Track Listing

1. Get up, Stand Up
2. Downpresser Man
3. I Am That I Am
4. Stepping Razor
5. Equal Rights
6. African
7. Jah Guide
8. Apartheid
9. Pick Myself Up [Live][#][*]
10. African [Live][#][*]

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #15326 in Music
• Brand: TOSH,PETER
• Released on: 1999-07-06
• Number of discs: 1
• Formats: Extra tracks, Original recording reissued, Original recording remastered
• Dimensions: .21 pounds

Album Description
2009 digitally remastered and expanded edition of this Reggae classic including two bonus tracks: live versions of 'Pick Myself Up' and 'African' recorded in '82. On 1977's Equal Rights, Tosh took a more militant stance; preaching about unity amongst the African diaspora, protesting conditions in South Africa, and elsewhere a more general call to arms. Tosh's singing is angry and forceful and the music is intricate and distinctive. The album propelled Tosh to the top of the Reggae world and remains among the handful of best, and most influential, Reggae albums ever recorded. The album features heavyweights of Jamaican music and members of The Wailers and Peter Tosh's backing band, Word, Sound and Power. These include: Bunny Wailer, Carlton and Aston Barrett, Sly & Robbie, Al Anderson, Rita Marley, Mikey Chung and others. 10 tracks. EMI.

Amazon.com
Even though Captured Live might be Peter Tosh's greatest recorded gift, this 1977 studio album was his best--by far--away from the stage. Equal Rights opens with two great salvos, "Get Up, Stand Up" and "Downpressor Man," both of them politically unequivocal in their support, aptly, of human rights and political equity. In his post-Wailers days, Tosh seemed ever in dialogue with his conscience and his obsession with Bob Marley's fame. Tosh sought a place for himself somewhere between reggae and pop (check out the Mick Jagger and Tosh duet, "(You Gotta Walk and) Don't Look Back" on the hits pack Scrolls of the Prophet). In itself, such a desire isn't at all surprising, but it did impact Tosh's music even on his best studio album. But even with any wrinkles, Equal Rights holds a spot firmly as one of the best reggae albums of the 1970s. In this reissue, it comes with a pair of live bonus tracks, "Pick Myself Up" and "African," both recorded live and charged with the best Tosh energy. --Andrew Bartlett

Customer Reviews

A Monument to Reggae and Classic Rock
I don't remember the first time I heard this album or where I bought it or how I even knew to buy it, but I've owned Peter Tosh's "Equal Rights" since I was 14 or 15 (well over 15 years ago now). I can't recall listening to reggae without listening to this and I loved it then as much as I enjoy it now. Growing up with it for half of my life and being one of my all time favorites, it was only a matter of time before I bought this digitally remastered set with bonus tracks by Columbia Records.

I have fond memories of sitting outside in the summertime listening to this album either with friends or by myself with no school and nothing to do; they seemed like simpler times. I never listened to a lot of "mainstream" music even as a teenager. My radio consisted of the CDs I owned (or borrowed) which was largely an assortment of Bob Marley, Peter Tosh, Toots & the Maytals and like artists preferring Reggae to most other music.

Being constantly around Reggae through friends and their older brothers, I like to think I had an ear for good Reggae even back then but the fact that I loved "Equal Rights" right away probably had a lot to do with my dad who raised me listening to Rock groups like Journey, Fleetwood Mac, Stevie Nicks etc. Because this album is an excellent crossover between both genres it's not hard to see why it appeals to me and so many other people as well. Of course, that doesn't mean most fans of Rock will like it. After all, it is still Reggae.

Peter Tosh's second solo album after leaving Bob Marley & the Wailers is definately his greatest (in studio). His music has matured significantly since his first album, "Legalize It" and backed by the "rhythm twins" Sly and Robbie, this album becomes a classic by monumental proportions. Many people argue that "Legalize It" is still better but the music for "Equal Rights" is much more unified, most of the songs sticking to the theme of the album while the tracks on "Legalize It" are remakes of old Peter Tosh singles ranging from politics to love to dance, making for a somewhat patchy (albeit, very good) set.

The beginning of this masterpiece sets the tone with his own political anthem "Get Up, Stand Up," which he originally wrote for "Burnin'" the Wailer's second album with Island. While the version he sang with Bob Marley may be more lively and even made it to Marley's greatest hits CD, "Legend," the Peter Tosh version we have here is the far superior one. I'm glad Tosh decided to remake this song for his second album. Still too few people know that he is the author of it and to see its lyrics on Bob Marley t-shirts and posters is especially annoying.

The standard of the set stays consistant throughout with brilliant reworkings of songs like "Downpresser Man," as well as original material like "I Am that I Am" and "Jah Guide." But Peter Tosh also went boldly where most Reggae artists at the time were afraid to go (Bob Marley included) with songs like the album's title track and also my personal favorite, "Apartheid." More than once would Peter Tosh's life be threatened because of his unwavering and outspoken stance on racial and political injustices in Afrcia and Jamaica. His very vocal opinion, on this album particularly, influenced many other Reggae artists to start speaking out as evidenced by Bob Marley's own tribute to African liberation, his classic "Survival" album released two years later.

Interestingly enough, what would become his signature song, "Stepping Razor" is the only track here that wasn't written by Peter Tosh himself. Joe Gibbs, an early Wailers mentor, originally wrote the song for Jamaica's annual song festival. Peter Tosh took it over and made it his own. It's the most commercialized song on the set and is almost too Rock n' Roll, but why carp. This album is an essential Reggae classic that needs to be listened too again and again.

10 star lp
Few lps in any genre can be defined as absolute classics. Reggae has a few such lp's (Burining Spear's "Marcus Garvey," the Wailers' "Catch a Fire," Big Youth's "Screaming Target," Lee Perry's "Arkology" box set), and among them is "Equal Rights," Peter Tosh's tour de force.

The tracks on this lp are second to none- Scatching, rebellious, on the edge, much like Tosh himself. Few lps have as potent a 1-2 opening punch as "Get Up Stand Up" and "Downpressor Man" offer this lp, only to be reinforced by the amazing "Stepping razor," "African," and "Apartheid" (Tosh's being the 1st vocal anti-apartheid song in reggae, so far as I know), and "I Am That I Am" and "Jah Guide" reinforce Tosh's roots credibility as a rastafarian. Add to that the 2 bonus live tracks and you have a nearly flawless lp.

Few lps have the complete start to finish impact of this one, and therefore this lp for me ranks with Burning Spear's "Marcus Garvey" lp as the most powerful in the history of reggae. An absolute must have in your reggae collection.

The Greatest Reggae Album Of All Time
This is the recording that started my ongoing 17-year love of reggae, and although I like a wide variety this is hands down still the best. Incredible sound production - perfect lush quality, so clean and fresh. The songs are so well written they (like Bob Marley's best) transcend the genre and simply belong in any music fan's collection. Even people who aren't reggae fans appreciate having this on 'cause it's all SO GOOD. Thanks Peter!