I was born in a small north central Montana town called Fort Benton. Along the Missouri river, it was the furthest the steamboats could go before you had to pack wagon trains of goods to Oregon and Canada.
Brutally cold in the winter. Gorgeous in the summer, although the mosquitos are the size of kittens. A town of 1500 didn’t have much in the way of shopping, so you had to drive 35 miles to Great Falls.
Movies, clothes shopping, better restaurants. When the drinking age in Montana was 19, we would buy beer where no one knew us. They had a good record store there called Hastings. It was across the street from the mall, so I would always try and swing by there before I left for home.
Usually, I would buy vinyl. But, it was about 45 minutes to drive home, at 55 max MPH speed limit. So I would tend to buy a cassette to listen to for the drive home.
I was getting ready to graduate May of 1983. I remember the album I bought: Ramones – Subterranean Jungle. The cassette was the big novelty hit of ’83. MTV crossover: Musical Youth – Pass the Dutchie.
Youth group from UK singing and toasting over a sanitized version of the Mighty Diamonds’ Pass the Kutchie.
Kutchie = cannabis utensil. Can’t have kiddies singing about the Seven Leaf, so they switched up the lyrics to the cooking pot, dutch pot = dutchie.
I bought it for the song, not because it was Reggae. That was #2 Reggae addition to the Smile Jamaica Ark-Ive. Over the years, I picked it up on LP and various 12″ promo singles. Then, cratedigging in Minneapolis a few years ago, I got their 2 albums on 1 CD for $5 in the discount rack. Nice price!
I was cleaning out my garage and came across a shoebox full of cassettes and found it there. (First Reggae album you are wondering? Peter Tosh – Wanted Dread & Alive; Xmas ’81. Thanks Mom!
bless, Bobbylon
<Musical Youth – second addition to the Smile Jamaica Ark-ive>
Smile Jamaica Ark-Ives: June 1, 2019 annotated playlist
Set 1:
Michael Prophet – Jah Jah Is My Master; Yabby You & King Tubby’s All Stars (Yabby You) early 80’s JA vinyl
Augustus Pablo – The Big Rip-Off; Ital Dub (Trojan) ’74 UK vinyl dub album of the hour
Cymande – Zion I; Renegades of Funk (Newhouse) ’72 UK soul/rock/reggae
Sugar Minott – Devil Is At Large; Tempo Explosion (Black Victory) ’85
Natural Vibes – Life Hard a Yard; King Jammy a Man and His music Volume 1 (RAS) ’82
Tristan Palma – Sensimilla; Return of the Rub-a-Dub Style (Echodelic) 2011 4:20 Cannabis Service Announcement
Lucy Clark – Just One Look; 12″ (Bullet) US Doris Troy cover
Set 2:
Sister Carol – Natty Live Up; Lyrically Potent (Heartbeat) ’96
Nerious Joseph – Guidance; Fashion in Fine Style vol. 1 (Fashion) ’92
The Royals – Pick Up the Pieces: Full Up: Best of Studio One vol. 2 (Heartbeat/Studio One)
Wingless Angels feat. Justin Hinds & Keith Richards – Come Down Wicked Man; Wingless Angels II (Mindless) ’96 nyahbinghi
Junior Delahaye – Working Hard For the Rent Man; 12″ (Wackies) ’83 Bronx
Set 3: Best of Smile Jamaica 29+ Years
Dennis Brown – Westbound Train; Some Like It Hot (Heartbeat) ’75:
Aisha Morrison – Ethiopias; Stay Red (Esoldun) 77? Black Ark prod’n
Freddie McGregor – Rastaman Camp; Bobby Bobylon (Heartbeat/Studio One) ’79
Musical Youth – Rub ‘N Dub; Youth of Today (MCA) ’82 UK youth group
Aswad – Dub Fire; New Chapter of Dub (Mango) ’82 Dub Album of the Hour
Set 4:
Thievery Corporation feat. Puma – Babylon Falling; Temple of I & I (ESL) 2017
It was October 2003. My bredrin Grizzlite and I headed up to Park City to catch one of my favorites from the 90’s: Lucky Dube. Terrific South African roots singer in the era of apartheid.
A huge favorite with the Pacific Islander community, the club was packed. Everyone singing along on a cool fall night in the mountains.
Grizz and I got a beer and angled ourselves and positioned ourselves on the patio with a view of the stage. Everyone bumping along to Lucky’s melodic Peter Tosh-esque vocals.
