Smile Jamaica loves Jah-loween. Here is the Monster Menagerie from the Ark-ives:
Anti-christ/Mark of the Beast/666 – 7
Bats – 2
Bermuda Triangle – 1
Black magic – 9
Cemeteries & graveyards – 7
Demons – 6
Devil, Lucifer, Satan – 59
Dungeons – 6
Duppies & Jumbies (Jamaican ghosts) – 14
Exorcist – 1
Frankenstein – 5
Ghosts – 19
Halloween holiday – 5
Haunted houses – 2
Hell hounds -1
Loch Ness Monster – 1
Monsters – 4
Mr. Brown who rides around Trenchtown in a motorized coffin – 2
Mummies – 2
Obeah (Jamaican Black Magic) – 13
Skeletons – 2
Undertakers – 3
Vampires, Dracula and soap opera vampire Barnabas Collins – 63
Voodoo – 5
Werewolves – 4
Witches – 4
Zombies – 14
By my Liberal Arts math, that tallies up to over 260 Jah-loween gems. Plus all my horror soundbytes and movie trailers. (New additions in between the horrorfest such as The Exorcist, Planet of the Vampires,nNight of the Living Dead, Phantasm).
All mixed into one bubbling cauldron of grimness. Perfect for this era of The Covid. I don’t listen to a lot of new Reggae releases but next year I’m sure to add some ghouly Covid delights.
There was once upon a time when I ‘n’ I never said a word and only played station ID’s during the 3 hours. It was truly 180 minutes of drum, bass and Afternoon of the Living Dead.
But since this is Smile Jamaica, I ‘n’ I tell you some stories to embellish the tunes:
Annie Palmer – the evil Jamaican wife of a slave plantation owner who used to whip her slaves mercilessly and continued to haunt them after she died
<Annie Palmer; 26 sec.>
In Jamaica police informers were referred to as Vampires:
<Vampire = informer; 27 sec.>
Peter Tosh always felt there were hell hounds on his trail. One night he was paralyzed from the forces of a demon. He prayed to Jah to save. Jah told him, “son, use the word and you will be as free as a bird.
That word? Bumba klaat. In Jamaica, that is as rude as saying Mother F’er in the US. Bum for vagina. Klaat = cloth. Rastas want nothing to do with their queen’s “monthly visitor”. So the epithet shocked the duppy (Jamaican ghost) out of Peter’s soul.
<Oh Bumba Klaat; 1 min. 22 sec.>
And how about the corpse who put a transmission, engine and four wheels on his coffin to terrorize the denizens of Trenchtown ghetto. His names was Mr. Brown.
<Mr. Brown rides around in a coffin; 21 sec.>
curse, Bobbylon
Smile Jamaica Jah-loween Monster Bash, 10/31/2020 Annotated Playlist: 85 sec.
Set 1:
Ini Kamoze – Hole in the Pumpkin; Shocking Out (RAS) ’87 3 Hours of Jah-loween
Scientist – The Voodoo Curse; Rids the World of the Evil Curse of the Vampires (Greensleeves) ‘81
Black Uhuru – Anthem; Anthem (Island) ‘83
Ijahman Levi – Devil Disciple; Forward Rastaman (Jahmani) ‘87
The Toyes – Monster Hash; The Toyes (CD Tunes) ‘96
GG All-Stars – Haunted House; 12” (GG’s Hit!) ‘78
Set 2:
Crucial Bee – Mark of the Beast; Just a Sting (All-Starr) US Virgin Islands vinyl
Sinead O’Connor – Vampire; Throw Down Your Arms (That’s Why There’s Chocolate & Vanilla) 2005 Devon Irons cover
The Ethiopians – Obeah Book; Slave Call (Rohit) ’74 Obeah – Jamaican black magic
Ghetto Priest – Dungeon; Vulture Culture (ON U Sound) 2003 Singers & Players cover
Clint Eastwood & General Saint – Talk About Run; 12” (Greensleeves) ’81 UK duppies in the cemetery
Set 3:
Lone Ranger – Annie Palmer; Barnabas in Collins Wood (Wave) ’79 JA vinyl: Jamaican witch/ghost
Pablo Gad – Blood Suckers; Blood Suckers (Celluloid) ‘78
Chalice – Back Weh Evil Forces; Stand Up! (CSA) ’85 UK vinyl
Sky High & the Mau Mau – Cemetery Robbery; Origination (Sky High) 70’s
Moses – When the Vampire Comes to Your Neighborhood; 12” (Wackies) ’82 Bronx
Leo Graham – Voodooism; Magnetic Mirror Master Mix (Anachron) 70’s Dutch vinyl; Lee “Scratch” Perry prod’n
Set 4:
Capleton & Big Youth – Mark of the Beast; I-Testament (Def Jam) ‘97
Jimmy Cliff – Satan’s Kingdom; I am the Living (MCA) ’80 US vinyl
Easy Star All-Stars feat. Mikey General & Spragga Benz – Thrillah (Easy Star) 2012 Michael Jackson/Vincent Prince
Carl McDonald – Satan Soldiers on the Run; 12” (Makdon) ’87 Brooklyn
Set 5:
Peter Tosh – Oh Bumba Klaat; 12” EP (Rolling Stone) ’81 UK fight off demonic possession
David Lindley – Werewolves of London; Very Greasy (Elektra) ’88 Warren Zevon cover
I ‘n’ I father has been fighting a brain condition called NPH. Makes him wet, wobbly, and wacky. So as the eldest, I have been driving my parents from Sun City West, AZ retirement home to Fort Benton, Montana and back again. Montana summers and Phoenix winters. This is my excursion:
Day 1: Covid Airlines: SLC to Great Falls, MT.
