Desmond Dekker (16 July 1941 - 25 May 2006) was a Jamaican ska, rocksteady and reggae singer-songwriter and musician. You got wildlife and thing like that because it down near the beach. [1], Jamaica Independence Festival Song Contest, "Jamaica Ska Legend Winston Samuels Is Dead - News Americas NowCaribbean and Latin America Daily News", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=The_Aces_(Jamaican_group)&oldid=1117842044, Easton Barrington "Barry" Howard (19651969), Winston James Samuels (left 1969, died 2017), This page was last edited on 23 October 2022, at 21:37. [2] It spent eleven weeks in the UK chart, and by September 1970 had sold over a million copies worldwide. An instrumental figure in the development of ska and its slightly mellower cousin, rocksteady, Dekker was also one the first reggae performers to break big in the U.K., laying the groundwork for that country's late 1970s 2 Tone movement. Join our newsletter to get the latest articles, news, & videos. He was 64. Potentially because of this usage, the song charted again, entering the Billboard Digital Reggae Song Sales Chart at #2.[15]. Kong, whose music production skills had been a crucial part of both Dekker's and Cliff's careers, died in 1971, affecting the careers of both artists for a short period of time. It was also a hit for Musical Youth in 1983. Dekker, whose 1969 hit Israelites was the first reggae song to top the UK charts, collapsed at his Surrey home. The movie's hero, played by Jimmy Cliff, sang it this time, and In 1980, Dekker released a new recording of the song on UK label Stiff Records, performed in an uptempo Two Tone style. The 2016 - current line up of musicians for Desmond Dekker's band the Aces featuring Delroy Williams & Guests. "It was an exciting time in Jamaican music, and Dekker was at its cutting edge," his Musical be eclipsed by another Jamaican, reggae artist Bob Marley. Photo Highlights: Protoje takes Hope Gardens A Matter of Time Live, The Top 100 Reggae Songs From 1962 2017. With "The Israelites," released in Jamaica in December 1968, Mr. Dekker had an international impact. When Maxell used Israelites in a TV commercial, it propelled Dekker and his music back into the spotlight. I dig you out and you're cool, girl. career. "They know all the words to his songs, "He died peacefully but it still hurts. The two had met sold millions of copies, became the first purely Jamaican song to top the 1 in Britain and No. He died peacefully but it still hurts. It Mek (sometimes appearing as "A It Mek" or German language "It Miek") was a 1969 hit song by the Jamaican musicians Desmond Dekker & the Aces. His impact on music, record-company veteran Roger In 1970 Dekker released "You Can Get It If You Really Want", written by Jimmy Cliff, which reached No. Born Desmond Dacres in 1941, Dekker worked as a welder in Kingston before signing with Leslie Kong's Beverley's record label and releasing his first single, "Honor Your Father and Your Mother," in . It was also a hit for Musical Youth in 1983. The vocal melody is syncopated and is centred on the tone of B flat. Privacy Policy & Terms of use. The initial line-up of The Aces consisted of Clive Campbell, Barry Howard, Carl Howard, and Patrick Howard. Eventually in 1963 Kong chose "Honour Your Mother and Father" (written by Dekker and the song that Dekker had sung in his Kong audition two years earlier), which became a Jamaican hit and established Dekker's musical career. It took two years before Kong let Dekker record a song, and when he did, Desmond Dekker. Following his mother's death, he moved to the parish of St. Mary and later to St. He lived for his music and his children. "[3] According to the liner notes for the Dekker compilation album Rockin' Steady The Best of Desmond Dekker the phrase was also used as a schoolyard taunt roughly meaning "that's what you get." [2] While at St. Thomas, Dekker embarked on an apprenticeship as a tailor before returning to Kingston, where he became a welder. He moved to the UK in the 70s and recorded the hit You Can Get It If You Really Want, written by Jimmy Cliff. At the time of his death, he was preparing as the headliner of a world music festival in Prague. The British hitmaker Robert Palmer produced Mr. Dekker's next album, "Compass Point," in 1981. Ska legend Desmond Dekker has died suddenly from a heart attack, his manager said today. "independence in 1962 had bestowed a new cultural confidence, comparisons between Jamaica's poor and the beleaguered Israelites By the end of the decade, Mr. Dekker had won the Golden Trophy award, presented annually to Jamaica's top singer, five times and was known as the King of Bluebeat. 