. The Jamaican rhythm of ska had already generated hits in the United States, notably Millie Small's 1964 hit, "My Boy Lollipop." [1] Little more was heard from the group until 1982 when they released "One Way Street". Dekker's last gig was in Leeds on 11 May (Photo: egigs.co.uk), Dekker's hits included Israelites, It Mek and 007 (Shanty Town), The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites, BBC Radio 2's Mark Lamarr pays tribute to Desmond Dekker. 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. "[4], The song also deals with a 'rude boy' who after being released from prison continues to commit crime. Chicago Tribune [1] The track was written by Dekker (under his real name of Desmond Dacres) and his record producer, Leslie Kong, and was recorded in Jamaica with the brass accompaniment added in the UK. He recorded an album called Black & Dekker (1980), which featured his previous hits backed by The Rumour, Graham Parker's backing band and Akrylykz (featuring Roland Gift, later of Fine Young Cannibals). The chords of the guitar accompaniment are played on the offbeat and move through the tonic chord [B flat], the subdominant [E flat], the dominant [F], and the occasional [D flat],[5] viz, [B flat] - [E flat] - [F] - [B flat] - [D flat]. The song established Dekker as a rude boy icon in Jamaica and also became a favourite dance track for the young working-class men and women of the United Kingdom's mod scene. 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. of London obituary noted. He had another hit in 1969, "It Mek," and a year later On the 22 August 1970 edition of American top 40, Casey Kasem claimed that Dekker had more than 40 #1 records in Jamaica. [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 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. "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. Desmond Dekker was born on 16 July 1941 in Kingston, Jamaica. With the release of Israelites, Dekker became the first Jamaican artist to score a hit in the United States. Also founder & MD of popular Reggae and Ska Tribute/backing band, Paul Abraham Guitarist and backing vocals, This page was last edited on 15 January 2023, at 17:21. Ska legend Desmond Dekker has died suddenly from a heart attack, his manager said today. Desmond Dekker. [3] In 2003 a reissue of The Harder They Come soundtrack featured "Israelites" and "007 (Shanty Town)". the resurgence of ska in England, and top-selling bands like Madness and "The song, an ode to the troubles of the poor, LONDON (AP) - Desmond Dekker, who brought the sound of Jamaican ska music to the world with hits such as "Israelites," has died, his manager said Friday. When he released Israelites nobody had heard of Bob Marley - he paved the way for all of them.". [1] Dekker's international success led to him touring overseas, although The Aces did not accompany him due to Samuels refusal to fly (Samuels stating that "Rastas did not fly on iron birds") and Barry Howard's decision to emigrate to the United States. [13], Dekker had two more UK Top 10 hits over the next year, "It Miek" and his cover of Jimmy Cliff's song "You Can Get It If You Really Want". career, "Israelites," was released in December of 1968 and On November 3, 2019, "Israelites" was prominently featured in the third episode of HBO's Watchmen. But that song was treated as a novelty. Ironically although he went to worldwide fame his former welding colleague Marley never had a UK number one. He often sang on the job, which prompted Times 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. their ska-inflected hit "Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da." Their song "Working on it Night and Day", entered the pop charts in 1973. "007 (Shanty Town)" has been called "the most enduring and archetypal" rude boy song. The 64-year-old Jamaican, best known for his 1969 smash hit Israelites, collapsed at his home in Surrey. 1 hits in Jamaica. "He died peacefully but it still hurts. Born Desmond Adolphus Dacres, July 16, c. 1941, in Kingston, Jamaica; died By the time I got home, it was complete. It was taken from an album of similar re-recordings of his old hits, Black & Dekker. It was his workmates who first noted his vocal talents, as the youngster sang around the workshop. A string of Jamaican hits followed, including "It Pays," "Sinners Come Home" and "Labour for Learning." "[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." [6], The 1980s found Dekker signed to a new label, Stiff Records, an independent label that specialized in punk and new wave acts as well as releases associated with the 2 Tone label, whose acts instigated a short-lived but influential ska revival. Genres: Jamaican Ska, Rocksteady, Reggae. Dekker had also begun working on new material with the production duo Bruce Anthony in 1974. The artist took a permanent residency in the UK in 1969. 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. 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 died after collapsing from a heart attack at. [10], In 1969 Dekker took permanent residency in the UK. The movie's hero, played by Jimmy Cliff, sang it this time, and He was 64. By 1970 Dekker was living in England, but still worked steadily with Kong. Dubbed "the King of Ska," Desmond Dekker is one of the key artists in the history of Jamaican music. When Kong died in 1971, Dekker's career faltered, and the hits 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. died on May 25, 2006, in London, at the age of 63 or 64. The . [2] Just over six years after the original release, the song again reached a Top Ten position in the United Kingdom.[2]. He was a Jamaican Ska, Rocksteady and Reggae singer. 