - Drums and session musician.
- Stan Samuel - Guitarist and session musician
- Charles Nelson - Keyboard player and session musician.
This particular line-up also recorded with Dekker, on some of his later studio sessions in the 1990s.
Pop culture references
- He is referenced in the Rancid
Rancid is an American punk rock band from Albany, California, formed in 1991. Founded by Matt Freeman and Tim Armstrong, both of whom previously played in ska punk group Operation Ivy, the band is credited with helping to revive mainstream popular interest in punk rock in the United States during...
song "Roots Radicals" in the lyricLyrics are a set of words that make up a song. The writer of lyrics is a lyricist or lyrist. The meaning of lyrics can either be explicit or implicit. Some lyrics are abstract, almost unintelligible, and, in such cases, their explication emphasizes form, articulation, meter, and symmetry of...
:
"The radio was playing/Desmond Dekker was singing/On the 43 bus as we climb up the hill"
.
- He is mentioned in the Common Rider
Common Rider were a ska punk band, formed in 1999 by Jesse Michaels , Mass Giorgini and Dan Lumley . The band had a much softer edge than that of Michaels' first group, Operation Ivy, but still contained the same amount of energy and passion.The band's name is taken from a 1970s Japanese TV show,...
song "Classics of Love" in the lyric:
"Midnight Marauder spinning on my stereo/Mr. Desmond Dekker has a crown made of gold/The kids are alright a-what a-what I hear"
.
- He is also mentioned in the Frank Black
Black Francis is an American singer, songwriter and guitarist. He is best known as the frontman of the influential alternative rock band Pixies, with whom he performs under the stage name Black Francis. Following the band's breakup in 1993, he embarked on a solo career under the name Frank Black...
song "Parry the Wind High Low" in the lyric:
"I'm getting patterns from a trekker/And it sounds like Desmond Dekker to me"
.
- He is referenced by The Beatles
The Beatles were an English rock band formed in Liverpool in 1960 who became one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed bands in the history of popular music...
in the ska-influenced, Paul McCartneySir James Paul McCartney, MBE , is an English singer-songwriter, poet, composer, multi-instrumentalist, entrepreneur, record and film producer, painter, and animal rights and peace activist. Formerly of The Beatles and Wings, McCartney is the most successful songwriter in the history of popular music...
penned song, "Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da"Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da" is a song by The Beatles originally released on the double-disc album The Beatles , and later released as a single. It was written primarily by Paul McCartney, though credited to Lennon/McCartney....
" (from
The White Album
) starting with the lyric:
"Desmond has a barrow in the market-place"
- The German
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a country in Central Europe. It is bordered to the north by the North Sea, Denmark, and the Baltic Sea; to the east by Poland and the Czech Republic; to the south by Austria and Switzerland; and to the west by France, Luxembourg, Belgium,...
Oi!-punkOi! is a working class street-level subgenre of punk rock that originated in the United Kingdom in the late 1970s.The music and associated subculture had the goal of promoting unity between punks, skinheads and other non-aligned working class youths...
/ska band, Broilers, paid respect to Dekker as well:
"Mit Desmond Dekker in den Ohren/Läßt sie diese Welt den Mittelfinger seh'n"
(While listening to Desmond Dekker/she shows the world her middlefinger).
- He is paid tribute to in "Thou Shalt Always Kill
"Thou Shalt Always Kill" is a 2007 song by Dan Le Sac Vs Scroobius Pip.The song comprises a simple electronic dance beat with the vocals taking the form of a satirical rant at aspects of modern British culture. The pivotal message is to "think for yourselves" rather than to follow current trends or...
" by Dan Le Sac Vs Scroobius Pipdan le sac Vs Scroobius Pip are a hip-hop duo, combining electronic beats with spoken word lyrics. The pair are Daniel Stephens , and David Peter Meads . The name "Scroobius Pip" is an intentional misspelling of the Edward Lear poem, The Scroobious Pip...
, along with a several other deceased musicians.
"Thou shalt not take the names of
Johnny CashJohnny Cash , born J. R. Cash, was an American singer-songwriter and one of the most influential musicians of the 20th century...
,
Joe StrummerJohn Graham Mellor , better known by his stage name Joe Strummer, was the co-founder, lyricist, rhythm guitarist and lead singer of the English punk rock band The Clash...