Get up and get out of the house at 5:30 in the AM. Suitcase, Burning Spear tote bag I carry everywhere, like a man purse, cash and ID. Don’t forget your mask!
No worries, time to dial up Uber on my IPhone.
Credit card 1 rejected, credit card 2 rejected, credit card 3 rejected. Credit card 4? REJECTED. Paypal rejected. WTF? In my haste to call a cab I dropped my new IPhone on the pavement and the screen shattered. F-bomb!
As Neil Young would say, “Piece of crap.” Luckily the phone feature still worked and I ‘n’ I hailed Ute cab like back in the day. When I got settled I wrote Uber a 1 star, EFF YOU review on the App Store, deleted those fools and settled in for the dreaded wait.
Uber is unreliable: I entered four legitimate credit cards and Uber rejected them all. They also wouldn’t take my PayPal account. They don’t care. I deleted the app, told all my friends & family. Now I either use Lyft or will call a cab. FIYA BU’N UBER!!! Worse than Covid!
This trip is already starting out with a bad omen…
Flying. When I ‘n’ I told friends I was getting on planes their look of horror and incredulity was obvious. Like I need any reminders. I ‘n’ I have no choice. Maybe the plane will be mostly empty like when I flew out in May.
Nope. Tin can Skywest plane was completely full. Two seats, aisle, two seats. Luckily no Utah county maskholes. Flight to Great Falls was 2/3 full. Had to pull the mask down at TSA. WTF? Great, Covid to the left of me, Covid to the right of me….
Day 2: Fort Benton, Montana to Ogden, Utah (578 miles)
Could not wait to get on the road. Watching TV in a state with competitive electoral races is a nightmare. Every commercial was Dem attacking R. R slandering Dem. Every. Single. Break. Doesn’t anyone just sell Coca-Cola and toothpaste anymore?
1300 miles from North Central Montana to Phoenix retirement community. Drove the first stretch as far as Ogden, Utah.
Pops, who was still wheelchair bound when I ‘n’ I made the reverse trip in May. Now walking with a cane and doing well mentally.
Yimma (my mom). Sat in the back with her Ipad
Bella our lap dog/rabbit killer
I ‘n I. Did all the driving
Bella 27, Rabbits and lizards 0
That stretch in the Fall is beautiful if the weather is good. Freshly harvested wheat fields, cross the Missouri River a bunch of times, Go up and over the Continental Divide.
I ‘n’ I told Yimma we had to get on the road early. Because I wanted to be in our Motel Room in time for the first debate between the Orange Guy and the Pale White Guy.
Forced to listen to The Bridge on Sirius/XM. Soft rock of the 70’s. By the time we hit Butte, MT, I ‘n’ I wanted to throw myself off a bridge. After about the third Christopher Cross “classic” I was itching to switch to the Metallica channel! 1300 miles of wimp rock. Mainline the caffeine straight into my veins.
Sirius XM – The Bridge Channel: 1300 miles of musical Ambien
Checked into a grungy Motel 6 just off I-15. Ordered up some dinner delivery. I got out my vape pen and for the first time ever(?) watched FOX News. Shit meet show!
I ‘n’ I was vaping Trainwreck while watching a train wreck. Remember the two old dudes from the Muppets? This is America?
Paint the taller one orange, and that was what watching the Presidential Debate was like
Day 3: Ogden, Utah to Mesquite, Nevada (376 miles); 45 sec.
Grinding through Utah in a Buick Enclave crammed so full of cra….stuff I had to rely on the side mirrors. Fighting off narcolepsy from the endless rotation of Seals & Croft, James Taylor and Carly Simon. I ‘n’ don’t think I’m gonna listen to any Steely Dan for at least a year.
Central Utah would be prettier if it were 100 miles shorter from SLC to Nevada.
Nevada has a Karen governor so we weren’t able to stay at the casinos in May. This time we checked in to Virgin River Casino. Yimma got the rooms while I ‘n’ I drove to Deep Roots Harvest.
Hit Yimma up for 2 Benjamins. My Uber fee, strike that Lyft fee for doing all the driving. That debate debacle depleted my vape stock, and so picked up a couple cartridges: Strawberry Cough and Grape Ape. I ‘n’ I have a sweet tooth.
Reward for 954 miles driven in two days
Drove back and we all had a pandemically correct dinner. I ‘n’ I hate ketchup and pepper packets. First world problems!
Pops squeezes the nickel til the buffalo shits, so he stayed in his room and watched baseball in empty stadiums. Yimma and I hit the casino floor. She is a slots player. I’m a video poker guy.
New rules on the casino floor. My Pops said he wished he had the plexiglass business. No doubt. Gambling now is like playing cards in a phone booth. I’m claustrophobic so I looked for a machine on the end.
