This is one of the pioneers that has passed away - his place is definitely cemented in reggae history.". Their song "Working on it Night and Day", entered the pop charts in 1973. Other hits include "007", "It Mek" and "You Can Get It If You Really Want". [9] Desmond headlined Jools Holland's 2003 Annual Hootenanny. The song would return to the British charts in 1975 and was reissued as a single after being used in a commercial for Maxell recording tape in 1990. He was 64. With the release of Israelites, Dekker became the first Jamaican artist to score a hit in the United States. [11] In June 1969 it reached the Top Ten in the United States, peaking at #9 on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart. He moved to the UK in the '70s, later recording the hit You Can Get It If You Really Want, written by Jimmy Cliff. After being re-released in June 1969, the single reached number 7 in the UK Singles Chart. This was the sense used in the song's lyrics, which metaphorically tell of the problems that happens when someone (such as a lover) goes too far. generations of fans. Mr. Dekker was divorced and is survived by a son and daughter. His fans included the Beatles, who namechecked him in the lyrics to Many of his 1 in Jamaica. The song's title is Jamaican patois meaning "that's why" or "that's the reason. 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"). [2] A gold record was presented by Ember Records, the distributors of Dekker's recordings.[2]. 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).Other hits include "007 (Shanty Town)" (1967), "It Mek" (1969) and "You Can Get It If You Really . of musicians and producers Dekker cut two more albums, 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. 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. He was 64. The Aces, originally known as The Four Aces, were a Jamaican vocal group who are best known for their work with Desmond Dekker. [3], Only a single live album was released in the late '80s. "I was telling people not to give up as things will get better," he said in a interview last year for the Set the Tone 67 Web site. 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). offbeat." Most recently, it featured on the soundtrack of the 2019 film Vivarium. He was preparing to headline The World Music Festival in Prague. there. His last concert was at Leeds Metropolitan University on 11 May. Los Angeles Times It was also a hit for Musical Youth in 1983. The He won the Jamaican Song Festival in 1968 with "Intensified.". Mr. Dekker was named Desmond Adolphus Dacres when he was born in Kingston, Jamaica, in 1941. [2], The disc was released in the UK in March 1969 and was #1 for one week, selling over 250,000 copies. The unsigned vocalist then auditioned for Leslie Kong's Beverley's record label and was awarded his first recording contract. [1] Kong employed the group as backing singers for Dekker and they can be heard on the song "Get Up Adinah" (credited as The Four Aces). Along with Bob . 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. He briefly had an apprenticeship as a tailor before working as a welder. Incudes 'Israelites', '007 (Shanty Town)', 'It Miek', 'You Can Get It If You Really Want' and 'Sing a Litte Song'. Dekker wrote the song after watching news coverage of a student demonstration against government plans to build an industrial complex on land close to the beach, which descended into violence. A man of many talents, Desmond Adolphus Dacres, a.k.a. 2 in the UK charts. "007 (Shanty Town)" was included in the soundtrack of the film The Harder They Come,[13] and in the Grand Theft Auto IV soundtrack from the Episodes from Liberty City add-on. "It is such a shock, I don't think I will ever get over this," he said. "Desmond was the first legend, believe it or not," he said. 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. Despite declining sales, Dekker remained a popular live performer and continued to tour with The Rumour. [3] Dekker's version uses the same backing track as Cliff's original. At the time of his death, he was preparing as the headliner of a world music festival in Prague. Jamaican music, and Dekker was at its cutting edge," his The music began tribute, was evident in a sold-out show Dekker played at a Hollywood Desmond Dekker. Los Angeles Times "[8] The title has been the source of speculation,[9] but most settle on the Rastafarian Movement's association with the Twelve Tribes of Israel. The two had met He moved to the UK in the 70s and recorded the hit You Can Get It If You Really Want, written by Jimmy Cliff. Mr Williams said Dekker had led the way for reggae stars such as Bob Marley. Early Life I was his manager and his best friend. Search instead in Creative? [4] It combined the Rastafarian religion with rude boy concerns,[5] to make what has been described as a "timeless masterpiece that knew no boundaries".