All of a sudden the packed dance floor scattered and the music screeched to a halt. A youth had been shot. Later I found out it was a gang assassination. Tribal war in the Polynesian community. Assassins were dispatched from California. They knew their target would be out in the open and vulnerable at a must see event: Lucky Dube is on a par with Bob Marley among the Island community.
Before we knew it, the paramedics had wheeled the victim pass Grizz and I on a gurney. One of the EMT’s was straddling his chest doing CPR. Right next to me, a massive Island dready stepped up and punched the dying man in the face, caving in his nose.
<Jah Jah clean out the bad weeds. Separate them from the good. 20 sec.>
Greetings,
I always assume Summer is over when I have to switch from AC to the furnace. Alas, that happened this week.
Time to celebrate that with some Harvest Time roots ‘n’ dubbers. Fall also means an anniversary for I ‘n’ I. October 1989 I co-hosted Smile Jamaica with my bredrin Rutabaga Reese. He moved on Summer of ’90 and I have been juggling wax every Saturday, (not cratedigging of course), since.
Selah! Bobbylon
Smile Jamaica Ark-Ives Jah-tember 23, 2017: Annotated Playlist: 34 sec.
Don Carlos – The day of harvest has come!
Set 1:
Jah Lloyd – Reggae Feeling; Black Moses (Virgin Front Line) ’79 UK vinyl dj to Mike Brooks Feeling of Reggae
Scientist – Surveilance (sic); Encounters Pac Man (Greensleeves) ’82 UK vinyl dub album of the hour
Don Carlos & Gold – Harvest Time; Raving Tonight (RAS) ‘83
Lions Den – Zion Dub; Foundation in Roots vol. 1 (Roots) ’95 UK dubbers
Steel Pulse – Sound System; Reggae Sunsplash ’81 – Tribute to Bob Marley (Elektra) ’81 Jarrett Park; Montego, Bay JA
Loi – One Draw; 12” (Abraham) female cover of Rita Marley’s 4:20 Cannabis Service Announcement
The Melodians – Irie Feeling; Irie Feeling (RAS) ’83 herbtune
<Adventures in Cratedigging – The Melodians big seller; 22 sec.>
Set 2:
Peter Tosh – Not Gonna Give It Up; Honorary Citizen (Columbia/Legacy) ’82 Boulder, Collie-rado
Hooverphonic – This Strange Effect/ Abductions and Reconstructions (ESL) ’99 DC rmx w/ female vox
Mighty Diamonds – Fools Rush In; Stand Up to Your Judgement (Channel One) ‘78
Devon Irons & Dr. Alimantado – Vampire; 12” (Black Art) ’76 Lee “Scratch” Perry prod’n
Set 3: Best of Smile Jamaica 27 Years
Black Uhuru – Mondays; Chill Out (Mango) ’82
<Mondays: Theme to my first show: 3 O’Clock Roadblock; 13 sec.>
Black Roots – Mighty Lion; All Day All Night (Nubian) ’87 UK
Burning Spear – People of the World; People of the World (Blue Moon) ‘86
Love Joys – Long Lost Lover; Lovers Rock Showcase (Wackies) ’83 female duo on Black Cinderella riddim
Augustus Pablo – Chant to Selassie I; East of the River Nile (Shsnachie) ’78 Dub Album of the Hour
“One day I don’t like is a Monday, Monday”
Set 4:
Judy Mowatt – Joseph; Black Woman (Shanachie) ’76 Bob Marley = Joseph Biblical Prophet
<Bob as Biblical Prophet Joseph; 28 sec.>
Eric Donaldson – Black Magic Love; Oh What a Feeling (Rhino UK) ‘89
Horace Andy & Jah Mike – Praise Him + Babylon Happening; 12” (Joe Gibbs) ‘81
Set 5: Vinyl Is Vital
Bad Brains – Rally Round Jah Throne; Rock For Light (PVC) ’83 DC punkdub
<HR throat of Bad Brains on Smile Jamaica in the studio; 59 sec.>
<Say it with me: Bad Brains; never THE Bad Brains; 6 sec.>
Bobby Culture w/ Brimstone & Fire – Dreadlocks Man; Tidal Wave (Unicorn) ’83 Santa Monica, CA
Sister Carol – Dedicated to Bob Marley; Black Cinderella (Jah Life) ‘84
Icarus – State of Mind; State of Mind (Russian Roulette) ’82 UK
I Roy – Quarter Pound of Ishens; The General (Virgin Front Line) ’79 UK
<Qtr. pound of herb costs $1.10 and you still can’t pay your rent?! 17 sec.>
Autographed copy from the Smile Jamaica Ark-Ives
Set 6:
Bob Marley & the Wailers – Waiting in Vain; Exodus 40 (Tuff Gong) ’77 original + 2017 Ziggy rmx
<Bob’s ’77 Exodus. Ziggy’s 2017 rmx; 45 sec.>
<Waiting in Vain mix ‘n’ match – ’77 to 2017; 23 sec.>
Bunny Wailer – Love Fire; In I Father’s House (Solomonic) ’80 JA vinyl: riddim shower (1): original
Simply Red – Love Fire; 12” (Elektra) (2): Lee Perry/Adrian Sherwood rmx
<Bunny Wailer & Simply Red Meet Lee “Scratch” Perry & Adrian Sherwood of ON U Sound; 38 sec>
Earl Moodie – Untouchable Dub; Moodie in Dub vol. 2 (Moodie Music) ’74 Dub Album of the Hour
Great Lee “Scratch” Perry & Adrian Sherwood Bunny Wailer rmx Rokers do Reggae!