,
Johnny HartmanJohn Maurice "Johnny" Hartman , a Chicago-born baritone jazz singer who is remembered for his smooth performances of jazz ballads, best known for his work with John Coltrane. Their 1963 album John Coltrane and Johnny Hartman is a jazz classic, and the recording "Lush Life" was inducted into the...
, Desmond Dekker,
Jim MorrisonJames Douglas "Jim" Morrison was an American singer, songwriter, poet, writer and filmmaker. He was best known as the lead singer and lyricist of The Doors and is widely considered to be one of the most charismatic frontmen in rock music history. He was also the author of several books of poetry ...
,
Jimi HendrixJames Marshall "Jimi" Hendrix was an American guitarist, singer and songwriter...
or
Syd BarrettSyd Barrett , born Roger Keith Barrett, was an English singer, songwriter, guitarist and artist. He is most remembered as a founding member of psychedelic rock band Pink Floyd, providing major musical and stylistic direction in their early work, although he left the group in 1968 amidst...
in vain."
- He is referenced in the movie
Film encompasses individual motion pictures, the field of film as an art form, and the motion picture industry. Films are produced by recording images from the world with cameras, or by creating images using animation techniques or visual effects....
,
The Royal TenenbaumsThe Royal Tenenbaums is a 2001 dramedy film directed by Wes Anderson about three gifted siblings who experience great success in youth, and even greater disappointment and failure after their eccentric father leaves them in their adolescent years...
, (Wes AndersonWesley Mortimer Wales "Wes" Anderson is an American film director, screenwriter, actor, and producer of features, short films and commercials. He was nominated for a 2001 Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay for The Royal Tenenbaums...
); the character Margot Tenenbaum was briefly married to him when she was nineteen.
In the 1991 Gulf WarThe Persian Gulf War , known also as the Gulf War, the First Gulf War,or often as the Second Gulf War and by Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein as The Mother of all Battles, or commonly as Desert Storm, for the military response...
, U.S. troops stationed in Saudi ArabiaSaudi Arabia , is an Arab country and the largest country of the Arabian Peninsula. It is bordered by Jordan on the northwest, Iraq on the north and northeast, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain, and the United Arab Emirates on the east, Oman on the southeast, and Yemen on the south...
were told not to play certain songs, including Dekker's "Israelites", to avoid inflaming the sensitivities of their hosts.
The Reel Big FishReel Big Fish is an American ska punk band from Huntington Beach, California, best known for the 1997 hit "Sell Out." The band gained mainstream recognition in the mid-to-late 1990s, during the third wave of ska with the release of the album Turn the Radio Off...
live albumA live album – commonly contrasted with a studio album – is a recording consisting of material recorded during stage performances. Live albums may be recorded at a single concert, or combine recordings made at multiple concerts...
and DVDDVD, also known as Digital Versatile Disc or Digital Video Disc,is an optical disc storage media format, and was founded in 1995. Its main uses are video and data storage...
, Our Live Album Is Better Than Your Live AlbumOur Live Album Is Better than Your Live Album is a 2-disc live album by ska-punk band Reel Big Fish composed of both an extended length Reel Big Fish live set list, and a DVD of a March 2006 live show that also includes documentary footage on the band. The DVD portion was directed by Jonathan...
, released three months after Desmond died, is dedicated to him.
"The Israelites" is prominently featured in Gus Van SantGus Green Van Sant, Jr. is an American film director, screenwriter, photographer, musician, and author. He was nominated for an Academy Award for Achievement in Directing for his 1997 film Good Will Hunting and his 2008 film Milk, and won the Palme d'Or at the 2003 Cannes Film Festival for his...
's 1989 film, Drugstore CowboyDrugstore Cowboy is a crime drama written and directed by Gus Van Sant.Matt Dillon stars in the title role, and Kelly Lynch, Heather Graham, and William S. Burroughs are also featured. Drugstore Cowboy was filmed mainly around Portland, Oregon. The film's score was written by composer Elliot...
.
He is also referenced in the Toots & the MaytalsToots and the Maytals, originally called simply The Maytals, are a Jamaican musical group and one of the best known ska and reggae vocal groups. According to Sandra Brennan at Allmusic, "The Maytals were key figures in reggae music...
song, "Desmond Dekker Came First".
