Track Listing

Disc 1:

1. Oh Carolina - The Folkes Brothers
2. Boogie in My Bones - Laurel Aitken
3. Midnight Track - Owen Gray
4. Easy Snappin' - Theophilus Beckford
5. Housewives Choice - Derrick Morgan, Patsy Todd
6. Forward March - Derrick Morgan
7. Miss Jamaica - Jimmy Cliff
8. My Boy Lollipop - Millie Small
9. Six and Seven Books of Moses - The Maytals, The Maytals
10. Simmer Down - The Wailers
11. Man in the Street - Don Drummond
12. Carry Go Bring Come - Justin Hinds & Dominoes
13. Guns of Navarone - The Skatalites
14. Al Capone - Prince Buster
15. Hard Man Fe Dead - Prince Buster
16. Tougher Than Tough - Derrick Morgan
17. Girl I've Got a Date - Alton Ellis
18. Happy Go Lucky Girl - The Paragons
19. Dancing Mood - Delroy Wilson
20. Train Is Coming - Ken Boothe
21. Take It Easy - Hopeton Lewis
22. Ba Ba Boom - The Jamaicans
23. 007 (Shanty Town) - Desmond Dekker
24. I've Got to Go Back Home - Bob Andy, Bob Andy
25. Queen Majesty - The Techniques
26. Loving Pauper - Dobby Dobson
27. Don't Stay Away - Phyllis Dillon

Disc 2:

1. Israelites - Desmond Dekker
2. 54-46 That's My Number - The Maytals, The Maytals
3. Reggae Hit the Town - The Ethiopians
4. Wet Dream - Max Romeo
5. My Conversation - The Uniques
6. Bangarang - Stranger Cole, Stranger Cole, Lester Sterling
7. Return of Django - The Upsetters
8. Liquidator - Harry J All-Stars
9. Rivers of Babylon - The Melodians
10. Harder They Come - Jimmy Cliff
11. Young Gifted and Black - Bob & Marcia
12. Wake the Town - U-Roy
13. How Long - Pat Kelly
14. Double Barrel - Ansel Collins, Dave Collins, Dave & Ansel Collins
15. Blood & Fire - Winston Niney Holness
16. Cherry Oh Baby - Eric Donaldson
17. Better Must Come - Delroy Wilson
18. Money in My Pocket - Dennis Brown
19. Stick by Me - John Holt
20. Teach the Children - Dennis Alcapone
21. $.90 Skank - Big Youth
22. Everything I Own - Ken Boothe
23. Westbound Train - Dennis Brown
24. Move Out of Babylon - Johnny Clarke
25. Curly Locks - Junior Byles

Disc 3:

1. Country Boy - The Heptones
2. Welding - I-Roy
3. Marcus Garvey - Burning Spear
4. Right Time - The Mighty Diamonds
5. Natty Sing Hit Songs - Roman Stewart
6. Ballistic Affair - Leroy Smart
7. Tenement Yard - Jacob Miller
8. War Ina Babylon - Max Romeo
9. Police & Thieves - Junior Murvin
10. Two Sevens Clash - Culture
11. I'm Still Waiting - Delroy Wilson
12. No Woman, No Cry - Bob Marley
13. Uptown Top Ranking - Althia and Donna
14. Number One - Gregory Isaacs
15. Bredda Gravalicious - Wailing Souls
16. River Jordan - Sugar Minott
17. Armagideon Time - Willie Williams
18. Guess Who's Coming to Dinner - Black Uhuru
19. Fort Augustus - Junior Delgado
20. Joggin' - Freddie McGregor
21. Sitting and Watching - Dennis Brown

Disc 4:

1. Night Nurse - Gregory Isaacs
2. Mad Over Me - Yellowman
3. Diseases - Michigan & Smiley
4. Water Pumping - Johnny Osbourne
5. Pass the Tu-Sheng-Peng - Frankie Paul
6. Here I Come (Broader Than Broadway) - Barrington Levy
7. Ring the Alarm - Tenor Saw
8. Under Me Sleng Teng - Wayne Smith
9. Tempo - Anthony Redrose
10. Boops - Super Cat, Supercat
11. Greetings - Half Pint
12. Punanny - Admiral Bailey
13. Hol' a Fresh - Red Dragon
14. Rumours - Gregory Isaacs
15. Cover Me - Ninjaman, Sly & Sal, Tinga Stewart
16. Legal Rights - Lady G, Papa San
17. Wicked Inna Bed - Shabba Ranks
18. Bandolero - Pinchers
19. Yuh Dead Now - Tiger
20. Bogle - Buju Banton
21. Murder She Wrote - Chaka Demus & Pliers
22. Oh Carolina - Shaggy

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #45323 in Music
• Released on: 1993-11-16
• Number of discs: 4
• Format: Box set

Amazon.com
Over the course of four CDs, this is the essential musical history of the loudest island in the world, with the emphasis on essential. It starts in the time before ska, and brings it all up to the dominance of dancehall in the '90s. Along the way there's ska, rocksteady, reggae, and dub; 95 great tracks, every single one a classic. About the only major artist not represented is Lee Perry, and his productions sneak in there. Steve Barrow's notes will carry you through the story. This is about as perfect as they come, in both form and content. Chris Nickson

Customer Reviews

Essential
Even a crazy baldhead like me feels the intensity of spirit and groove coming off this unmissable set! How on earth do you compress such an unbelievably diverse and rich musical heritage onto 4 CDs? By going for the absolute, no-arguments stone-cold classics, that's how. In truth, some categories (especially dub and ragga) are barely covered, but this was inevitable given the restrictions. For a definitive dub excursion, you'd probably be better off with Lee Perry's "Arkology". Regarding these limitations though....so what? What you get is awesome, vibe-packed SONGS fom end to end, and every smokin' riddim you ever skanked to in one version or another. I play this a LOT when visitors are over - frequently I return to theirs weeks later and find they've picked up their own copy. 'Nuff said. An awesome set. Roll up ;-)and check it. You won't be disappointed.

The perfect way to start your collection
I was a little worried when I got this that it was going to be slanted more in the direction of Island records contributions to distributing reggae music. However, I'm pleased that this collection is very well rounded and covers everything from the time before ska to 1993 ragga.

Really, there isn't a bum track on anyone of the 4 cds. Almost every track was an importaint Jamacian 45 and listening to the set all the way through, you can hear the progression of Jamacian music from the Folkes Brother's more traditional "Oh Carolina" to Shaggy's ragga revival of it in the 90's.

This set was a huge eye opener to me and has exposed me to a lot of artists I knew little about. The only thing I can find wrong is there really isn't any dub represented. Also, why not one Peter Tosh tune? Other wise, you have an essential set which will help any newbie figure out what to check out next.

Tough Iyah
Bought this CD in 1994 as a birthday Present to myself and buying it again because I had to give mine to a friend, who would not leave my house without it. A definitive collection, an absolute cannot do without, for cozy gatherings, subtle for background and in your face for a party mix. A must have for any home sick Jamaican far from the Beautiful shores of the origination of this mix. Yes Iyah.