Sunday Music Blogging: Roots Radics Rockers Reggae

Listening to Bunny Wailer's 'Roots Radics Rockers Reggae', from 1987:

I kept thinking: hmm, where have I heard that melody before? Somewhere, long ago, in a very different form. And then it hit me: Stiff Little Fingers!

The original is from 1981. So the 1987 Bunny Wailer song, performed by a genuine rootsman from Jamaica, is actually a cover (albeit hugely transformed) of a six-year-old song by a Belfast punk band.

Comments

[Andrew]

Thank you, CG. Your contribution to musical history has been noted!

[Christian Grüneberg]

It should be 1980 :-)

http://intelligentdiplomat.free.fr/bunny/bunnyalbumdisco.html

[Andrew Hammel]

You know, CG, you could be right. I researched this post with all the care I usually take, that is I googled for about 5 seconds. Nevertheless, SLF were into reggae, like the Clash, and would at least have known enough lingo in 1981 to write themselves. But the alternative hypothesis can't be immediately discounted. Let me know if you can find an answer.

[Christian Grüneberg]

I am not convinced! Why should a punk band call a song like that and then play it as a punk song?
According to Roots Archives Bunny Wailer published the song in 1983 (!) on a LP. I wouldn't be surprised if there was single in '81 or earlier ...