9 in the United States in 1969. By 1970 Dekker was living in England, but still worked steadily with Kong. Desmond Dekker, the Jamaican singer whose 1969 hit, "The Israelites," opened up a worldwide audience for reggae, died on Wednesday. He was Desmond Dekker (16 July 1941 - 25 May 2006) [1] was a Jamaican ska, rocksteady and reggae singer-songwriter and musician. ", Original reporting and incisive analysis, direct from the Guardian every morning, Unflagging performer Desmond Dekker. [1] The track was written by Dekker (under his real name of Desmond Dacres) and his record producer, Leslie Kong, and was recorded in Jamaica with the brass accompaniment added in the UK. But in 1984 Mr. Dekker declared bankruptcy, blaming his former manager. [3], Only a single live album was released in the late '80s. a year later. UK reissue of this two CD collection by the Reggae/Ska legend. Notable groups who have covered "007 (Shanty Town)" include: The song has been sampled by Special Ed ("I'm the Magnificent") and Shaggy ("Bonafide Girl"). Problems 9. 1961. Los Angeles Times Desmond Dekker, who brought the sound of Jamaican ska to the world with songs such as "Israelites," has died, his manager said Friday. Dekker still performed regularly, and gave what would be his final concert [3] In 2003 a reissue of The Harder They Come soundtrack featured "Israelites" and "007 (Shanty Town)". Mr. Kong produced Mr. Dekker's first single, "Honour Thy Father and Mother," in 1963, and it reached No. A global million sales was reported in June 1969. [3], In 1968 Dekker's "Israelites" was released, eventually topping the UK Singles Chart in April 1969 and peaking in the top ten of the US Billboard Hot 100 in June 1969. [2] Los Angeles Times made it into the Top Ten on the U.S. singles chart the following year. He returned to the British charts with "Sing a Little Song" in 1975. He was renowned for his earliest reggae hit internationally 'Israelites.' He died at the age of Sixty Four years. Mr Williams said Dekker had led the way for reggae stars such as Bob Marley. Too Much Too Soon 6. born in 1941 or 1942. [7], "007" was Dekker's first international hit. Compass Point [6] Dekker also released "Problems" and "Pickney Gal", both of which were popular in Jamaica, although only "Pickney Gal" managed to chart in the UK top 50.[3]. park one day, was a homage to Jamaica's underclass, who were still When Kong died in 1971, Dekker's career faltered, and the hits Jamaican Spiced Easter Bun Recipe: Kerri-Anns 9 Side Dishes Jamaicans Serve with Jerk Chicken, The 6 Soups Every Jamaican Should Know How to Cook. Dekker's trademark falsetto, singing lyrics in a [3], Despite achieving a record deal, it was two years before Dekker saw his first record released. [3] In 1972 the rude boy film The Harder They Come was released and Dekker's "007 (Shanty Town)" was featured on the soundtrack along with Cliff's version of "You Can Get It If You Really Want", as well as other Jamaican artists' hits, giving reggae more international exposure and preparing the way for Bob Marley. His first contract was with Leslie Kongs Beverleys label. With the release of Israelites, Dekker became the first Jamaican artist to score a hit in the United States. [11] In 1984 he was declared bankrupt. [3] Despite this, the single was the first UK reggae #1 and among the first to reach the US top ten (peaking at #9). , May 27, 2006, p. A11; His fourth hit, "King of Ska" (backing vocals by The Cherrypies, also known as The Maytals), made him into one of the island's biggest stars. [2] Just over six years after the original release, the song again reached a Top Ten position in the United Kingdom. Times 1 spot on His workplace singing