Rocksteady
The Jam-Tex selector offers a new chapter in the World of Reggae Music Collection entitled Rocksteady. The rocksteady collection contains over 100 of the best Jamaican songs from the Rocksteady Era (1966-1968). Rocksteady music represents the transition from the faster-paced ska music of the late 1950s and 1960s to the easy-grooving reggae music of the 1970s. The sounds of rocksteady are the soul of reggae. An excellent film that depicts this era is Stascha Bader’s Rockteady: The Roots of Reggae, which is narrated by Stranger Cole and provides an excellent historical account of late 1960s Jamaica rocksteady music scene.
As the precursor to reggae, many reggae and ska musicians participated in the Rocksteady Era including legendary Jamaican performers like Alton Ellis
Here are over 100 essential tracks of Rocksteady music…
Phyllis Dillon – Don’t Stay Away
Alton Ellis – Rock Steady
The Jamaicans – Ba Ba Boom
Hopeton Lewis – Take It Easy
Lee “Scratch” Perry – I Am The Upsetter
The Paragons – Wear You To The Ball
The Techniques – Queen Majesty (aka Minstrel and Queen)
Pat Kelly – How Long Will It Take
Delroy Wilson – Once Upon A Time
Justin Hinds & The Dominoes – Carry Go Bring Come
The Uniques – My Conversation
The Tenors – Ride Me Donkey
The Melodians – Swing and Dine
Phyllis Dylon – A Thing Of The Past
The Paragons – Island in the Sun
Desmond Dekker – Beautiful And Dangerous
Bob Marley & the Wailers – Hypocrites
Lee “Scratch” Perry – People Funny Boy
Alton Ellis – (Girl) I’ve Got A Date
Slim Smith – Keep That Light
The Paragons – On The Beach
Peter Tosh – Them Ha Fi Get A Beaten
The Melodians – You Don’t Need Me
U-Roy & The Melodians – Rock Away (Version Two)
Errol Dunkley – I’m Going Home
Derrick Harriot – Dancing the Reggae
Slim Smith & the Uniques – People Get Ready, Do Rock Steady
The Gladiators – Live Wire (Take Two)
The Melodians – Little Nut Tree
Ken Boothe – Can’t See You
Glen Miller – Rocksteady Party
Derrick Morgan – I Want To Go Home
Roy Shirley – Hold Them
Desmond Dekker & the Aces – Bongo Gal
The Ethiopians – Reggae Hit the Town
The Melodians – I Will Get Along Without You
The Jamaicans – Dedicated To You
Phyllis Dillon – Don’t Touch Me Tomato
Honeyboy Martin – Dreader Than Dread
The Techniques – (Lonely) Lonely Man (Am I)
Slim Smith – Let Me Go Girl
Alton Ellis & the Flames – All My Tears
Errol Dunkley – You’re Gonna Need Me
The Ethiopians – Engine 54
The Three Tops – Do It Right
Bruce Ruffin – Who’s Gonna Be Your Man
Desmond Dekker – Intensified ’68 (aka Music Like Dirt)
Alton Ellis – Cry Tough
The Melodians – You Have Caught Me
The Shades – Who You Gonna Run To
Phyllis Dillon – You’re Like Heaven
Slim Smith – Give Me A Love
Bruce Ruffin – I’m The One
Sound Dimension – Mojo Rock Steady
Bob Marley & the Wailers – Rocking Steady
Desmond Dekker – It Mek
Bruce Ruffin – The Bitterness of Life
Jimmy Cliff – Ship Is Sailing
The Techniques – The Reason Why
Coolie – On The Bank
Desmond Dekker – Unity
The Shades – Let Me Remind You
Bob Marley & The Wailers – Adam & Eve
Pat Kelly – There Comes A TIme
The Conquerors – Lonely Street
Slim Smith – Just A Dream
The Versatiles – I Love You Baby
Desmond Dekker – It Pays
Tyrone Evans – If This World Were Mine
The Techniques – Bad Minded People
Freddie McKay – If I Should Make It
Slim Smith – Try Again
The Three Tops – Do It Right (Early Version)
Desmond Dekker – Wise Man
The Techniques – Baby Don’t Say Goodbye
Tyrone Evans – Let Me Say
The Soul Lads – Funny
Bruce Ruffin – The Came the Heartbreak
The Shades – I Know a Girl
Slim Smith & The Uniques – Girls Like Dirt
Winston Francis – Find Yourself A Fool
Tyrone Evans – (I Am A) True Believer
Bruce Ruffin – We Can Never Go On This Way
Alton Ellis – Feeling Inside
NEED
Rudy Mills – Long Story
Stranger Cole – Just Like A River
Derrick Harriott – The Loser
Lester Sterling – Super Special
Johnny & the Attractions – Young Wings Can Fly
The Natives – Live It Up
The Versatiles – The Time Has Come
Keith and Tex – Tonight
The Jamaicans – Things You Say You Love
The Gaylads – Hard to Confess
The Maytals – Just Tell Me
Larry Marshall – Please Stay
Beres Hammond – The Wanderer
The Tartans – Far Beyond the Sun
The Overtakers – Girl You Ruff
Lloyd Robinson – Death A Come
Dennis Brown – Things in Life
Glen Adams – Hey There Lonely Girls
Phyllis Dillon – It’s Rocking Time (Rocksteady)
Dawn Penn – To Sir With Love
Errol Dunkley – Please Stop Your Lying
The Paragons – Only A Smile
Owen Gray – Take Me Back
Eric “Monty” Morris – Cinderella
Bob Andy – Too Experienced
The Sensations – Lonely Lover
Stranger Cole – Seeing Is Knowing
Nicky Thomas – God Bless the Children
The Dynamics – My Friends
The Mellotones – Fat Girl In Red
Keith Blake – Musically
Jimmy London & the Inspirations – Who You Gonna Run To
Alton Rock, Suga Roy, & Conrad Crystal – Rock Steady
Lynn Tait & the Jets – Only A Smile
Glen Adams – Run Come Dance
Dawn Penn – Lonely Day Short Night
Derrick Morgan – Hey Them
Derrick Harriot – Solomon
The Kingstonians – Winey, Winey
Lynn Taitt & the Jets – To Sir With Love
Joe White – Rudies All Around
Dawn Penn – I’ll Let You Go
The Tartans – Dance All Night
Tommy McCook – The Shadow of Your Smile
The Versatiles – Teardrops Falling
Derrick Morgan – Conquering Ruler
Clancy Eccles – What Will Your Mama Say
Pat Kelly – Somebody’s Baby
The Gaylads – A.B.C. Rocksteady
The Silvertones – Smile
The Techniques – You Don’t Care
Ike Bennet and the Crystalites – Illya Kuryakin
The Sensations – Right On Time
Justin Hinds – Save A Bread
The Gaylettes – Silent River (Runs Deep)
Stranger Cole & Patsy – Down The Train Line
Derrick Harriot – Walk The Streets
Clancy Eccles – The Revenge
Alton Ellis – Loving Mood
The Gaylads – Over the Rainbows End
Errol Dunkley – King and Queen
The Techniques – Traveling Man
Ken Boothe – Lady with the Starlight
