Laurel Aitken
Says Fire
CD
"Widely acclaimed as both ‘The Godfather of Ska’ and ‘The High Priest of Reggae’, Laurel Aitken’s influence upon the modern Jamaican music industry is nothing short of profound. After becoming the island’s first major recording star, he relocated to the UK in 1960 where he proved instrumental in making Ska an international phenomenon, a feat he repeated with Reggae a few years later. He remained active musically over the years that followed, finally breaching the British Pop charts with ‘Rudi Got Married’ in 1980, and continued to record and tour extensively well into the 21st century. But tragically in 2005, he passed away after suffering a heart attack after almost half a century in the business. 1969 proved a crucial year in the development of Jamaican music. Reggae had just superceded Rock Steady in becoming the island’s national sound, with the new exciting style swiftly embraced by a fast developing British working class youth movement noted for their smart, functional clothing and cropped hair – Skinheads. So it was in such an environment that leading independent Doctor Bird Records released Laurel Aitken’s long awaited second album, ‘Laurel Aitken Says Fire’, a collection comprised of his most popular singles from the preceding months along with previously unreleased material. Unsurprisingly, the LP became an immediate best-seller, its success only hindered by the record company’s sudden and unexpected demise soon after."
Tracklisting
1 Fire (In Your Wire)
2 Worried Over Me - The Classics
3 Halfway To Paradise
4 Coconut (Water)
5 Quando Quando Quando
6 If You Need Me
7 La La La (Means I Love You)
8 Rice And Peas
9 Stand By Me
10 Sunnyside (Swimming Pool) - The Detours
11 Mr. Lee
12 Gonna Get Married
Bonus tracks
13 Birmingham Girl
14 Reggae Prayer
15 Deliverance Will Come
16 The Rise And Fall (Of Laurel)
17 If You're Not Black
18 Heile Heile (The Lion)
19 Carolina
20 Kingston Town (aka Jamaica Farewell)
21 Think Me No Know
22 Loch Ness Monster
LRP £10.99 - discounted to...
