Launched by Trojan late in 1969, the Reggae Chartbusters album series swiftly became one of the best-selling lines in the company’s catalogue – and the original three albums (plus a further three) are about to be reissued on CD for the very first time.
The three albums were released over a a three-year period between 1969 and 1972 and with 40 years passing since their introduction, it seems as good a time as any for the reissue. The original trio of releases are augmented by another three volumes, each of which highlights the most popular Reggae sounds from a specific period. We're guessing the first volume (with the 'skinhead reggae' tracks) is perhaps of most interest, but see over the page for the full tracklistings of all, in case any other catches your eye.
Original sleeves, new booklets and sleevenotes and a cheap price – worth picking up? Well, as the PR company can't be bothered sending us review copies, we can't say for sure, but at just £4.89 from Amazon, they certainly sound like a bargain.
Find out more at the Amazon website
REGGAE CHARTBUSTERS VOLUME 1
Original release: Trojan LP, TBL-105
Wonderful World Beautiful People – Jimmy Cliff / Reggae In Your Jeggae – Dandy / Israelites – Desmond Dekker & The Aces / Skinhead Moonstomp – Symarip / Poor Rameses – Pioneers / Liquidator – Harry J All Stars / Return Of Django – Upsetters / Red Red Wine – Tony Tribe / Long Shot Kick The Bucket – Pioneers / Elizabethan Reggae – Boris Gardiner & The Love People / It Miek – Desmond Dekker / Sweet Sensation – The Melodians – Bonus tracks: Wet Dream – Max Romeo / People Funny Buy – Lee ‘King’ Perry / No More Heartaches – The Beltones / Dollar In the Teeth – The Upsetters / Everything Crash – The Ethiopians / Pressure Drop – The Maytals / How Long (Will It Take) – Pat Kelly / Moon Hop – Derrick Morgan
REGGAE CHARTBUSTERS VOL. 2
Original release: Trojan LP, TBL-147
You Can Get It If You Really Want – Desmond Dekker / Montego Bay – Freddie Notes & The Rudies / Love Of The Common People – Nicky Thomas / What Greater Love – Teddy Brown / Pickney Gal – Desmond Dekker / Message From A Blackman – Derrick Harriott / Young Gifted And Black – Bob Andy & Marcia Griffiths / Monkey Man – The Maytals / Black Pearl – Horace Faith / God Bless The Children – Nicky Thomas / Patches – The Rudies / Vietnam – Jimmy Cliff – Bonus tracks: Soul Shakedown Party – Bob Marley & The Wailers / I Need Your Sweet Inspiration – The Pioneers / 54 46 Was My Number – The Maytals / Rivers Of Babylon – The Melodians / Have A Little Faith – Nicky Thomas / Come Into My Life – Jimmy Cliff / Duppy Conqueror – Bob Marley & The Wailers / Wear You To The Ball – U Roy & John Holt
REGGAE CHARTBUSTERS VOL. 3
Original release: Trojan LP, TBL-169
Let Your Yeah Be Yeah – The Pioneers / Tell It Like It Is – Nicky Thomas / Monkey Spanner – Dave & Ansel Collins / Follow The Leader – Greyhound / Pied Piper – Bob & Marcia / One Big Happy Family – Bruce Ruffin / Double Barrel – Dave & Ansel Collins / Dancing In The Sun – Daniel In The Lion‘s Den / Black And White – Greyhound / Salt Of The Earth – Dandy / Rain – Bruce Ruffin / The Song We Used To Sing – Desmond Dekker – Bonus Tracks: Trenchtown Rock – Bob Marley & The Wailers / Shaft – The Chosen Few / Johnny Too Bad – The Slickers / Cherry Oh Baby – Eric Donaldson / Starvation – The Pioneers / Better Must Come – Delroy Wilson / Small Axe – Bob Marley & The Wailers / Mule Train – Count Prince Miller
REGGAE CHARTBUSTERS VOL. 4
Suzanne Beware Of The Devil – Dandy Livingstone / Moon River – Greyhound / Give And Take – The Pioneers / Sing A Little Song – Desmond Dekker / Lively Up Yourself – Bob Marley & The Wailers / Lottery Spin – Zap Pow / Money In My Pocket – Dennis Brown / The World Is Upside Down – Joe Higgs / Silly Wasn’t I – Sharon Forrester / Louie Louie – Toots & The Maytals / The Further You Look – John Holt / Think About That – Dandy Livingstone / I Am What I Am – Greyhound / (Everyday) Time Hard – George Dekker & The Pioneers / Mother Nature – Desmond Dekker / Smoke Gets In Your Eyes – Blue Haze / Mad About You – Bruce Ruffin / Big Seven – Judge Dread / Keep On Moving – Bob Marley & The Wailers / This Is Reggae Music – Zap Pow
REGGAE CHARTBUSTERS VOL. 5
Hurt So Good – Susan Cadogan / Everything I Own – Ken Boothe / Help Me Make It Through The Night – John Holt / Ire Feelings (Skenga) – Rupie Edwards / Curly Locks – Junior Byles / None Shall Escape The Judgment – Johnny Clarke / Please Don’t Make Me Cry – Winston Groovy / Snoopy Vs The Red Baron – The Hot Shots / Sweet Cherrie – Honey Boy / This Monday Morning Feeling – Tito Simon / Play De Music – Tinga Stewart / Eighteen With A Bullet – Derrick Harriott / Love Is Overdue – Gregory Isaacs / Mafia – Lloyd Parks / Ram Goat Liver – Pluto Shervington / Crying Over You – Ken Boothe / You Baby – John Holt / Leggo Skanga – Rupie Edwards / Shaving Cream – The Fabulous Five / Je T’Aime (Moi Non Plus) – Judge Dread
REGGAE CHARTBUSTERS VOL. 6
O.K. Fred – Errol Dunkley / Back A Yard – The In Crowd / You’ll Never Find Another Love – John Holt / I’m Still In Love With You – Alton Ellis / (Hear) The Children Cry – Owen Gray / Wolves And Leopards – Dennis Brown / Mr Cop – Gregory Isaacs / His Majesty Is Coming – The In Crowd / Tenement Yard – Jacob Miller & The Inner Circle / I Love Marijuana – Linval Thompson / Rockers (R.O.C.K.) – Lloyd Charmers / Sit Down And Cry – Errol Dunkley / I’m Still Waiting – Delroy Wilson / If You Love Me (Let Me Know) – Yvonne Sterling / Lovin’ You – Janet Kay / Walk Away – Marie Pierre / Keep It Like It Is – Louisa Mark / Feel Like Making Love – Elizabeth Archer & The Equators / (You Don’t Know) What Love Is – Nicky Thomas / We Play Reggae – The In Crowd
Great news finding these CD compilations again … I’ve been trying to get vol 1 for years to replace my original 1969 vinyl, which went missing! Tell me folks though … I remember vol 1 having a different cover … it was shiny metallic with circular rings much the same as vol 2 and Motown Chartbusters vol 3, was it not and, I only remember 4 tracks each side … although someone else says it had 12 tracks total … I might be wrong about the tracks but not the cover surely? Funny thing is, I saw a CD of this about 10 years back in a sale bin in Martins the newsagents for about £7 and I pondered and thought, do I really want that and put it back! What a pratt hey? Great stomping collections ain’t it guys? Takes me right back to 1970 and stomping on my parents newly polished parkay flooring in my Frank Wright loafers full of blakeys with all me mates! God, I got in trouble for that!