Album Details

Respect to Studio One

RELEASE
1994
LABEL
Heartbeat
GENRES
Reggae, Dub, Dancehall, Lovers Rock, Ska, Rocksteady, Reggae-Pop, Roots Reggae, Smooth Reggae

Album Review

This is really more of a label sampler than a thematic compilation, as all of the 33 tracks have appeared on Heartbeat releases. What is for sure is that all of the rocksteady, ska, and dancehall numbers were recorded at the legendary Studio One recording studio, with the equally legendary Clement "Coxsone" Dodd producing. There's little in the way of liner notes, and nothing in the way of dates (even as approximations); that could, after all, be setting a dangerous precedent in the hazy world of reggae reissues, where mysterious vagueness about the source material seems to be a prerequisite of sorts in order to gain official re-release. One could reasonably deduce that much of this is from the '60s and early '70s, and it's very tasty stuff indeed, both by major players (Lee Perry, Alton Ellis, the Skatalites, Marcia Griffiths, Sugar Minott, the Heptones, Burning Spear, Horace Andy, Don Drummond) and minor/unknown ones (Jackie Mittoo, the Termites, Ken Boothe, the Cables). Major reggae fans will most likely prefer to find most or all of the Heartbeat releases from which these tracks were plucked. But for those who want a big portion of relatively unknown vintage reggae, and are not concerned with building a comprehensive library, this is a solid investment.
Richie Unterberger, Rovi

Track Listing

  1. Intro: Sound of Young Jamaica Radio Show.
  2. Pretty Looks Isn't All
  3. Nice Up the Dance
  4. Melody Life
  5. Throw Me Corn
  6. I'll Never Let You Go
  7. Run Run
  8. Love Me Forever
  9. Forever Version
  10. Wire Higher
  11. What Kind of World
  12. Nanny Goat
  13. Fire Down Below
  14. Have Mercy Mr. Percy
  15. Picture on the Wall
  16. Skylarking
  17. Vanity
  18. Breaking Up Is Hard to Do
  19. Psychedelic Rock (Rockfort Rock)
  20. Moving Away
  21. Don't Blame the Baldhead
  22. Bobby Babylon
  23. Yaho
  24. Sing Jay Style
  25. Armagideon Time
  26. Natty Dread on the Go
  27. Strange Things
  28. Timothy
  29. Simmer Down
  30. Artibella
  31. I Should Have Known Better
  32. Chicken Scratch
  33. Roll on Sweet Don