He is also referenced in the Mighty Mighty BosstonesThe Mighty Mighty Bosstones are an American third wave ska band from Boston, Massachusetts.Formed in 1983, the Bosstones are credited with the creation of the ska-core genre, a form of music that mixes elements of third wave ska and hardcore punk...
song "Don't Worry Desmond Dekker".
In the American poet Frank BidartFrank Bidart is an American academic and award-winning poet.In 1957, he began to study at the University of California at Riverside and went on to Harvard, where he was a student and friend of Robert Lowell and Elizabeth Bishop...
's 2005 collection of poems, Star Dust
, the poem "Music Like Dirt" is dedicated to Dekker.
Guitarist Richard Thompson did a cover of "Israelites" on his Old Kit Bag
tour.
MillencolinMillencolin is a punk rock band that was formed in October of 1992 by Erik Ohlsson, Mathias Färm and Nikola Sarcevic in Örebro, Sweden. In early 1993, drummer Fredrik Larzon joined the band...
did a cover of "Israelites" on the 1997 single, "Lozin' Must"Lozin' Must" is a song by the Swedish punk rock band Millencolin from the album For Monkeys. It was released as a single on April 6, 1997 by Burning Heart Records and Epitaph Records, including two b-sides from the album's recording sessions, "Israelites" and "Vixen". These two tracks were...
".
Sonic Boom SixSonic Boom Six are a five-piece band from Manchester, United Kingdom. Their ecelectic sound combines elements of punk, Ska, Reggae and Hip-Hop. Their lyrics tend to focus on social commentary, attacking mainsteam society/media anti-authoritarianism Sonic Boom Six are a five-piece band from...
paid tribute to Dekker, singing a few lines of "Shanty Town" as an outro on their track, "Rum Little Skallywag".
Albums
007 Shanty Town
(1967) Doctor Bird (Desmond Dekker & the Aces)
Action!-Track listing:All songs written by Desmond Dekker.#"Mother Pepper" - 2:21#"Don't Blame Me" - 2:24#"You've Got Your Troubles" - 3:13#"Personal Possession" - 2:55#"Unity" - 2:21#"007 " - 2:38#"It Pays" - 3:00#"Young Generation" - 2:08...
(1968) (Desmond Dekker & the Aces)
This Is Desmond Dekkar-Track listing:All songs written by Desmond Dekker.#"007 "#"Sabotage"#"Shing a Ling"#"Hey Grandma"#"Beautiful and Dangerous"#"Wise Man"#"Music Like Dirt"#"Rudy Got Soul"#"Unity"#"Mother Pepper"#"It Pays"#"Mother's Young Girl"...
(1969) - Trojan RecordsTrojan Records is a British record label specialising in ska, rocksteady, reggae and dub music. The label operates under the Sanctuary Records Group.-Beginnings and heyday:...
(UK #27)
Israelites (1969) Doctor Bird
Intensified-Track listing:#"It Mek" - 1:40#"Too Much Too Soon" - 2:38#"Coconut Water" - 3:27#"Sweet Music" - 2:29#"My Lonely World" - 3:16#"Rude Boy Train" - 2:16#"Poor Me Israelites" - 2:47#"It Is Not Easy" - 2:13#"Intensified" - 2:43#"Nincompoop" - 2:11...
(1970) - Lagoon
You Can Get It If You Really Want (1970) - Trojan
Black And Dekker (1980) StiffStiff Records is a record label created in London in 1976 by entrepreneurs Dave Robinson and Andrew Jakeman , and active until 1985. It was reactivated in 2007....
Compass Point (1981) Stiff
King of Kings with The SpecialsThe Specials are an English 2 Tone ska revival band formed in 1977 in Coventry, England. Their music combined a "danceable ska and rocksteady beat with punk's energy and attitude", and had a "more focused and informed political and social stance" than other ska groups...
