Customer Reviews

Rockin Steady: Best of

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1992's "Rockin' Steady: The Best Of Desmond Dekker" is by far the best compilation ever done on Desmond Dekker. As opposed to the slip-shod, random, England-centered Trojan releases, "Rockin' Steady" is mainly based on Jamaican and American sources. That means including the 'B' side of the UNI "Israelites" 45 ("My Precious World--The Man") and the best cuts from Dekker's UNI 'Israelites' album, in the proper sequence. The CD booklet is a goldmine of information, much it derived from Jamaican newspapers and US Reggae experts. The artwork recalls Jamaica's classic BEVERLEYS label, which released most of these songs. All in all, a SUPER job by Rhino Records.

I don't know when the word reggae came into common use, or who really was the first reggae artist, but it has been well argued that Dekker was up near the front.

Not as dark as Marley, nor as rocking as Toots, Dekker's contribution to island music may have been the development of a really funky driving groove.

I am not always a fan of Rhino's over cleaning of old analogue masters, but in this case, it was very necessary.

According to the Rhino-typical detailed liner notes, much of the work on this CD comes from a tiny 4-track "studio" in the back of an ice cream shop.

Here's a note for music fans: Desmond Dekker is THE Desomond in the Beatle's song "Ob La Di Ob La Da." Apparently Paul was a huge fan of Desmonds.

Anyway...this CD is a load of fun. Is it reggae? Not really. Did Dekker influence Toots and later reggae artists? Almost certainly.

This is one of my most played CDs. Great for a long drive.

Oh! Here's a fun note: If you enjoy this restrained cut of "The Isrealites," you will really like the hot dance version Dekker cut for Stiff Records, available on the Rhino (again!) Stiff Box.

I have no idea what is happening to Rhino Records. They used to have so many great compilations. Their "Greatest Hits" CDs where better than all their competitors, with percise and dead-on song selection. What are they producing now? The greatest hits of Sugar Ray and Ole Diry Basterd. That wouldn't bother me so much, but all their great old compilarions are going out of print. Please, go back to being the greatest record label ever like you used to be. But enough of that rant. As for Desmond Dekker, if you only need a single album this is the one to pick up. Every song is a classic, showcasing his emense songwriting talents. He is by far one of my favorite Jamacian artists. To pick my favorite song is an impossible task. Most of his big classics is included on this disc, and each song contains incredible lyrics and songwriting skill. Many of his songs have gone on to become rude-boy anthems, and they are certainly worthy of that status. He could create an up-tempo ska tune and a mellow yet not at all weak rocksteady tune. Anyone who wants to venture beyond Bob Marley in the spectrum of Jamacian music has better check out Desmond Dekker.

I like reggae, but I'm hardly an expert. I first heard of Desmond Dekker after falling in love with "The Israelites" while wathcing "Drugstore Cowboy." I eventually bought this CD, and it's been a favorite for several years. It's a pretty comprehensive catalog of his best work, and there isn't a song on it I don't like.

I love me some Desmond Dekker and this album contains most of my favourite tracks. He shows his sentimental side but does not ignore reality. I would have to disagree that this album does not contain violence because 'Rude Boy Train' in its glorification of 60s Rude Boys is basically no diferent from gangsta rap ("Rude boy a loot and a shoot and a wail..."). Fantastic stuff.

I discovered this CD after watching "Drugstore Cowboy" and hearing "Israelites" again for the first time since childhood. Desmond Dekker truly is the godfather of reggae. The literature enclosed in this disk is very enlightening and casts new light on classics by the likes of Marley, Cliff, and Tosh. I would highly recommend this for any reggae aficionado in search of a history lesson. I have enjoyed listening to this disk for many an hour.

Bob Marley is by far the most famous reggae performer there has yet been, but even he probably owes some of his success to Desmond Dekker (born Desmond Dacres), who blazed the trail for reggae music in the sixties.

Desmond began his recording career in 1963 with Honour your father and mother. He had a long run of hits in his native Jamaica, many of them going to number one, eventually scoring internationally as well.

He made his debut in the UK charts in 1967, when 007 (inspired by James Bond, of course) made the top twenty. It seemed to be a one-off until, in 1969, Israelites went to the very top of the UK charts and also became a top ten American hit. It meik (a UK top ten hit) and You can get it if you really want (a number two UK hit in 1970) consolidated his reputation. Between those hits, Desmond had a minor UK hit with Pinckney girl.

The international hits dried up although Israelites was re-issued in 1975 and again made the UK top ten. A follow-up (Sing a sad song - not included here) made the UK top twenty. By that time, other reggae performers had emerged, foremost among them being Bob Marley.

So this collection contains the important international hits of Desmond Dekker, together with the best of his other recordings. It would take a lot more than a single CD to include all his Jamaican hits, but this is enough for most people.

You've heard him on soundtracks, you've heard ska kids drone on and on about him as the king and creator of their music and their scene and its culture, you've read that even the Beatles and the Clash were influenced by his sound and now you want to hear him for yourself. This disc is your best bet to become one of the initiates in one simple lesson. The selection of tracks reflect the development of Jamacian Pop from its native forms into the world export which kids in places like Manchester, Baltimore, Melbourne, Tokyo, and Munich still to the day cannot get enough of. This man's voice stirs the soul and his riddim moves the hips. Now if you are not exactly fluent in the Jamacian slang, you will have to listen closely to the lyrics to figure out what he is saying. But if you do figure it out, you will find Desmond is a man of great humanity, spirituality and social conscience. And a clever lyricist to boot. Personally, if I were stranded on a desert island and could only have ten records, I'd take ten copies of this one and wear them all out.

What a talent. This covers some of his more famous material. Chk it out. Every reggae fan should have 1 Desmond Decker disk in their collection.

1992's "Rockin' Steady: The Best Of Desmond Dekker" is by far the best compilation ever done on Desmond Dekker. As opposed to the slip-shod, random, England-centered Trojan releases, "Rockin' Steady" is mainly based on Jamaican and American sources. That means including the 'B' side of the UNI "Israelites" 45 ("My Precious World--The Man") and the best cuts from Dekker's UNI 'Israelites' album, in the proper sequence. The CD booklet is a goldmine of information, much it derived from Jamaican newspapers and US Reggae experts. The artwork recalls Jamaica's classic BEVERLEYS label, which released most of these songs. All in all, a SUPER job by Rhino Records.