1980's dancehall tunes required - TOP FIVE

[Adam Clark]

What 1980's Dancehall tunes are essential for a reggae collection? Could people give me lists of their top tunes in this category?

Adam

[dreadrecords]

ites deh
here are some charts from london it can help yu
note not all are dancehall bu its tthe beginning

www.dancecrasherco.uk
from dancecrasher u.k 7" - 80's Dancehall

Arabic - Pliers - How I'm Supposed To Live Without You/Version
Arrival - Little John -Ram Up The Dancehall/Version
Killer Junjo production from '84. B side is a bad pressing.
Arrival - Leroy Smart - Give Love A Try
Top Geroge Phang tune from 1985. Sly & Robbie analogue & drum machine rhythm.
Black Scorpio - Super Barry - Yes Me Come/Version
wicked early digital (1987) DJ on It's Raining rhythm
Black Scorpio - Johnny Osbourne - In The Rain/Version
1988 take on the standard.
Busy - Barrington Levy - Reggae music/Version (ld)
Circa 1989.
Ital International Records - Josey Wales & Phyllis Barnes - I Believe In Reggae/Version Jah Guidance - Jah Thomas - Dance Pon Mi Corner/Version
Killer cut on Real Rock from Junjo
Jammys - Super Cat - Trash & Ready/Version
On Sleng Teng. .
Jammys - Lt Stitchie - Wear Yu Size/Version. swol
wicked 1987 dancehall -
Nura - Michael Black - Take A Tip From me/Ring Craft Possey -
Nura - Al Campbell - Trouble In The Dance/Ring Craft Possey - Version. wol
84' Blackbeard. Al Campbell take on the Frankie Paul classic.
Redman International - Daddy Lilly - Have Fi Stand Up/Version swol
Roots Tradition - Lady Ann - Shine Eye Boy/Version
Ruddy T - Yellow Man - Death Of Barnabas/Black Skin - Too Many Woman For One
Studio 1 - Johnny Osbourne - Lend Me Your Sixteen/Version
Killer cut on Real Rock.
Techniques - Super Cat - Cry Fi Di Youth/Version
Two Friends - Papa San - Love Mi How Mi Stay/Version
late 80's
Uhuru - Roy Richards - A It Dis/Version
Calypso flavoured vocal from '87.
Volcano - Frankie Paul - Pass The Tushungpeng/Version
volcano - Johnny Osbourne - Water Pumping/Version
Volcano - Michigan & Smiley - Diseases/Version.

from london dancecrasher 80 12" singles yu an find some early dancehall

January 1980
1. One Jah One Aim One Destiny - Hugh Mundell (Rockers)
2. Dream Lover Babe - Jewels (Cash & Carry)
3. Evil Woman - Delton Screechy (Nigger Kojack)
4. Superstar - Ranking Dread (Youth Promotion)
5. Frog In A Water - Errol Scorcher (Tipper)
6. Rock It All Night - Tony Tuff (Bop)
7. Can't Take Wah Happen On A West - Big Youth (Negusa Negast)
8. Your Man - Dennis Brown (Joe Gibbs)
9. Take Over The Town - Todd Henry (Truth & Rights)
10. It Ain't Easy - Freddy McKay (Matador) January 1980
1. Natty Dread She Want - H.Andy & Tapper Zukie (Stars)
2. It's A New Day - Pat Kelly (Thompson)
3. Warn Them Jah - Michael Prophet (Grove)
4. Dying In The Ghetto - Jimmy London (JB)
5. Trying So Hard - Bobby Melody (African Museum)
6. Getting Cozy - Fil Callender (Weedbeat)
7. Follow Fashion - Clint Eastwood (Freedom Sounds)
8. So Naive - Tropical Breeze (Silver Camel)
9. Bad Girl - Black Uhuru (Warrior)
10. Behold Him - Rod Taylor & Mikey Dread (Sufferers Heights)

