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Major label rivalry makes it unlikely that Burning Spear will ever receive a proper career retrospective set. Burning Spear signed to Island Records in 1976, debuting with the legendary Marcus Garvey album, accompanied by its dub companion Garvey's Ghost. Four new albums followed before Spear departing Island for the U.K. EMI label in 1980. A decade later, Burning Spear returned to Island for two new albums before their relationship again soured. (The situation is even more complex in the U.S., where Spear releases have been split among the Island, Heartbeat, and Slash labels.) The result of all these label relocations makes for a rather odd anthology indeed, which inevitably omits Spears' entire 1980s output, five albums in all, including the Grammy-nominated trio of Resistance, People of the World, and Mistress Music. Obviously, post-1992 material is also missing, including anything from the Grammy-winning Calling Rastafari. That's what you don't get. What you do get is a double album of some of Spear's most seminal work. The five albums released between 1975 and 1980 are all considered masterpieces, comprising a roots series that remains unparalleled. Of course, the fifth, Hail H.I.M., was not an Island release, but you do get selections from the other four. Of Babylon's 35 tracks, 20 are culled from Marcus Garvey, Man in the Hills, Dry & Heavy, and Social Living, the first four albums in this seminal set. Others also date from this period: a track from Garvey's Ghost; "Man in the Hill"'s B-side, "Cultivation"; "Jah No Dead," Spear's contribution to the Rockers soundtrack; "The Lion," taken from 1977's Live album; a previously unreleased "Jordan River," recorded live around the same time; and a non-album track culled from 1979's Harder Than the Rest compilation. The remainder are pulled from Spear's early-'90s albums, the Grammy-nominated Mek We Dweet and Jah Kingdom. The latter album included Spear's contribution to the Grateful Dead tribute album, Dedicated, a simmering "Estimated Prophet," which also appears here. Only the most persnickety fan could complain about Babylon's selections, which boast all of these albums' strongest songs. However, the musical leap between tracks five and six on disc two, which chronologically jumps a decade, remains disconcerting, but there's no avoiding it, bar squeezing the early material onto disc one. So, while not a definitive career compilation, this anthology is probably the best fans can hope for.
© Jo-Ann Greene /TiVo
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Burning Spear, MainArtist - Phillip J. Fullwood, Composer, Author - Winston Rodney, Composer, Author - Fairwood Music USA, MusicPublisher - Lawrence Lindo, Producer
℗ 1975 The Island Def Jam Music Group
Burning Spear, MainArtist - Phillip J. Fullwood, Composer, Author - Winston Rodney, Composer, Author - Fairwood Music USA, MusicPublisher - Lawrence Lindo, Producer
℗ 1975 The Island Def Jam Music Group
Burning Spear, MainArtist - Phillip J. Fullwood, Composer, Author - Winston Rodney, Composer, Author - Fairwood Music USA, MusicPublisher - Lawrence Lindo, Producer
℗ 1976 The Island Def Jam Music Group
Burning Spear, MainArtist - Phillip J. Fullwood, Composer, Author - Winston Rodney, Composer, Author - Tammi Music Ltd., MusicPublisher - Lawrence Lindo, Producer
℗ 1975 The Island Def Jam Music Group
Burning Spear, MainArtist - Winston Rodney, Composer, Author - Rupert Willington, Composer, Author - Delroy Hines, Composer, Author - Tammi Music Ltd., MusicPublisher - Lawrence Lindo, Producer
℗ 1975 The Island Def Jam Music Group
Burning Spear, MainArtist - Phillip J. Fullwood, Composer, Author - Winston Rodney, Composer, Author - C. Paisley, Composer, Author - Burning Spear Music, MusicPublisher - Jack Ruby, Producer - Laurence Lindo, Producer
