Similar Albums:
- Artist:
Various Artists - Release Date: September 28, 1999
- Total Time: 384:21
- Type: Collection (various artists), Box set
- Genre: Reggae
Review
Try to ignore the cheesy packaging and the even cheesier compilation title. This six-disc set, which lists at around $20, is not only a world-class bargain, but it's also one of the better surveys of roots and early dancehall reggae ever put together. Usually these super-bargain reggae box sets are filled with second-rate cover versions by unknown artists or hack work from tour-guide darlings like Byron Lee & the Dragonaires, but on this one, the quality is surprisingly consistent. There are a few unknown mediocrities like Dreadline and the Blackstones on the 108-song program, but the vast bulk of the artists represented are top-notch: Johnny Clarke, Alton Ellis, Marcia Griffiths, the Heptones, Dennis Brown, and even criminally under-anthologized performers like George Faith and the Paragons make appearances -- most of them appear five or six times. Griffiths delivers the Bunny Wailer classic "Dreamland"; John Holt does a credible version of "In the Midnight Hour"; and Bob Marley weighs in with "Soul Rebel." There are lots of reggae version of 1960s and '70s pop hits ("Unchained Melody," "Release Me," etc.), which are always lots of fun. Highly recommended. ~ Rick Anderson, All Music GuideTracks
CD 1
| Track Title | Composers | Performers | Time |
| Diana | Paul Anka | The Heptones | (3:49) |
| One Step Forward (Two Steps Back) | Leonard Dillon | Leonard Dillon | (3:16) |
| Stick by Me | John Holt, |
John Holt | (3:20) |
| She's Faced the Hardest Times | (3:33) | ||
| Corner Stone | Bob Marley | Bob Marley | (2:24) |
| Spanish Harlem | Jerry Leiber, Phil Spector | Delroy Wilson | (3:43) |
| Control Yourself | (4:01) | ||
| In the Heart of the City | Gregory Isaacs | (3:38) | |
| Johnny Dollar | (3:45) | ||
| The First Time I Saw You | The Paragons | (3:24) | |
| Lover's Paradise | Dennis Brown, John Holt | Dennis Brown | (4:39) |
| Nothing Matters (When You're Young) | (3:51) | ||
| Do It Sweet | Jackie Edwards | Jackie Edwards | (3:34) |
| Cry Not for Me | Alton Ellis | (2:29) | |
| Trick in the Book | Cornel Campbell | Cornel Campbell | (3:16) |
| Have I Told You Lately That I Love You | (3:44) | ||
| Let Me Rock You | Yellowman, The Paragons | (4:00) | |
| Hey Love | John Holt | John Holt | (3:40) |
CD 2
| Track Title | Composers | Performers | Time |
| The Name of the Game (Is Survival) | Leonard Dillon | Leonard Dillon | (3:22) |
| Sha La La La | The Heptones | (3:11) | |
| Soul Shakedown Party | Bob Marley | Bob Marley | (3:05) |
| Brothers Don't Give Up | Gregory Isaacs | Gregory Isaacs | (3:37) |
| That's All I Want | The Paragons | (3:49) | |
| Trumpet Sounding | (3:50) | ||
| Suzette | (3:50) | ||
| Suspicious Minds | (3:30) | ||
| Peacemaker | John Holt | John Holt | (3:24) |
| You've Got Me Going Crazy | Bunny Lee, Delroy Wilson | Delroy Wilson | (4:40) |
| Baby I Love You | Ronnie Shannon | Alton Ellis | (2:07) |
| Full Metal Jacket | Yellowman, The Paragons | (3:39) | |
| Where I Stand | Cornel Campbell | Cornel Campbell | (3:16) |
| Please Stay | Burt Bacharach | (7:12) | |
| You Are Sugar and Spice | Dennis Brown | Dennis Brown | (3:33) |
| Let Me Go Girl | Jackie Edwards | Jackie Edwards | (3:00) |
| Soul Rebel | Bob Marley | Bob Marley | (3:17) |
| 400 Years | Bob Marley, Peter Tosh | Bob Marley | (2:31) |
CD 3
| Track Title | Composers | Performers | Time |
| Good Thing Going | Sugar Minott | Sugar Minott | (3:15) |
| Move on Up | Curtis Mayfield | Devon Russell | (3:51) |
| Dreamland | Marcia Griffiths | (3:16) | |
| Train to Skaville | Leonard Dillon, |
Leonard Dillon | (2:49) |
| Cheer Up | Bob Marley | Bob Marley | (2:01) |
| Nice and Easy Feeling | (3:38) | ||
| I'll Be Lonely | John Holt | John Holt | (2:18) |
