Desmond Dekker (July 16, 1941 – May 25, 2006) [1] was a Jamaican ska, rocksteady and reggae singer–songwriter and musician. Together with his backing group, The Aces (consisting of Wilson James and Easton Barrington Howard), he had one of the first international Jamaican hits with "Israelites". Other hits include "007 (Shanty Town)" (1967) and "It Miek" (1969). Before the ascent of Bob Marley, Dekker was one of the most popular musicians within Jamaica, and one of the best-known musicians outside it.

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Early days

He was born Desmond Adolphus Dacres in St. Andrew, Jamaica and grew up in Kingston, where he attended the Alpha Boys' School. After his mother took ill and died, his father moved him to St. Mary, and then to St. Thomas, where he apprenticed as a tailor before returning to Kingston and taking a job as a welder, singing around his workplace while his co-workers encouraged him. In 1961 he auditioned for Coxsone Dodd (Studio One) and Duke Reid (Treasure Isle). Neither was impressed by his talents, and the young man moved on to Leslie Kong's Beverley's record label, where he auditioned before Derrick Morgan, then the label's biggest star.

Career

With Morgan's support, Dekker was signed but did not record until 1963 because Kong wanted to wait for the perfect song, which "Honour Your Mother and Father" was felt to be. "Honour Your Mother and Father" was a hit and was followed by "Sinners Come Home" and "Labour for Learning", and at this time Desmond Dacres became Desmond Dekker . His fourth hit made him into one of the island's biggest stars. It was "King of Ska", a rowdy and jubilant song on which Dekker was backed by The Cherrypies (also known as The Maytals). Dekker then recruited four brothers, Carl, Patrick, Clive and Barry who became his backing band, The Four Aces.

Dekker and the Howards recorded a number of hits including "Parents", "Get Up Edina", "This Woman" and "Mount Zion". Until 1967 Dekker's songs were polite and conveyed respectable, mainstream messages. In that year, however, he appeared on Derrick Morgan's "Tougher Than Tough", which helped begin a trend of popular songs glamorizing the violent rude boy culture. Dekker's own songs did not go to the extremes of many other popular tunes, though he did introduce lyrics that resonated with the rude boys starting with one of his best-known songs, "007 (Shanty Town)". The song established Dekker as a rude boy icon and he also became an established hero in the United Kingdom's mod scene. "007 (Shanty Town)" was a Top 15 hit in the UK, and Dekker toured that country with a posse of mods following him.

Dekker continued with songs in the same vein such as "Rude Boy Train" and "Rudie Got Soul", as well as continuing with his previous themes of religion and morality in songs like "It's a Shame", "Wise Man", "Hey Grandma", "Unity", "If It Pays", "Mother's Young Girl" and "Sabotage". His "Pretty Africa" is a long-standing favourite among his fans and may be the earliest popular song promoting repatriation. Many of the hits from this era came from his debut album, 007 (Shanty Town) .

In 1968 Dekker's "Israelites" was released, appearing on both the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 and UK Singles Charts, and eventually topping the latter and (in June, 1969) peaking in the Top Ten of the former. He was the first Jamaican artist to have a hit record in the U.S. with a form and style that was purely Jamaican, though he never repeated the feat. Equally, the track became the first reggae song to top the UK chart. That same year saw the release of "Beautiful and Dangerous", "Writing on the Wall", "Music Like Dirt" (which won the Festival Song Contest), "Bongo Girl" and "Shing a Ling".

1969 saw the release of "It Mek", which first had only lukewarm success but was re-recorded and then became a hit both in Jamaica and the UK. Dekker also released "Problems" and "Pickney Gal", both of which were popular in Jamaica but had only limited success elsewhere.

1970s

In the 1970s Dekker spent most of his time touring and moved to the UK, where he continued to record. Among his best known releases of this period was "You Can Get It If You Really Want", written by Jimmy Cliff. Dekker had not wanted to record it but was persuaded by Leslie Kong. Dekker's version uses the same instrumental backing track as Cliff's original. Kong, whose production had been a crucial part of both Dekker's and Cliff's careers, died in 1971 and both his protegés lost direction for a period before returning to music.

Dekker continued recording, but with only limited success until he began working with the production duo Bruce Anthony in 1974. His first hit with the pair was 1975's "Sing a Little Song" which climbed into the UK's Top Twenty. Dekker was unable to follow its success, however, and did not chart in the UK again for some time (except for the Top Ten re-charting of "Israelites" in 1975). Dekker also found only a limited audience in Jamaica.