℗ 1975 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Bernard Harvey, Keyboards - Burning Spear, MainArtist - Earl Chinna Smith, Guitar - RICHARD HALL, Tenor Saxophone - Tyrone Downie, Keyboards - Tony Chin, Rhythm Guitar - Robbie Shakespeare, Bass Guitar - Bobby Ellis, Trumpet - Winston Rodney, Composer, Author, Percussion, Vocals - Aston Barrett, Bass Guitar - Leroy Wallace, Drums - Earl "Wire" Lindo, Keyboards - Herman Marquis, Alto Saxophone - Tammi Music Ltd., MusicPublisher - Lawrence Lindo, Producer - Vincent Gordon, Trombone
℗ 1976 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Burning Spear, MainArtist - Winston Rodney, Composer, Author - Tammi Music Ltd., MusicPublisher
℗ 1976 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Bernard Harvey, Keyboards - Burning Spear, MainArtist - Earl Chinna Smith, Guitar - RICHARD HALL, Tenor Saxophone - Tyrone Downie, Keyboards - Tony Chin, Rhythm Guitar - Robbie Shakespeare, Bass Guitar - Bobby Ellis, Trumpet - Winston Rodney, Composer, Author, Percussion, Vocals - Aston Barrett, Bass Guitar - Leroy Wallace, Drums - Earl "Wire" Lindo, Keyboards - Herman Marquis, Alto Saxophone - Pubco, MusicPublisher - Lawrence Lindo, Producer - Vincent Gordon, Trombone
℗ 1976 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Bernard Harvey, Keyboards - Burning Spear, MainArtist - Earl Chinna Smith, Guitar - RICHARD HALL, Tenor Saxophone - Tyrone Downie, Keyboards - Tony Chin, Rhythm Guitar - Robbie Shakespeare, Bass Guitar - Bobby Ellis, Trumpet - Winston Rodney, Composer, Author, Percussion, Vocals - Aston Barrett, Bass Guitar - Leroy Wallace, Drums - Earl "Wire" Lindo, Keyboards - Herman Marquis, Alto Saxophone - Fairwood Music USA, MusicPublisher - Lawrence Lindo, Producer - Vincent Gordon, Trombone
℗ 1976 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Burning Spear, MainArtist - Winston Rodney, Composer, Author - Fairwood Music USA, MusicPublisher
℗ 1976 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Bernard Harvey, Keyboards - Burning Spear, MainArtist - Earl Chinna Smith, Guitar - RICHARD HALL, Tenor Saxophone - Robbie Shakespeare, Bass Guitar - Sylvan Morris, Engineer - Bobby Ellis, Trumpet - Phillip J. Fullwood, Composer, Author - Winston Rodney, Composer, Author, Producer, Percussion, Vocals, Recording Arranger - Aston Barrett, Bass Guitar - Don Taylor, Composer, Author, Executive Producer - Leroy Wallace, Drums - Earl "Wire" Lindo, Keyboards - Herman Marquis, Alto Saxophone - Bertram McLean, Rhythm Guitar - Pubco, MusicPublisher - Uziah Thompson, Percussion - Noel Simms, Percussion - Vincent Gordon, Trombone
℗ 1977 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Bernard Harvey, Keyboards - Burning Spear, MainArtist - Earl Chinna Smith, Guitar - RICHARD HALL, Tenor Saxophone - Robbie Shakespeare, Bass Guitar - Sylvan Morris, Engineer - Bobby Ellis, Trumpet - Phillip J. Fullwood, Composer, Author - Winston Rodney, Composer, Author, Producer, Percussion, Vocals, Recording Arranger - Aston Barrett, Bass Guitar - Don Taylor, Executive Producer - Leroy Wallace, Drums - Earl "Wire" Lindo, Keyboards - Herman Marquis, Alto Saxophone - Bertram McLean, Rhythm Guitar - Tammi Music Ltd., MusicPublisher - Uziah Thompson, Percussion - Noel Simms, Percussion - Vincent Gordon, Trombone
℗ 1977 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Bernard Harvey, Keyboards - Burning Spear, MainArtist - Earl Chinna Smith, Guitar - RICHARD HALL, Tenor Saxophone - Robbie Shakespeare, Bass Guitar - Sylvan Morris, Engineer - Bobby Ellis, Trumpet - Winston Rodney, Composer, Author, Producer, Percussion, Vocals, Recording Arranger - Aston Barrett, Bass Guitar - Don Taylor, Executive Producer - Leroy Wallace, Drums - Earl "Wire" Lindo, Keyboards - Herman Marquis, Alto Saxophone - Bertram McLean, Rhythm Guitar - Tammi Music Ltd., MusicPublisher - Uziah Thompson, Percussion - Noel Simms, Percussion - Vincent Gordon, Trombone