Set 7:
Fabiane – Prophecy; 12 the Hard Way (Tribesman) ’77 original female vox
Aisha – Prophecy; High Priestess (Ariwa) ’88 cover
About a month ago I was at breakfast with my best friend Nardo-jan. After six cups of coffee I was ready to head back to Mission Control for more work in my new Ark-ive. Saturday routine before Smile Jamaica.
Turned over the car battery on my Soob. Whrr, whrr, whrr. Click, click, click. Finally started but I figured my battery was a goner.
My buddy took me to his mechanic and they jumped the queue to get my battery installed.
I asked the girl working the counter if I could have my car back by 3pm. That is my drop dead time for Sugarhouse to KRCL by the SLC airport. I told her I was on the radio and needed to make sure I had time.
She asked me what station I was on. KRCL I said. I do Smile Jamaica. “Oh, that’s you? We listen in the shop and will have it on latter today.”
There was a youth also waiting to pay for his car. He chimed in. “My Uncle makes me listen to that show.” Not a big fan I take it? “Nah. I like country and classic rock.” He gave me the baleful look of someone who was not impressed.
So, I guess not everyone thinks Smile Jamaica is “all killer, no filler.” Torture!
So I livicated a song to this youth “forced” to listen to Smile Jamaica: Toots Hibbert’s Beautiful Woman. Country & Western.
bless, Bobbylon
<Toots country; 95 sec.>
Listening to Smile Jamaica?
Smile Jamaica Ark-Ives: Annotated Playlist for Jah-gust 26, 2017;90 sec.
Set 1:
Sinead O’Connor – Glory of Jah; Theology (2 CD) (That’s Why There’s Chocolate & Vanilla) – live acoustic at the Sugar Club, DUBlin, Ir(ie)land; Nov. 2006
It was Chinese leader Mao Zedong who said Women Hold Up Half the Sky. I was inspired by what I saw during the International Women’s Day celebrations and remembrances.
As many specialty shows I have done over the Years (Mutant Dub, Jah-loween, 4:20, Marley Tributes), I had never done a full on Women’s Reggae Special
I have been doing radio for almost 30 years. No one has really critiqued or analyzed how i program Smile Jamaica in decades. So I can get into ruts like anyone else.
Reggae music is a largely male, Rasta music form. I don’t play much romantic Reggae, which is where quite a bit of female Reggae fixates.
It was probably around Iraq War 2.0, if I remember correctly, I was slinging Roots and got a phone call from a listener. Woman said to me, “I love Smile Jamaica but you don’t play very much women’s Reggae.”
I took that criticism to heart and ever since I try to juggle at least 1 female tune in my four song sets. And it certainly isn’t tokenism. It’s just methodically harvesting all my Dawtas out of my massive archives of CDs, LPs, 10″ and 12″ and 7″ 45s. Now I can rotate in the best Roots with Quality female artists.
What I call Roots Dawtas or Mutant Dubstresses.
Livicated to all the wives, mothers, dawtas, grandmothers, sisters, nieces, girlfriends and friends.
bless, robt
Annotated Playlist for Smile Jamaica: March 11, 2017 – Roots Dawta Showcase; 1min 10 sec.
Set 1:
Natural Beauty – Nice Up Dancee; Nice Up Dancee (RAS) ’86
Thievery Corporation feat. Racquel Jones – Road Block; Temple of I & I
Smile Jamaica News Service reports: “Ebola defeated Bubonic Plague in the 2016 Presidential Election”
Greetings,
I predicted this. President Donald J. Trump.
