"...Food Of
Love..."
I've
been raving for some time now about how good these Doctor Bird CD Reissues are
and DBCDD-039 is another belter.
Listed
in Record Collector Price Guides at between £150 to £200 for an original
British-pressed LP in Mono (that sum in no way reflects just how rare and
desirable this fab album is) – this massively expanded 2CD reissue is centered
around his second album outing - the 1968 Island Records 12-track LP "Derrick Morgan And His
Friends" as pictured on the cover.
With
a whopping 24 Bonus Tracks on top of the 12-track album - many rare Island and
Unity single-sides from the spring of 1968 make their digital debut here. And
along with a seminal genre album that has been off-radar for over 52 years, you
even get a few Previously Unreleased Tracks too. There's a lotta Rock Steady to
get steady to, so let's have at it...
UK
released Friday 12 July 2019 - "Derrick Morgan And His Friends" by
DERRICK MORGAN and VARIOUS ARTISTS on Doctor Bird DBCDD-039 (Barcode
5013929273931) is a 36-Track 2CD Reissue/Remaster than plays out as follows:
CD1
(47:03 Minutes):
1.
Bad Luck On Me - DERRICK MORGAN [Side 1]
2.
Father Killam - DERRICK MORGAN
3.
Tears On My Pillow - DERRICK MORGAN
4.
Ain't That Crazy - DERRICK MORGAN
5.
Lagga Head - DERRICK MORGN
6.
Stumbling Block - DERRICK MORGAN and THE VICEROYS
7.
I've Been Searching - PAULINE MORGAN and THE LOVELETTS [Side 2]
8.
Stop The Wedding - PAULINE MORGAN and THE LOVELETTS
9.
Give Me A Chance - PAULINE MORGAN and THE CONSUMATES
10.
The More They Get - PAULINE MORGAN and THE CONSUMATES
11.
You've Been Saying Things - THE BLACK BROTHERS
12.
Music Be The Food Of Love - THE INVENTORS
Tracks
1 to 12 are the album "Derrick Morgan And His Friends" - released spring 1968 in the UK on Island Records ILP 990 in Mono.
BONUS
TRACKS:
13.
Conquering Ruler - DERRICK MORGAN & THE VICEROYS (March 1968 UK 45 on
Island WI-3094, A - for B-side see Track 16, Disc 2)
14.
You've Got To Cry - THE GROOVERS (January 1968 UK 45 on Island WI-3080, A - for
B-side see Track 16)
15.
Lip & Tongue - THE VICEROYS (March 1968 UK 45 on Island WI-3095, A - for
B-side see Track 4, Disc 2)
16.
I'm Indebted - ALVA LEWIS (January 1968
UK 45 on Island WI-3080, B - for A-side see Track 14)
17.
Family War - NEREMIAH REID (March 1968 UK 45 on Island WI-3102, A - for B-side
see Track 3, Disc 2)
18.
Someone - DERRICK MORGAN & PAULINE (December 1967 UK 45 on Island WI-3079,
A - for B-side see Track 7, Disc 2)
CD2
(47:52 minutes):
1.
Gimme Back - DERRICK MORGAN (March 1968 UK 45 on Island WI-3101, A)
2.
Send Requests - THE VICEROYS (March 1968 UK 45 on Island WI-3101, B)
3.
Give Me That Love - NEREMIAH REID (March 1968 UK 45 on Island WI-3102, B - for
A-side see Track 17, Disc 1)
4.
When Am I Gonna Be Free - DAWN PENN (March 1968 UK 45 on Island WI-3095, B -
for A-side see Track 15, Disc 1)
5.
Give It To Him - THE VICEROYS (as THE HOT TOPS) - Not Originally Released In
The UK
6.
Every Day (True, True, True) - ZANDA FERRON - Not Originally Released In The UK
7.
Do You Love Me - DERRICK & PAULINE (December 1967 UK 45 on Island WI-3079,
B - for A-side see Track 18, Disc 1)
8.
Some Come, Some Go - FRANK BROWN (March 1968 UK 45 on Island WI-3103, B - for
A-side see Track 14, Disc 2)
9.
Give Me Loving - THE BLACK BROTHERS - Not Originally Released In The UK
10.
