(London), May 27, 2006, p. 70; journalist Jocelyn Y. Stewart. A string of Jamaican hits followed, including "It Pays," "Sinners Come Home" and "Labour for Learning." "007 (Shanty Town)" has been called "the most enduring and archetypal" rude boy song. Desmond Dekker in Comanche Park video Sony Records (1994), Saint Andrew Parish (Greater Kingston), Jamaica, Jamaica Independence Festival Song Contest, "Desmond Dekker - full Official Chart History", "Desmond Dekker Top Songs / Chart Singles Discography", "British certifications Desmond Dekker", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Desmond_Dekker&oldid=1133815021, Short description is different from Wikidata, All Wikipedia articles written in Jamaican English, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, Aubrey Mulrain keyboard player and session musician, Steve Roberts guitarist and session musician (also a member of the British band Dubzone), Stan Samuel guitarist and session musician, Charles Nelson keyboard player and session musician, Delroy Williams Vocals (also featuring guests Winston 'Mr Fix It' Francis and Glenroy Oakley from Greyhound 'Black & White'), Gordon Mulrain bass guitarist and session musician, Learoy Green drums, backing vocals and session musician, Bryan Campbell Keyboard player and session musician, Steve Baker Guitarist, backing vocals, peripatetic guitar teacher and session guitarist. UK ska-punk band Sonic Boom Six used a sample of the chorus as the outro to "Rum Little Skallywag". , May 27, 2006, p. A11; ", Reggae DJ Daddy Ernie, of Choice FM in London, said: "Any history book that you pick up on reggae, Desmond Dekker's name will have to be in there. Desmond Dekker - Israelites (Official Music Video) Weedy Weed Smoker 7.04K subscribers Subscribe 349K views 5 years ago Music video by Desmond Dekker performing Israelites. He found fame with his band Desmond Dekker and the Aces - their international hit Israelites topped the UK charts and made the top 10 in the US. The "007" riddim was revived in 2007 for a series of releases on Beverley's Records, forming the basis of singles from Joseph Cotton ("Ship Sail"), Mike Brooks ("Blam Blam Blam"), The Blackstones ("Out a Road"), and Dennis Alcapone ("D.J. The 2016 - current line up of musicians for Desmond Dekker's band the Aces featuring Delroy Williams & Guests. be eclipsed by another Jamaican, reggae artist Bob Marley. [13] His workplace singing had drawn the attention of his co-workers, who encouraged him to pursue a career in music. Desmond Dekker & The Aces - Israelites (Official Lyrics Video) Trojan Records Official 109K subscribers Subscribe 40K Share 3.5M views 3 years ago #Pyramid #Israelites #rocksteady Between 1967. Dekker, who lived in England, co Most recently, it featured on the soundtrack of the 2019 film Vivarium. With "The Israelites," released in Jamaica in December 1968, Mr. Dekker had an international impact. Born Desmond Dacres in 1941, Dekker worked as a welder in Kingston before signing with Leslie Kong's Beverley's record label and releasing his first single, "Honor Your Father and Your Mother," in . Mr. Dekker's songs were rediscovered, and he was signed by Madness's label, Stiff Records. community, and in 1967 his song "0.0.7 (Shanty Town)" He was 64. In 1970 Dekker released "You Can Get It If You Really Want", written by Jimmy Cliff, which reached No. "Honour Your Father and Mother" reached the No. As a teenager he worked in a welding shop alongside Bob Marley and auditioned unsuccessfully for various producers until Mr. Marley encouraged him to try out for his own first producer, Leslie Kong. [7], "007" was Dekker's first international hit. He died peacefully but it still hurts. Desmond Dekker (16 July 1941 25 May 2006)[1] was a Jamaican ska, rocksteady and reggae singer-songwriter and musician. Early Life Desmond Dekker unleashed a flood of fine singles across the '60s and early '70s, all under the aegis of producer Leslie Kong.Taking a chance on an untried youngster barely into his teens, who'd already been shown the door by Coxsone Dodd and Duke Reid, Kong nurtured Dekker to international stardom, only to die suddenly in 1971, two years after the singer's breakthrough. [1] The group came to the attention of Dekker, who supported them when they auditioned for Leslie Kong at Beverley's studio in 1965. Survivors include A man of many talents, Desmond Adolphus Dacres, a.k.a. "Desmond was the first legend, believe it or not. Other successes included 007 (Shanty Town) and Rude Boy Train, which established him as an icon of Jamaica's 1960s rude boy scene - the ska subculture of sharp-suited urban youth who lead violent invasions of dancehall parties. [2] Just over six years after the original release, the song again reached a Top Ten position in the United Kingdom.