During a recording career that spanned some five decades, Alton Nehemiah Ellis wrote and recorded some of the most popular and influential ska, rock steady and reggae recordings of all-time. After making his debut in 1960, the immensely talented performer swiftly established a reputation as one of Jamaica’s most popular and revered artistes, recording a catalogue of hit singles, most notably for Duke Reid’s famed Treasure Isle Records. In 1973, a dozen of the singer-songwriter’s Treasure Isle tracks were gathered on “Mr Soul Of Jamaica” – a best-selling LP, which concurrently saw issue in the UK as ‘Greatest Hits’. This seminal album forms the basis of this indispensable 2CD set, which also contains the remainder of Ellis’s Duke Reid-produced output from the mid-Sixties onwards, with the bonus material including a host of long-lost rarities and previously unissued alternate takes! GEM !
• Includes eight tracks new to CD – two previously unissued
• Among the most popular reggae LPs ever released
• One of the most influential artistes in the history of Jamaican music
Track-list:
DISC ONE: GREATEST HITS
1. BREAKING UP
2. WHY BIRDS FOLLOW SPRING
3. I CAN’T STOP NOW
4. AIN’T THAT LOVING YOU
5. YOU MADE ME SO VERY HAPPY
6. REMEMBER THAT SUNDAY
7. ALL MY TEARS
8. BABY I LOVE YOU
9. CHATTY CHATTY PEOPLE
10. MY WILLOW TREE
11. IF I COULD RULE THIS WORLD
12. WHAT DOES IT TAKE
BONUS TRACKS
13. GIRL I’VE GOT A DATE (1966 VERSION)
14. ROCK STEADY
15. I CAN’T STAND IT
16. CRY TOUGH (TAKE 6)
17. LA LA MEANS I LOVE YOU
18. DON’T TROUBLE PEOPLE
19. DIANA
20. LOVE LETTERS
21. SHAKE IT
22. BLACK MAN’S WORD
23. GIVE ME YOUR LOVE
24. I LOVE YOU
DISC TWO
1. GIRL I’VE GOT A DATE (1967 VERSION)
2. WHY DID YOU LEAVE ME
3. HOW CAN I
4. DANCE CRASHER
5. DUKE OF EARL
6. BLESSINGS OF LOVE
7. OH, WHAT A SMILE CAN DO
8. PERSONALITY
9. THE PREACHER
10. PUMPING IN
11. NOTHING SWEETER
12. BREAKING UP (ALTERNATE TAKE)
13. SOMETHING YOU GOT
14. THE SAME SONG
15. DON’T TROUBLE PEOPLE (ALTERNATE TAKE)
16. HONEY I LOVE
17. DON’T GAMBLE WITH LOVE
18. REMEMBER THAT SUNDAY (ALTERNATE TAKE)
19. TRYING TO REACH MY GOAL
20. A – YOU’RE ADORABLE
21. I’M JUST A GUY
22. CRY TOUGH (TAKE 5)
23. YOU MADE ME SO VERY HAPPY (ALTERNATE TAKE)
24. PARTY TIME
25. GIRL I’VE GOT A DATE (SOUL VERSION)