Let Him Go - THE VICEROYS - Not Originally Released In The UK
11.
A Prisoner In Love - DERRICK MORGAN - Not Originally Released
12.
Lonely World - ZANDA FERRON - Not Originally Released In The UK
13.
Treat Me Right (Trying To Keep Me Down) THE KING TWINS (Errol Dunkley) - Not
Originally Released In The UK
14.
Do It Now - THE CONSUMATES (March 1968 UK 45 on Island WI-3103, A - for B-side
see Track 8, Disc 2)
15.
Bedweight - DERRICK MORGAN (1970 UK 45 on Unity UN 569, B-side to "The
Conqueror")
16.
Red Rum Ball - LLOYD & DEVON (March 1968 UK 45 on Island WI-3094, B - for
A-side see Track 13, Disc 1)
17.
Bum Ball (Chapter II) - TONY KING (December 1970 UK 45 on Smash SMA-2302, A and
1970 UK 45 on Unity UN 565, B – for A see Track 18)
18.
More Balls - MARC ANTHONY & THE JETS (December 1970 UK 45 on Smash
SMA-2302, A and 1970 UK 45 on Unity UN 565, A)
Compiled
by Reggae and Ska historian and aficionado LAURENCE CANE-HONEYSETT (Author of
"Young Gifted And Black: The Story Of Trojan Records" – see my
Review) – the 16-page booklet offers up two pages of those uber-rare single
labels (nine on each) – Island, Unity, Morgan's own Hop Records, Jamaican white
labels as well as black and white snaps on DM in his trademark Pork Pie hat.
There are interviews conducted across the decades with the great man that
include contributions from Bunny Lee. The distinctive orange and black eye
Island Records label for "Derrick Morgan And Friends" is repro'd on
Page 7 while the album's rear sleeve (advertising all those tasty 1967
impossible to find Island and Sue LPs) is on the last page of the booklet.
You
get track by track credits and mastering is by one of my fave Audio Engineers –
ANDY PEARCE – a name Universal has used for Budgie, Free, Rory Gallagher, ELP,
Spooky Tooth, Wishbone Ash and loads of these difficult to get right Reggae
compilations (him and his audio partner Matt Wortham have mastered over 50 of
these sets so they know their way around a few tape boxes and vinyl dubs).
Given the recordings vintage and notorious made-in-a-bucket origins – the audio
here is once again kicking. I'll never be able to afford these sevens or the LP
and to have it here in such cool Audio is – well, cool. To the music...
Unusual
for the time, all 12 tracks on the LP were not singles and their flipsides, but
exclusive to it. That irresistible chug-rhythms kick in straight away with
"Bad Luck On Me" - will someone hear my plea - Derrick asks - yes we
will mate. "Tears On My Pillow" would be covered by so many - here
its simple Rock Steady beat also features a neat guitar solo. There's a new
bird across the street that's making Derrick take notice in "Ain't That
Crazy" while he riles against stupidity in local youths in "Lagga
Head". Other faves on the album are "Stop The Wedding" where
Pauline Morgan sounds like Reggae Girl Group and the fantastic vocalist in The
Consumates commenting on greed with "The More They Get".
Island
Records enthusiasts will look down those WI catalogue numbers and beam.
Derrick's "Conquering Ruler" starts a run of ten rarities - each with
that identikit chug-rhythm. Highlights include the mind your "Lip &
Tongue" walkie-talkie song by The Viceroys, the soft and pretty "I'm
Indebted" by Alva Lewis and "Family War" by Neremiah Reid - a
co-write between Derrick and Duke Reid. CD2 opens with a 1968 version of
"Gimme Back" while Neremiah Reid tackles another co-write with Duke
on the "Give Me That Love" love song. Of the songs not previously
released in the UK - "A Prisoner In Love" feels like a real find
(lovely audio). This is no time to relax Derrick demands in the rather cool
"Bedweight". And on it goes...
For
sure hearing 36 songs with essentially the same Rock Steady rhythms and sound
can be trying after a while, but this is a typically great Doctor Bird reissue
- making available once again music that shouldn't be condemned to the Brixton
Market of over 50 years ago. Big red bum ball and a smile...