(1993) - Trojan Records
Compilation albums
- Double Dekker (1973) Trojan
- Dekker's Sweet 16 Hits (1979) Trojan
- The Original Reggae Hitsound (1985) Trojan
- 20 Golden Pieces of Desmond Dekker (1987) Bulldog
- The Official Live and Rare (1987) Trojan
- Greatest Hits (1988) Streetlife
- The Best of & The Rest of (1990) Action Replay
- Music Like Dirt (1992) Trojan
- Rockin' Steady - The Best of Desmond Dekker (1992) Rhino
- Crucial Cuts (1993) Music Club
- Israelites (1994) Laserlight
- Action (1995) Lagoon
- Voice of Ska (1995) Emporio
- Moving On (1996) Trojan
- The Israelites (1996) Marble Arch
- First Time for a Long Time (1997) Trojan
- Desmond Dekker Archive (1997) Rialto
- The Writing on the Wall (1998) Trojan
- Israelites (1999) Castle Pie
- Israelites: The Best Of Desmond Dekker (1963-1971) - Trojan (1999)
- Desmond Dekker (2000) Snapper
- The Very Best Of (2000) Jet Set
- This Is Desmond Dekker (Bonus Tracks) - Trojan (2006)
Early solo singles
- "Honour Your Mother and Father" (1963) Island
Island Records is a record label that was founded by Chris Blackwell in Jamaica. It was based in England for many years, but is now owned by Universal Music Group and is operated in the United States through The Island Def Jam Music Group and in the UK through Island Records Group...
(as Desmond Dekker & Beverley's Allstars)
- "Parents" (1964) Island
- "King of Ska" (1964) Island (as Desmond Dekkar and his Cherry Pies)
- "Dracula" (1964) Black Swan (as Desmond Dekkar)
Desmond Dekker & the Four Aces
- "Generosity" (1965) Island
- "Get Up Adina" (1965) Island
- "This Woman" (1965) Island
- "Mount Zion" (1965) Island
Desmond Dekker & the Aces
- "007 (Shanty Town)" (1967) - Doctor Bird
- "Oh Holy Night" (1967) Doctor Bird
- "Wise Man" (1967) Pyramid
- "007 Shanty Town" (1967) Pyramid
- "It's a Shame" (1967) Pyramid
- "Rudy Got Soul" (1967) Pyramid
- "Rude Boy Train" (1967) Pyramid
- "Mother's Young Gal" (1967) Pyramid
- "Unity" (1967) Pyramid
- "Sabotage" (1967) Pyramid
- "It Pays" (1967) Pyramid
- "Beautiful and Dangerous" (1967) Pyramid
- "Bongo Gal" (1967) Pyramid
- "To Sir, With Love" (1967) Pyramid
- "Mother Pepper" (1967) Pyramid
- "Hey Grandma" (1967) Pyramid
- "Music Like Dirt (Intensified)" (1967) Pyramid
- "It Miek" (1968) Pyramid
- "Israelites
"Israelites" is a song written by Desmond Dekker and Leslie Kong that became a hit for Dekker's group, Desmond Dekker & The Aces. Although few could understand all the lyrics, the single was the first UK reggae number one and the first to crack the United States Top Ten...
" (1968) - Pyramid (UKThe UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record industry. The full chart contains the top 200 singles based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 of this list...
#1, U.S.The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday; while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
#9)
- "Christmas Day" (1968) Pyramid
- "It Miek
It Miek was a 1969 hit song by the Jamaican musicians, Desmond Dekker & The Aces. After being re-released in June 1969, the single reached number 7 in the UK Singles Chart...
" (1969) - Pyramid (UK #7)
- "Pickney Gal" (1969) - Pyramid (UK #42)
Later solo singles
- "You Can Get It If You Really Want" (1970) - Trojan
- "The Song We Used to Sing" (1970) Trojan
- "Licking Stick" (1971) Trojan
- "It Gotta Be So" (1972) Trojan
- "Beware" (1972) Rhino
- "Sing a Little Song" (1973) Rhino
- "Everybody Join Hands" (1973) Rhino
- "Busted Lad" (1974) Rhino
- "Israelites (re-recording)" (1975) - Cactus (UK #10)
- "Sing A Little Song" (1975) - Cactus (UK #16)
- "Roots Rock" (1977) Feelgood
- "Israelites (new mix)" (1980) Stiff
- "Please Don't Bend" (1980) Stiff
- "Many Rivers to Cross" (1980) Stiff
- "We Can and Shall" (1981) Stiff
- "Book of Rules" (1982) Stiff
- "Hot City" (1983) Stiff
- "Jamaica Ska" (1993) Trojan
External links