This article takes a quick look at at some of my favourite Prince Buster tracks. There's no theme to my selections, each track has been chosen strictly at random, although I've started with a few of the better known sides.

Madness
I had to start with this one, as it's arguably Buster's best know track - and one of the greatest ska numbers ever recorded. The obvious points to make are about it's influence on the English pop band who took their name from the record, but this track is more than just a footnote in British pop history.

The original song was a diatribe aimed at those who criticised Buster's music, an attack which he followed up on They Got To Come. The record has a pounding piano deep in the mix, and a superb trumpet solo, probably from Baba Brookes, with Buster confidently reeling off one of his best lyrics. "Propaganda ministers, propaganda ministers, I've got an aim and view, I'm gonna walk all over you..." he sings, in a brash statement of defiance to those in high places. Legendary.

One Step Beyond
Another track popularised by the English band Madness in 1979. Buster's original came out in 1964, on the B side of his classic Al Capone single, and was very different from the later cover version. The recording begins with a growling sax, that breaks into an awesome solo, over which Buster adds the vocal "peps". This is replaced by an equally impressive trumpet solo, followed by another sax break, with Buster dropping out to be relaced by percussion. This track hasn't been included on any of Buster's compilations, so a decent collection, including this track, of his All Stars recordings would be a great addition to the ever burgeoning revive marketplace.

Ten Commandments Of Man
Upon hearing the introduction of this for the first time, you know you are hearing something very different. After the opening snare drum intro, Buster declares "The ten commandments of man, given to woman, through the inspiration of I, Prince Buster!" The rhythm then comes in, and is a very different style than what was been recorded in Jamaica at the time, with an almost 'pop' style riff, that doesn't change throughout the track.

Buster's "commandments" can hardly be called politically correct. He announces a list of orders that he expects his woman to obediently obey, that would cause any self respecting feminist to give him a good slap 'round the face. Commandment 9 is particularly strong, with Buster declaring "Thou shalt not commit adultery, for the world will not find me guilty if I commit murder!"

Buster obviously record this with his toungue firmly in his cheek. Soon after it's issue, a follow up single from the females point of view was issued, possibly to offset any controversy.Ten Commandments From Woman used the same backing track, although it was dropped back further behind the vocal of one Princess Buster. At one point Buster tries to interrupt, but is cut off with a firm "Shut Up! These are my ten commandments Mr. Prince Buster." I do like a firm woman!: )

Dance Cleoptara
This is a killer ska with an eastern flavour, mainly instrumental except for Buster's vocal interjections here and there. Apparentley this was originally released as Jericho Chain by Roland Alphonso, whether that was a different recording, or the same as this but without Busters' vocals, I don't yet know. Very much in the same vein as Tommy McCook's later rocksteady track Persian Cat, this is based on the hymn Joshua Fit The Battle Of Jericho. Essential.

My Sound That Goes Around
A mid pace ska, with Buster declaring the dominance of his sound. Features some really nice tenor sax work, probably from Val Bennett, and a thumping backing from the All-Stars.

Stir The Pot
Included on the Wreck A Pum Pum, a collection of bawdy reggae tracks, this is actually an earlier ska number, with a traditional mento feel. The lyrics leave no doubt as to the subject matter, so if you didn't realise what Bob Marley's Stir It Up was all about, then check this!

Hard Man Fe Dead
Probably my all time favourite vocal track from Buster, a wonderful tale of a man rising from the dead, set to a solid, sax led rocksteady beat. This humourous track features some references to the "nine night", which according to the Island Story Of Jamaican Music CD set, is the Caribbean equivilent of a "wake". Buster sings "You should see them going to the cemetery, the old man holler out don't you bury me. They drop the box and run, what a whole lot of fun, what a hard man fe dead". Another essentail classic.

