Sweet, hymnal, one-away two-parter from Elijah, out in the seventies on the New York label Waricka and in the UK on Ackee. KC White has a version, too; also available from Digikiller.

The class Spinners version for Lloyd Charmers, as featured on Darker Than Blue.

Tough sides recorded by Jammys and Scientist, besides a couple of killers from the Black Ark — The Children Are Crying (with The Heptones) and Mr Scabina.

Courtesy of Rock A Shacka.

The godfather, with a Tommy McCook. Two classy body-rockers.

Two Duke Reids: hard-swinging, emotionally distressed rocksteady from Mr Soul Of Jamaica himself, down on his knees, hand on heart; and a terrific version of Gene Chandler’s Duke Of Earl on the flip.

Irresistible version of the Isley Brothers.
Vin Gordon kicks it through the swinging doors and down the street, on the flip.
Apparently the Brothers were fed up with Berry Gordy pushing them around… but it’s timeless, universal advice: ‘Sock it to your neighbour / Sock it to your mother / It’s your thing / Do what you want to do.’

Stunning. Crucial Studio One.
Heavy, heavy, heavy roots nightmare about centuries of African enslavement and colonial exploitation by the British, and their mutation post-independence into the new JA ruling class, like a home-grown zombie.
The dub is a total knockout, too.
Killer record.

The debut LP by the godfather of rocksteady, from 1967; choca with many of his signature recordings. Stone-classic songs over cornerstone rhythms, like I’m Still In Love With You, I’m Just A Guy, and Get Ready.
Crucial bunny.

Gorgeous…and backed with rudeboy anthem A Man Of Chances.
Two counts of murder.

‘You think you can hold me down, you think you can tie me down… I’m a man for chances.’

Absolute murder.
A searing, haunting song about abuse, bitter disappointment, and heartbreak, set to a tough, chunky Jimmy Radway rhythm, with edgy organ and dread trombone.
Hortense Ellis is rawly, indelibly authentic: this is her best record by miles.
Plus some stone-classic Big Youth on the flip, ecstatically riding a lethal dub of the same megaton Fe Me Time rhythm.
Killer.