At the end of the 1970s, Dekker signed with Stiff Records, a punk label linked with the 2 Tone movement, a fusion of punk and ska. He recorded an album called Black & Dekker which featured his previous hits backed by The Rumour, Graham Parker's backing band. "Israelites" became the first hit and a Top Ten Belgian hit and was followed by "Please Don't Bend", Jimmy Cliff's "Many Rivers to Cross" and "Book of Rules". His next album was Compass Point , produced by Robert Palmer. Though it did not sell well, Dekker was still a popular live performer and toured with The Rumour.

1980s and later

In the early 1980s, as the 2 Tone movement died out, he saw his fortunes dwindle and he was declared bankrupt in 1984. Only a single live album was released in the late 80s, but a new version of "Israelites" reawakened public interest in 1990, following its use in a Maxell advertisement. He re-recorded some old singles, and worked with The Specials for 1992's King of Kings , which used hits from Dekker's musical heroes, including Derrick Morgan. ^[2] He also collaborated on a remix version of "Israelites" with reggae artist Apache Indian.

Dekker died of a heart attack on 25 May, 2006, at his home in Thornton Heath in the London Borough of Croydon, England, aged 64. He was preparing to headline a world music festival in Prague. Dekker was divorced and is survived by a son and a daughter.

Backing band

The Aces - The current line up for Dekker's backing band, who are still performing tribute concerts includes:

• Delroy Williams - Backing Vocals / M.C.
• Gordon Mulrain - Bass guitarist and session musician. Mulrain is also known as the producer, Innerheart, for the British record label, Sativa Records.
• Aubrey Mulrain - Keyboard player and session musician.
• Steve Roberts - Guitarist and session musician, also a member of the British band Dubzone.
• Leroy Green - Drums and session musician.
• Stan Samuel - Guitarist and session musician
• Charles Nelson - Keyboard player and session musician.

This particular line-up also recorded with Dekker, on some of his later studio sessions in the 1990s.

Pop culture references

• He is referenced in the Rancid song "Roots Radicals" in the lyric:

"The radio was playing/Desmond Dekker was singing/On the 43 bus as we climb up the hill" .

• He is mentioned in the Common Rider song "Classics of Love" in the lyric:

"Midnight Marauder spinning on my stereo/Mr. Desmond Dekker has a crown made of gold/The kids are alright a-what a-what I hear" .

• He is also mentioned in the Frank Black song "Parry the Wind High Low" in the lyric:

"I'm getting patterns from a trekker/And it sounds like Desmond Dekker to me" .

• He is referenced by The Beatles in the ska-influenced, Paul McCartney penned song, "Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da" (from The White Album ) starting with the lyric:

"Desmond has a barrow in the market-place"

• The German Oi!-punk/ska band, Broilers, paid respect to Dekker as well:

"Mit Desmond Dekker in den Ohren/Läßt sie diese Welt den Mittelfinger seh'n" (While listening to Desmond Dekker/she shows the world her middlefinger).

• He is paid tribute to in "Thou Shalt Always Kill" by Dan Le Sac Vs Scroobius Pip, along with a several other deceased musicians.

"Thou shalt not take the names of Johnny Cash, Joe Strummer, Johnny Hartman, Desmond Dekker, Jim Morrison, Jimi Hendrix or Syd Barrett in vain."

• He is referenced in the movie, The Royal Tenenbaums , (Wes Anderson); the character Margot Tenenbaum was briefly married to him when she was nineteen.
• In the 1991 Gulf War, U.S. troops stationed in Saudi Arabia were told not to play certain songs, including Dekker's "Israelites", to avoid inflaming the sensitivities of their hosts.
• The Reel Big Fish live album and DVD, Our Live Album Is Better Than Your Live Album , released three months after Desmond died, is dedicated to him.
• Ska-core band from Atlanta, Georgia, The Disregardables, have a song mourning and celebrating the life and death of Desmond, aptly titled "Desmond Dekker".
• "The Israelites" is prominently featured in Gus Van Sant's 1989 film Drugstore Cowboy.
• He is also referenced in the Toots & the Maytals song, "Desmond Dekker Came First".
• He is also referenced in the Mighty Mighty Bosstones song "Don't Worry Desmond Dekker".
• In the American Poet Frank Bidart's 2005 collection of poems, Star Dust, the poem "Music Like Dirt" is dedicated to him.
• Guitarist Richard Thompson did a cover of "Israelites" on his Old Kit Bag tour.
• Punk/Ska band Millencolin did a cover of "Israelites" on the 1997 single release Lozin' Must.
• Manchester punk/ska band Sonic Boom Six pay tribute to Desmond Dekker, singing a few lines of 'Shanty Town' as an outro on their track 'Rum Little Skallywag'

