So why is Desmond Dekker’s The Definitive Collection: You Can Get It If You Really Want on this best 1,000 albums ever thing?
Somewhere in the mid-2000s, I discovered that iTunes had a vast array of Internet radio stations that you could listen to for free. I wound up getting really into two of them over the next few years. One was called WeFunk, which I believe was broadcast out of Montreal, Canada, and included a really eclectic mix of hip hop, funk, and soul music.
The other one was called something like “Roots Reggae Radio,” and had a great array of old school Jamaican ska and rock steady music. I’d play this radio station often on weekend mornings as it set the scene really nicely for relaxing during brunch and homelife activities. It was probably around this time that I discovered Desmond Dekker for the first time, though it’s possible that it was by way of the fantastic soundtrack for The Harder They Come, which includes the great, “007 (Shanty Town),” which is credited to Dekker and The Aces.
“Israelites” is my all-time favorite Desmond Dekker song, and happens to be one of his biggest hits. It has an infectious beat and catchy melody, and lyrically it covers themes of poverty and oppression while managing to throw in a few pop culture references (”I don’t want to end up like Bonnie and Clyde”).
“Fu Man Chu,” also credited to Dekker and The Aces, has a similar roots reggae vibe as “Israelites,” sad and pretty and deeply catchy all at once. I should point out too what a great voice that Dekker has, and the harmonizing with The Aces is fantastic.
“It Mek” showcases a unique blend of ska, rock steady, and Rastafarianism. It’s powered by a driving bassline and horn section, while its lyrics address the trials and tribulations of everyday life, but with a message of hope and perseverance.
Some stats & info about Desmond Dekker – The Definitive Collection
- What kind of musical stylings does this album represent? Reggae, Rock Steady, Ska
- Rolling Stone’s greatest 500 albums ranking – not ranked!
- All Music’s rating – 4 out of 5 stars
- When was The Definitive Collection: You Can Get It If You Really Want released? 2005
- My ranking, the one you’re reading right now – #548 out of 1,000
Desmond Dekker’s The Definitive Collection: You Can Get It If You Really Want on Spotify
A lyrical snippet from Desmond Dekker’s The Definitive Collection: You Can Get It If You Really Want that’s evocative of the album in some way, maybe
Get up in the morning slaving for bread sir, so that every mouth can be fed, poor me Israelites.
What’s the most interesting thing about Desmond Dekker that most people don’t know?
Desmond Dekker was a Jamaican ska and reggae singer who was popular in the 1960s and 1970s. He is considered one of the pioneers of ska music, and “Israelites” is one of the first international reggae hits.
What does the “best 1,000 albums ever” mean and why are you doing this?
Yeah, I know it’s audacious, a little crazy (okay, maybe a lot cray cray), bordering on criminal nerdery.
But here’s what it’s NOT: a definitive list of the Greatest Albums of All-Time. This is 100% my own personal super biased, incredibly subjective review of what my top 1,000 albums are, ranked in painstaking order over the course of doing research for nearly a year, Rob from High Fidelity style. Find out more about why I embarked on a best 1,000 albums ever project.