Gambling Covid style in a plexiglass coffin. (Click image for better view)
Low stakes, 25 cents x 5 coins per play. That first Andrew Jackson lasted long enough to wash down my “strawberries” with a Jack and coke. The bosomy cocktail waitress doesn’t come around much to the quarter machines.
Put a second $20 in. Played it almost to the end. $60 is about all I’m willing to blow in one sitting. Then it happened…..
CALL ATTENDANT! CALL ATTENDANT!
Huh? I looked down and saw 4000 coins on the machine tally. I had just hit a Royal Flush. Ace, King, Queen, Jack, Ten of Spades.
When it dawned on me what 4000 quarters added up to, even by my Liberal Arts math “skills”, that was $1000. Then, of course, there was no attendant to be found! Covid casinos are still pretty empty. Lot of staff have been furloughed.
I ‘n’ I was afraid to venture from my machine b/c I figured the moment I step away, someone would sit down and claim my winnings. Finally I yelled at a Security Guy: HEY YOU! I WON THE JACKPOT!
He offered to get a person to pay out. That was a five minute wait that seemed like hours. I ‘n’ I was half paranoid that there would be a power outage or earthquake and the machine would black out. Once you win something like that you now have a reason to care about the outcome. Usually I play to fill time, sipping whiskey, surreptitiously toking up, (it’s flavored CBD!) and listening to every 80’s hit by Madonna on the PA system.
Nice lady comes over with her notepad and a money bag. Counted out 9 $100 bills and 5 20’s. You know they want you to kick that last $100 back to them. My mind was wrecked, no way I ‘n’ I could concentrate. I took my cash and headed to find Yimma who had run out of a $100 pretty quickly. I was shaking. Never won a jackpot like that in my history of low stakes gambling in Vegas.
Ka-ching!
No 1099 either. Pure profit. We headed back to the rooms. Pops was looking at the two of us wearing shit eating grins. I laid down in front of him, 100, 200, 300….up to $1000. He just shook his head.
When I Tweeted out my winnings, a lot of well wishers said that I ‘n’ I deserved to win for risking The Covid (Bobbylon 17, Covid 0) to be the good son to drive my elderly parents all the way home.
<Tom Petty – Even the losers get lucky sometimes>; 75 sec.
As Tom Petty sang, “Even the losers get lucky sometimes.” Day 4: Mesquite to Sun City West, 350 miles. Sailed home that last stretch. Even the Air Supply tunes on Sirius XM sounded grittier than normal.
You have heard of luck of the Irish? How about luck of the Assyrian? I n I won $1000 playing video poker in Mesquite driving my folks back to AZ tonite! pic.twitter.com/SWzP6RU05Y
Smile Jamaica locked out of your station that rules the nation, KRCL, till at least the end of May. So I ‘n’ I have the entirety of the Smile Jamaica Ark-Ives to peruse for the infamous, notorious, humorous, outrageous, quasi legalish 420 Cannabis Service Show.
I ‘n’ I would say 25 of the 30 or so Jah-prils of being your host, has been devoted to the Seven Leaf
I’n’ I was chatting up a friend recently: “Wouldn’t it be great if the purgative lung properties of inhaling cannabis could mitigate against the severity of the Covid?”
What if doctors were able to tell their patients. “You have tested positive for the Covid. My suggestion is to start smoking marijuana immediately!”
I mean, really. You want to go on a ventilator or smoke two joints? Lot cheaper and the mortality rate of those on ventilators is about 90%. I ‘n’ I guess we’re stuck with bleach enemas and injecting Lysol.
So all the Doom Porn I’m forced to read as opposed to news, tells us we are heading into an economic Depression. You want a leg up on revenue? Do what Lebanon did.
From the Bekaa Valley, recently liberated from ISIL tyranny. Home of the legendary Lebanese Blonde hash
They became the first Middle East nation to legalize cannabis. From the Aramaic – qanneh (reed) bossom (aromatic) – so the aromatic reed = ganja stalk
So don’t call it marijuana – that is a made up name by the 30’s anti-drug thugs in the US government: Maria + Juan = Marijuana. To stigmatize the drug with Mexican laborers so they could be easily deported during the depression.
Quick history of Cannabis:
The Scythians (an Iranian people) – were the first to throw Cannabis seeds on the hot plate to inhale the vapors.
From 5th Century BC historian, Herodotus:
The Scythians said, take some of this hemp-seed [presumably, flowers], and, creeping under the felt coverings, throw it upon the red-hot stones; immediately it smokes, and gives out such a vapour as no Grecian vapour-bath can exceed; the Scyths, delighted, shout for joy.” Yes I!
They puff puff passed it to the Medes (forefathers of today’s Kurds)
The Medes spread it to the expansive Assyrian-Akkadian-Babylonian empires.
Trade with Egypt allowed for the plant to go West through the Maghreb (Arab North Africa) and north through the Mediterranean
2020 – Lebanese blonde
So, while you are forced indoors – whether sick or healthy, enjoy this cannabliss podcast: 35 Reggae songs plus special efx, movie dialog and other seven leaf snippets.
Stay safe!
