by Robert Wilkinson

We extend our musical weekend to celebrate the birthday of one of Jamaica’s most loved musicians, Mister Desmond Dekker!

From wiki, “Desmond Dekker (16 July 1941 – 25 May 2006) was a Jamaican ska, rocksteady and reggae singer-songwriter and musician. Together with his backing group the Aces (consisting of Wilson James and Easton Barrington Howard), he had one of the earliest international reggae hits with "Israelites." Other hits include "007 (Shanty Town)," "It Mek," and "You Can Get It If You Really Want.” So today we dance to reggae music!

We’ll begin with his biggest hit! This was ALL over the radio waves in 1968-69! This is a fantastic performance from 1969 of “The Israelites”

Here he is on Jools Holland in 2004 performing very live! I found these gems! “The Israelites” and “007 (Shanty Town)”

A great 9 minute “Reggae at the BBC” clip of live performances of Bob Marley (“Exodus”- 1977), Desmond Dekker (“Israelites”- 1978), and Dennis Brown (“Money in My Pocket”- 1979)

Here are some of his studio hits, as well as lesser known offerings!

His first hit in Jamaica for Leslie Kong, this is proto-ska! “Honor Your Mother and Father” (1963)

From 1965, “Generosity”

From 1967, here’s the studio version of “Rude Boy Train”

From 1967, “007 (Shanty Town)”

From 1968, a contest winning tune! “Music Like Dirt (Intensified 68)”

From 1969, “It Mek”

Even though Jimmy Cliff rode this into the Top 10, Desmond brought it back and made it a hit again in 1970! “You Can Get It If You Really Want”

Taking a break from studio work, here’s Desmond live in London in 2002, where we have four! First, “Halfway to Paradise.” and next up, “Rude Boy Train.” We follow that with “Good Lovin’,” and close with “You Can Get It If You Really Want”

A few of his other releases!

From 1963, "Parents" and its flip side, “Labour For Learning”

From 1964, “King of Ska”

From 1965, “Mt. Zion”

From 1966, “Wise Man”

From 1967, “Rudy Got Soul”

From 1967, “Sabotage”

From 1969, “Problems”

From 1971, “Live and Learn”

From 1974, “Busted Lad”

From 1975, “No Place Like Home”

From 1975, “Sing A Little Song”

From 1978, “Baby Come Back”

Here’s a great 47 minute live show late in his career where he does all hit hits! Desmond Dekker in Concert – Live in London

We’ll close this celebration with a great clip from Soul Train in 1968 with a bunch of dancers kicking it up to “The Israelites”

For the encore, live on BBC tv, here’s our birthday boy in the groove delivering up “The Israelites”

© Copyright 2018 Robert Wilkinson