I get together with some bredrins every Friday afternoon for bourbon and music sessions.
Of course politics are a common topic with my mates. My buddy Aquaboy, Sandroid turned Hillbot, was fairly cocky that the polls showed Hillary way ahead. Evan McMullin was gonna win Utah.
I would look over at my buddy Free-Mike and give him a cold stare and said, “When we meet next Friday, you will all be stunned.” Aquaboy would scoff. Who’s scoffing now?
Or as Nobel Laureate Bob Dylan calls it: Snooze-weak
My main blog roll is the Libertarian site, Zerohedge. Run by Bulgarian hedgefunders who predicted the 2008 economic collapse and theyrefuse to adhere to the usual corporate media consensus. They mercilessly mock the corporate media outlets.
Since I did political interviews, Radioactive 2003-2012, I am also a natural skeptic to corporate news:
CNN – The Clinton News Network
AP – Assimilated Presstitutes
NPR – Nationalist Propaganda Radio
MS-DNC
FUX News
Petroleum Bullshit Syndicate
Michael Franti: Television…drug of the nation. Breeding ignorance and feeding radiation
I’m all the way Alt-Left. So from my deep political reading, I knew that Hillary Clinton was going to lose all the Midwest states but Illinois and Minnesota.
When I would run into my Liberal friends who would greet my skepticism with, “Nate Silver has Hillary Clinton a 98% likely winner.” I would scoff. The polls were oversampling Democrats who are a much smaller voting bloc since Obama came in.
4.5 million Obama voters became Indedendent. Huge mid term losses in 2010 and 2014 told me the Midwest had abandoned the Democratic Party over economic inequality.
When I would have these conversations with my Liberal friends, they would respond, “Why are you supporting Donald Trump?”.
I knew that Hillary Clinton was going to lose for these 5 reasons
Obama Fatigue – record inequality under his 8 years had Americans looking for a change at the top. Just like Obama won in part b/c of Bush Fatigue after his 8 years. Should have sent at least one banker to jail.
Obama voters would not be Hillary voters. Obama was young and black with a Muslim name. That candidacy resonated with blacks and Hispanics. Hillary is old and white. So minority vote turnout was way down. 137,000 fewer votes cast in Detroit and 129,000 fewer votes in Milwaukee cost her Michigan and Wisconsin
Millennials wanted Bernie. In the same way they came out for Obama they were YUUGE for Bernie Sanders. When he was aced out, they went back to their undervoting tendency.
Servergate/Wikileaks/Weinergate. At the end her untrustwory numbers were worse than Trump’s. In an emotions vs facts election, that was devastating for turnout and securing independent votes.
Obamacare notices went out in mid-Octboer. Average increase? 24%. Trump wants to get rid of Obamacare. Hillary wanted to “improve it.” She couldn’t come out for single payer, so if you had your policy cancelled and the new cost doubled (as happened to a classmate of mine in Montana), advantage Trump.
Poli Sci classes will be studying the DNC campaign of Hillary Clinton for decades to come. How not to run a campaign lessons
I was wrong on 3 states:
New Hampshire (for Trump) – I forgot they tend to be more conservative than their New England neighbors
Colorado (for Hillary) – I thought the rural and military areas would reject the Dems.
Nevada – I thought it would be Vegas for Hillary. Reno and the rest for Trump
I had a better result than Nate Silver!
So called polling savant, Nate Silver: 0 for 3 lately: British elections, BREXIT, Pres. Trump
I voted for Jill Stein. And I was wrong on her. I lost a bet (to my Hillbot buddy Aquaboy, in fact), that Jill would get 4%. Not even close! See you in 2020, Doctor Jill!
bless, robt
Smile Jamaica Ark-Ives: Nov. 5, 2016 – Annotated playlist w/ photos, captions, Reggae History Lessons; 84 sec.