had drawn the attention of his co-workers, who encouraged him to pursue a career in music. Born July 16, 1941 Died May 24, 2006 (64) Add or change photo on IMDbPro Add to list Known for Fool's Gold 5.7 "Desmond was the first legend, believe it or not. [1] Dekker's international success led to him touring overseas, although The Aces did not accompany him due to Samuels refusal to fly (Samuels stating that "Rastas did not fly on iron birds") and Barry Howard's decision to emigrate to the United States. Track Listing - Disc 1 Track Listing - Disc 2 blue highlight denotes track pick and became one of his country's first recording stars to achieve Many of his He moved to the UK in the '70s, later recording the hit You Can Get It If You Really Want, written by Jimmy Cliff. A string of hits followed with "Reggae Motion", "Take a Look", "Oh I Miss You", "Call Me Number One", "Be My Baby", and "Sad Sad Song". pioneer Desmond Dekker dominated Jamaica's pop charts in the 1960s, The "007" riddim was revived in 2007 for a series of releases on Beverley's Records, forming the basis of singles from Joseph Cotton ("Ship Sail"), Mike Brooks ("Blam Blam Blam"), The Blackstones ("Out a Road"), and Dennis Alcapone ("D.J. and performed with his backing band, the Four Aces. It hit #1 in the United Kingdom,[12] the Netherlands, Jamaica, South Africa, Canada, Sweden and West Germany. The initial line-up of The Aces consisted of Clive Campbell, Barry Howard, Carl Howard, and Patrick Howard. Desmond Dekker 1. [2] The single featured Roland Alphonso's "El Torro" on the B-side.[2]. The song's title is Jamaican patois meaning "that's why" or "that's the reason. And the higher ones wanted to bulldoze the whole thing down and do their own thing and the students said no way. In 1975 "Israelites" was re-released and became a UK top 10 hit for a second time. [2] The Aces continued to record under their own name (without Dekker) and had a Jamaican hit in 1970 with "Mademoiselle Ninette". (London), May 27, 2006, p. 70; He found fame with his band Desmond Dekker and the Aces - their international hit Israelites topped the UK charts and made the top 10 in the US. Desmond Dekker, the Jamaican singer whose 1969 hit, "The Israelites," opened up a worldwide audience for reggae, died on Wednesday. But his success started to wane by the end of the 70s and early 80s and he was declared bankrupt in 1984. Together with his backing group The Aces (consisting of Wilson James and Easton Barrington Howard), he had one of the earliest international reggae hits with "Israelites" (1968). Anyone can read what you share. [1] The group came to the attention of Dekker, who supported them when they auditioned for Leslie Kong at Beverley's studio in 1965. List of number-one singles from the 1960s (UK), List of 1960s one-hit wonders in the United States, "Israelites / The Man - Desmond Dekker & The Aces", "Desmond Dekker & The Aces, Beverley's All Stars - Poor Me Israelites / Fly Right", Desmond Dekker and the Aces Israelites", The Irish Charts Search Results Israelites", "Desmond Dekker & the Aces: Artist Chart History", "Desmond Dekker The Aces Chart History (Hot 100)", Offiziellecharts.de Desmond Dekker and the Aces Israelites", "British single certifications Desmond Dekker & The Aces Israelites", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Israelites_(song)&oldid=1134128754, Short description is different from Wikidata, Single chart usages for Belgium (Flanders), Single chart usages for Belgium (Wallonia), Certification Table Entry usages for United Kingdom, Pages using certification Table Entry with streaming figures, Pages using certification Table Entry with streaming footnote, Articles with MusicBrainz release group identifiers, Articles with MusicBrainz work identifiers, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, "My Precious World (The Man)" by Beverley's All Stars, This page was last edited on 17 January 2023, at 03:48. Mr Dekker, who was divorced with a son and a daughter, played his last gig at Leeds University on May 11. stopped. Roll Call"). It was his workmates who first noted his vocal talents, as the youngster sang around the workshop. And it just get out