Track Listing

1. My Boy Lollipop
2. Puppet on a String
3. Oh Carolina
4. Pressure & Slide
5. Schooling the Duke
6. Ride Your Donkey
7. Carry Go Bring Come
8. No Woman, No Cry
9. Cherry Oh Babe
10. Life Is Just for Living

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #484246 in Music
• Released on: 1997-10-28

Amazon.com
Having single-handedly raised soca's quotient in reggae-ruled Jamaica, the hard-working and resourceful Byron Lee now casts his eye at the most "skalicious" tunes of the '60s, covering everything in this set from Millie Small's "My Boy Lollipop," Jamaica's first international smash hit, to Bob Marley's reggae love anthem, "No Woman No Cry." This selection does speak to Lee's impeccable taste. Prince Buster's "Oh Carolina" has enjoyed at least nine lives at the hands of various artists, including through Shaggy's funkified treatment. "Carry Go Bring Come," originally recorded by its writer, Justin Hinds, with the Dominos, is a paradigm of ska's cheerful shuffle, instrumental chaos, and jaunty horn sections counterpointing a sour social message--in this case, aimed at the wife of Jamaica's first prime minister, Lady Bustamante. "Cherry Oh Baby" is one of ska's most persuasive musical seductions. The overview provided by Lee's interpretations of these golden nuggets shows Jamaican music in the early '60s finding its own voice and expression, and while he and his band deliver crisp renditions, this collection should send listeners scurrying for compilations featuring the tunes as recorded by the original artists. --Elena Oumano

Customer Reviews

Mediocre to Poor
This CD lacks any punch. Byron Lee & the Dragonaires have the sound of a cocktail lounge house band. Tolorable but not anthing to go out of your way for. This particular Byron Lee aulbum actually includes the the "& Friends" in the title which combined with "Ska-Rock Steady" induced me to give it them another try. In this case "Friends" were often worse then Byron Lee. For example the first track "My Boy Lillypop" features Spencer, Roberts and is "screetchy." IT set my nerves on edge. If you want Ska buy Ska, if you want Raggae buy Ska but don't bother with this.