It Mek 7. "007 (Shanty Town)" has been called "the most enduring and archetypal" rude boy song. His mother had passed away from a young age. 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. His lyrics drew [7], "007" was Dekker's first international hit. He had 10 studio albums, 25 compilation albums, and 47 singles during his career. Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone. It hit #1 in the United Kingdom,[12] the Netherlands, Jamaica, South Africa, Canada, Sweden and West Germany. This Is Desmond Dekkar Review. It took two years before Kong let Dekker record a song, and when he did, But while Mr. Dekker kept up a busy performing career, the death of Mr. Kong in 1971 ended his streak of hits. UK ska-punk band Sonic Boom Six used a sample of the chorus as the outro to "Rum Little Skallywag". He was due to perform at the Respect festival in Prague on June 2, before heading on to Switzerland, Ireland, Poland, Belgium and London. With the release of Israelites, Dekker became the first Jamaican artist to score a hit in the United States. 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. His 1960's songs used the upbeat ska rhythm, a precursor to reggae also known as bluebeat. Dekker spent his formative years in Kingston. The rhythm had been featured by Anthony B in 2008 on The Pow Pow Trilogy, ("Time For The Love"). 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. [3], Despite achieving a record deal, it was two years before Dekker saw his first record released. [1] The group came to the attention of Dekker, who supported them when they auditioned for Leslie Kong at Beverley's studio in 1965. version of ska. Desmond Dekker, was born in Jamaicas Saint Andrew Parish on July 16, 1941, and was an early influencer with one of the earliest reggae hits, Israelites. The ska, reggae and rock steady singer, songwriter and musician was introduced to music through the local church he attended as a child. [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. Desmond Dekker, the Jamaican singer whose 1969 hit, "The Israelites," opened up a worldwide audience for reggae, died on Wednesday. the Jamaican charts. in Leeds just two weeks before his death. By 1971 the line-up had changed again, with Barry Howard now rejoined by Carl Hall. [3] Dekker's version uses the same backing track as Cliff's original. 1969. Mr Williams said Dekker had led the way for reggae stars such as Bob Marley. He died after collapsing from a heart attack at his home in Surrey, England, his manager, Delroy Williams, told Reuters. He also collaborated on a remix of "Israelites" with reggae artist Apache Indian. 9 in the United States in 1969. 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. The 64-year-old Jamaican, best known for his 1969 smash hit Israelites, collapsed at his home in Surrey. Black and Dekker [11] In June 1969 it reached the Top Ten in the United States, peaking at #9 on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart. He often sang on the job, which prompted career, "Israelites," was released in December of 1968 and Problems 9. Free shipping for many products! of London obituary noted. It was one of the first reggae songs to become an international hit, despite Dekker's strong Jamaican accent which made his lyrics difficult to understand for many listeners outside Jamaica.[10]. [2] Just over six years after the original release, the song again reached a Top Ten position in the United Kingdom.[2]. more rural part of the island, but returned to Kingston and by his late His fans included the Beatles, who namechecked him in the lyrics to Dekker still performed regularly, and gave what would be his final concert The musician's popularity waned in the late '70s and '80s, and Dekker was declared bankrupt in 1984. [2][12], 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. I was his manager and his best friend, I don't think anyone knew how close we were - we go back so far.". the resurgence of ska in England, and top-selling bands like Madness and "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. career. released the song "You Can Get It If You Really Want." 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. May 25, 2006 - Desmond Dekker was born Desmond Adolphus Dacres on July 16th 1941 in Saint Andrew Parrish, Kingston, Jamaica. 1 in Jamaica. 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 . UK reissue of this two CD collection by the Reggae/Ska legend. Left to earn a living on his own, he apprenticed as a welder. "007 (Shanty Town)" was included in the soundtrack for Chocolate Skateboard's Las Nueve Vidas De Paco (1995), during the segment of professional skater Keenan Milton. The artist died on May 25, 2006, of a heart attack at his home in Thorton Heath in the Croydon Borough of London. "The Israelites," with its biblical imagery of suffering and redemption, showed the world reggae's combination of danceable rhythm and serious, sometimes spiritual intentions. of the biblical era. He was renowned for his earliest reggae hit internationally 'Israelites.' He died at the age of Sixty Four years. The Top 14 Jamaican Recipes Searched for by Canadians. It was during this period that Desmond Dacres adopted the stage-name of Desmond Dekker. offbeat." 63K views 4 years ago A reggae hit in 1969 for Desmond Dekker and the Aces. Dekker became associated with bluebeat, a more uptempo [5] Despite its cautionary sentiment, it cemented Dekker's popularity among rude boys in Jamaica,[2][6] in contrast to Dekker's earlier music, which espoused traditional morals such as parental respect and the importance of education. Dekker was the first Jamaican artist to have a hit record in the US with Jamaican-style music. Born Desmond Dacres in Kingston, Jamaica on July 16, 1942, the star-to-be was orphaned in his teens. Rude. 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. [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. Along with Bob . his music thanks to [9] Desmond headlined Jools Holland's 2003 Annual Hootenanny. of musicians and producers Dekker cut two more albums, 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. The Jamaican rhythm of ska had already generated hits in the United States, notably Millie Small's 1964 hit, "My Boy Lollipop." 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. 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. He was preparing to headline The World Music Festival in Prague. The comeback failed to save him from bankruptcy in 1984, A man of many talents, Desmond Adolphus Dacres, a.k.a. lament, whose lyrics Dekker had written in his head while walking in a charts in the United States, and opened the ears of the world to the music 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). Desmond Dekker discography and songs: Music profile for Desmond Dekker, born 16 July 1941. You got wildlife and thing like that because it down near the beach. Early Life The of a heart attack, May 25, 2006, in London, England. Desmond Dekker, the Jamaican singer whose 1969 hit, "The Israelites," opened up a worldwide audience for reggae, died on Wednesday. Like many of Mr. Dekker's songs, it carried a message. Mr. Dekker was divorced and is survived by a son and daughter. "The Israelites" was the peak of Mr. Dekker's extensive career, selling more than a million copies worldwide. Intensified is an album by Desmond Dekker & the Aces released in 1970. 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. 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. Rock it to me, children. He was 64. [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. It was taken from an album of similar re-recordings of his old hits, Black & Dekker. Dekker was responsible for bringing Bob Marleys talents to the attention of Kong and the two had several successful collaborations. In 2000 he released the album "Halfway to Paradise." The initial line-up of The Aces consisted of Clive Campbell, Barry Howard, Carl Howard, and Patrick Howard. "He died peacefully but it still hurts. Me said a it mek - mek you pop yu bitta gall. 2, p. 11; wider renown. Dekker was divorced and was survived by his son and daughter.[14]. Search instead in Creative? "Desmond Dekker and the Aces: Artist Chart History", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=It_Mek&oldid=1057544344, Short description is different from Wikidata, Single chart usages for Belgium (Flanders), Single chart usages for Belgium (Wallonia), Articles with MusicBrainz work identifiers, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 28 November 2021, at 07:27. [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. Born Desmond Adolphus Dacres, July 16, c. 1941, in Kingston, Jamaica; died of a heart attack, May 25, 2006, in London, England. 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. The 64-year-old Jamaican, best known for his 1969 smash hit Israelites, collapsed at his home in Surrey yesterday morning.
