The Great Sound of Jamaica (2000)

About this title: This budget line three-disc set devotes a disc each to vintage ska, rocksteady and roots reggae sides, and either by design or due to the vagaries of Jamaican licensing policies, it avoids including the standard stuff that usually pops up on these kinds of collections. That's a plus, because while there are some familiar cuts here like the Ethiopians' "Engine 54" and Eric Donaldson's "Cherry Oh Baby," there are also relatively rare selections like Eric Morris' "Oil in My Lamp," Freddie McKay's "Rome" and an early Jimmy Cliff ska tune, "You're the One I Need," making this anthology a very ... read more

Tracks:

1. Bonanza Ska [Evans/Livingston]
2. Wings of a Dove [Traditional]
3. Occupation [Drummond]
4. Oil in My Lamp [Morris]
5. Jamaica Ska [Lazarus/Lee/Lyn]
6. You're the One I Need [Chambers]
7. Rough and Tough [Cole]
8. Green Island [Drummond]
9. My New Name [Hibbert/Gordon/McCa]
10. Easy Snappin' [Beckford]
11. Shame and Scandal [Elliot]
12. Choo-Choo Ska [Thelwell]
13. It's You [Hibbert/Gordon/McCa]
14. Boller Man [Beckford]
15. Hot Pops [White]
16. Bend Down Low [Marley]
17. Engine 54 [Dillon]
18. Glendevon Special [Smith]
19. Hypnotizing Eyes [Rowe/Harriott]
20. Sock It to Me [Harriott]
21. Give to Get [Samuels]
22. Darling Don't Do That [Eccles]
23. Ba Ba Boom [Cowan/Weir]
24. Just Like a River [Anderson/Cole]
25. Walk into the Dawn [Bart]
26. Things You Say You Love [Cowan/Weir]
27. What Will Your Mama Say [Eccles]
28. Nice Time [Marley]
29. Grooving Out on Life [Lewis]
30. Too Experienced [Anderson]
31. Reggae Me Dis, Reggae Me Dat [Gardiner]
32. Cherry Oh Baby [Donaldson]
33. Stoned in Love With You [Bell/Creed]
34. Johnny Too Bad [Beckford/Bailey/Cro]
35. Baby Don't Do It [Brown]
36. Dreamland [Livingston]
37. Black Equality [Smith]
38. (3 O'Clock) Road Block [Marley]
39. Let Me Be Your Special Guest [Isaacs]
40. Heart and Soul [Nooks]
41. Rome [Mudie]
42. Let the Wicked Run Away [Evans]

Note: This is a general synopsis. Each listing is further described below.