Under Dub Covers

I love reggae and dub and I love cover versions and it's been a while since I've posted either, so I've mashed them up in one (nearly) hour-long selection.

A 15-track compendium, mostly 21st Century, but with a clutch of 1970s classics thrown in for good measure. I couldn't decide between two Nicky Thomas covers so they both went in!

Nicky's in good company: Rhoda Dakar, 15 16 17, Hollie Cook, Brown Sugar, Xan Tyler, Earl 16, Dr. Israel, LSK, Peter Tosh, Suggs, Little Roy, Prince Fatty, Mad Professor and Adrian Sherwood.

Proof of concept, if needed, that every song should have a mandatory reggae version.
 

1) Everyday Is Like Sunday (Cover of Morrissey): Rhoda Dakar (2021)

2) Brain Damage (Cover of Pink Floyd): Easy Star All-Stars ft. Dr. Israel (2003)

3) Lola (Cover of The Kinks): Nicky Thomas (1974)

4) Love Will Tear Us Apart (Single Version) (Cover of Joy Division): Capitol 1212 ft. Earl Sixteen (2020)

5) Space Oddity (Dubmix) (Cover of David Bowie): Adrian Sherwood ft. LSK aka Leigh Kenny (2012) 

6) Here Comes The Sun (Single Version) (Cover of The Beatles): Peter Tosh & The Wailers (1971)

7) Lets Go Crazy (Cover of Prince & The Revolution): Radio Riddler ft. Suggs (2014)

8) Emotion (Album Version By Castro Brown & Dennis Bovell) (Cover of Samantha Sang): 15 16 17 (1978)

9) Lithium (Album Version By Prince Fatty) (Cover of Nirvana): Little Roy (2011)

10) And The Beat Goes On (Dub) (Cover of The Whispers): Prince Fatty & Hollie Cook (2012)

11) Guns Of Brixton (Manasseh Dub 5) (Remix By Nick Raphael) (Cover of The Clash): Dub Spencer & Trance Hill (2020)

12) Lay Lady Lay / In The Midnight Hour (Medley) (Cover of Bob Dylan / Wilson Pickett): Nicky Thomas (1972)

13) Hello Stranger (Cover of Barbara Lewis): Brown Sugar (1977)

14) Be Here To Love Me (Cover of Townes Van Zandt): Xan Tyler & Mad Professor (2021)

15) Master Blaster (Vocal Version) (Cover of Stevie Wonder): Dubby Wonder ft. Eugene Tambourine (2022) 

1971: Here Comes The Sun EP: 6

1972: Tell It Like It Is: 12

1974: Lola EP: 3

1977: Hello Stranger EP: 13

2003: Dub Side Of The Moon: 2

2005: Magic Touch: 8

2011: Battle For Seattle: 9

2012: Prince Fatty Presents Hollie Cook In Dub: 10

2012: Space Oddity EP: 5

2014: Purple Reggae: 7

2020: Guns Of Brixton EP: 11

2020: Love Will Tear Us Apart EP: 4

2021: Clarion Call: 14

2021: Everyday Is Like Sunday EP: 1

2022: Master Blaster EP: 15

Under Dub Covers (58:56) (GD) (M)

Nothing Compares

Celebrating Shuhada Sadaqat aka Sinéad O'Connor, 8th December 1966 to 26th July 2023. 

So much has been written about her in the hours since her passing, that I feel that there's nothing meaningful that I can add, other than she was an inspiration, fierce and defiant and passionate in the face of criticism, abuse and attack. I was heartbroken as she endured so many tragedies and low points and I hope she is now at rest, in peace, in power.

Although she changed her name several times, most recently in 2019, she continued to perform as Sinéad O'Connor. I only have a smattering of songs across her long and varied career, which is represented by the possibly more obscure choices on this selection. Twelve songs, half and half solo and collaborations, just over an hour and ending with an epic 13-minute remix of Fire On Babylon.

I have the album version of Nothing Compares 2 U (and a pretty dire Art Of Compilation remix from 1991), but I've included a 2019 performance on Irish TV which is the 'newest' song on this selection. The oldest - Heroine with The Edge from U2 - predates her debut album and appeared on the soundtrack to 1986 film Captive.

 

Shuhada Sadaqat has departed, but Sinéad O'Connor will live on through her music and the comfort, power and joy it's brought to so many.

