Lee ‘Scratch’ Perry’s perfect weekend playlist
Below the sun-soaked skies of Jamaica, hidden away in a production studio, sat a man and a four-track TEAC tape recorder. From those humble beginnings rose Lee ‘Scratch’ Perry, a truly iconic figure who had a bigger impact on the reggae world than any other. Although the producer and musician sadly passed in 2021, his music remains as groundbreaking and innovative as ever. So, who better to curate a playlist for the weekend?
Ska, rocksteady and reggae music has an inherently joyous quality, likely arising from the fact that ska music was the signature sound of Jamaican independence. Taking inspiration from American blues and R&B, artists like Prince Buster, Derrick Morgan, and The Upsetters carved out a distinctly Caribbean sound that soon spread across the world.
Asked to assemble a perfect weekend playlist by MixCloud, Perry took listeners on a euphoric journey through his recording career. The early part of his musical career is storied by iconic names like Studio One, Coxsone and Joe Gibbs – three unforgettable names within the world of ska and reggae music. Soon beginning his own label, Upsetter Records, Perry wasted no time in making a name for himself. From his backyard studio, The Black Ark, the musical innovator would go on to produce seminal works by the likes of Bob Marley, Junior Murvin and Max Romeo, among countless others.
Fittingly, therefore, Perry begins his perfect weekend mixtape with ‘Jah Live’, an incredible 1975 track recorded by Bob Marley and the Wailers. The track was written, recorded and produced by Lee Perry alongside Bob Marley in the days following the death of Haile Selassie I of Ethiopia, who Rastafarians viewed as the reincarnation of God (Jah). Following up on this reggae anthem, Perry throws in a fantastic, though often overlooked, Upsetters track in ‘Black Panta’, an early dub reggae classic.
Perry was not resigned solely to reggae music, however, the producer’s impact was much more wide-reaching. Over the course of his career, the Jamaican produced works by rock, hip-hop and dance acts – groups like The Clash, Beastie Boys and The Orb worshipped Perry for his contributions to music. Picking his first non-Perry track, the producer shows an appreciation for Motown, selecting ‘I Wish It Would Rain’ by The Temptations. It should come as no shock that Perry holds a candle for Motown, given how influential American soul music was on the development of reggae.
Although working with the likes of Bob Marley and his own group, The Upsetters, undoubtedly forms a high point of Perry’s career, the producer remained active throughout his life. Adapting to modern musical trends and genres, Perry never feared change or development. In the spirit of this, his ideal playlist is awash with reggae-inspired dancehall tracks from the likes of Vybz Kartel, Alkaline, and Skillibeng. However, just as all roads lead to Rome, all reggae roads lead back to Lee Perry and Bob Marley.
Closing out his perfect weekend mixtape, Perry treats us to ‘Don’t Rock My Boat’ by Bob Marley and his own composition, ‘Roast Fish and Corn Bread’, which he performed with The Upsetters.
Lee ‘Scratch’ Perry’s weekend playlist:
- Bob Marley and the Wailers – ‘Jah Live’
- The Upsetters – ‘Black Panta’
- The Temptations – ‘I Wish It Would Rain’
- Bob Marley and the Wailers – ‘One Drop’
- Vybz Kartel – ‘Enchanting’
- Alkaline – ‘How It Feel’
- Tommy Lee Sparta and Dinesty King – ‘Under Vibes’
- Skillibeng – ‘Crocodile Teeth’
- Bob Marley and the Wailers – ‘Don’t Rock My Boat’
- The Upsetters – ‘Roast Fish and Corn Bread’
