Linton Kwesi Johnson - Reggae Greats (Vinyl LP | UK Original | 1985)

Linton Kwesi Johnson – Reggae Greats is a compilation in Island's Reggae Greats series (No. 6, cat. no. IRG 6), released in May 1985. Jamaican-born, London-based poet Linton Kwesi Johnson is regarded as a pioneer of dub poetry: political verse in Jamaican patois over reggae rhythms by Dennis Bovell and the Dub Band. The ten tracks come from his Island albums Forces Of Victory (1979), Bass Culture (1980) and Making History (1984), including "Sonny's Lettah" and "Di Great Insohreckshan". This copy is the 1985 UK original pressing.

Pressing details

• Label / Cat. no.: Island Records IRG 6
• Format: Vinyl LP, album, compilation
• Pressing: UK original
• Country: UK
• Year: 1985
• Genre: Reggae, Dub Poetry
• Series: Reggae Greats, No. 6

Condition

• Condition: Second hand
• Media: NM-
• Cover: VG+ (tiny tear on front of sleeve)

Graded to Goldmine standard (see Vinyl Grading). The images are our own scans of the actual copy for sale (SKU S 34B).

Tracklist

Side A

1. Reggae Sounds
2. Independent Intavenshan
3. Street 66
4. Bass Culture
5. Di Great Insohreckshan

Side B

1. It Noh Funny
2. Sonny's Lettah (Anti Sus Poem)
3. Reggae Fi Radni
4. Fite Dem Back
5. Making History

Personnel

Linton Kwesi Johnson (voice, lyrics; all tracks written by him), backed by Dennis Bovell and the Dub Band. Produced by Linton Kwesi Johnson and Dennis Bovell.

FAQ

What is dub poetry?
Dub poetry combines spoken verse with reggae and dub rhythms. Linton Kwesi Johnson shaped the style from the late 1970s; his texts deal with racism, police violence and Black British life.

Is "Inglan Is A Bitch" on this record?
No. "Inglan Is A Bitch" is not on this compilation, and neither is a track called "Forces Of Victory" – that is the title of one of the albums the selection is drawn from. The full tracklist is above.

What does Media NM- / Cover VG+ mean?
Media NM- (Near Mint minus) means close to new with at most minimal signs of use. Sleeve VG+ (Very Good Plus): light signs of wear. There is a tiny tear on the front of the sleeve. All grades are explained on our Vinyl Grading page.

Do you have more Linton Kwesi Johnson records?
This is currently our only Linton Kwesi Johnson record. More reggae and dub is in our Reggae, Ska & Dub collection.