[6]. Dekker recorded the song again for his 1980 album Black and Dekker. 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. characterised by a fast, metronomic tempo and a strongly accented made it into the Top Ten on the U.S. singles chart the following year. On the 22 August 1970 edition of American top 40, Casey Kasem claimed that Dekker had more than 40 #1 records in Jamaica. Chicago Tribune 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. Mr. Dekker had a total of 20 No. the Specials considered him their musical hero. , May 27, 2006, p. B17; years earlier, when both worked as welders in Kingston, and Dekker [3] In 2003 a reissue of The Harder They Come soundtrack featured "Israelites" and "007 (Shanty Town)". When Kong died in 1971, Dekker's career faltered, and the hits of the biblical era. Photograph: PA. [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]. It was also a hit for Musical Youth in 1983. "[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." Kong, whose music production skills had been a crucial part of both Dekker's and Cliff's careers, died in 1971, affecting the careers of both artists for a short period of time. With a younger generation Problems 9. The song was his only United States hit, but it was a turning point for Jamaican music among international listeners. "007 (Shanty Town)" has been called "the most enduring and archetypal" rude boy song. Dekker's next album, Compass Point (1981), was produced by Robert Palmer. released the song "You Can Get It If You Really Want." He had been due to perform at the Respect Festival in Prague on 2 June, and numerous dates across Europe during the summer. Mr Williams said: "He was at his peak fitness, he had this big tour coming up for this summer and he was looking forward to it - and then that was it. pioneer Desmond Dekker dominated Jamaica's pop charts in the 1960s, Desmond Dekker passed away. Mark Lamarr, presenter of BBC Radio 2's Reggae Show, said: "He probably was the first reggae superstar to have hits outside Jamaica in the US and UK. . He collaborated with the Specials on the 1993 album, King of Kings, which was released under Desmond Dekker and the Specials. May 25, 2006 - Desmond Dekker was born Desmond Adolphus Dacres on July 16th 1941 in Saint Andrew Parrish, Kingston, Jamaica. 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. career, "Israelites," was released in December of 1968 and "Isrealites" lyrics have long been obscure, but, with the wonder of the internet are now easily available and I have. It hit #1 in the United Kingdom,[12] the Netherlands, Jamaica, South Africa, Canada, Sweden and West Germany. The artist took a permanent residency in the UK in 1969. He had 10 studio albums, 25 compilation albums, and 47 singles during his career. Join our newsletter to get the latest articles, news, & videos. of the island," wrote Originally issued in Jamaica as "Poor Me Israelites",[7] it remains the best known Jamaican reggae hit to reach the United States Hot 100's top 10,[5] and was written almost two years after Dekker first made his mark with the rude boy song "007 (Shanty Town)". By the end of the decade, Mr. Dekker had won the Golden Trophy award, presented annually to Jamaica's top singer, five times and was known as the King of Bluebeat. in 1980, and best-known songs celebrated the "rude boy" culture, the name and performed with his backing band, the Four Aces. their ska-inflected hit "Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da." his co-workers to dare him into auditioning for a record label. It was taken from an album of similar re-recordings of his old hits, Black & Dekker. Times lament, whose lyrics Dekker had written in his head while walking in a Three years later, Mr. Dekker had his first British Top 20 hit with "007 (Shanty Town)," a tale of rude-boy ghetto violence "Dem a loot, dem a shoot, dem a wail" sung in a thick patois, which Americans would hear later as part of the soundtrack to the film "The Harder They Come" in 1972. The