 

1) What Your Soul Sings (Album Version): Massive Attack ft. Sinéad O'Connor (2003)

2) I Am Stretched On Your Grave (Apple Brightness Mix By Super DJ Dmitry & Jungle DJ Towa Towa) (Cover of 17th century Irish poem): Sinéad O'Connor (1990)

3) The Value Of Ignorance: Sinéad O'Connor (1990)

4)  I Would Die 4 U (Cover of Prince & The Revolution): Radio Riddler ft. Sinéad O'Connor (2014)

5) Dense Water, Deeper Down: Sinéad O'Connor (2014)

6) Empire: Bomb The Bass ft. Sinéad O'Connor & Benjamin Zephaniah (1995)

7) Heroine (Theme From 'Captive'): The Edge & Michael Brook ft. Sinéad O'Connor (1986)

8) I Want Your (Hands On Me) (Street Mix By Audio Two): Sinéad O'Connor ft. MC Lyte (1988)

9) Very Far From Home: Sinéad O'Connor (2012)

10) Nothing Compares 2 U (Live @ The Late Late Show, RTÉ One) (Cover of The Family): Sinéad O'Connor (2019)

11) Kindgom Of Rain: The The ft. Sinéad O'Connor (1989)

12) Fire On Babylon (Remix By John Reynolds): Sinéad O'Connor ft. Abdel Ali Slimani (1994)

1986: Captive OST: 7

1988: I Want Your (Hands On Me) EP: 8

1989: Mind Bomb: 11

1990: The Emperor's New Clothes EP: 2

1990: Three Babies EP: 3

1994: Thank You For Hearing Me EP: 12

1995: Clear: 6

2003: 100th Window: 1

2012: How About I Be Me (And You Be You)?: 9

2014: I'm Not Bossy, I'm The Boss: 5

2014: Purple Reggae: 4

2019: Live On The Late Late Show: 10

Nothing Compares (1:05:43) (KF) (Mega)

Tomorrow Is Promised To No One

We're well overdue for some reggae and dub sounds and, given the past 18 hours of continuous rain here at home, time to generate some indoor sunshine at least. Today's selection is fifteen tracks spanning six decades in a smidge under sixty minutes.

A Happy Dub from 1975 will immediately sound familiar. Tommy McCook & The Aggrovators deliver a dub of I'm Gonna Put It On (Feel The Spirit) by Johnny Clarke from the same year, itself a version of Put It On by Bob Marley & The Wailers, with a liberal helping of Ring Of Fire by Johnny Cash for added flavour. Very tasty indeed.

 

It's not the only cover: in addition to African Head Charge's electronic dub spin on a traditional song, Val Bennett covers The Dave Brubeck Quartet, whilst Radio Riddler (aka Brian Leiser and Frank Benbini from Fun Lovin' Criminals) deliver some Purple Reggae with a cover of Prince & The Revolution.

 

There are a few remixes thrown in from the 1980s, 1990s and 2000s by François Kevorkian, Mad Professor and Central Nervous System, alongside the original masters Bunny Lee, King Tubby and Lee 'Scratch' Perry.

 

Adrian Sherwood is at the controls for three tracks: a couple of stone cold classics from African Head Charge and Singers & Players and a new song from Country Dub artist Jeb Loy Nichols from the latest (volume 8) in the excellent Pay It All Back series on On-U Sound.

 

Playing this on a soggy Sunday morning had the desired effect: twenty five minutes in, the rain stopped and the sun started to pierce through the haze. May the sun shine brightly - but not searingly - on your day, wherever you are.

 

1) A Happy Dub: Tommy McCook & The Aggrovators (1975)

2) What Does A Man Do All Day?: Jeb Loy Nichols (2022)

3) Getting Cozy (12" Mix By Phil Mathias): The In Crowd (1979)

4) Give You All The Love (Mad Professor Dubtronic Mix): Mishka (1999)

5) The Russians Are Coming (Cover of 'Take Five' by The Dave Brubeck Quartet): Val Bennett (1967)

6) Stebeni's Theme (Cover of traditional song): African Head Charge (1981)

7) Rasta Congo Dub: The Congos (2006)

8) Roots Radical (12" Version By François Kevorkian): Jimmy Cliff (1983)

9) Dub So: The Upsetters (1978)

10) My Woman (Part 1): Bim Sherman (1979)

11) Show Us The Way: Dennis Brown (1975)

12) Take Me With U (Cover of Prince & The Revolution): Radio Riddler ft. Deborah Bonham (2014)

13) Make A Joyful Noise: Singers & Players (1984)

14) D-60 Fights The Evil Force (Dub) (Remix By Central Nervous System aka Joe Fearon): The Dead 60s (2005)

15) Ordinary Version Dub: Impact All Stars (1973)

1967: The Russians Are Coming EP: 5 

1973: Java Java Java Java: 15

1975: Just Dennis: 11

1975: King Tubby Meets The Agrovators At Dub Station: 1

1978: Think So EP (by The Meditations): 9

1979: Getting Cozy / Marcus Garvey Back In Town EP: 3

1979: Lovers Leap: 10

1981: My Life In A Hole In The Ground: 6 

1983: Treat The Youths Right EP: 8

1984: Leaps & Bounds: 13

1999: Give You All The Love EP: 4 

2005: The Dead 60s / Space Invader Dub (ltd 2x CD): 14

2012: Dub Feast: 7

2014: Purple Reggae: 12

2022: Pay It All Back Vol. 8: 2

 

Tomorrow Is Promised To No One (59:59)