DESMOND DEKKER, R.I.P.

Today we learn of the death of Desmond Dekker, a pioneer of ska and Reggae. He was one of the first legends of the new form of Jamaican music that fused American R&B with an indigenous form called “mentone.”

Mr. Dekker brought many hours of happiness to me and my friends in college. A greatest hits CD of his was on heavy rotation in our house for about 4 years. His most famous song was “The Israelites,” but our favorite song was called “Reggae Recipe.” It must be heard to be truly appreciated, and nothing I can publish here can possibly convey the joy of this song. But in honor of the passing of a great musician, I bring you the lyrics that my posse and I recited endlessly in 1993…

REGGAE RECIPE

Announces: Right here and right now ladies and gentlemen, I’d like to introduce you to a very soulful brother, Soul Brother #1, from Kingston, Jamaica way!

Desmond:
Thank you ever so kindly. I’m here with my reggae machine, and we’re going to do you some good in the neighborhood like we should…

Hey wait a minute, I hear a sound, that sounds like organ… let me hear some drums to go with it, come on now.

Uh huh, that sounds good. How about some swinging guitar, please mister guitarist, let me hear you.

Aye, yi, yi! Baby, that sounds like it. But, let me hear some piano. You can’t sit on the keyboard, put your finger in it, come on.

Thank you. But I can’t do it without the bass. Come on, bassie, move those fingers, let me hear it. Swing it.

Aye, yi, yi! Now you’re doing your thing. That sounds like the thing. Guitarist, give me that reggae guitar please.

Aye, yi, yi! Man, that sounds pretty, that’s just fabulous. I can’t stand to listen that thing. It’s just blowing me way out of my mind. Come on now, blow it. Now shake it fellas, shake it well. Then start…

Aye! That’s it. Now we’ve got Desmond Dekker and the Aces here and they’re going to do that thing with the reggae recipe, come on fellas…

Backup Singers:
Reggae… recipe… la la la, la la la, la la!
Reggae… recipe… la la la, la la la, la la!

Desmond:
You know, I wonder why thee grass is green
And why the wind is never seen
Who told the birds to build their nest
And told the trees to take a rest?
And when the moon is not quite round
Tell me, where can the missing beats be found?
They can be found in the reggae recipe,
Come on fellas, do your thing,
Come on let me hear it…

Backup singers:
Reggae… recipe… la la la, la la la, la la!
Reggae… recipe… la la la, la la la, la la!

Desmond:
Stay on my scene
And be real keen
You won’t be no jellybean
It’s like the farmer said to the potato
I’m going to plant you now and dig you later
(this rhymes when you say it with a Jamaican accent.)
Give me the recipe brothers…

Backup singers:
Reggae… recipe… la la la, la la la, la la!
Reggae… recipe… la la la, la la la, la la!

Hit the spot
With all you got
Because I’m a sure shot
I’m hot!
I’m like the cat!
You know, me
I’m free
I’m hip
I’m real sick baby
So I want to get some of them swinging recipe from the reggae, do it…

Backup singers:
Reggae… recipe… la la la, la la la, la la!
Reggae… recipe… la la la, la la la, la la!
Reggae… recipe… la la la, la la la, la la!
Reggae… recipe… la la la, la la la, la la!