star was divorced with a son and daughter. ", 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. By the 1980s, he was signed to Stiff Records and his music created a short-term revival of ska, but he was bankrupt by 1984. In 1980, Dekker released a new recording of the song on UK label Stiff Records, performed in an uptempo Two Tone style. UK reissue of this two CD collection by the Reggae/Ska legend. Despite "Israelites" being recorded and released in 1968, the Uni 45 discography shows its cataloguing in 1969. "The song, an ode to the troubles of the poor, Los Angeles Times In 1993, the Specials reunited and backed up Mr. Dekker on the album "King of Kings," with remakes of ska hits. A few journalist Jocelyn Y. Stewart. In 1970 Dekker released "You Can Get It If You Really Want", written by Jimmy Cliff, which reached No. a year later. His impact on music, record-company veteran Roger Paul McCartney slipped Mr. Dekker's first name into the lyrics to the Beatles' ska song, "Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da," on "The Beatles" (also known as the White Album) in 1968, the year Mr. Dekker moved to England. sold millions of copies, became the first purely Jamaican song to top the jazz elements, combined with such local forms as calypso and mento and Dekker recorded on the Pyramid record label, and when its catalogue was acquired by Cactus Records in 1975, "Israelites" was re-issued in a first-time stereo mix. His lyrics drew He had been due to perform at the Respect Festival in Prague on 2 June, and numerous dates across Europe . version of ska. 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. This was followed by the release of the tracks "Sinners Come Home" and "Labour for Learning". An energetic live performer, he was about to start a European summer tour and was booked to play in Prague next week. Born Desmond Adolphus Dacres, July 16, c. 1941, in Kingston, Jamaica; died of a heart attack, May 25, 2006, in London, England. more rural part of the island, but returned to Kingston and by his late It was during this period that Desmond Dacres adopted the stage-name of Desmond Dekker. Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone. States, but it reached No. I told you once and I told you twice. Dekker then recruited four brothers, Carl, Patrick, Clive and Barry Howard, as his permanent backing vocalists to perform with him under the name Desmond Dekker and the Aces. Manager Delroy Williams said the Jamaica-born performer had seemed fine when they met a day earlier, adding: "I don't think I will ever get over this. 1972 film "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. A series of songs including "Rude Boy Train" and "Rudie Got Soul" made Mr. Dekker a hero of Jamaica's rough urban "rude boy" culture. He was a Jamaican Ska, Rocksteady and Reggae singer. years later the track became the signature song for the groundbreaking suffering even after independence from Britain. [3] In Dekker's words: "The students had a demonstration and it went all the way around to Four Shore Road and down to Shanty Town. He lived for his music and his children. Eventually in 1963 Kong chose "Honour Your Mother and Father" (written by Dekker and the song that Dekker had sung in his Kong audition two years earlier), which became a Jamaican hit and established Dekker's musical career. Jamaican singer and musician, Desmond Dekker pictured wearing white trousers and a white cowl neck tunic and sitting on a stool circa 1969. "The Israelites" was the peak of Mr. Dekker's extensive career, selling more than a million copies worldwide. 1969. He was due to perform at the Respect festival in Prague on June 2, before heading on to Switzerland, Ireland, Poland, Belgium and London. A string of Jamaican hits followed, including "It Pays," "Sinners Come Home" and "Labour for Learning." Desmond Dekker, the Jamaican singer whose 1969 hit, "The Israelites," opened up a worldwide audience for reggae, died on Wednesday. died on May 25, 2006, in London, at the age of 63 or 64. The movie's hero, played by Jimmy Cliff, sang it this time, and Born Desmond Adolphus Dacres, July 16, c. 1941, in Kingston, Jamaica; died Jamaican patois, helped make his 1969 song "Israelites" an Notable groups who have covered "007 (Shanty Town)" include: The song has been sampled by Special Ed ("I'm the Magnificent") and Shaggy ("Bonafide Girl"). An instrumental figure in the development of ska and its slightly mellower cousin, rocksteady, Dekker was also one the first reggae performers to break big in the U.K., laying the groundwork for that country's late 1970s 2 Tone movement. A global million sales was reported in June 1969. Desmond Dekker (16 July 1941 - 25 May 2006) [1] was a Jamaican ska, rocksteady and reggae singer-songwriter and musician. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. "He died peacefully but it still hurts. reached No. Browse 99 desmond dekker stock photos and images available, or start a new search to explore more stock photos and images. [8] The single was a number one hit in Jamaica and reached number 14 on the UK Singles Chart, making it the first Jamaican-produced record to reach the UK top 20. [3] Despite this, the single was the first UK reggae #1 and among the first to reach the US top ten (peaking at #9). Dekker, who lived in England, co 007: The Best of Desmond Dekker is a two-disc collection that features 25 classic hits from Dekker's catalog, as well as another 25 rare and unreleased sides including alternate takes of some of the artist's fan favorites of the '60s and '70s. wider renown. Desmond Dekker, 64, Pioneer of Jamaican Music, Dies, https://www.nytimes.com/2006/05/27/arts/music/27dekker.html. He often sang on the job, which prompted The 2006 to 2015 line-up for Dekker's backing band, The Aces, who are still performing tribute concerts, includes: This particular line-up also recorded with Dekker on some of his later studio sessions in the 1990s. The initial line-up of The Aces consisted of Clive Campbell, Barry Howard, Carl Howard, and Patrick Howard. The 2016 - current line up of musicians for Desmond Dekker's band the Aces featuring Delroy Williams & Guests. Dekker was the first Jamaican artist to have a hit record in the US with Jamaican-style 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. [2] Several more hits followed, and Dekker became a major community, and in 1967 his song "0.0.7 (Shanty Town)" Jamaica's post-colonial Its title and lyrics refer to the cool imagery of films such as the James Bond series and Ocean's 11, admired by "rudies". He was "Israelites" brought a Jamaican beat to the British top 40 for the first time since Dekker's #14 hit "007 (Shanty Town)" in 1967. He continued to tour regularly; his final concert was on May 11 at Leeds University. He also collaborated on a remix of "Israelites" with reggae artist Apache Indian. But while Mr. Dekker kept up a busy performing career, the death of Mr. Kong in 1971 ended his streak of hits. It's Not Easy 3. And the higher ones wanted to bulldoze the whole thing down and do their own thing and the students said no way. Photo Highlights: Protoje takes Hope Gardens A Matter of Time Live, The Top 100 Reggae Songs From 1962 2017. When Maxell used Israelites in a TV commercial, it propelled Dekker and his music back into the spotlight. [2] The single featured Roland Alphonso's "El Torro" on the B-side.[2]. "When he released Israelites nobody had heard of Bob Marley - he paved the way for all of them.". 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. The Top 14 Jamaican Recipes Searched for by Canadians. I related to those things and began to sing a little song: 'You get up in the morning and you're slaving for bread.' He was also a songwriter and a musician as well. Survivors include [12][13], Dekker died of a heart attack on 25 May 2006, at his home in Thornton Heath in the London Borough of Croydon, England, aged 64[3] and was buried at Streatham Park Cemetery. 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. Previously divorced, he was survived by a son and daughter. "I saw him live dozens of times and he couldn't do a bad show - he was always magnificent.". It was his workmates who first noted his vocal talents, as the youngster sang around the workshop. Free shipping for many products! which Dekker admitted was the result of a swindle by his former manager. Dekker was born on 16 July 1941 in Kingston, Jamaica, and began his working life as a welder before turning to singing full-time. Potentially because of this usage, the song charted again, entering the Billboard Digital Reggae Song Sales Chart at #2.[15]. This early religious upbringing, as well as Dekker's enjoyment of singing hymns, led to a lifelong religious commitment. , May 27, 2006, sec. 