Looking for songs with just a bit of Reggae tinge

[Bill H.]

Some similarities with ska, perhaps. "Brown Eyed Girl" Van Morrison

 

There is a popular classic Jamaican reggae track called "Brown Eye Girl" - completely different song. If I get a request as a DJ for "Brown Eyed Girl" it's usually this one they want:

 

 

[video:youtube]

 

Outcaster - I'll hit you up on your offer What do you have that's contemporary in Jamaican/East Coast? And that's been working well live? As a West Coast DJ practically all reggae I do outside of Marley classics is Island - reggae filtered though Polynesian folk and popular music traditions.

[Morrissey]

+1 on Paul Simon Mother and Child Reunion. This really hits the mark for me, based on how OP described his request in the first post. It isn't reggae and isn't trying to be reggae, but it is a good groove that I could see a casual music fan as perceiving to be "kind of reggae."

 

Edit: I stand corrected. Wasn't aware of this, from wikipedia: The song was recorded at Dynamic Sounds Studios at Torrington Bridge in Kingston, Jamaica, with Jimmy Cliff's backing group. Guitarist Huks ("Hux") Brown and bass guitarist Jackie Jackson were also long-time members of Toots & the Maytals. Cissy Houston sang background vocals on the recording. The song was recorded before writing lyrics, which was unusual for Simon. He had previously hoped to make "Why Don't You Write Me" - a song recorded with Art Garfunkel on Bridge over Troubled Water - sound like a Jamaican song, but felt it ended up sounding like a "bad imitation." Simon was instructed by the musicians on the differences among reggae, ska, and bluebeat. He felt awkward at first because he was "the only white guy there and I was American." Simon later overdubbed piano and vocals to the track back in New York.

 

[El Lobo]

Original version of The Tide Is High by the Paragons, then Blondie's version.

 

 

[El Lobo]

A friend of mine wrote a song he wants me to play on. It's not really an authentic reggae tune because of his approach to harmony and also because of the very specific story the lyrics tell. So I'm looking for good examples of what kind of keyboard playing would fit such a song. I could maybe describe it as a songwriter song trying to incorporate a reggae influence. Any listening suggestions?

There's another thread discussing the "bubble" reggae keyboard pattern. There are videos on utoob about how to play it. Unfortunately, some of them are wrong. Search utoob on how to play reggae bubble and watch a few of those vids to get a full picture and hear the feel against some different rhythms. The bubble pattern will give your friend's song a definite reggae feel without being full-on reggae.

 

The foundation of reggae is the beat, which Charlie Watts, may he rest in peace, said he couldn't get until he realized it's backwards. With a rock backbeat, the strongest beat is on the 4 and the second strongest is on the 2, with the weakest on the 3. Reggae is the exact oppositeâthe strongest beat is the 3, the second strongest is the 1 and the weakest is the 4. Sometimes the 4 isn't even played. You can hear this pattern most clearly in Toots and the Maytal's Pressure Drop. You can also hear the bubble keyboard pattern in that tune.

 

[bfields]

The foundation of reggae is the beat, which Charlie Watts, may he rest in peace, said he couldn't get until he realized it's backwards. With a rock backbeat, the strongest beat is on the 4 and the second strongest is on the 2, with the weakest on the 3. Reggae is the exact oppositeâthe strongest beat is the 3, the second strongest is the 1 and the weakest is the 4. Sometimes the 4 isn't even played. You can hear this pattern most clearly in Toots and the Maytal's Pressure Drop. You can also hear the bubble keyboard pattern in that tune.

 

 

How are you counting that? E.g., is the bass line 1&2, 3&4, 1&2, or is it 123, 123, 123 (with rests of the 4s)? Or something else?

[El Lobo]

How are you counting that? E.g., is the bass line 1&2, 3&4, 1&2, or is it 123, 123, 123 (with rests of the 4s)? Or something else?

I'm counting 123(4), 123(4), 123(4). It's the same pattern as in many Bob Marley tunes, for example Stir It Up or No Woman, No Cry

 

 

[synthizen2]

Ska is basically white guy music influenced by reggae.

 

Ska came first. Don't know if it had European influences, but it was already around for decades by the time Reggae even became a thing.

