Top 6 Records: 1978-1981

[Historian]

Top 6 Records of the Year
1978 - 1981
(Based on JBC’s charts)

Hopefully this list, based on the charts of the Jamaica Broadcasting Corporation (JBC) will bring back some more pleasant memories.

1978
1. “Loving Pauper”: Ruddy Thomas
2. “Book Of Life”: Pam and Woody
3. “Soul Sister”: Derrick Harriott
4. “Running Up And Down”: Dennis Brown and Big Youth
5. “One Step Ahead”: Beres Hammond
6. “A Jah Jah”: Rita Marley

Other hits of 1978 include “Look Into Your Heart” by Junior Tucker (#13), “Tribal War” by George Knooks (#14), and “Natty Never Get Weary” by Culture (#17).


1979
1. “Please Mr. Doctor”: U Brown
2. “Stepping Out Of Babylon”: Marcia Griffiths
3. “I’m In Love With You”: Beres Hammond
4. “Ain’t That Lovin’ You”: Dennis Brown
5. “Identity”: Mighty Diamonds
6. “Mother In Law”: Levi Williams

Other notable hits of 1979 include “Keep On Knocking” by Jacob Miller (#9), “Many Are Called” by the I-Threes (#15), “Love Don’t Live Here Anymore” by Sharon Forrester (#17), and “Nice Up The Dance” by Michigan and Smiley (#19).

1980
1. “Rub A Dub Evening”: Joe Tex and U Black
2. “Arleen”: General Echo
3. “Jammin’ So”: Madoo
4. “One Drop”: Bob Marley and the Wailers
5. “Sky Juice”: ************************ Kojak and Liza
6. “Love And Devotion”: Jimmy Riley

Other hits of 1980 include “Let’s Hold On” by Casual T (#9), “Baltimore” by the Tamlins (#12), “Delilah” by Jacob Miller and Inner Circle (#13), and “Drunken Master” by General Echo (#17).

1981
1. “Love Bump”: Lone Ranger
2. “Someone Loves You Honey”: J.C. Lodge
3. “Front Door”: Gregory Isaacs
4. “Have You Ever Been In Love”: Dennis Brown
5. “My World Is Falling Down”: The Tamlins
6. “I’ll Have To Get You”: Tony Tuff

Other hits of 1981 include “Ice Cream Love” by Johnny Osbourne (#10), “Wa Do Dem” by Eek A Mouse (#11), “Cool Runnings” by Bunny Wailer (#12), and “Good To Be There” by Chalice (#13).

[Mosiah]

1978 and 1979 were big years! One of the best songs of the entire decade was Mighty Diamonds' "Identity"!

"When did we lose our identity?
(Tell me when)
When did we lose our identity?,
We're running around like a lonely sheep,
Whose lost his master and has gone astray.
We have lost it,
We have lo-oo-oo-st it
We have lost it..."

WHEEEEL MI SELECTAH!!! Tek it from di top!

"When did we lose our identity?
(Tell me when)
When did we lose our identity?,
We're running around like a lonely sheep,
Whose lost his master and has gone astray.
We have lost it,
We have lo-oo-oo-st it
We have lost it..."

"When are we gonna join in unity?
(Yeah!)
When are we gonna join in unity?"

music fi nice but dis wi gi yuh sugar!

Thanks, Historian! Between dis and di youtube of the Hondurans pounding T&T, my Sunday morning could not be better!

[Assasin]

those were the Golden years mi brethren.

so many big original tunes, well written, and well presented mash up the place.

[Keegan]

In my mind, any mention of D. Brown's “Ain't That Loving You” comes attached with Kojak toasting "Boop Yuh Walk And Boop Yuh Talk..."

I recall both tracks being available on the same record when I was a youth, and being a huge, huge favourite. (dates me, I know.)

[Assasin]

you mean "hole in the bucket"?

[Keegan]

Yep - I wasn't suggesting "Boop etc" was the name of the track, but as soon as you heard D. Brown fade out and the electric drums chipped in, everybody would be poised to join the singing of "Boop You Walk and..."

[Assasin]

yeah man, nuh worry I just a give you the name.

They had banned it at one stage.

[Keegan]

Seen... in recent years, the only two-track combo to have a similar response (and even gets kinda cliched now too) is Half Pint's "Greetings" and Super Cat's "Under Pressure" where everybody waits to join in the singing of "Ribbi Dibbi Doo Ba Day"!

[Islandman]

The youngsters would disagree with you about the "recent years" part. LOL!

Hard to believe that Greetings is a 20+ y.o. song isn't it?

[Gamma]

"boop yuh seh dat a kojac do dat!"

[wbvs]

Top 6 Records of the Year
1978 - 1981
(Based on JBC’s charts)

2. “Someone Loves You Honey”: J.C. Lodge

this one is a classic.

[Mosiah]

thanks for this post, 'Torian!

[Rudi]

Identity was a wicked tune. There's a line that goes something like" everything else pleases Jah but it's only man". True words.

[Stonigut]

Arleen 1980, remember a nice little session round D park with Arleen ah bubble pon the speakers, that was the hardest riddim we ever heard up to that time.