February 1980 February 1980
March 1980 March 1980

April 1980
1. Let's Clean It Up - Barrington Levy (Busy)
2. Dem A Fight I - Nathan Sky (Mandingo)
3. Have You Ever Been To Heaven - Madoo (Prophets Studio)
4. Left Outside - Dave Robinson (Dread At The Control)
5. Let The People Go - Ras Midas (Jaywax)
6. Run Come In A Dance - Papa Levi (Rockers)
7. Up Barbican Way - Guzang (Musical Ambassador)
8. 51 Storm Pt2 - Little John (Youth In Progress)
9. Jah Children Rising - Roy Dobson (Black Pearl)
10. Suzanne - General Echo (Bunny Rabbit) April 1980
1. African Girl - Sugar Minott (Live & Learn)
2. General - Dennis Brown (DEB)
3. Wise Man - Winston Jarret (Warrior)
4. African Tribesman - Earl 16 & Mikey Dread (Sufferers Heights)
5. Rocking Universally - Wille Williams (Ziggy)
6. Jah Give I Love - Winston Golding (Starlight)
7. Dubbing Is A Must - Pablo Moses (Island)
8. You're The One - Pat Kelly (Ethnic Fight)
9. I Adore You - Love & Unity (Studio 16)
10. I Thirst - Gregory Isaacs (GG)

May 1980
1. Sky Juice - Big Youth (Negusa Negast)
2. Shy Girls - Ovations (Dread At The Controls)
3. Superstar - Michael Prophet (Roots Tradition)
4. Reggae Gone International - Mikey Dread (Dread At the Control)
5. Run Come In A Dance - Papa Levi (Rockers)
6. Bad Boys - Tristan Palmer (Skank)
7. Don't Want War - Mighty Diamonds (56 Hope Road)
8. Give I Peace - Israel Vibration (Israel Vibes)
9. Gamblings - Bunny Wailer (Solomonic)
10. What's Cooking - Jah Thomas (Midnight Rock) May 1980
1. Come Together - Freddy McKay (GG)
2. Warm And Sunny Day - Barrington Levy (Cha Cha)
3. So Jah Say - Barry Brown (E&J)
4. Moving Out Ever - Rod Taylor (Unity)
5. Rainbow Culture - Aswad (Island)
6. Rast Train - Doctor Alimantado (Black Art)
7. Mr Bossman - Linval Thompson (Strong Like Sampson)
8. African Girl - Sugar Minott (Third World)
9. You're The One - Pat Kelly (Ethnic Fight)
10. Magic - Delroy Washington (Direction Discs)

June 1980
1. Rastafari Calling - Hugh Mundell (Muni)
2. Reggae Operator - Pablo Roots (Lightning)
3. Merry Go Round - Junior Delgado (Power House)
4. Round The World - Tristan Palmer (She Get Up & Skank)
5. Night In September - Rod Taylor (Nigger Kojack)
6. I Love Jah Rastafari - Ricky Grant (Rockers)
7. A.I. Sound - Captain Sinbad (Youth In Progress)
8. One Love Jamdown - Michigan & Smiley (56 Hope Road)
9. Wicked A Go Run - Frankie Jones (Redemption Sound)
10. Can't Blame The Youth - Peter Tosh (Intel Diplo) June 1980
1. Sitting & Watching - Dennis Brown (Taxi)
2. Olive Baby - Delton Screechy & Nigger Kojak (Moa Anbessa)
3. Weed Fields - Desi Roots (Hawkeye)
4. Next To You - Gregory Isaacs (African Museum)
5. Blood A Go Run - Leroy Brown (Revue)
6. Folk Song - Private I's (Cruise)
7. Natty Dread Nah Run - Barry Brown (Strong Like Sampson)
8. Warm & Sunny Day - Barrington Levy (Cha Cha)
9. You've Lost It - Sugar Minott (Black Roots)
10. Brown Skin Girl - Linval Thompson (Black Joy