 

So it's actually the other way around: Reggae was slowed-down Ska, with a strong Caribbean/African influence.

[Outkaster]

It's didn't it had American influences if anything. It wasn't around for that long. Rock steady came for awhile and then Reggae. I have played Reggae semi-professionally for years. Toots told me that he and Jimmy Cliff came up with the term.

[Outkaster]

The foundation of reggae is the beat, which Charlie Watts, may he rest in peace, said he couldn't get until he realized it's backwards. With a rock backbeat, the strongest beat is on the 4 and the second strongest is on the 2, with the weakest on the 3. Reggae is the exact oppositeâthe strongest beat is the 3, the second strongest is the 1 and the weakest is the 4. Sometimes the 4 isn't even played. You can hear this pattern most clearly in Toots and the Maytal's Pressure Drop. You can also hear the bubble keyboard pattern in that tune.

 

 

How are you counting that? E.g., is the bass line 1&2, 3&4, 1&2, or is it 123, 123, 123 (with rests of the 4s)? Or something else?

 

This is Ska. Not Reggae or Rpck Steady.

[Outkaster]

A friend of mine wrote a song he wants me to play on. It's not really an authentic reggae tune because of his approach to harmony and also because of the very specific story the lyrics tell. So I'm looking for good examples of what kind of keyboard playing would fit such a song. I could maybe describe it as a songwriter song trying to incorporate a reggae influence. Any listening suggestions?

There's another thread discussing the "bubble" reggae keyboard pattern. There are videos on utoob about how to play it. Unfortunately, some of them are wrong. Search utoob on how to play reggae bubble and watch a few of those vids to get a full picture and hear the feel against some different rhythms. The bubble pattern will give your friend's song a definite reggae feel without being full-on reggae.

 

The foundation of reggae is the beat, which Charlie Watts, may he rest in peace, said he couldn't get until he realized it's backwards. With a rock backbeat, the strongest beat is on the 4 and the second strongest is on the 2, with the weakest on the 3. Reggae is the exact oppositeâthe strongest beat is the 3, the second strongest is the 1 and the weakest is the 4. Sometimes the 4 isn't even played. You can hear this pattern most clearly in Toots and the Maytal's Pressure Drop. You can also hear the bubble keyboard pattern in that tune.

 

 

Most of the video's are all wrong. It's a feel and kind of a passed down art. Luckily I learned in Jamaica but played more of it here.

[Outkaster]

For "inauthentic" but "inspired by" reggae, I'd think of Clapton's version of I Shot the Sherriff, Oh Bla Di Oh Bl Da (well, more ska, because it's quicker), and half the stuff by The Police.

 

I wouldn't bother with Clapton's version. Learn the one of the Burning album.

[Outkaster]

Sounds like the main band I play in. Ska is basically white guy music influenced by reggae. In particular, check out the Specials, they are/were a ska band fronted by both English and Jamaican musicians. They blended English pop, Ska and Reggae like no one else.

 

Some suggestions more on the reggae side (with some that aren't "pure" reggae):

 

A Message to You Rudy (The Specials)

Food for Thought (UB40)

No No No (Dawn Penn)

Rat in Mi Kitchen (UB40)

Pressure Drop (The Specials)

Rude Boys Out of Jail (The Specials)

Monkey Man (The Specials) - the breakdown here is a good reference

You're Wondering Now (The Specials)

Nite Klub (The Specials) - not particularly reggae, but my favourite song to play!

Racist Friend (The Specials)

 

 

In terms of what to actually play:

 

Off beat piano stabs (single, double stabs, sliding from one chord to the next - experiment). The more detuned and beat up the piano sounds the better.

Hammond. Some drawbar settings to try: all of the fundamentals out, 1st and 9th out (mix in the 3rd), just the 3rd. Mixture of stabs, rhythmic comping, pads and lead lines. Expreriment.

Vox is great for this too. Picturing a single manual Vox, all 4 drawbars out, vibrato on. Try with and without amp and rotary sims to taste. Same playing style as above.

 

Lots of Marley's stuff had clav buried way down in the mix. Usually in the lower-mid registers, comping and playing around the bass line. Hard to do without making it sound messy or getting in the way of the bassist, but can be very effective if done right.