of controlIs just a typical riot 'cause I say - Them a loot, them a shoot, them a wail. , May 27, 2006, p. B17; Steffens told Stewart in the The artist took a permanent residency in the UK in 1969. She was saying she needs money and he was saying the work he was doing was not giving him enough. He collaborated with the Specials on the 1993 album, King of Kings, which was released under Desmond Dekker and the Specials. suffering even after independence from Britain. An energetic live performer, he was about to start a European summer tour and was booked to play in Prague next week. Ironically although he went to worldwide fame his former welding colleague Marley never had a UK number one. It Mek 7. gangsters they saw in Hollywood films. Desmond Dekker, was born in Jamaicas Saint Andrew Parish on July 16, 1941, and was an early influencer with one of the earliest reggae hits, Israelites. The ska, reggae and rock steady singer, songwriter and musician was introduced to music through the local church he attended as a child. [1] Kong employed the group as backing singers for Dekker and they can be heard on the song "Get Up Adinah" (credited as The Four Aces). Desmond Dekker discography and songs: Music profile for Desmond Dekker, born 16 July 1941. Track listing. Born Desmond Adolphus Dacres, July 16, c. 1941, in Kingston, Jamaica; died of a heart attack, May 25, 2006, in London, England. . In the 1960s, Jamaican Rastafarians were largely marginalized as "cultish" and ostracized from the larger society, including by the more conservative Christian church in Kingston. The star was divorced with a son and daughter. The singer and songwriter, whose 1969 . In 2000 he released the album "Halfway to Paradise." [5] Despite its cautionary sentiment, it cemented Dekker's popularity among rude boys in Jamaica,[2][6] in contrast to Dekker's earlier music, which espoused traditional morals such as parental respect and the importance of education. Search instead in Creative? By the time I got home, it was complete. [4] It combined the Rastafarian religion with rude boy concerns,[5] to make what has been described as a "timeless masterpiece that knew no boundaries".[6]. "Israelites" was Dekker's only real hit in the United I don't think anyone knew how close we were - we go back so far. The chords of the guitar accompaniment are played on the offbeat and move through the tonic chord [B flat], the subdominant [E flat], the dominant [F], and the occasional [D flat],[5] viz, [B flat] - [E flat] - [F] - [B flat] - [D flat]. Dekker was born on 16 July 1941 in Kingston, Jamaica, and began his working life as a welder before turning to singing full-time. ", He added: "People like Desmond Dekker only come along once in a lifetime. even the most obscure ones.". Genres: Jamaican Ska, Rocksteady, Reggae. Dekker wrote the song after watching news coverage of a student demonstration against government plans to build an industrial complex on land close to the beach, which descended into violence. Desmond Dekker & The Aces - Israelites (Official Lyrics Video) Trojan Records Official 109K subscribers Subscribe 40K Share 3.5M views 3 years ago #Pyramid #Israelites #rocksteady Between 1967. It was one of the first reggae songs to become an international hit, despite Dekker's strong Jamaican accent which made his lyrics difficult to understand for many listeners outside Jamaica.[10]. [13], Dekker had two more UK Top 10 hits over the next year, "It Miek" and his cover of Jimmy Cliff's song "You Can Get It If You Really Want". "Isrealites" lyrics have long been obscure, but, with the wonder of the internet are now easily available and I have. By 1971 the line-up had changed again, with Barry Howard now rejoined by Carl Hall. Copyright Simbis Inc.All rights reserved. He won the Jamaican Song Festival in 1968 with "Intensified.". After being re-released in June 1969, the single reached number 7 in the UK Singles Chart. This double disc set features every major UK and Jamaican chart hit by the first King of Reggae, all sourced from the original analog master tapes. best-known songs celebrated the "rude boy" culture, the name their ska-inflected hit "Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da." of London obituary noted. The track was written by Dekker (under his real name of Desmond Dacres) and his record producer, Leslie Kong, and was recorded in Jamaica with the brass . The comeback failed to save him from bankruptcy in 1984, Mr Williams said: "He was at his peak fitness, he had this big tour coming up for this summer and he was looking forward to it - and then that was it. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. Free shipping for many products! Photo Courtesy:Desmond Dekker Reggae Facebook. Together with his backing group the Aces (consisting of Wilson James and Easton Barrington Howard), he had one of the earliest international reggae hits with "Israelites" (1968).Other hits include "007 (Shanty Town)" (1967), "It Mek" (1969) and "You Can Get It If You Really . Desmond Dekker was a Jamaican ska, rocksteady and reggae singer-songwriter and musician. Rock it to me, children. Dubbed "the King of Ska," Desmond Dekker is one of the key artists in the history of Jamaican music. given to Kingston's tough urban youth who modeled themselves on the Chicago Tribune "When he released Israelites nobody had heard of Bob Marley - he paved the way for all of them.". The obituary was featured in Legacy on May 26, 2006. [1] The group came to the attention of Dekker, who supported them when they auditioned for Leslie Kong at Beverley's studio in 1965. He continued to tour regularly; his final concert was on May 11 at Leeds University. He died after collapsing from a heart attack at his home in Surrey, England, his manager, Delroy Williams, told Reuters. offbeat." "007 (Shanty Town)" has been called "the most enduring and archetypal" rude boy song. Mark Lamarr, presenter of BBC Radio 2's Reggae Show, said: "He probably was the first reggae superstar to have hits outside Jamaica in the US and UK. Later that decade, however, there was a revival of interest in 2, p. 11; "Desmond was the first legend, believe it or not," he said. [11] In June 1969 it reached the Top Ten in the United States, peaking at #9 on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart. What sweet nanny goat a go run him belly good. [8] King of Kings consists of songs by Dekker's musical heroes including Byron Lee; Theophilus Beckford, Jimmy Cliff, and his friend and fellow Kong label artist, Derrick Morgan. He was due to perform at the Respect festival in Prague on June 2, before heading on to Switzerland, Ireland, Poland, Belgium and London. Desmond Adolphus Dacres was born in Saint Andrew Parish (Greater Kingston), Jamaica, on 16 July 1941. "Honour Your Father and Mother" reached the No. released the song "You Can Get It If You Really Want." [12][13], Dekker died of a heart attack on 25 May 2006, at his home in Thornton Heath in the London Borough of Croydon, England, aged 64[3] and was buried at Streatham Park Cemetery. The 64-year-old Jamaican, best known for his 1969 smash hit Israelites, collapsed at his home in Surrey. 1972 film Dekker was initially reluctant to record the track but was eventually persuaded to do so by Leslie Kong. journalist Jocelyn Y. Stewart. Dekker then recruited four brothers, Carl, Patrick, Clive and Barry Howard, as his permanent backing vocalists to perform with him under the name Desmond Dekker and the Aces. Incudes 'Israelites', '007 (Shanty Town)', 'It Miek', 'You Can Get It If You Really Want' and 'Sing a Litte Song'. [7] A re-recorded version of "Israelites" was released in 1980 on the Stiff label, followed by other new recordings: Jimmy Cliff's "Many Rivers to Cross" and "Book of Rules". Despite declining sales, Dekker remained a popular live performer and continued to tour with The Rumour. He was 64. Los Angeles Times "007 (Shanty Town)" has been called "the most enduring and archetypal" rude boy song. Despite "Israelites" being recorded and released in 1968, the Uni 45 discography shows its cataloguing in 1969. 