Bless, Bobbylon
Smile Jamaica Playlist: Apr. 18, 2020 – 420 Special
Set 1:
The Toyes – Green Doctor; Strange Animals (CD Tunes) ’96 LA
Eek a Mouse – Sensee Party; Skidip! (Greensleeves) ’82
John Clarke – Good Collie Weed; Visions of John Clarke (Wackies) ’79 to Only Sixteen riddim
Junior Byles – Cally Weed; Rasta No Pickpocket (Nighthawk) ’86
Gracy & the Herbman Band – Follow Up; See Mi Yah (Funfundvierzig) ’91 Germ. female
Set 2:
Black Uhuru – Sinsemilla; Sinsemilla (Mango) ’80 without seeds
Angie Angel – Sativa Info; All I Have Is Love (Easy Star) 2001
How is your quarantine treating you? This show is the third Homegrown edition of Smile Jamaica since the clampdown.
I ‘n’ I have whiled away the daylight hours crafting the 6 x half hour sets to upload to KRCL to play live, Saturday 4-7 PM on air. This and the next edition of Smile Jamaica is a dubble dose of 420.
Pot-cast as opposed to podcast. All Mutant Dub herbal enthusiasts. Included are my infamous marijuana related soundbytes, movie dialog and specialty bong effects. More than 25 years of such green leafy goodness
For an introvert, you would think I ‘n’ I would be loving Shelter in Place. Been listening to about 4-5 hours of music a day. Hate daytime TV. Probably 60 disks in the queue for when the all clear is given to rinse out on the radio
You would think quarantine would be a piece of cake.
Not so. I ‘n’ I have been mostly good. Stick to home during the week. But I refused to be an invalid on the weekends. Mini excursions as a Smile Jamaica listener:
Bought gas for $1.99 a gallon. Too bad you can’t drive anywhere
Broke the glass bowl on my smoking utensil – Praise Anu the headshops are open!
Ordered some missing Jah Shaka 10″ and 12″ vinyl off Discogs to complete my collection. $50 a pop. The cratediggers equivalent of comfort food
I ‘n’ I did do some cratedigging at Graywhale. Mask, gloves and no one in the Reggae, Techno, World sections. Man, record stores are gonna be lucky to survive the economics of Covid-19
Make a loop looking for some items: have toilet paper and paper towels. Scored two bottles of bleach at the Mall-wart (where I would never shop during normal times.) Can’t find rubbing alcohol which I ‘n’ I need for cleaning my smoking utensil
Ordered some bass traps for my new subwoofer so maybe my neighbor will quit bitching about “bass infection”
Binge watched the last 2 seasons of Ancient Aliens – did you know viruses were created by Aliens to manipulate mankind’s evolution? Well, now you know!
Ancient aliens have shaped human evolution by inducing us with viruses. Covid19? Blame Aliens not the Chinese!
Switched to an HBO comedy series called High Maintenance about a NYC weed delivery guy
Bombed out of line at the liquor store. Too many people outside even at six feet apart? Not worth it for my 1750 ml of Makers Mark
Cleaned out my storage shed I ‘n’ I probably hadn’t been in in over a decade
Organized my T shirt collection by: Marley, Weed, Aliens, Sumerians, rockers
Slogged through my taxes . Check daily for my $1200 Trumpbux, because….
Found out my car is dying. Took it in for 90k service and got told $3500 in my future for repairs. Gonna car shop on Sunday for a new Soob. Hope new models still have CD players!
Dodging the daily earthquakes SLC has been having.
Walking from the living room to the Ark-ives is not enough physical activity. Bought a pedometer and stealth walking my neighborhood avoiding all other people doing the same. I ‘n’ I will pay the jaywalking ticket.
Did a little work for the University
The one thing I ‘n’ I am not doing much? Reading politics. Tired of body counts, doom porn and the inevitable political bickering on who to blame for the Covid.
So I’m going old school: Found this book in a box in the shed I ‘n’ I had bought during my last cratedig to San Francisco. City Lights Bookstore:
The Complete Tales & Poems of Edgar Allan Poe.
Something moody and macabre to fit the mood as we all wait for the Covid to come get us.
The Unparalleled Adventures of One Hans Pfaal
With a heart of furious fancies,
Whereof, I am commander,
With a burning spear and a horse of air ,
To the wilderness I wander
Did someone say Burning Spear? I ‘n’ I think I made a good choice to counter the doom porn until we are all let out in 2022.
I ‘n’ I have been hosting Smile Jamaica for 30 years now. October 1989. Don’t remember the first Halloween Reggae show I did, but it would have been early 90’s.
So a quarter century of the exploration of Jamaican, mostly, superstitions about witches, vampires, ghosts/duppies, Obeah Black Magic, The Mummy, Dracula, Frankenstein and the rest!
About 10 years ago I was transitioned into head of the Audio Studio at the Marriott Library: Fall 2009. The early days of digital content. So I had started to notice many soundbytes in a horror vein from my Reggae CD collection.
I started ripping those clips from CDs, pull them into ProTools digital editor. “Snip, snip”. Export as .mp3. Same with a multitude of Halloween sound effects disks.
And there you go! Just like Dr. Frankenstein cutting up sound for your ghoulish pleasure!
Oct. 26th Smile Jamaica will be 3 hours of Boneyard Skanking. But play this podcast to keep the kids off your porch while you hand out your high fructose delights.
curse, Bobbylon
Smile Jamaica Ark-Ives: Jah-tober 19, 2019 Annotated Playlist; 91 sec.