℗ 1977 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Bernard Harvey, Keyboards - Burning Spear, MainArtist - Earl Chinna Smith, Guitar - RICHARD HALL, Tenor Saxophone - Robbie Shakespeare, Bass Guitar - Sylvan Morris, Engineer - Bobby Ellis, Trumpet - Winston Rodney, Composer, Author, Producer, Percussion, Vocals, Recording Arranger - Aston Barrett, Bass Guitar - Don Taylor, Executive Producer - Leroy Wallace, Drums - Earl "Wire" Lindo, Keyboards - Herman Marquis, Alto Saxophone - Bertram McLean, Rhythm Guitar - Tammi Music Ltd., MusicPublisher - Uziah Thompson, Percussion - Noel Simms, Percussion - Vincent Gordon, Trombone
℗ 1977 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Bernard Harvey, Keyboards - Burning Spear, MainArtist - Earl Chinna Smith, Guitar - RICHARD HALL, Tenor Saxophone - Robbie Shakespeare, Bass Guitar - Sylvan Morris, Engineer - Bobby Ellis, Trumpet - Winston Rodney, Composer, Author, Producer, Percussion, Vocals, Recording Arranger - Aston Barrett, Bass Guitar - Don Taylor, Executive Producer - Leroy Wallace, Drums - Earl "Wire" Lindo, Keyboards - Herman Marquis, Alto Saxophone - Bertram McLean, Rhythm Guitar - Fairwood Music USA, MusicPublisher - Uziah Thompson, Percussion - Noel Simms, Percussion - Vincent Gordon, Trombone
℗ 1977 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Burning Spear, MainArtist
℗ 1978 Island Records, a division of Universal Music Operations Limited
Burning Spear, MainArtist
℗ 1996 Island Records, a division of Universal Music Operations Limited
Burning Spear, MainArtist - Karl Pitterson, Producer - Winston Rodney, Composer, Author, Producer - Tammi Music Ltd., MusicPublisher
℗ 1978 Island Records, a division of Universal Music Operations Limited
DISC 2
Burning Spear, MainArtist - Karl Pitterson, Producer, Mixer - Sylvan Morris, Engineer - Winston Rodney, Composer, Author, Producer - Tammi Music Ltd., MusicPublisher - Benjamin Armbrister, Mixer
℗ 1978 The Island Def Jam Music Group
Burning Spear, MainArtist - Winston Rodney, Composer, Author, Producer - Fairwood Music USA, MusicPublisher
℗ 1978 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Burning Spear, MainArtist - Karl Pitterson, Producer, Mixer - Sylvan Morris, Engineer - Winston Rodney, Composer, Author, Producer - Tammi Music Ltd., MusicPublisher - Benjamin Armbrister, Mixer
℗ 1980 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Burning Spear, MainArtist
℗ 1980 Island Records, a division of Universal Music Operations Limited
Burning Spear, MainArtist - Karl Pitterson, Producer, Mixer - Sylvan Morris, Engineer - Winston Rodney, Composer, Author, Producer - Tammi Music Ltd., MusicPublisher - Benjamin Armbrister, Mixer
℗ 1978 The Island Def Jam Music Group
Burning Spear, MainArtist - Winston Rodney, Composer, Author, Producer - Universal PolyGram International Publishing Inc., MusicPublisher - Nelson Miller, Producer
℗ 1990 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Burning Spear, MainArtist - Winston Rodney, Composer, Author, Producer - Nelson Miller, Producer
℗ 1990 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Burning Spear, MainArtist - Winston Rodney, Composer, Author, Producer - Nelson Miller, Producer
℗ 1990 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Burning Spear, MainArtist - Winston Rodney, Composer, Author, Producer - Ackee Music Inc., MusicPublisher - Burning Spear Music, MusicPublisher - Nelson Miller, Producer
℗ 1990 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Burning Spear, MainArtist - Winston Rodney, Composer, Author, Producer - Nelson Miller, Producer
℗ 1990 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Burning Spear, MainArtist - Winston Rodney, Composer, Author, Producer - Nelson Miller, Producer
