Customer Reviews

Knockout

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I bought this on cassette in the early 80's. This da one made me a Toots fan forever! It's an all time feel-good favorite album and goes a long way towards explaining why I'm such a fan of classic reggae.

This album seamlessly and slyly incorporates pedal steel guitar on some of the tunes, one of the slickest and most effective uses of the pedal steel I've ever heard. There's lots of well integrated organ playing throughout - very bubbly. It speaks volumes to Toots' musicianship and his openness to other influences. The production values on this album are a remarkable achievement.

There's a beautiful cycle of songs about relationships. "Beautiful Woman" is a hilarious tongue in cheek cautionary tale about the perils of beautiful women. In "Spend The Weekend", he's fed up and asks his partner to go "spend the weekend with your mother". "Two Time" is a classic been done wrong song, an eloquent mix of smoky anger, paranoia and plaintive vulnerability, using echo to heighten the tension. In "Missing You" Toots plays the victim. It's a beautiful song about heartbreak, as only Toots could sing it. "I Know We Can Make It" is a percolating request for his partner to stick by him... it would be hard to resist!

"Careless Ethiopians", "Revival Time" and "Never Get Weary" are nice statements about his faith and beliefs. "Never Get Weary" exemplifies the indomitable Jamaican spirit in the face of poverty and racism, a powerful indictment against colonialism's slavery past.

"Will You Be Kind" is an eloquent plea to remember the less fortunate that is sure to get under your skin. It would make a good anthem for today, as relevant as it ever was in 1981, as more and more people get left behind economically.
"You left me so far behind when you know I didn't have a dime `So sorry, sonny'
You left me so far behind - tell me, why you so unkind?
Will you be kind, will you be kind...
While eating your belly full?!"

All of these songs can be found on YouTube or MySpace. The CD is sadly out of print and it can only be hoped that the powers that be are persuaded to re-release this lost masterpiece. It hangs together seamlessly as a whole and the sum effect is greater than the parts. They sure named this album right, though - this album is a Knock Out!

"Never Get Weary"

I was down in the valley for a very long time
and I never get weary yet
I was born and raised in a little earth shack
with my poor family

I was from before Christopher Columbus
And I was from before the Arawak Indians
Trodding creation before this nation
I'll always remember I can't forget

I was walking on the shore when they put me on the ship
and they threw me overboard
And I swum right out of the belly of the whale
and I never get weary yet
They put me in jail and I did not do no wrong
and I never get weary yet

I first heard this album in London in about 1982 and loved it. Then it became impossible to get hold of - that is, ridiculously expensive - until when I bought it a few months ago. One of the truly great reggae/ska albums of all time!!

I loved this album when it was a cassette! It is a delight to have it again, on CD, and I am very pleased to receive it promptly and in excellent condition!

One of my favorite all time feel good albums. It's almost impossible to listen to this and not just kick back with a smile on your face. Toots voice is soulful and the band is tight and dynamic. Absolutely worth a listen, especially that it's all but disappeared and not frequently brought up in discussion about the group. This was the last album with the original lineup of the Maytals.

Very happy with this product, just as described, would defiantely reccomend this product, so very happy with this product.