Jamaica, that little island in the Caribbean, has produced great musicians with classic recordings that are little known to reggae fans outside if Jamaica. One of such musicians is Max Romeo.
Max Romeo was born Max Smith on November 22, 1947, in St D'Acre in Jamaica. Like most of the Jamaican youth, his passion lay in music. After working on menial jobs, he moved to Kingston at the age of 18 and teamed up with two friends to form the group "The Emotions".
In 1968, he went solo, after meeting the producer Bunny Lee. Max Romeo cut many great singles including "Beardman feast", "The coming of Jah" and "Babylon burning". The songs were good but not too famous. Then in the seventies came his masterpiece album "War Ina Babylon".
Max's fame suddenly rose like a bush fire in the dry season. The album has good tracks including "Stealing in the name of Jah" "Uptown babies don't cry" "Norman the gambler" and title track "War Ina Babylon," a song recorded many years ago, but reflecting on what is happening in Babylon-Iraq now.
In his lifetime, Max Romeo has produced many albums, including "Wet Dream", "Ultimate Collection", "The coming of Jah", "Perilous Time", "On the Beach", "Something is wrong", "Love Message", "Many moods of Max Romeo", "Our Rights" and "Fari Captain of my ship".
Article comments
1 - gerrard
Great album, thanks for shining some light on it. I was somewhat surprised though that you didn't mention the impact of Lee Perry on the record.
Here's a good link for more info on the album:
http://www.upsetter.net/scratch/news/archive/2004/2004_war_ina_babylon.htm
"Interestingly, "War Ina Babylon" almost became a Bob Marley song. When Marley heard it, he loved it so much that he asked Scratch if he could voice the tune. Scratch wisely turned him down."
2 - joel savage
Hi Gerrald, you are right my man. Lee "Scratch" Perry's experience was behind that great album. Thanks for the links of "Scratch" I will soon explore there. Jah greetings to you. Joel
3 - joel savage
Hi Gerrald, I have to reveal to you that your post has given me certain historical fact that I'm never aware of.
"Tan and See" one of the songs on "War Ina Babylon", according to the Scrath archives is about "Anansi", the notorious trickster in Jamaican folklore
"Anansi nah spoil no dance" literally means people should calm down and not to give up in panic.
My discovery is, the word "Anansi" originated from West Africa. The Ghanaians called the Spider "Anansi", and "Anansi" is mentioned in almost all children stories and tales in Ghana.
For example there is a story in Ghana explaining the reason "Anansi", the spider is always hiding at corners and dark places.
He visited his mother-in-law, and he was served a delicious hot beans stew.
He refused to eat on the grounds that he is not hungry, even though he was starving to death. His trick was to play a perfect gentleman.
Later when it was time for him to leave, he quickly escaped into the kitchen to fill his hat with the hot beans. When suddenly his mother-in-law came to the kitchen, "Anansi" put the hat filled with hot beens over his head.
When his mother-in-law was escorting him half way the road, he was in agony pleading for her to return home. Yet the constant talking of the woman, couldn't persuade her to return home. When he couldn't stand the agony any longer, he removed the hat and the hot beens spilled all over his body.
The astonished mother-in-law screamed and "Anansi" fled in shame. That is the reason, you see the Spider hiding always at the corner.
History tells us that "Blacks in the Diaspora" were from Africa. But I'm never aware that they carried some of the tales and stories like that of "Anansi" with them. Thank you very much.
4 - skann
There seems to be a lot of Lee 'Scratch" Perry devotees out there. To view some really interesting and rare photos of Perry that were taken in England in 1987, visit Pogus Caesar website at OOM Gallery (muzik kinda sweet exhibition)...some other nice reggae surprises as well.
5 - joel savage
Hello Skann, thanks for your interesting post, I would soon explore the website. Joel.
6 - rudjei
max romeo pic has recently gone onto pogus caesar site, worth a look.
7 - joel savage
Thank you Rudie.