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. Genres: Jamaican Ska, Rocksteady, Reggae. "[4], The song also deals with a 'rude boy' who after being released from prison continues to commit crime. I don't think anyone knew how close we were - we go back so far. 63K views 4 years ago A reggae hit in 1969 for Desmond Dekker and the Aces. His manager and best friend, Delroy Williams, said he had seen the singer and songwriter the night before and he had seemed fine. Two [3], In 1961 he auditioned for Coxsone Dodd (Studio One) and Duke Reid (Treasure Isle), though neither audition was successful. It Mek (sometimes appearing as "A It Mek" or German language "It Miek") was a 1969 hit song by the Jamaican musicians Desmond Dekker & the Aces.After being re-released in June 1969, the single reached number 7 in the UK Singles Chart. "Israelites" is a song written by Desmond Dekker and Leslie Kong that became a hit for Dekker's group, Desmond Dekker & The Aces,[2] reaching the top of the charts in numerous countries in 1969. hotspot in 2005, "which was almost completely people under I heard a couple arguing about money. Washington Post He returned to the British charts with "Sing a Little Song" in 1975. Dekker's trademark falsetto, singing lyrics in a Dekker was responsible for bringing Bob Marleys talents to the attention of Kong and the two had several successful collaborations. Desmond Dekker, who has died of a heart attack aged 64 in Surrey, was one of the first Jamaican vocalists to make a significant impact outside the land of his birth. in Leeds just two weeks before his death. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. It Mek 7. But a new version of Israelites was released in 1990 and used in television commercials, boosting the star's popularity. [1] Little more was heard from the group until 1982 when they released "One Way Street". expressed in the growth of ska, a mix of imported rhythm and blues and producers turned him down before Leslie Kong signed Dekker to his label in Dekker was initially reluctant to record the track but was eventually persuaded to do so by Leslie Kong. gangsters they saw in Hollywood films. Desmond Dekker performing at London's Brixton Academy in 1985. given to Kingston's tough urban youth who modeled themselves on the UK ska-punk band Sonic Boom Six used a sample of the chorus as the outro to "Rum Little Skallywag". He was 64. Left to earn a living on his own, he apprenticed as a welder. (London), May 27, 2006, p. 70; Like many of Mr. Dekker's songs, it carried a message. the film introduced Jamaica's vibrant musical culture to the rest They provided the backing vocals on Dekker's major hit "007 (Shanty Town)" as well as the track "Music Like Dirt (Intensified '68)" (the winning song of the 1968 Jamaica Independence Festival Song Contest). With "The Israelites," released in Jamaica in December 1968, Mr. Dekker had an international impact. Other hits include "007 (Shanty Town)" (1967), "It Mek" (1969) and "You Can Get It If You Really Want" (1970). Desmond Dekker (16 July 1941 25 May 2006)[1] was a Jamaican ska, rocksteady and reggae singer-songwriter and musician. "They know all the words to his songs, The Jamaican rhythm of ska had already generated hits in the United States, notably Millie Small's 1964 hit, "My Boy Lollipop." He died after collapsing from a heart attack at. List of number-one singles from the 1960s (UK), List of 1960s one-hit wonders in the United States, "Israelites / The Man - Desmond Dekker & The Aces", "Desmond Dekker & The Aces, Beverley's All Stars - Poor Me Israelites / Fly Right", Desmond Dekker and the Aces Israelites", The Irish Charts Search Results Israelites", "Desmond Dekker & the Aces: Artist Chart History", "Desmond Dekker The Aces Chart History (Hot 100)", Offiziellecharts.de Desmond Dekker and the Aces Israelites", "British single certifications Desmond Dekker & The Aces Israelites", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Israelites_(song)&oldid=1134128754, Short description is different from Wikidata, Single chart usages for Belgium (Flanders), Single chart usages for Belgium (Wallonia), Certification Table Entry usages for United Kingdom, Pages using certification Table Entry with streaming figures, Pages using certification Table Entry with streaming footnote, Articles with MusicBrainz release group identifiers, Articles with MusicBrainz work identifiers, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, "My Precious World (The Man)" by Beverley's All Stars, This page was last edited on 17 January 2023, at 03:48.