Set 1:
Don Carlos & Gold – Harvest Time; Raving Tonight (RAS) ’83 DC vinyl
The Aggrovators – Strictly Rockers in the Dreadland (Justice) ’76 JA dub album of the week
Victor Essiet & the Mandators – Mi Friends (Duppy Conqueror); One Love One World (Mystic) 2006 Nigerian singers cover Bob Marley Halloween tune
To “rinse out” is a deejay term commonly used to showcase a fresh stash of vinyl on your sound system or deejay gig.
I ‘n’ I use it on this edition of Smile Jamaica as a way to juggle the Reggae vinyl I recently purchased while on vacation in Denver.
Bobbylon’s Guide to Cratedigging
Plan your record (and book and dispensary) shopping before you leave the house. I tend to go neighborhood by neighborhood to minimize transit time. Yelp, Yellowpages online, Google.
Upload my discographies to Google Drive or Dropbox so I know what I have and don’t buy duplicates
Print out my wishlist of items I’m looking for
Load up on coffee and green smoke for the excursion. Cratedigging on the Seven Leaf is one of life’s great pleasures
Comb through the racks: I start with Rock and Blues. Spend time on Soul and Jazz. Mutant Dub gets the second most time “digging”: Techno, electronic, lounge. Then Reggae CDs (many of them I already have.)
Spend the bulk of time in the Reggae Vinyl section.
Mention I’m a Radio Deejay and try and score 10% off
Take my trusty Burning Spear record bag to keep everything together
Never leave vinyl in the car during warm months.
Always put your stash in the trunk to deter break ins
At the end of the day sift and sort my haul
And that is how you Cratedig!
*****
So I bought about $200 work of Reggae vinyl and let it simmer for the week. So I could hear it fresh from the needle to the monitor speakers on Smile Jamaica.
First time audio experience for I ‘n’ I as well as the masses. Tune in and hear the fruits of my labor!
bless, Bobbylon
Wax Trax records. Parking is a bitch but worth the wait
Smile Jamaica Ark-Ives Jah-gust 31, 2019: All Vinyl
Set 1:
Black Uhuru – What Is Life; Anthem (Island) ’83 JA vinyl (no overdub mix): 3 Hour Vinyl Show
Blackbeard – Electrocharge; I Wah Dub (More Cut) ’80 Dub Album of the Hour
The In Crowd – Born in Ethiopia; His Majesty Is Coming (Creole) ’78 Fr.
Judy Mowatt – Mr. Big Man; Mellow Mood (Ashandan) ’75 JA
Johnny Organ – Bewitched; Come Back Darling (Techniques) ’70 JA
Sugar Minott – Ease Up Mr. Customs Man; Time Longer Than Rope (Greensleeves) ’85 UK
Idren Natural & Seventh Sense – Sip a Cup; 12″ (Jah Works) 2007 UK 4:20 Cannabis Service Announcement
Jamaican mix of the album that made me a stone cold Reggae fanatic
Set 2:
Paul Davidson – Midnight Rider; Reggae Chartbusters 76 (Cactus) ’76 UK
Yellowman – Honour Your Mother; Jack Sprat (Hit) ’82 JA
Barbara Paige – Babylon Must Fall; Hear Me Now (Epiphany) ’82 Santa Cruz, CA
The Upsetters feat. The Heptones – Zion Blood; Super Ape (Mango) ’76 Lee “Scratch” Perry/Black Ark prod’n
Mark Jah Jah Bryan – Revelation Song (Rohit International) ’83 Barbados Reggae
Cratedig Denver: 2019 addition to the Smile Jamaica Ark-Ives
Set 3:
Dennis Brown – Slave Driver; Joseph’s Coat of Many Colours (Laser) ’79 UK
Bomb Shelter – Stampede; Human Rights (Total Sounds) ’89 US
Doreen Shaffer – This Love; Pirates Choice (Studio One) ’80 JA
Jonathan Arthur – Burnin; 12″ (Emerald Isle) ’89 Ft. Lauderdale, FL
Bullwackies All Stars – Recording Connection; Black World (Wackies) ’79 Dub Album of the Hour
Rootsy for 1989. Cratedig: Denver 2019 score!
Set 4:
Dillinger – Tallowah; Tribal War (New Cross) ’86 UK
Kojak & Liza – Two Bad Duppy; Showcase L.P. (Kojak) ’80 JA
Michael Palmer – Mr. Officer; Ghetto Living (Bebo’s Music) ’85 Wheaton, MD
Carlton Livingston & U Brown – Mr. Deejay; 12″ (A1) ’81
Cratedig from Ganjarado
Set 5:
Kofi – Reggae Starship; Black…With Sugar (Ariwa) ’89 UK female
Owen Gray – Turning Point (Version); Dreams of Owen Gray (Trojan) ’79 dub to Tyrone Davis soul cover
U Roy – Babylon Burning; Natty Rebel (Virgin Front Line) ‘ UK dj to Turning Point
Sylford Walker – Books of the Old Testament; 12″ (Art & Craft) ’79 UK
Ganjarado cratedig
Set 6: Wailers Family Tree
Bob Marley & the Wailers – Let Him Go; Marley, Tosh, Livingston & Associates (Studio One) ’66 JA – Wailers Family Tree; Bunny/Peter on vox
<Let Him Go; 90 sec.>
Peter Tosh – No Sympathy (1972 mix); This Is Reggae Music vol. 3 (Mango) ’76 US diff. mix than on Legalize It
Smile Jamaica Annotated Playlist: Jah-bruary 16, 2019: 29 sec.
