Emma Tucker - I Don't Have To Worry / Something To Tell Jesus

Gospel Sunday with Emma Tucker and Nashboro Records!

Don't know too much about Emma Tucker but she's got a very sultry voice for the music that she is singing. The music on both sides is piano, organ, and minimal drums with Tucker singing a bluesy, distraught gospel; two similar, but enjoyable tracks. It turns out that she put out about 5 singles with Nashboro between 1962 and 1967, eventually adorning the name Sister Emma Tucker. This track is from 1963 and unfortunately, I can't find any more information about the rest of her music career, but enjoy this one.

Listen and download here:
A-side: Emma Tucker - I Don't Have To Worry
B-side: Emma Tucker - Something To Tell Jesus

Roy Milton - Christmas Time Blues / Oh Babe!

Merry Christmas!

I have grown a liking to the Specialty label for their look at black soul, gospel, blues, and rock music in the middle of the 20th century. All of the records I have heard are full of soulful emotion and vigor, not to mention tremendous musicianship.

Roy Milton began his musical career in the early 1940s and, by 1945, had gained significant popularity and expanded his trio to a septet (The Solid Senders). These tracks are from late 1950 and were released in time for holiday season. The a-side 'Christmas Time Blues' is a slower-paced blues track with instrument solos taking on Christmas carols with bluesy overtones. The b-side, "Oh Babe," is a faster, jump R&B hit with some impressive brass. On both tracks, Milton's voice cuts through with a gritty warmth.

Listen and download here:
A-side: Roy Milton - Christmas Time Blues
B-side: Roy Milton - Oh Babe!

Bob Marley & The Wailers - Mellow Mood / Mellow Mood In Dub

The Wailers started their own label, Wail' N' Soul' M records (for Wailers And Soulettes Music) in 1966 after a string of hits with "Sir Coxsone" Dodd at Studio 1. Here, they were able to record extensively and produce a handful of hits without having to pay rights to an external producer or label. The song "Stir It Up" saw its original release on Wail' N' Soul' M records.

This track, "Mellow Mood," was recorded in 1966, released in 1967, and appears here on this Wail' N' Soul' M re-release 40 years later, in 2007. The track has Bob Marley singing lead with Peter Tosh and Rita Marley sharing harmony duties. This song was later re-recorded in 1968 with the JAD label, with goals of marketing in the US music scene. However, this US-focused marketing would not come true until Island picked up The Wailers in the early 70s.

Listen and download here:
A-side: Bob Marley & The Wailers - Mellow Mood
B-side: Bob Marley & The Wailers - Mellow Mood In Dub

The Meters - Sophisticated Cissy / Sehorns Farms

Listen and download here:
A-side: The Meters - Sophisticated Cissy
B-side: The Meters - Sehorns Farms

The Jiving Juniors - I'll Be Here When He Comes / The Soul Vendors - Real Dub

The Jiving Juniors were a Jamaican vocal group that formed in the late 50s and lasted through the early 60s. This period saw the Jamaican folk/mento music of the 50s combine with hints of the soul and rock music coming from the US. The early 60s showcase reggae music as it was forming and ultimately transforming through the ska and rocksteady movements of the later 60s. Combining all of these elements, "I'll Be Here When He Comes" has an uptempo, jump beat that shows resemblance to a 12 bar blues pattern. There's an awesome refrain with guitar and sax solos to boot so check it out! Derrick Harriott, one of the singers of the group, went on to larger success as a solo artist, and I have a single or two of his that I'll certainly upload in the future.

The b-side is in terrible, terrible condition, but I plan on including both sides of everything I upload, so here it is for continuity. Whereas many reggae singles include a vocal-less 'version' on the b-side, many feature an instrumental cut from the studio house band, and that's what "Real Dub" is here. A cool song, if it weren't for the scratches and skips.

This song is from 1961, but this record is likely a repressing from the early/mid 60s. From what I have read, the '(Scorcher)' marking for the Coxsone label was used on many repressings for tracks that sold well or managed to get a crowd moving.

Listen and download here:
A-side: The Jiving Juniors - I'll Be Here When He Comes
B-side: The Soul Vendors - Real Dub

The Melodians - Rivers Of Babylon / Version

"Rivers of Babylon" is an absolute classic roots reggae tune from 1969 that was later covered and popularized by Sublime. The Melodians were one of Jamaica's top vocal groups of the late 60s and early 70s and the harmonies here showcase that fact. Much of Jamaica's roots reggae deals with the spiritual life of the Rastafari and their religious past, and these lyrics are witness:

"By the rivers of Babylon,
Where he sat down,
And there he went,
When he remembered Zion.

For the wicked carried us away, captivity,
Required from us a song,
How can we sing King Alpha's song in a strange land?"

