Lee ‘Scratch’ Perry Presents Better Days - The Jamaican Upsetter Singles 1971 Chapter II

By the summer of 1971, Lee ‘Scratch’ Perry was widely recognised as Jamaica’s most creative music-maker. Since launching his career as an independent producer in 1968, his experimentations with sound and style had resulted in some of the most exciting and popular works to see issue during reggae’s formative years.

Now, primarily employing one of the island’s most accomplished band, The Now Generation as his regular session crew, the sound of Perry’s output from the latter half of 1971 contrasted strongly with the more rugged style the epitomised many of his earlier productions.

Otherwise, however, his general approach to music-making remained unaltered and during this six-month period, he released a series of popular singles by some of Kingston’s finest, performing a variety of compositions that ranged from covers of soul and pop songs to original early roots material.

As a stand-alone compilation or an accompaniment set to previous Doctor Bird anthologies of Perry’s Jamaican singles, Better Days is a must for any serious fan of his always compelling work, as well as all enthusiasts of classic reggae sounds.

DISC ONE

1  Paul Freeman - Don't Give Up

2  The Upsetters - Don't Give Up Version

3  Donald Smythe - Where Love Goes

4  The Hurricanes - You Can Run

5  David Isaacs - Just Enough

6  The Untouchables - Can't Reach You

7  Mahalia Saunders - Right On The Tip Of My Tongue

8  The Upsetters - Right On The Tip Version

9  Max Romeo - Ginalship

10  The Upsetters - Ginalship Version

11  Hortense Ellis - Piece Of My Heart

12  The Upsetters - Piece Of My Heart Version

13  Danny & The Flames - Zion

14  The Adis Ababians - Zion Version

15  Mahalia Saunders - Suspicious Minds

16  Junior Byles - Beat Down Babylon

17  The Upsetters - Ital Version

18  Dennis Alcapone - Alpha and Omega

19  Winston Wright - Example Part 1

20  The 3rd & 4th Generation - Example Part 2

21  Lloyd Parks - Mighty Cloud Of Joy

22  The Upsetters - Mighty Cloud Version

DISC TWO

1  Lee Perry - Inna Iwah

2  The Upsetters - Inna Iwah Version

3  Shenley Duffus – To Be A Lover

4  The Upsetters - I Forgot To Remember

5  Dennis Alcapone - Africa Stand

6  The Upsetters - Version 6

7  Junior Byles - Poor Chubby

8  The Carltons - Better Days

9  Busty Brown - My Girl

10  Junior Byles - Come Again

11  The Hurricanes - Walking The Street

12  The Bleechers - Jump And Rail

13  The Viceroys - Come On Over

14  The Bleechers - Trying My Faith

15  The Viceroys - Fancy Clothes

16  The Righteous Flames - One Love One Heart

17  U Roy - Rhythm Land

18  The Upsetters - King Alpha

19  Shenley Duffus - Bet You Don't Know

20  The Upsetters - Ring Of Fire