Set 1:
Azeem & Session – Cool Running; Live and Direct (M. Al’s) early 80s Oakland vinyl
The Agrovators (sic) Meet the Revolutioners (sic) – Conquer Dub; The Agrovators Meet the Revolutioners (Third World) 70’s Bunny Lee dub UK vinyl album of the hour
Horace Andy – Bob Lives On; Exclusively (Solid Groove) ’82 UK vinyl. Bob Marley riddim shower (1): vox
Jah Batta – Great Superstar; 12″ (Top Ranking) ’82 Miami. Bob Marley riddim shower (2); deejay
The Ethiopians – Let It Be; Slave Call (Heartbeat) ’75 Beatles
Queen Omega – Ganja Baby; Weed a Bun vol. 1 (Charm) 2005 4:20 Cannabis Service Announcement
Mighty Threes – Sata; 12″ (April) ’79 Haledon, NJ
Set 2:
Likkle Mai – Crystal River; Roots Candy (Beat) 2005 Jah-ponese roots dawta from Dry & Heavy
Pablo Gad – Trodding on Home; Blood Suckers (Melodie) ’78
Jah Thomas – Tribute to the Reggae King; Tribute to the Reggae King (Gorgon) ’81 JA
Musical Youth – Please Give Love a Chance; 12″ (MCA) ’82 UK youth group
Set 3: Best of Smile Jamaica 29+ Years
Jean Binta Breeze – Dubwize + Confusion (Warner); Tracks (LKJ) ’90 UK female dub poet
Linval Thompson – Don’t Cut Off Your Dreadlocks; Clocktower Classics vol. 1 (Clocktower/Abraham) ’75
Tenor Saw – Who’s Gonna Help Me Praise?; Fever (Blue Mountain) ’85
Gregory Isaacs – My Time (12″ mix); More Reggae Music (Sound) ’84 Neth.
Cedric Brooks – Father Forgive Him; Studio Scorchers vol. 2 (Soul Jazz/Studio One) Dub Album of the Hour
Set 4:
Mr. Symarip – I Was Busted; Skinheads Dem a Come (Jump Up) Chicago ska
Althea & Donna – Uptown Top Ranking; Love of the Common People (Trojan) Joe Gibbs comp.
Hortense Ellis – Can I Change My Mind; (Heartbeat/Studio One)
Roots Uprising – Master Blaster Jammin; Beautiful Music (Top Ranking) ’81 Miami vinyl; Stevie Wonder Bob Marley tribute
Technical difficulties. Alas, the digital recorder at KRCL puked on me and I lost last week’s annual 3 hour Smile Jamaica’s Tribute to Bob Marley on his birthday: Feb. 6, 1945.
So I hunkered down in my Secret Dubratory and blended all my CD tribute songs. Peppered in with my DMCA allotted Bob Marley selections – 4 choices.
Lost all the vinyl an no Reggae History Lessons, but almost got to my normal 3 hours. Enjoy!
bless, Bobbylon
0-30 min.
Bob Marley & the Wailers – Smile Jamaica (Lee “Scratch” Perry mix); Kaya (Deluxe Edition) (Tuff Gong) ’77 – Happy Birthday Bob Marley: 2/6/45
Cedella Marley Booker – He’s a Rastaman; Awake Zion (Rykodisc) ’84 Bob’s Mom
Culture – Double Tribute to the O.M.; Lion Rock (Heartbeat) ’82
Ky-Mani Marley – Dear Dad; CD Single (Gee Street) ’99; child 10 of 11 (Anita Belnavis)
Ziggy Marley & the Melody Makers ‘ Lyin’ in Bed; Best of (EMI America) ’88
Toots & the Maytals – Marley’s Gone (His Songs Live On); Live at Reggae Sunsplash (Genes) 8/4/82 Montego Bay, Jamaica
30-60 min.
Bunny Wailer – Stay With the Reggae; Marketplace (Shanachie) ’85
Alpha Blondy – Mystic Night Move; Masada (World Enterprise) ’92
Macka B – Bob + Wailers Dub; Hold On to Your Culture (Ariwa) ’95
Stevie Wonder – Master Blaster (Jammin’); Hotter Than July (Tamla/Motown) ’81
Chalice – Master Blaster (Jammin’); Best of Reggae (Sonoma) 2001
<Happy Birthday to the World’s First Hippie – Haile Selassie I> 68 sec.
Greetings,
Ras Tafari Makonnen: The Head Creator
Haile Selassie I: Power of the Trinity
<Power of Jah Trinity; 27 sec.>
Negusa Negast: King of Kings; 30 sec.
Lord of Lords, Conquering Lion of the Tribe of Judah. Elect of God, Ever Living God, Earth’s Rightful Ruler
<Conquering Lion of the Tribe of Judah; 13 sec.>
Without this little short man (Selassie was 5 foot 2) Reggae consists of love songs, novelty records and pop and soul covers. This is the heart of Smile Jamaica.