July 1980
1. Let Me Love You - Dennis Brown (Joe Gibbs)
2. When I Think Of You - Ruddy Thomas (Ruddy T)
3. Bad Boys - Phillip Frazer (Freedom Sounds)
4. Round The World - Tristan Palmer (Freedom Sounds)
5. Mary Long Tongue - Barrington Levy (Jah Guidance)
6. Why Girl - Earth & Stone (Errol T)
7. Armegiddion Man - Willie Williams (Prophets)
8. Hear It In The News - Jah Thomas (Solid Gold)
9. A1 Sounds - Captain Sinbad & LIttle John (Youth In Progress)
10.Eventide Home - Trinity (Joe Gibbs) July 1980
1. Sitting & Watching - Dennis Brown (Taxi)
2. The Winner - Barrington Levy (EJ)
3. We All Got To Be There - Pat Kelly (JB)
4. Promised Land - Rod Taylor (Strong Like Sampson)
5. Crisis Time - Pablo Gad (His Majesty)
6. Brown Skin Girl - Linval Thompson (Black Joy)
7. Sometime Girl - Sugar Minott (Wackies)
8. Weed Fields - Desi Roots (Hawkeye)
9. Today Is My Birthday - Storm (Soundoff)
10. Baby I'm Yours - Investigators (Inner City)

August 1980
1. Anniversary - Gregory Isaacs (Cash & Carry)
2. Rat In The Cerntre - Archie & Lynn (High Note)
3. Tug O War Game - Bunny Wailer (Solomonic)
4. Roach In The Toilet - Errol Scorcher (Scorcher)
5. Papa Dean - Sister Nancy (Techniques)
6. Dryland Tourist - Danny Dread (Harry J)
7. After You - Wayne Wade (Joe Gibbs)
8. Eventide Home - Trinity (Crazy Joe)
9. Bad Card - Bob Marley & The Wailers (Tuff Gong)
10.Uptown Party - Ranking Jessy (Zion Viibration) August 1980
1. You Jammin - Al Campbell (JB)
2. You Really Don't Love Me - Jnr Delgado (Soundoff)
3. The Winner - Barrington Levy (EJ)
4. House Is Not A Home - One Blood (Solid State)
5. My Generation - Rasses (Warrior)
6. African Queen - Lacksley Castell (Negus Roots)
7. People Make The World Go Round - Tamlins (Ethnic Fight)
8. Fally Ranking - Johnny Osbourne (Greensleeves)
9. When I Think Of You - Ruddy Thomas (Hamkeye)
10.I Need A Man - 15,16,17 (Cha Cha)

September 1980
1. Black Arts Lane - Augustus Pablo (Rockers)
2. Runaway - Winston Jarrett (Shabazz)
3. Dryland Tourist - Danny Dread (Harry J)
4. Tel A Viv - Enos McCloud (Orbit)
5. Anniversary - Gregory Isaacs (Cash & Carry)
6. Rat In The Centre - Archie & Lynn (High Note)
7. Crucial - Bunny Wailer (Solomonic)
8. Miss Brown - Delroy Melody (Marcus)
9. Drunken Master - Ranking Joe (Joe Gibbs)
10.Jah Lover - Al Campbell (Prophets B)

September 1980
1. Jah Fire Will Be Burning - Hugh Mundell (Fatman)
2. Wailing Rudy - Gregory Isaacs (African Museum)
3. Mr Bossman - Cultural Roots (Germain)
4. I'm Coming Home Tonight - Dennis Brown (Joe Gibbs)
5. The Winner - Barrington Levy (EJ)
6. Never Forget Jah - Peter Broggs (Cha Cha)
7. Stepping - Ras Elroy (Arawak)
8. People Make The World Go Round - Tamlins (Ethnic Fight)
9. Serious Thing - Horace Andy (Wackies)
10. Jah Jah Give Us Love - Cornell Campbell (Wambesi)