Discography

Albums

• 007 Shanty Town (1967) Doctor Bird (Desmond Dekker & the Aces)
• ''Action! (1968) (Desmond Dekker & the Aces)
• This Is Desmond Dekkar (1969) - Trojan Records (UK #27) ^[3]
• Israelites (1969) Doctor Bird
• Intensified (1970) - Lagoon
• You Can Get It If You Really Want (1970) - Trojan
• Black And Dekker (1980) Stiff
• Compass Point (1981) Stiff
• King of Kings with The Specials (1993) - Trojan Records

;Compilations:

• Double Dekker (1973) Trojan
• Dekker's Sweet 16 Hits (1979) Trojan
• The Original Reggae Hitsound (1985) Trojan
• 20 Golden Pieces of Desmond Dekker (1987) Bulldog
• The Official Live and Rare (1987) Trojan
• Greatest Hits (1988) Streetlife
• The Best of & The Rest of (1990) Action Replay
• Music Like Dirt (1992) Trojan
• Rockin' Steady - The Best of Desmond Dekker (1992) Rhino
• Crucial Cuts (1993) Music Club
• Israelites (1994) Laserlight
• Action (1995) Lagoon
• Voice of Ska (1995) Emporio
• Moving On (1996) Trojan
• The Israelites (1996) Marble Arch
• First Time for a Long Time (1997) Trojan
• Desmond Dekker Archive (1997) Rialto
• The Writing on the Wall (1998) Trojan
• Israelites (1999) Castle Pie
• Israelites: The Best Of Desmond Dekker (1963-1971) - Trojan (1999)
• Desmond Dekker (2000) Snapper
• The Very Best Of (2000) Jet Set
• This Is Desmond Dekker (Bonus Tracks) - Trojan (2006)

Singles

Early solo singles

• "Honour Your Mother and Father" (1963) Island (as Desmond Dekker & Beverley's Allstars)
• "Parents" (1964) Island
• "King of Ska" (1964) Island (as Desmond Dekkar and his Cherry Pies)
• "Dracula" (1964) Black Swan (as Desmond Dekkar)

Desmond Dekker & the Four Aces

• "Generosity" (1965) Island
• "Get Up Adina" (1965) Island
• "This Woman" (1965) Island
• "Mount Zion" (1965) Island

Desmond Dekker & the Aces

• "007 (Shanty Town)" (1967) - Doctor Bird
• "Oh Holy Night" (1967) Doctor Bird
• "Wise Man" (1967) Pyramid
• "007 Shanty Town" (1967) Pyramid
• "It's a Shame" (1967) Pyramid
• "Rudy Got Soul" (1967) Pyramid
• "Rude Boy Train" (1967) Pyramid
• "Mother's Young Gal" (1967) Pyramid
• "Unity" (1967) Pyramid
• "Sabotage" (1967) Pyramid
• "It Pays" (1967) Pyramid
• "Beautiful and Dangerous" (1967) Pyramid
• "Bongo Gal" (1967) Pyramid
• "To Sir, With Love" (1967) Pyramid
• "Mother Pepper" (1967) Pyramid
• "Hey Grandma" (1967) Pyramid
• "Music Like Dirt (Intensified)" (1967) Pyramid
• "It Miek" (1968) Pyramid
• "Israelites" (1968) - Pyramid (UK #1, U.S. #9)
• "Christmas Day" (1968) Pyramid
• "It Miek" (1969) - Pyramid (UK #7)
• "Pickney Gal" (1969) - Pyramid (UK #42)

Later solo singles

• "You Can Get It If You Really Want" (1970) - Trojan
• "The Song We Used to Sing" (1970) Trojan
• "Licking Stick" (1971) Trojan
• "It Gotta Be So" (1972) Trojan
• "Beware" (1972) Rhino
• "Sing a Little Song" (1973) Rhino
• "Everybody Join Hands" (1973) Rhino
• "Busted Lad" (1974) Rhino
• "Israelites (re-recording)" (1975) - Cactus (UK #10)
• "Sing A Little Song" (1975) - Cactus (UK #16)
• "Roots Rock" (1977) Feelgood
• "Israelites (new mix)" (1980) Stiff
• "Please Don't Bend" (1980) Stiff
• "Many Rivers to Cross" (1980) Stiff
• "We Can and Shall" (1981) Stiff
• "Book of Rules" (1982) Stiff
• "Hot City" (1983) Stiff
• "Jamaica Ska" (1993) Trojan

References

1. Thompson, Dave (2002) "Reggae & Caribbean Music", Backbeat Books, ISBN 0-87930-655-6, Note: some sources list year of birth as 1942 or 1943
2. ''Original Rude Boy Account of the recording of ''King of Kings given by Neville Staple.
3. Strong, Martin C. (2002) "The Great Rock Discography (6th edition)", Canongate, ISBN 1 84195 312 1