Rastafari gospel love songs to His Imperial Majesty from the Rastas. In Jamaican, when Nationalist hero Marcus Garvey was recruiting blacks to return to Africa, he prophesized: “Look to the east where a black king will be crowned. That will be the signal to load up the Black Star Liner (as opposed to the Titanic passenger liner White Star Line) to go back to Africa
<Garvey’s prophecy; 63 sec.>
Marcus Garvey: Look to the East, where a king will be crowned leading all blacks back to Africa
From that moment the movement grew from the impoverished in Jamaica who wanted a black Jesus not a colonial white Jesus. Selassie was the reincarnation of Jahova (Jah).
He ruled in Ethiopia until the communists in the hinterlands took advantage of corrupt Selassie courtiers who refused to acknowledge famine in the provinces. Selassie was deposed and most likely murdered in the basement of his Imperial Palace in 1974.
<Selassie’s downfall; 30 sec.>
I call myself a Rasta enthusiast or empathizer and even a Sumerian Fundamentalist like myself, is powerfully moved by such beautiful musical devotion that we will hear on this Ark-Ive Podcast.
Haile Selassie – July 23, 1892.
bless, Bobbylon
Smile Jamaica Ark-Ives: July 21, 2018: Happy Birthday His Imperial Majesty; 95 sec.
Smile Jamaica: 30 Years of Rastafari Gospel love songs
Set 1:
Naturalites – Picture on the Wall; Rub a Dubble vol. 1 (CSA) ’86 UK – 3 hours for Haile Selassie – July 23, 1892
Roots Radics/Bunny Wailer – Roots Raddics; Dub D’sco vol. 1 (Solomonic) ’77 JA vinyl Dub Album of the Hour
Ras Michael & the Sons of Negus – Ethiopian National Anthem; Movements (Dynamic) ’78 JA vinyl; nyahbinghi style drumming
<National Anthem of Ethiopia; 23 sec.>
Black Uhuru – I Love King Selassie; Tear It Up” Live (Mango) ’83
Chalawa – Jah Collie Weed; Capture Land (Green Weenie) ’78 Can. vinyl 4:20 Cannabis Service Announcement
African Princess – Jah Children Cry; 12″ (Jah Shaka) ’85 UK vinyl comp
Royal flag of Ethiopia
Set 2:
Keith Hudson – I Broke the Comb; Rasta Communication (Greensleeves) ’78
<The Old Testament Nazirite Vow and Dreadlocks; 84 sec.>
Sister Carol – Jah Is Mine; Black Cinderella (Jah Life) ’84 on McCartney/Jackson Girl is Mine
Peter “Roots” Lewis – Jah Is My Salvation; Wicked Roots (Reggae Retro) 2000
Hugh Mundell – That Little Short Man; 12″ (Rockers International) ’78; Selassie was 5 foot 2
Set 3:
Jacob Miller – False Rasta; Don’t Give Up Your Culture (Moll-Selekta) ’77
<Beware the Follow Fashion Dread; 47 sec.>
Judy Mowatt – Many Are Called; Black Woman (Shanachie) ’76
Aswad – He Gave the Sun to Shine; New Chapter (CBS) ’81 UK
Ranking Trevor – Give Thanks and Praise Unto Jah; 12″ (Greensleeves) ’78 UK to Heart & Soul
Augustus Pablo – Chant to Selassie I; East of the River Nile (Shanachie) ’78 Dub Album of the Hour
Set 4:
Cedric Myton & the Congos – Where He Leads; Face the Music (VP) ’81
Burning Spear – Jah Is My Driver; Farover (Heartbeat) ’83
Daweh Congo – Jah Is My Shepherd; Human Rights & Justice (Roots & Culture) 2000
Hortense Ellis – Jah Mysterious Works; Women in Reggae (Shanachie) ’75 extended
Set 5: Vinyl Is Vital
Leroy Smart – Jah Jah Forgive Them; Live Up Roots Children (Striker Lee) ’85 UK
Clint Eastwood – Whip Them Jah Jah; Step It in a Zion (Third World) ’78 UK
Michigan & Smily – Jah Ruled Over I; Step By Step (Hitbound) ’82 Brooklyn
Jah Malla – Jah Love; Jah Malla (Modern) ’81 US – children of Reggae players in JA
<Jah Malla: songs of Reggae players: Val Douglas, Roland Alphanso, Ernest Ranglin, Sylvan Morris; 30 sec.>
Zema – Selassie; Zema (Melchizedek) ’86 So Cal female singer
2nd gen Reggae group
Set 6: Wailers Family Tree
Peter Tosh – Iziabeher (Let Jah Be Praised); Legalize It (Columbia) ’76
Bunny Wailer – Rasta Dread (Natty Dread); Hall of Fame (RAS) ’95 50 tunes for Bob’s 50th Birthday
Rita Marley – Good Morning Jah; Who Feels It Knows It (Shanachie) ’80
<Rita encounters Haile Selassie; 81 sec.>
Bob Marley & the Wailers – Conquering Lion; One Love Peace Concert: Kingston, JA 4/22/78
Dub Specialist – Fire Coal Version; Version Dread (Studio One/Heartbeat) ’75 17 Dub Shots From Studio One
Set 7:
Cymande – Rastafarian Folk Song; Cymande (Sequel) ’74 UK – World’s first hippie
Aisha – One God, One Aim, One Destiny; True Roots (Ariwa) ’95
Winston Jarrett – Selassie Is the Chapel; By the Rivers of Babylo (Shanachie) ’95 comp: cover of the Orioles Crying in the Chapel
Bob Marley & the Wailers – Selassie Is the Chapel; Rebel Box Set (JAD) ’66
Set 8:
Alpha & Omega – Who Is the Ruler; Watch and Pray (A & O) ’89 UK vinyl trance dub
Doctor Alimantado – Chant to Jah; Born For a Purpose (Greensleeves) ’75
Johnny Osbourne – Jah Promise; Truths & Rights (Studio One/Heartbeat) ’80
Misty in Roots – How Long Jah; Live at the Euro Countervision (Kaz) ’79
Bim Sherman – Lamb of Judah; Bim Sherman Meets U Black and Horace Andy in a Rub a Dub Style (Original) ’79
Wailing Souls – Jah Gives Us Life; Very Best of (Greensleeves) ’78
The first song I played after being off air for six weeks with a blood infection/Sepsis that landed me in Intensive Care
Good thing we smoked the peace chalice. Not another war!