[/audio]
Set 1:
Triston Palma – Reggae Music Taking Over; Touch Me, Take Me (Abraham) ’82 Can. Vinyl
The Agrovators – Kaya Dub; Kaya Dub (Justice) ’78 UK: Dub Album of the Hour
Peter Tosh – Here Comes the Sun; Honorary Citizen: Jamaican Singles (Columbia) ’71 George Harrison/Beatles cover
UB40 – Reefer Madness; Signing Off (DEP/Sound) ’80 herbal instrumental
Garland Jeffreys feat. LKJ & the Dub Band – Miami Beach; Escape Artist (Columbia) ’81 feat. UK dub poet
King Kong – Legalize It; Rumble Jumble Life (Massive B) 2005 4:20 Cannabis Service Announcement
Aisha – Glorify His Name; 10” (Ariwa) 2005 UK
Dub album of the hour. Vinyl of course
Set 2:
Keith Richards – Love Overdue; Crosseyed Heart (Mindless/Republic) 2015: Gregory Isaacs cover
Gregory Isaacs & U Roy – Love Is Overdue; Love Is Overdue (Heartbeat) ’74 original
Benjamin Zephaniah – Belly of de Beast; Belly of de Beast (Ariwa) UK mutant dub
The I Three – Baby Be True; Beginning (EMI America); ’86 US; Leroy Sibbles cover
<The I-Three, Not I Threes; 11 sec.>
Set 4:
The Selecter – Celebrate the Bullet; Celebrate the Bullet (Chrysalis) ’81 UK; 2 Tone ska feat. Pauline Black on vox
Sista Ruby – Gimmi Mi Ganja; Woman DJ (Keyman) ’99 UK; herbtune
Mystic Youth feat. I-Skeeda & the Irie-Ites; Best Wishes (Sunship) Rasta Cruz, Collie-fornya; youth group with female vox
<Gem from the 99 cent crate: Mystic Youth; 8 sec.>
>Land of Fruits & Nuts – Junior high kids hail up the Seven Leaf, WTF?; 35 sec.>
Sheila Hylton – The Bed’s Too Big Without You; 12” (Island) ’80; Police cover
Great youth reggae group from the Land of Fruits & Nuts
Set 5: Dub Poetesses
<Dub Poetresses; 13 sec.>
Louise Bennett – Long Time Gal; Miss Lou!: Yes M’Dear (Island); ’83 UK live mento, calypso; Dub Poetess set
<Miss Lou: national treasure of Jamaica; 23 sec.>
Sister Netifa – Traveller; Woman Determined (Aluta) ’88 UK; about the Middle Passage
<Middle Passage: slaves to the New World, sugar to Europe, money to buy more slaves in Africa; 20 sec.>
Lillian Allen – Conditions Critical; Conditions Critical (Redwood) ’87 Canadian poet via Emeryville, Collie-fornya
Jean “Binta” Breeze – Tracks + Nanny; Tracks (LKJ) ’91 UK
<Binta – dawta in Arabic, Swahili; 22 sec.>
Louise Bennett
<Nanny – national hero of Jamaican revolution against British occupiers; 23 sec.>
Nanny – Jamaican hero. Legend has it she could fire bullets from a delicate part of her anatomy to terrorize the Brits
Set 6: Deejays
UB40 feat. Sister V – V’s Version; Baggariddim (DEP) ’85 UK; toaster over Version Girl
<Baggariddim – UK; Little Baggariddim US; 45 sec.>
Sister Carol – Dance Hall Style; Liberation for Africa (Serious Gold) ’83 DC
Super Chick – Roach Killer; Sleeping Bag’s Reggae Dance Hall Classics (Sleeping Bag) New Jah-sey; Roach Killer: J’can slang for leather pointed toe shoes
<Roach Killer – Jamaican shoes worn in the dancehalls; 215 sec.>
Althea Ranking – Just Rocking; 12” (Go de Jockey) ’81 JA; ½ of female deejay duo: Althea & Donna
<Reggae History Lesson: Lloyd Barnes’ Wackies label; 10 sec.>
Blood Sisters – Ring My Bell; 12” (Soul Jazz) ’79 UK; cover of Anita Ward disco classic
<Disco is not a four letter world in Reggae or on Smile Jamaikca; 28 sec.>
Always a Reggae cover of a soul or disco hit song
Set 8: Mutant Dubstresses; 5 sec.
Sinead O’Connor – Jah Nuh Dead; Throw Down Your Arms; (That’s Why There’s Chocolate & Vanilla) 2005 UK Burning Spear cover
<Sinead O’Connor: Mutant Dubstress; 40 sec.>
New Age Steppers feat. Ari Up – Some Love; Foundation Steppers (ON U Sound) ’83 UK
<Ari Up: New Age Steppers, The Slits vocalist>
The Slits – Man Next Door; 12” (Human Records) ’80 UK; cover of John Holt & the Paragons
Akabu – Africans United; Akabu (Viva) ’89 UK
Rasheda – I Jah Love; 12” (Zion Gate) 2007 Fr.; Don Carlos cover
Anti papist. Jah nuh dead
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.
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