15 on the British charts. expressed in the growth of ska, a mix of imported rhythm and blues and Although newcomers should be directed to Trojan's 1997 best-of, The Original Rude Boy, among the many retrospectives, fans of Dekker and original Jamaican ska, rocksteady, and founding reggae are well served by this narrowly focused CD. Me said a it mek - mek you pop yu bitta gall. In 1975 this collaboration resulted in the release of "Sing a Little Song", which charted in the UK top twenty; this was to be his last UK hit. [4] "007 (Shanty Town)" was a top 15 hit in the UK and his UK concerts were attended by a large following of mods wherever he played. Mr. Dekker was named Desmond Adolphus Dacres when he was born in Kingston, Jamaica, in 1941. His fans included the Beatles, who namechecked him in the lyrics to [3], The new group recorded a number of Jamaican hits, including "Parents", "Get Up Edina", "This Woman" and "Mount Zion". The music began Desmond Dekker, 64, Pioneer of Jamaican Music, Dies, https://www.nytimes.com/2006/05/27/arts/music/27dekker.html. On the 22 August 1970 edition of American top 40, Casey Kasem claimed that Dekker had more than 40 #1 records in Jamaica. That same year saw the release of "Beautiful and Dangerous", "Writing on the Wall", "Music Like Dirt (Intensified '68)" (which won the 1968 Jamaica Independence Festival Song Contest), "Bongo Girl" and "Shing a Ling". This was the sense used in the song's lyrics, which metaphorically tell of the problems that happens when someone (such as a lover) goes too far. But while Mr. Dekker kept up a busy performing career, the death of Mr. Kong in 1971 ended his streak of hits. [3] 1969 saw the release of "It Mek", which became a hit both in Jamaica and the UK. [13] The punk era of the late 1970's brought with it an English revival of ska by groups like Madness and the Specials. He had been due to perform at the Respect Festival in Prague on 2 June, and numerous dates across Europe during the summer. He was a composer, known for Fool's Gold (2008), Idiocracy (2006) and Forgetting Sarah Marshall (2008). career, "Israelites," was released in December of 1968 and characterised by a fast, metronomic tempo and a strongly accented "The Israelites" reached No. the film introduced Jamaica's vibrant musical culture to the rest His lyrics drew LONDON (AP) - Desmond Dekker, who brought the sound of Jamaican ska music to the world with hits such as "Israelites," has died, his manager said Friday. The themes of Dekker's songs during the first four years of his career dealt with the moral, cultural and social issues of mainstream Jamaican culture: respect for one's parents ("Honour Your Mother and Father"), religious morality ("Sinners Come Home") and education ("Labour for Learning"). View their obituary at Legacy.com Previously divorced, he was survived by a son and daughter. Reggae singer Desmond Dekker has died suddenly from a heart attack, aged 64. On November 3, 2019, "Israelites" was prominently featured in the third episode of HBO's Watchmen. Mr Williams described the singer as a private person who would go back to Jamaica from time to time but only to see his family rather than to perform: "He wasn't out there like other stars partying all the time, he just did his job. , May 27, 2006, sec. For Once in My Life (Missing Lyrics) 10. years later the track became the signature song for the groundbreaking Browse 99 desmond dekker stock photos and images available, or start a new search to explore more stock photos and images. Most recently, it featured on the soundtrack of the 2019 film Vivarium. He had been due to perform at the Respect Festival in Prague on 2 June, and numerous dates across Europe . "007 (song)" redirects here. Desmond Dekker passed away. It was taken from an album of similar re-recordings of his old hits, Black & Dekker. Manager Delroy Williams said the Jamaica-born performer had seemed fine when they met a day earlier, adding: "I don't think I will ever get over this. The [6], The 1980s found Dekker signed to a new label, Stiff Records, an independent label that specialized in punk and new wave acts as well as releases associated with the 2 Tone label, whose acts instigated a short-lived but influential ska revival. [3] Dekker's version uses the same backing track as Cliff's original. Albums include The Harder They Come, The Harder They Come, and Tougher Than Tough: The Story of Jamaican Music. The Harder They Come 1 hits in