℗ 1990 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Burning Spear, MainArtist - Winston Rodney, Composer, Author, Producer - Patricia Elliot, Composer, Author - Universal PolyGram International Publishing Inc., MusicPublisher - Nelson Miller, Producer
℗ 1991 The Island Def Jam Music Group
Burning Spear, MainArtist - Winston Rodney, Composer, Author, Producer - Burning Spear Music, MusicPublisher - Patricia Elliot, Composer, Author - Nelson Miller, Producer
℗ 1991 The Island Def Jam Music Group
Burning Spear, MainArtist - Winston Rodney, Composer, Author, Producer - Patricia Elliot, Composer, Author - Universal PolyGram International Publishing Inc., MusicPublisher - Nelson Miller, Producer
℗ 1991 The Island Def Jam Music Group
Ralph Sall, Producer - Burning Spear, MainArtist - Robert Hall Weir, Composer, Author - Ice Nine Publishing Co Inc, MusicPublisher - John Berlow, Composer, Author
℗ 1991 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Burning Spear, MainArtist - Winston Rodney, Composer, Author, Producer - Burning Spear Music, MusicPublisher - Patricia Elliot, Composer, Author - Nelson Miller, Producer
℗ 1991 The Island Def Jam Music Group
Album review
Major label rivalry makes it unlikely that Burning Spear will ever receive a proper career retrospective set. Burning Spear signed to Island Records in 1976, debuting with the legendary Marcus Garvey album, accompanied by its dub companion Garvey's Ghost. Four new albums followed before Spear departing Island for the U.K. EMI label in 1980. A decade later, Burning Spear returned to Island for two new albums before their relationship again soured. (The situation is even more complex in the U.S., where Spear releases have been split among the Island, Heartbeat, and Slash labels.) The result of all these label relocations makes for a rather odd anthology indeed, which inevitably omits Spears' entire 1980s output, five albums in all, including the Grammy-nominated trio of Resistance, People of the World, and Mistress Music. Obviously, post-1992 material is also missing, including anything from the Grammy-winning Calling Rastafari. That's what you don't get. What you do get is a double album of some of Spear's most seminal work. The five albums released between 1975 and 1980 are all considered masterpieces, comprising a roots series that remains unparalleled. Of course, the fifth, Hail H.I.M., was not an Island release, but you do get selections from the other four. Of Babylon's 35 tracks, 20 are culled from Marcus Garvey, Man in the Hills, Dry & Heavy, and Social Living, the first four albums in this seminal set. Others also date from this period: a track from Garvey's Ghost; "Man in the Hill"'s B-side, "Cultivation"; "Jah No Dead," Spear's contribution to the Rockers soundtrack; "The Lion," taken from 1977's Live album; a previously unreleased "Jordan River," recorded live around the same time; and a non-album track culled from 1979's Harder Than the Rest compilation. The remainder are pulled from Spear's early-'90s albums, the Grammy-nominated Mek We Dweet and Jah Kingdom. The latter album included Spear's contribution to the Grateful Dead tribute album, Dedicated, a simmering "Estimated Prophet," which also appears here. Only the most persnickety fan could complain about Babylon's selections, which boast all of these albums' strongest songs. However, the musical leap between tracks five and six on disc two, which chronologically jumps a decade, remains disconcerting, but there's no avoiding it, bar squeezing the early material onto disc one. So, while not a definitive career compilation, this anthology is probably the best fans can hope for.
© Jo-Ann Greene /TiVo
About the album
- 2 disc(s) - 35 track(s)
- Total length: 02:29:12
- Main artists: Burning Spear
- Composer: Various Composers
- Label: Island Records
- Genre: Reggae
© 1996 The Island Def Jam Music Group ℗ 1996 The Island Def Jam Music Group
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