2, p. 11; The comeback failed to save him from bankruptcy in 1984, He was 64. He continued to tour regularly; his final concert was on May 11 at Leeds University. He died peacefully but it still hurts. tribute, was evident in a sold-out show Dekker played at a Hollywood In 1975 "Israelites" was re-released and became a UK top 10 hit for a second time. Its title and lyrics refer to the cool imagery of films such as the James Bond series and Ocean's 11, admired by "rudies". As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. The 7 Breakfast Dishes Every Jamaican Should Know How Jamaican Men Say Thank You to another Jamaican How Jamaicans Greet You When They Have Not Seen You 20 English Words That Sound Better In Jamaican Patois. His first contract was with Leslie Kongs Beverleys label. [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. Dekker was a native of Kingston, Jamaica's capital, where he was Dekker spent his early formative years in Kingston, the capital of Jamaica. generations of fans. Mr Williams described the singer as a private person who would go back to Jamaica from time to time but only to see his family rather than to perform: "He wasn't out there like other stars partying all the time, he just did his job. Steffens told Stewart in the 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"). gangsters they saw in Hollywood films. Jamaican Ska Star Desmond Dekker Dies - Billboard By 1971 the line-up had changed again, with Barry Howard now rejoined by Carl Hall. Dekker, who lived in England, co Desmond Adolphus Dacres was born in Saint Andrew Parish (Greater Kingston), Jamaica, on 16 July 1941. Reggae singer Desmond Dekker has died suddenly from a heart attack, aged 64. [3], Only a single live album was released in the late '80s. , May 27, 2006, p. A11; Anyone can read what you share. [3] Despite this, the single was the first UK reggae #1 and among the first to reach the US top ten (peaking at #9). A string of hits followed with "Reggae Motion", "Take a Look", "Oh I Miss You", "Call Me Number One", "Be My Baby", and "Sad Sad Song". UK ska-punk band Sonic Boom Six used a sample of the chorus as the outro to "Rum Little Skallywag". "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. The rhythm had been featured by Anthony B in 2008 on The Pow Pow Trilogy, ("Time For The Love"). [2] [3], In 1968 Dekker's "Israelites" was released, eventually topping the UK Singles Chart in April 1969 and peaking in the top ten of the US Billboard Hot 100 in June 1969. wider renown. Desmond Dekker (16 July 1941 - 25 May 2006) was a Jamaican ska, rocksteady and reggae singer-songwriter and musician. Several more hits followed, and Dekker became a major Born Desmond Adolphus Dacres, July 16, c. 1941, in Kingston, Jamaica; died of a heart attack, May 25, 2006, in London, England. Roll Call"). ", 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. And the higher ones wanted to bulldoze the whole thing down and do their own thing and the students said no way. In the 1960s, Jamaican Rastafarians were largely marginalized as "cultish" and ostracized from the larger society, including by the more conservative Christian church in Kingston. He was due to perform at the Respect festival in Prague on June 2, before heading on to Switzerland, Ireland, Poland, Belgium and London. [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". [2] The single featured Roland Alphonso's "El Torro" on the B-side.[2]. Following his mother's death, he moved to the parish of St. Mary and later to St. Dekker was divorced and was survived by his son and daughter.[14]. The Top 14 Jamaican Recipes Searched for by Canadians. Problems 9. But in 1984 Mr. Dekker declared bankruptcy, blaming his former manager. He suffered a heart attack and [2] The Aces continued to record under their own name (without Dekker) and had a Jamaican hit in 1970 with "Mademoiselle Ninette". UK reissue of this two CD collection by the Reggae/Ska legend. [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. For Once in My Life (Missing Lyrics) 10. New York Times Photograph: PA. Photo Highlights: Protoje takes Hope Gardens A Matter of Time Live, The Top 100 Reggae Songs From 1962 2017. 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. [3] 1969 saw the release of "It Mek", which became a hit both in Jamaica and the UK. Dekker was responsible for bringing Bob Marleys talents to the attention of Kong and the two had several successful collaborations. suffering even after independence from Britain. offbeat." "Israelites" brought a Jamaican beat to the British top 40 for the first time since Dekker's #14 hit "007 (Shanty Town)" in 1967. [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]. Search instead in Creative? "007 (song)" redirects here. pioneer Desmond Dekker dominated Jamaica's pop charts in the 1960s, 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. 1 spot on His impact on music, record-company veteran Roger But a new version of Israelites was released in 1990 and used in television commercials, boosting the star's popularity. migrating across the Atlantic along with a growing West Indian expatriate Desmond Dekker 5/2006. of the world. 15 on the British charts. the Jamaican charts. Singer. 2 in the UK charts. 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 It was also a hit for Musical Youth in 1983. Born July 16, 1941 Died May 24, 2006 (64) Add or change photo on IMDbPro Add to list Known for Fool's Gold 5.7 An energetic live performer, he was about to start a European summer tour and was booked to play in Prague next week. and became one of his country's first recording stars to achieve The musician's popularity waned in the late '70s and '80s, and Dekker was declared bankrupt in 1984. 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. Mr. Dekker had a total of 20 No. ", Original reporting and incisive analysis, direct from the Guardian every morning, Unflagging performer Desmond Dekker. "When he released Israelites nobody had heard of Bob Marley - he paved the way for all of them.". He was preparing to headline The World Music Festival in Prague. Mr. Dekker's songs were rediscovered, and he was signed by Madness's label, Stiff Records. I told you once and I told you twice. In 1990 "Israelites" was used in a Maxell TV advert that became popular and brought the song and artist back to the attention of the general public. [7], "007" was Dekker's first international hit. Los Angeles Times , May 27, 2006, sec. Desmond Dekker performing at London's Brixton Academy in 1985. His fourth hit, "King of Ska" (backing vocals by The Cherrypies, also known as The Maytals), made him into one of the island's biggest stars. This Is Desmond Dekkar Review. comparisons between Jamaica's poor and the beleaguered Israelites Browse 99 desmond dekker stock photos and images available, or start a new search to explore more stock photos and images. an ex-wife and a son and daughter, but Dekker was mourned by several "Isrealites" lyrics have long been obscure, but, with the wonder of the internet are now easily available and I have. His lyrics drew 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"). Dekker became associated with bluebeat, a more uptempo [2], The disc was released in the UK in March 1969 and was #1 for one week, selling over 250,000 copies.