[2]. Although Mr. Dekker had no further hits in the United States, he continued to have hits in England with "It Mek" in 1969 and the first recording of Jimmy Cliff's "You Can Get It if You Really Want" in 1970. released the song "You Can Get It If You Really Want." The song was his only United States hit, but it was a turning point for Jamaican music among international listeners. His first contract was with Leslie Kongs Beverleys label. Dekker was responsible for bringing Bob Marleys talents to the attention of Kong and the two had several successful collaborations. Desmond Adolphus Dacres was born in Saint Andrew Parish (Greater Kingston), Jamaica, on 16 July 1941. ", Original reporting and incisive analysis, direct from the Guardian every morning, Unflagging performer Desmond Dekker. suffering even after independence from Britain. Their song "Working on it Night and Day", entered the pop charts in 1973. He had another hit in 1969, "It Mek," and a year later years later the track became the signature song for the groundbreaking He was a composer, known for Fool's Gold (2008), Idiocracy (2006) and Forgetting Sarah Marshall (2008). The artist took a permanent residency in the UK in 1969. But while Mr. Dekker kept up a busy performing career, the death of Mr. Kong in 1971 ended his streak of hits. View history " 007 (Shanty Town) " is a 1967 rocksteady song by Jamaican band Desmond Dekker and the Aces, released as a single from their debut album of the same name. Join our newsletter to get the latest articles, news, & videos. [7] A re-recorded version of "Israelites" was released in 1980 on the Stiff label, followed by other new recordings: Jimmy Cliff's "Many Rivers to Cross" and "Book of Rules". Dekker was divorced and was survived by his son and daughter.[14]. [2] The Aces continued to record under their own name (without Dekker) and had a Jamaican hit in 1970 with "Mademoiselle Ninette". I told you once and I told you twice. hotspot in 2005, "which was almost completely people under Dekker was the first Jamaican artist to have a hit record in the US with Jamaican-style music. And the higher ones wanted to bulldoze the whole thing down and do their own thing and the students said no way. Following his mother's death, he moved to the parish of St. Mary and later to St. The song's title is Jamaican patois meaning "that's why" or "that's the reason. But his success started to wane by the end of the 70s and early 80s and he was declared bankrupt in 1984. Rock it to me, children. Black and Dekker 17,029 pages were read in the last minute. [3] Dekker's version uses the same backing track as Cliff's original. Dekker, whose 1969 hit Israelites was the first reggae song to top the UK charts, collapsed at his Surrey home. In 1975 this collaboration resulted in the release of "Sing a Little Song", which charted in the UK top twenty; this was to be his last UK hit. He was 64. Mr Dekker was born Desmond Dacres on July 16, 1941 in Kingston, Jamaica, and started working life as a welder before turning to singing full-time. Desmond Dekker was the first to have hit records outside of Jamaica and his influence on young white British teenagers was pivotal to his success in the 1960s. Several more hits followed, and Dekker became a major Jamaican music, and Dekker was at its cutting edge," his In 1975 "Israelites" was re-released and became a UK top 10 hit for a second time. It took two years before Kong let Dekker record a song, and when he did, Born Desmond Dacres in Kingston, Jamaica on July 16, 1942, the star-to-be was orphaned in his teens. View their obituary at Legacy.com 9 in the United States in 1969. Dekker, whose 1969 hit Israelites was the first reggae song to top the UK charts, collapsed at his Surrey home. He was orphaned as a teenager but made a success for himself after signing with Leslie Kong's Beverley's record label and releasing his first single, Honour Your Father and Mother, in 1963, a paean. "Isrealites" lyrics have long been obscure, but, with the wonder of the internet are now easily available and I have. Left to earn a living on his own, he apprenticed as a welder. [6] Dekker also released "Problems" and "Pickney Gal", both of which were popular in Jamaica, although only "Pickney Gal" managed to chart in the UK top 50.