<Korean Peace Talks – Light up the chalice!; 16 sec.>
Greetings,
I graduated High School in 1983. Right as I was getting ready to matriculate at Montana State University in Bozeman, three major events sent me off:
Soviets shot down a Korean airliner
Marine barracks bombing in Beirut killed several hundred Americans
America invaded the tiny island of Granada.
Fall 1983: Ronnie Raygun saving the Granadan people from an invasion of Cuban doctors
Welcome to the Cold War, son. After surviving the first one, who wants to live through the sequel: Russia/China/Syria Iran vs. US/UK/France/Israel.
China rattling Taiwan. India and Pakistan nose to nose. And Trump came in and immediately gave North Korea the hairy eyeball. So I was very encouraged that the two Koreas want peace.
Everyday I get to drop the needle pon the record at KRCL instead of a nuclear bomb shelter, it’s a good day.
So enjoy another World War III free edition of Smile Jamaica
bless, Bobbylon
Smile Jamaica Ark-Ives: Jah-pril 28, 2018 Annotated Playlist; 18 sec.
Set 1:
Eek a Mouse – You Na Love Reggae Music; Skidip! (Greensleeves) ’82 UK vinyl
Black Uhuru – Ion Storm; Dub Factor (Mango) ’83 Dub Album of the Hour
Hepcat – Coming on Strong; Push ‘N Shove (Hellcat) 2000 SoCal ska
Carlene Davis – The Harder They Come; 15 Tracks (Sonic) ’80 Jimmy Cliff cover
Dennis Brown – Tenement Yard; Best of Dennis Brown – Niney the Observer Years (Heartbeat) ‘77
Fred Locks – Collie Herb; 10″ (Sip a Cup) 2003 UK 4:20 Cannabis Service Announcement
<Collie weed for Kali the Goddess of Destruction 36 sec.;>
Hindus from India brought cannabis to Jamaica. Kali the Liberator of souls. Collie – Jamaican herb
Set 2:
Afro Omega – Music Revolution; CD Single (Afro Omega) SLC roots w/ female vox
Charlie Chaplin – Chalice Burn; Take Two (RAS) ’90 herbtune
Winston McAnuff – Get Behind Thee Satan; Diary of the Silent Years (Makasound)
The Congos – Congoman Chant; 10″ (Glimmer) ’77 UK Lee “Scratch” Perry/Black Ark prod’n
Bob Marley – I Know a Place + Dub; Black Ark Sessions (Ascension) rare 4 track EP of Lee “Scratch” Perry prod’ns
Skatalites – Christine Keeler; Foundation Ska (Heartbeat/Studio One) ’65 instrumental album of the hour
50 songs for Bob Marley’s 50th Birthday – 1995
Set 7: Jamaican Jukebox of 420 45’s
Tipper Lee & Rapper Robert – Minister For Ganja; 7″ (Studio One) ’85 JA
<Smile Jamaica’s dream job: Minister for Ganja; 31 sec.>
Charley Ace – Herb Man Special; 7″ (Swing a Ling) instrumental take on Rita Marley’s One Draw
Pauline – Bush Weed; 7″ (Uhuru) singjay over Light of Saba riddim
Jimmy Dean & Jah Wally – Peace Chalice; 7″ (New Flower) ’77
Set 8: Mutant Dub
Scott Hardkiss – Hey Deejay; Technicolor Dream (God Within) 2009
Thievery Corporation – Temple of I & I; Temple of I & I
Dubblestandart feat. Lee “Scratch” Perry & Gudrun – Chase the Devil Dub; Return From Planet Dub (Collision)
The Archives feat. Ras Puma – Sensibility The Archives (ESL) 2012
Kraftwerk – Robots; Man Machine (Mojo) 2009
Kraftwerk on Smile Jamaica? WTF?
Smile Jamaica is hosted by Robert Nelson on 90.9 FM KRCL in Salt Lake City, Utah (Saturdays, 4-7 p.m. MT). Ark-ives available weekly here at the Smile Jamaica blog.