They Got To Come
Another of Buster's defiant statements, aimed at those who wished to repress his music. This intolerance of Buster's work was, according to Buster himself, due to his muslim beliefs. This cracking early ska number is one of the Prince's all time greats, and features great sax work throughout by Lester Sterling.

They Got To Go
Another of Buster's earlier recordings, with a slowish, loping beat, and prominant rhythm guitar. The instrumental break is very nice, with two sax solo's, before Buster comes back in and announces "You've had you're fun, you're time has come, you've played the game that you're unworthy of. So make way, and take away, since it's my sounds that goes around".

Open Up Bartender
A fine uptempo early ska number from 1963, with Buster begging the bartender to allow him one more drink on the house. The rhythm is injected into life with a riffing harmonica, backed up by pumping horns and some nice piano down in the mix. A very infectious track, with great vocals from the Prince, who is backed up by an uncredited vocalist.

Blackhead Chinaman
An early shot from Buster's canon, aimed directly at Derrick Morgan, with whom he confronted in a musical "war", following Morgan's recordings for Leslie Kong. Buster believed that Morgan and Kong and had copied some of his styling, which resulted in this attack, with Buster declaring Morgan a blackhead chineeman, because of his dealings with the Chinese-Jamaican producer.

This spat led to a handful of records from both camps, Buster issuing Praise Without Raise and Creation and Morgan releasing Blazing Fire, Be Still and No Raise, No Praise. The whole thing caught the publics attention, which helped sell the records, but in reality Buster and Morgan remained friends. Blackhead Chinaman is perhaps the Prince's best of the recordings, with a nice meandering alto sax following Buster's every word.

Time Longer Than Rope
This one features a harmonica riff throughout, with the off beat accentuated by hand claps, a trademark of Buster's earlier recordings. The horn section, which is pretty subdued by early ska standards, does break in briefly in the middle and at the conclusion of the track. Buster sings: "As I was walking down the street, I met a girl so sweet, I said girl you are a treat, the girl just kiss her teeth", which leads one to believe he wasn't so hot with the women as he had us believe on some of his later "slack" recordings!

Drunkards Psalm (Words Of Wisdom)
A moody rocksteady backing propels this one along. Buster talks with an authorative voice, much in the vein of Ten Commandments, but this time the subject is much more serious, as he takes the Lord's prayer, and turns it into a solemn warning against the dangers of drink. I love the ambience of this track, which has a similar feel to the tracks on the Judge Dread album, albeit with a more basic arrangement.

Bull Buck (& Duppy Conqueror)
By the time reggae superseded ska and rocksteady in Jamaica, Buster was beginning to slide from the top of the heap. That isn't to say that his reggae recordings are of no worth however. He recorded an excellent version of Young Gifted & Black, that led to Harry J doing his production with Bob & Marcia, and also produced great sides for the Heptones, Alton Ellis and Dennis Brown. This track is a little earlier than those (from 1969), and features a moderate reggae beat, with swinging rhythm guitar and a tight horn section. Buster is backed up by airy female backing vocals, as he vilifies his fears of the duppy with the proclaimation that " me little but me tallawah (tough)".

My Heart Is Gone
This one gets a special mention, because it features an amusing technical fault. Buster's version of the song originally recorded by Ken Boothe at Studio 1 is nice enough, with a swirling hammond organ, typical of his later reggae recordings, but something appears to have gone wrong during the mastering process. The track starts out at a pretty low level, then, about 3 seconds later, it starts again at a proper level, with the other track still running in the background. This gives an odd pre-echo effect, with two Buster's singing at the same time. This continues for about 40 seconds, before the distant track is stopped with a rather unceremonious "wurp" noise, leaving the track to continue as is should have sounded.

There are just so many more that could be added to this list, Buster's output was phenonemal - even by Jamaican standards, and the quality rarely dropped. Tracks such as Wash Wash, Judge Dread, Rough Rider, Whine & Grine are among the better known ones, and there are many many more that have never been re-issued of a similar standard.