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| Hold Me Tight: Anthology 65-73 (Trojan, 2005) You may not have heard of Lyn Taitt, but reggae as we know it may not be the same without him. A Trinidadian by birth, Taitt moved to Jamaica in his twenties and became an immediate fixture in the burgeoning ska scene. It was in the rock steady sound that he would make his most indelible mark, though. Having built a reputation playing guitar with the Skatalites and his own groups The Comets and The Jets, he became an in-demand session player, and during one of his sessions with Hopeton Lewis, he suggested that the pace be slowed down on the appropriately titled song "Take It Easy." Voila! Rock steady was born. He also accentuated the bass line, forming the basis for what would become recognized around the world as reggae. Hold Me Tight is an awesome and overdue collection of the wealth of rock steady material on which Taitt and the Jets played, divided between instrumentals (Disc 1) and vocals (Disc 2), some well-known and some rare. Even if you're not a big instrumental reggae fan (instrumental, not dub), you'd have to have a cold heart and a tin ear not to enjoy ditties like "Storm Warning," "Stream of Life," "Napoleon Solo," and "Intensified '68," while reggae fans will likely appreciate hearing the familiar sounds of classics like the Melodians' "You Have Caught Me," the Wailers' "Nice Time," John Holt's "Only a Smile," Derrick Harriott's "Solomon," and Alton Ellis's "Why Did You Leave Me to Cry" done inna instrumental stylee. Plus, a reggae version of the theme to "Batman" is too kitschy to not cause a grin. The vocal tracks are actually less familiar -- the most notable exceptions being the Gaylads' "Joy in the Morning," the Melodians' "Swing and Dine," and the album's namesake, Johnny Nash's "Hold Me Tight" -- but lesser-known gems abound, like Paulette & The Consomates' (?!) "Stop the Wedding," Dermot Lynch's "Cool It," and The West Indians' "Right on Time," which all have a sweet, old-fashioned, early lovers rock vibe that's endearing even if you don't know the artists. |
| Track Listing CD 1: 1. Storm Warning -- Lyn Taitt & The Boys 2. Smoky Places 3. Stream of Life -- Roland Alphonso & Lyn Taitt 4. I Don't Want to See You Cry 5. Nice Time 6. You Have Caught Me 7. Napoleon Solo 8. Pressure and Slide 9. Long Story 10. Soloman 11. Soul Shot 12. Last Waltz 13. Why Did You Leave Me (To Cry) 14. Mr Dooby 15. Unity 16. Only a Smile 17. The Brush 18. I Am the Upsetter Version 19. Dreamland -- Roland Alphonso & Lyn Taitt 20. Casino Royale featuring Cool Sticky 21. Soul Food featuring Lee Perry 22. Why Am I Treated So Badly 23. Batman 24. Top Cat -- Lyn Taitt with Leslie Butler & The Originals Orchestra 25. Intensified '68 featuring Gladstone Anderson 26. Rainbow Valley featuring Gladstone Anderson 27. Adam Twelve -- Lyn Taitt with Tommy McCook CD 2: 1. Rudies All Around -- Joe White 2. Cool Collie -- Hopeton Lewis 3. Get On the Ball -- Roy Shirley 4. Listen to the Music -- Lloyd & The Groovers 5. Talking Love -- The Paragons 6. Cool It -- Dermot Lynch 7. Leaving On That Train -- Keith & Tex 8. I'm Going Home -- Errol Dunkley 9. Cool Night -- The Jamaicans 10. Seeing Is Knowing -- Stranger & Gladdy 11. Right On Time -- The West Indians 12. She Said She Loves Me -- The Sealmakers 13. Crime Don't Pay -- The Kingstonians 14. Family War -- Nehemiah Reid 15. Girl You Ruff -- The Overtakers 16. Fat Girl in Red -- The Mellotones 17. I Want to Love You -- Delroy Wilson 18. Joy in the Morning -- The Gaylads 19. Send Requests -- The Viceroys 20. Stop the Wedding -- Paulette & The Consomates 21. Live Like A King -- Hopeton Lewis & Glen Brown 22. Swing and Dine -- The Melodians 23. You Hurt My Soul -- Joe Higgs 24. Bring It On Home -- The Kilowatts 25. Hold Me Tight -- Johnny Nash 26. I Like Your World -- The Gayletts 27. Can't You See -- Ken Boothe |
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