October 1980
1. Changing World - Earl 16 (Rockers)
2. My Woman - Barrington Levy (Joe Gibbs)
3. My True Love - Paulette (Solomonic)
4. Rope In - Errol Scorcher (Scorcher)
5. 1000 Gals - Kojak (Errol T)
6. Mash Mouth - Jah Stitch (Stew Mack)
7. Black Ants Lane - Augustus Pablo
8. Run Come Come - Tony Tuff (Scorcher)
9. Ghetto Man - Dennis Reid (Black Roots)
10. White Belly Rat - Len Allen Jnr (Studio 1)
October 1980
1. Warrior Charge - Aswad (Island)
2. Late Night Blues - Don Carlos (Pirate)
3. Rocking Of The 5000 - Badoo (K&G)
4. WailingRudy - Gregory Isaacs (African Music)
5. I'm Coming Home Tonight - Dennis Brown (Speciality)
6. Natty Contractor - Wayne Wade (Joe Gibbs)
7. I'm So Sorry - Carol Thompson (Santic)
8. Things And Time - Barry Brown (Black Roots)
9. Vanity Love - Meditations (JB)
10. No Man Is An Island - Movement (Ballistic)

November 1980
1. Heart Made Of Stone - ViceRoys (Taxi)
2. Situation Sabotage - Gaylads (Gailads)
3. Black Force - Norris Reid (Rockers)
4. Hustling - Tony Tuff (Scorcher)
5. Badness A Madness - Papa Bruce (Black Solidarity)
6. White Belly Rat - Len Allen Jnr (Studio 1)
7. Peace And Love - Little Dread (Lightning)
8. Practice What You Preach - African Brothers (Black Link International)
9. Jah Is My Light - Derland Byfield (Mephenaij Phato)
10. Feeling Hearty - Papa Tarzan (Nigger Kojack)
Novemeber 1980
1. Jumping Master - Mikey Dread (DATC)
2. Sweet Man - In Crowd Band (Solid Gold)
3. Rocking Of The 5000 - Badoo (K&G)
4. Herbalist - Roman Stewart (Pirate)
5. 83 Struggle - Prince Far I (Pre)
6. Cool Rasta - Delroy Washington (Ballistic)
7. I Had A dream - Jackie & Del (Freedom Sounds)
8. What's Going On - Delroy Wilson (Channel 1)
9. Separation - Barry Brown (Attack)
10. Movie Star - Jr. Delgado (Lovelinch)

December 1980 December 1980

respect everytime
Carlos

[Sufferer's Hi-Fi]

Frankie Paul's- Worries in the Dance
Super Cat-Cry Fi Di Youth
Tristan Palmer-Entertainment/Joker Smoker
Early B- Take Up Your Bible
Wailing Souls- Kingdom Rise Kingdom Fall/ Fire House Rock
Michael Prophet-Gunman
Barrinton Levy-Prison Oval Rock

For the early 80's pre-digital era the best set to start with is probaly the Greensleeve's 2-cd set "The Biggest Dancehall Anthems 1979-82". This features work from leading producers Junjo Lawes, Linval Thompson, Jah Thomas, etc.

Almost anything produced by Junjo Lawes is great.
-"Total Recall Vol.1" (Singers) & "Vol. 2" (DJ's) are a good start.
Then check out the Greensleeve's two-fer CD's by Josey Wales, Michael Prophet, Barrington Levy, Frankie Paul, Johnny Osbourne, etc.

Jah Thomas' Midnight Rock productions are also good.
-Midnight Rock Classics Vol 1 is a good start here

The work of Prince Jammy & Winston Riley is a good place to start for the late 80's

Jammy's work covers more of the decade.
-King Jammy - A Man And His Music Vol.'s 1-3 are an excellent overview of his output.

Winston Riley's Techniques Label
-“Dancehall Techniques 1986-1991”
- Super Cat's "Si Boops Deh"(Techniques)has always been one of my favorite DJ albums. Not to be confused with "Boops"(Skengdon)

Be aware that there is a marked difference in the early & late 80's with the release of Sleng-Teng ushering in the digital era.

I hope you find this info helpful.