[3]. made it into the Top Ten on the U.S. singles chart the following year. Privacy Policy & Terms of use. Nincom Poop 8. [1] Kong employed the group as backing singers for Dekker and they can be heard on the song "Get Up . Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone. migrating across the Atlantic along with a growing West Indian expatriate Sung in Jamaican creole, some of the song's lyrics were not readily understood by many British and American listeners at the time of its release. Jamaican Spiced Easter Bun Recipe: Kerri-Anns 9 Side Dishes Jamaicans Serve with Jerk Chicken, The 6 Soups Every Jamaican Should Know How to Cook. Jamaican patois, helped make his 1969 song "Israelites" an His impact on music, record-company veteran Roger His lyrics drew But in 1984 Mr. Dekker declared bankruptcy, blaming his former manager. 2, p. 11; The most successful track of his Photo Courtesy:Desmond Dekker Reggae Facebook. Incudes 'Israelites', '007 (Shanty Town)', 'It Miek', 'You Can Get It If You Really Want' and 'Sing a Litte Song'. generations of fans. The initial line-up of The Aces consisted of Clive Campbell, Barry Howard, Carl Howard, and Patrick Howard. In 2000 he released the album "Halfway to Paradise." [3] In 1972 the rude boy film The Harder They Come was released and Dekker's "007 (Shanty Town)" was featured on the soundtrack along with Cliff's version of "You Can Get It If You Really Want", as well as other Jamaican artists' hits, giving reggae more international exposure and preparing the way for Bob Marley. [2] While at St. Thomas, Dekker embarked on an apprenticeship as a tailor before returning to Kingston, where he became a welder. I dig you out and you're cool, girl. Desmond Dekker 1. My Father lived with his Grandmother along with his Father in Kingston. Musical pioneer Desmond Dekker dominated Jamaica's pop charts in the 1960s, and became one of his country's first recording stars to achieve wider renown. By the time I got home, it was complete. Too Much Too Soon 6. sold millions of copies, became the first purely Jamaican song to top the Together with his backing group The Aces (consisting of Wilson James and Easton Barrington Howard), he had one of the earliest international reggae hits with "Israelites" (1968). When Kong died in 1971, Dekker's career faltered, and the hits It was also a hit for Musical Youth in 1983. version of ska. The obituary was featured in Legacy on May 26, 2006. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. Many of his 1961. Genres: Jamaican Ska, Rocksteady, Reggae. the Jamaican charts. Rude. The artist died on May 25, 2006, of a heart attack at his home in Thorton Heath in the Croydon Borough of London. wider renown. "It was an exciting time in jazz elements, combined with such local forms as calypso and mento and Along with Bob . "[3] According to the liner notes for the Dekker compilation album Rockin' Steady The Best of Desmond Dekker the phrase was also used as a schoolyard taunt roughly meaning "that's what you get." ", He added: "I didn't even get the chance to say goodbye properly.". The themes of Dekker's songs during the first four years of his career dealt with the moral, cultural and social issues of mainstream Jamaican culture: respect for one's parents ("Honour Your Mother and Father"), religious morality ("Sinners Come Home") and education ("Labour for Learning"). Track Listing - Disc 1 Track Listing - Disc 2 blue highlight denotes track pick You got wildlife and thing like that because it down near the beach. This double disc set features every major UK and Jamaican chart hit by the first King of Reggae, all sourced from the original analog master tapes. career. Los Angeles Times It was also a hit for Musical Youth in 1983. best-known songs celebrated the "rude boy" culture, the name Los Angeles Times His fans included the Beatles, who namechecked him in the lyrics to Desmond Dekker, the Jamaican singer whose 1969 hit, "The Israelites," opened up a worldwide audience for reggae, died on Wednesday. The comeback failed to save him from bankruptcy in 1984, Los Angeles Times . expressed in the growth of ska, a mix of imported rhythm and blues and