| Promise to Be True | Gregory Isaacs | Gregory Isaacs | (3:21) |
| In Love With a Beautiful Woman | Delroy Wilson | (3:06) | |
| Wolves and Leopards | Dennis Brown | Dennis Brown | (2:38) |
| The Border | (3:37) | ||
| Maddening Crowd | The Paragons | (3:23) | |
| Love Trap | Cornel Campbell | Cornel Campbell | (3:28) |
| Between the Sheets | The Heptones | (4:51) | |
| Never Too Much Love | Curtis Mayfield | Devon Russell | (3:28) |
| Truly | Marcia Griffiths | Marcia Griffiths | (2:34) |
| I Love My Girl | John Holt | John Holt | (3:00) |
| What's Going On | Marvin Gaye, |
Delroy Wilson | (3:24) |
CD 4
| Track Title | Composers | Performers | Time |
| Adam and Eve | Bob Marley | Bob Marley | (3:05) |
| Murder in the Dance Hall | Gregory Isaacs | Gregory Isaacs | (3:35) |
| Keep on Moving | Bob Marley, Curtis Mayfield | Devon Russell | (3:32) |
| Beggie, Beggie | The Heptones | (4:14) | |
| Tell Me Now | Marcia Griffiths | Marcia Griffiths | (3:32) |
| Do That to Me One More Time | Toni Tennille | Delroy Wilson | (3:44) |
| Now We Know | Sugar Minott | (3:14) | |
| Children of Israel | Dennis Brown | Dennis Brown | (3:07) |
| Perhaps, Perhaps, Perhaps | (3:36) | ||
| Dedicated to You | The Paragons, Yellowman, The Paragons | (3:47) | |
| Sweet Marie | Jackie Edwards | Jackie Edwards | (3:47) |
| Try Once More | (4:00) | ||
| Stealing Stealing | John Holt, |
John Holt | (2:37) |
| Why | Alton Ellis | Alton Ellis | (2:05) |
| I Need Her | The Paragons | (3:30) | |
| Tenderness | Patrick Williams | The Heptones | (3:21) |
| Make It With You | David Gates | Sugar Minott | (3:29) |
| Lately Girl | Dennis Brown | Dennis Brown | (2:08) |
CD 5
| Track Title | Composers | Performers | Time |
| Only a Smile | John Holt | (3:28) | |
| Walking Man | (4:06) | ||
| Give Me Love | Johnny Clarke | Johnny Clarke | (3:14) |
| Unchained Melody | Alex North, Hy Zaret | Jackie Edwards | (4:10) |
| More Axe | Bob Marley, Lee "Scratch" Perry | Bob Marley & the Wailers | (3:33) |
| You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin' | Barry Mann, Phil Spector, Cynthia Weil | Sugar Minott | (2:23) |
| Please Stay [Disco Style] | Burt Bacharach | (7:05) | |
| Goodbye My Love | (4:18) | ||
| Love and Protection | (4:02) | ||
| Release Me | John Holt | (3:06) | |
| Honey I Love You | Alton Ellis | Alton Ellis | (2:36) |
| My Heart Is Bleading | Gregory Isaacs | (3:42) | |
| Honey | Bert Russell | Delroy Wilson | (3:41) |
| Dread Prophesy | Leonard Dillon | Leonard Dillon | (3:25) |
| Head on Straight | The Heptones | (3:22) | |
| Stay | Marcia Griffiths | (4:14) | |
| Much Too Young | (3:54) | ||
| Rainbow Warriors | (4:11) |
CD 6
| Track Title | Composers | Performers | Time |
| Dance to the Music | Johnny Clarke | Johnny Clarke | (3:09) |
| Are You Lonesome Tonight? | Roy Turk, Lou Handman | Jackie Edwards | (3:27) |
| Ain't That Peculiar | Smokey Robinson, Warren "Pete" Moore, Marvin Tarplin, |
Delroy Wilson | (3:34) |
| Ridin' High | John Holt | (5:20) | |
| Groovin' | (3:52) | ||
| Brand New Second Hand (Lyrics) | Bob Marley, Peter Tosh, Lee "Scratch" Perry | Bob Marley | (3:07) |
| Survival | Sonia Pottinger | Marcia Griffiths | (3:21) |
| In the Midnight Hour | Steve Cropper, Wilson Pickett | John Holt | (4:28) |
| Got to Tell the People | Cornel Campbell | Cornel Campbell | (3:01) |
| External Fire | (3:35) | ||
| Souls Keep Burning | Dennis Brown | Dennis Brown | (4:23) |
| We the People Who Are Darker Than Blue | Curtis Mayfield | Devon Russell | (4:08) |
| Dirty Streets | The Paragons | (3:20) | |
| Susa Pan Rasta | The Heptones | (3:30) | |
| Feed the Fire (Fan the Flame) | Leonard Dillon | Leonard Dillon | (3:16) |
| Mona Lisa | Ray Evans, Jay Livingston | Jackie Edwards | (4:40) |
| Lift Yourself Up | Johnny Clarke | Johnny Clarke | (3:18) |
| When You Love a Girl | (5:02) |
