Various Artists: People Funny Boy - The Upsetter Singles 1968 - 1969, 2CD

• First extensive anthology of Lee Perry’s early productions.

• Includes numerous Jamaican hits.

• Features some of the most influential Jamaican recordings of the late 60s.

Today, Lee ‘Scratch’ Perry is widely acknowledged by both fans and experts alike as being one of the finest talents to emerge during the golden age of Jamaican music. But his climb to the top of the musical ladder was neither easy nor swift: after working as a jack-of-all- trades for Studio One boss Clement ‘Coxson’ Dodd, he made his mark as a recording artist and arranger in the mid-60s before overseeing recording sessions for a number of up-and- coming record label owners. Finally, in mid-1968, he finally possessed the necessary funds and expertise to join their ranks and become a fully independent producer.

Perry’s innovative approach and understanding of local music trends swiftly brought him national success with a number of popular singles issued on Upset, the label he co-owned with his friends and fellow musical creatives, Lynford Anderson and Barrington Lambert. Within months, he had become a fully independent operator, releasing further best-selling 45s on his Upsetter label, with the popularity of the discs attracting the attention of London-based Trojan Records, which created a British version of his imprint early 1969.

Throughout this time, Perry’s output particularly found favour among Britain’s skinhead music fans, and that autumn their buying power proved instrumental in propelling his production of Val Bennett & The Upsetters’ irresistible dancefloor-filler ‘Return Of Django’ into the upper echelons of the UK pop charts. Its success not only exposed Perry’s music to a global audience but also provided the income to enable him to continue his experimentation with sound that in time would culminate some of the most compelling records ever to see issue.

This collection, which brings together the recordings that launched Perry’s career as an independent record producer, features a fascinating mixture of styles, ranging from the soulful rhythms of rock steady to the dynamic sounds of boss reggae, with the resulting mix not only providing a compelling listening experience, but also a fascinating insight into the early musical development of one of Jamaican music’s most influential, innovative and successful music makers.

TRACK LISTING

DISC ONE

1  Non Such (Busted Me Bet) - The Mellotones

2  Stranger On The Shore - Val Bennett

3  Evol Yenoh - Burt Walters

4  Honey Love - Burt Walters

5  People Funny Boy - Lee Perry

5  Blowing In The Wind - Burt Walters

6  Uncle Charley - The Mellotones

7  Not Taking Any Sentence - Danny & Lee

8  Farmer's In The Den - The Bleechers

10  What A Botheration - The Mellotones

11  Tighten Up - The Inspirations

12  A Place In The Sun - David Isaacs

13  Handy Cap - The Upsetters

14  Uncle Desmond - The Mellotones

15  Mad House - Lee Perry

16  Keep Your Mouth Shut – Danny & Lee

17  Prison Sentence - The Upsetters

18  Stand By Me - The Inspirations

19  Return Of Django - The Upsetters

20  Mini Dress - The Righteous Flames

21  Good Father - David Isaacs

22  I'll Be Waiting - The Inspirations

23  What a Situation - Slim Smith

24  What a Botheration - Lee Perry

25  Eight For Eight - The Upsetters

26  Django aka Bronco - Lord Comic and The Upsetters

27  What A Botheration (alt. take) - The Mellotones

DISC TWO

1  You Crummy - Lee Perry

2  Dollar In The Teeth - The Upsetters

3  Baby Baby - Val Bennett

4  You Know What I Mean - The Inspirations

5  Beware of the Pepper - Denzil Laing

6  Barbara - Val Bennett

7  People Funny Fi True - Lee Perry

8  Ten To Twelve - The Upsetters

9  How Can I Forget - Busty Brown

10  Dry Up Your Tears - The Mellotones

11  Oh Lord - The West Indians

12  Come Into My Parlour - The Bleechers

13  What A Price - Busty Brown

14  No Bread & Butter - Milton Henry

15  Everything For Your Fun - The Bleechers

16  I’ve Got Memories - David Isaacs

17  I’m Leaving - David Isaacs

18  I Wear My Slanders - The Gaylads

19  Who To Tell - Bruce Bennett

20  Check Him Out - The Bleechers

21  Pound Get A Blow - The Soul Twins

22  The Same Thing - The Gaylads

23  A Testimony - The Upsetter Pilgrims

24  The Same Thing You Gave To Daddy - Nora Dean

25  The Vampire - The Upsetters

26  You Know What I Mean (alt. take) - The Inspirations

27  Dollar In The Teeth (alt. take) - The Upsetters