Jamaica. [3] In Dekker's words: "The students had a demonstration and it went all the way around to Four Shore Road and down to Shanty Town. Orphaned at an early age, he was sent to live in a "Israelites" is a song written by Desmond Dekker and Leslie Kong that became a hit for Dekker's group, Desmond Dekker & The Aces,[2] reaching the top of the charts in numerous countries in 1969. He had another hit in 1969, "It Mek," and a year later Rude. Mr. Dekker had a total of 20 No. of musicians and producers Dekker cut two more albums, of the island," wrote Three years later, Mr. Dekker had his first British Top 20 hit with "007 (Shanty Town)," a tale of rude-boy ghetto violence "Dem a loot, dem a shoot, dem a wail" sung in a thick patois, which Americans would hear later as part of the soundtrack to the film "The Harder They Come" in 1972. Singer. the Specials considered him their musical hero. He died after collapsing from a heart attack at. Meanwhile, Dekker spotted the talent of Bob Marley, a fellow welder, and brought the youth to Kong's attention. an ex-wife and a son and daughter, but Dekker was mourned by several Jamaican patois, helped make his 1969 song "Israelites" an Dekker spent his formative years in Kingston. considered the genre's first genuine star, but his fame would later "It is such a shock, I don't think I will ever get over this," he said. View history " 007 (Shanty Town) " is a 1967 rocksteady song by Jamaican band Desmond Dekker and the Aces, released as a single from their debut album of the same name. his music thanks to In 1962 "Judge Not" and "One Cup Of Coffee" became the first recorded efforts of Marley, who retained gratitude, respect and admiration for Dekker for the rest of his life. The song is a lament of this condition. They provided the backing vocals on Dekker's major hit "007 (Shanty Town)" as well as the track "Music Like Dirt (Intensified '68)" (the winning song of the 1968 Jamaica Independence Festival Song Contest). Dekker was a native of Kingston, Jamaica's capital, where he was The song would return to the British charts in 1975 and was reissued as a single after being used in a commercial for Maxell recording tape in 1990. Other hits include "007", "It Mek" and "You Can Get It If You Really Want". Also founder & MD of popular Reggae and Ska Tribute/backing band, Paul Abraham Guitarist and backing vocals, This page was last edited on 15 January 2023, at 17:21. The 64-year-old Jamaican, best known for his 1969 smash hit Israelites, collapsed at his home in Surrey yesterday morning. Dekker, whose 1969 hit Israelites was the first reggae song to top the UK charts, collapsed at his Surrey home. Intensified is an album by Desmond Dekker & the Aces released in 1970. Dekker became associated with bluebeat, a more uptempo [9][10] Ethnomusicologist Michael Veal identifies "007 (Shanty Town)" as one of the songs that demonstrated the viability of Jamaican music in England.[11]. jazz elements, combined with such local forms as calypso and mento and Desmond Dekker - Israelites (Official Music Video) Weedy Weed Smoker 7.04K subscribers Subscribe 349K views 5 years ago Music video by Desmond Dekker performing Israelites. . celebrity on the island and throughout the Caribbean. He briefly had an apprenticeship as a tailor before working as a welder. 1 in Jamaica. Born Desmond Adolphus Dacres, July 16, c. 1941, in Kingston, Jamaica; died Desmond Dekker was born on 16 July 1941 in Kingston, Jamaica. I related to those things and began to sing a little song: 'You get up in the morning and you're slaving for bread.' From a very young age he would regularly attend the local church with his grandmother and aunt. "The Israelites" was the peak of Mr. Dekker's extensive career, selling more than a million copies worldwide. It Mek (sometimes appearing as "A It Mek" or German language "It Miek") was a 1969 hit song by the Jamaican musicians Desmond Dekker & the Aces.After being re-released in June 1969, the single reached number 7 in the UK Singles Chart. the Jamaican charts. [1], The original recording of "007" (without the 'Shanty Town') was produced by Leslie Kong and originally released as a single on the Pyramid label.