As far as I understand, Zion is the promise land, gifted by Jah, that is free of from the oppression of Babylon. Zion is identically tied to Africa and more specifically, Ethiopa under the kingship of Haile Selassie I. Consequentially, the story and ideology of the Rastafari doctrine (and the earlier Marcus Garvey doctrine) deals with the stealing of black people from Africa and their transportation to the west. I believe Babylon refers to the western culture and the oppression and subordination of the African race over the centuries. But I'm no expert on either doctrine so we'll leave it at that for now.. just download and enjoy!

Listen and download here:
A-side: The Melodians - Rivers Of Babylon
B-side: Beverley's All-Stars - Version

Dixie Hummingbirds - Come Ye Disconsolate / Our Prayer For Peace

Gospel Sunday with the Dixie Humminbirds!

The Dixie Hummingbirds date to 1928 and having survived the decades with lineup changes, 2they are still receiving honors. They had a short stint with Decca records in the end of the 30s, various releases through the 40s, and a lasting string of releases with Peacock in the 50s and 60s.

This 45 is from 1964 and the front side, "Come Ye Disconsolate" is a traditional gospel hymn performed as a waltz with stunning harmony; these guys can sing. I like the backside, "Our Prayer For Peace," much better though. It's a real swampy, bluesy plea for racial peace, with plenty more vocal harmonies.

Listen and download here:
A-side: Dixie Hummingbirds - Come Ye Disconsolate
B-side: Dixie Hummingbirds - Our Prayer For Peace

Beastie Boys - Intergalactic / Peanut Butter & Jelly

Everyone has heard Beastie Boy's "Intergalactic," so I'm not posting this for that track, but rather, the backside, "Peanut Butter & Jelly." It's an instrumental track and its warm and funky as all get out. I tried to find out a bit about the song and it looks as though it was only released on CD with the "Body Moving" single and then on the Australian release of Hello Nasty. That's all I know though, check it out for yourself!

Listen and download here:
A-side: Beastie Boys - Intergalactic
B-side: Beastie Boys - Peanut Butter & Jelly

The Mohawks - Let It Be / Looking Back

I don't know much at all about about the Mohawks, but I can say this is a pretty killer cover of The Beatles "Let It Be."

The label this is on, Supreme, was a subsidiary to the UK's Pama Records (see the circle with PAMA on the record?). Pama was one of the largest reggae distributors in the late 60s and early 70s and Supreme was just one of their many sub-labels. Others included Camel, Bullet, Crab, and Unity. Pama wasn't solely reggae though, they also dabbled in soul, which is somewhat apparent on the b-side. Anyway, this one is from 1970 and I say download!

Listen and download here:
A-side: The Mohawks - Let It Be
B-side: The Mohawks - Looking Back

The Wailers - Dancing Shoes / Peter Tosh - Don't Look Back

Everybody knows the Wailers from Bob Marley's mega-hits (anything off Legend), but few dive much deeper in to the Wailers catalog. Bob Marley & The Wailers hit the international scene in the 70s but had been a Jamaican favorite since their first single in 1964, "Simmer Down." In their developmental years, the Wailers recorded hundreds of takes at the famed Studio One. At the time, the Wailers vocal section included Bob Marley, Peter Tosh, and Bunny Wailer, with lead and harmony duties shared by all three.

The two songs here are from '66. "Dancing Shoes" features lead Bunny Wailer with harmonies by Tosh and "Don't Look Back" has Tosh singing lead and Bunny on harmonies. Both of these tracks also have Constantine Walker, a short-lived Wailers member, singing harmony.

Interestingly, the b-sides label has the Peter Tosh as 'Peter Touch & The Chorus' a moniker used on just a few of his earliest singles. Tosh must have liked "Don't Look Back" because he later re-recorded it as a duet with The Rolling Stones' Mick Jagger (available on his album Bush Doctor).

Early Wailers singles are largely sought out by reggae collectors, and this one is not an easy find. Also, this being an original pressing makes it one of the rarer 45s I have in my collection. Unfortunately, coming from 1966 and Jamaica, it's not the cleanest record.

Listen and download here:
A-side: The Wailers - Dancing Shoes
B-side: Peter Touch & The Chorus - Don't Look Back

Sam Cooke - I'll Come Running Back To You / Forever

Sam Cooke got his start in soul singing gospel with The Soul Stirrers for the Specialty label. The Soul Stirrers had been around long before Cooke's time and proved to be a birthing ground his immense talent. During his time recording gospel cuts at with them at Specialty, Cooke began exploring his talent as an r&b crossover act. 1957's "I'll Come Running Back To You" is a classic example of this and stands as one of Cooke's earliest r&b singles and one of his best selling Specialty singles. This is a beautiful track with his soft vocals and perfectly fitting instrumentation. The b-side here, "Forever," is another good cut, but "I'll Come Running Back To You" is the real gem.

If you haven't heard Sam Cooke before, you need this. And if you have, well you still need it!

Listen and download here:
A-side: Sam Cooke - I'll Come Running Back To You
B-side: Sam Cooke - Forever