 

For proper Reggae, Bob Marley is the obvious one to listen to. His first album with the Wailers is a great reference for the sound you might be after. Good luck.

 

I wouldn't bother with the specials.

[El Lobo]

This is Ska. Not Reggae or Rpck Steady.

Pressure Drop is Ska, not Reggae?

[Outkaster]

Not Reggae know it's Ska. That is an old Maytals song and he still would perform it up until he died last year. I have opened for him 3 or 4 times over the years and he still played it.

[El Lobo]

Not Reggae know it's Ska. That is an old Maytals song and he still would perform it up until he died last year. I have opened for him 3 or 4 times over the years and he still played it.

Hmm. I wonder if Toots would say it's ska, not reggae.

[timwat]

..

[David R]

Surprised to get this far through the thread and not see any mention of the Police nor the Clash. Maybe those artists are even more overtly indebted to reggae than you"re looking for. (On mobile so I can"t link easily) but 'Roxanne' is a modified stepper"s groove, 'Walking on the Moon' is pretty clearly coming from reggae, and 'Guns of Brixton' is basically a straight up reggae tune. Bruno Mars" 'Locked out of Heaven' is a derivative of the Police.

 

Another place to look is Ben Harper - 'Steal my Kisses' and 'Burn One Down,' as well as Amy Winehouse"s 'Just Friends.'

[Joe Muscara]

I wouldn't bother with Clapton's version.

QFT, regarding ANY song he's covered!

[Outkaster]

Not Reggae know it's Ska. That is an old Maytals song and he still would perform it up until he died last year. I have opened for him 3 or 4 times over the years and he still played it.

Hmm. I wonder if Toots would say it's ska, not reggae.

 

He'd say Ska. His son is his bass player and I can text him and ask him if you don't believe me?

[Outkaster]

Some similarities with ska, perhaps. "Brown Eyed Girl" Van Morrison

 

There is a popular classic Jamaican reggae track called "Brown Eye Girl" - completely different song. If I get a request as a DJ for "Brown Eyed Girl" it's usually this one they want:

 

 

[video:youtube]

 

Outcaster - I'll hit you up on your offer What do you have that's contemporary in Jamaican/East Coast? And that's been working well live? As a West Coast DJ practically all reggae I do outside of Marley classics is Island - reggae filtered though Polynesian folk and popular music traditions.

 

Chronixx, Freddie MacGregor, Beres Hammond would do well. I know the Polynesian bands are popular in LA. My friends in LA back up the artist Fiji.

[El Lobo]

Not Reggae know it's Ska. That is an old Maytals song and he still would perform it up until he died last year. I have opened for him 3 or 4 times over the years and he still played it.

Hmm. I wonder if Toots would say it's ska, not reggae.

 

He'd say Ska. His son is his bass player and I can text him and ask him if you don't believe me?

I'm not here to argue, I'm trying to understand. Toots and the Maytals are credited by the Oxford English Dictionary with creating the term "reggae." If Toots would not call Pressure Drop reggae, I wonder what the first recording of his he would call reggae. Wikipedia says the Maytals' 1968 single "Do the Reggay" was the first song to use the word "reggae", coining the name of the genre and introducing it to a global audience. Pressure Drop was recorded in 1969 and appears on their 1970 album "Monkey Man." That same album has a song called "Revival Reggae." So what is the first Toots recording that Toots would say is reggae? I'm confused.

[o0Ampy0o]

Surprised to get this far through the thread and not see any mention of the Police nor the Clash. Maybe those artists are even more overtly indebted to reggae than you"re looking for. (On mobile so I can"t link easily) but 'Roxanne' is a modified stepper"s groove, 'Walking on the Moon' is pretty clearly coming from reggae, and 'Guns of Brixton' is basically a straight up reggae tune. Bruno Mars" 'Locked out of Heaven' is a derivative of the Police.....

Post #3 of this thread:

For "inauthentic" but "inspired by" reggae, I'd think of Clapton's version of I Shot the Sherriff, Oh Bla Di Oh Bl Da (well, more ska, because it's quicker), and half the stuff by The Police.

[cphollis]

Just added The Cure's Lovesong (as done by 311) to the set list. Winner, winner.