Leaving Normal: Desmond Dekker
It’s a sad weekend for all ska fans all over the world. One of the original ska forefathers, Desmond Dekker had “kicked the bucket” due to heart attack at his home in the UK on Thursday, May 25th.
Like everyone else who discovered the power of great music in the punk years of late 70s, Desmond Dekker was introduced to me by the post-punk-era ska-revivalist 2-Tone bands such as The Specials, The Selecters, Madness, The Beat, Bad Manners etc.
These bands infused punk rock’s urgency, left-wing politics and raw recklessness with the chugging, dance-heavy vibrancy of ska, the precursor to reggae. Most of the 2-Tone bands started out covering tunes from the 60s Jamaican originators such Prince Buster, The Skatalites and of course, Desmond Dekker. The Specials even went on to do an album with the man in 1993, when some of the band members decided to reform and play the revival circuit.
The video above is a live capsule of Desmond Dekker performing (miming!) the song “Israelites”, his 1969 hit that topped the UK charts, making him the first international reggae artist, way before Bob Marley hijacked the claim.
initial reports: bbc.co.uk / jamaica-gleaner.com
Singalong to the song!
The Israelites
Get up in the morning, slaving for bread, sir,
so that every mouth can be fed.
Poor me, the Israelite. Aah.
Get up in the morning, slaving for bread, sir,
So that every mouth can be fed.
Poor me, the Israelite. Aah.
My wife and my kids, they are packed up and leave me.
Darling, she said, I was yours to be seen.
Poor me, the Israelite. Aah.
Shirt them a-tear up, trousers are gone.
I don’t want to end up like Bonnie and Clyde.
Poor me, the Israelite. Aah.
After a storm there must be a calm.
They catch me in the farm. You sound the alarm.
Poor me, the Israelite. Aah.
Poor me, the Israelite.
I wonder who I’m working for.
Poor me, Israelite,
I look a-down and out, sir
official website: desmonddekker.com
dah ajal dia…nak wat cmner…
Song Of Freedom -Robert Nesta Marley-