Charlie Chaplin
Charlie Chaplin rose to prominence in the early '80s during the first years of the dancehall era. In contrast to the '70s roots reggae period, with its decidedly spiritual and cultural world view, dancehall music reflected the secular world of clubs and sound system dances -- the earlier cultural bent remained, but decidedly secular and slack lyric matter came to dominate. This age-old contrast between human folly and religious salvation was first forecast in Jamaican music via the contrasting styles of the jazz and R&B-inspired ska and rocksteady of the '60s and the Rastafarian-centric roots period of the following decade; the two views have informed the music ever since, whether it's the almost comic slackness of early '90s ragga or the retro-rasta sentiment of late '90s bobo dread circles. Chaplin reflected this contrast in his own style: he embraced the modern (at the time) dancehall rhythms, but -- unlike many of his fellow DJs of the late '70s and early '80 -- he focused on cultural lyrics instead of slack subject matter.
Charlie Chaplin (born Richard Bennett) first came to prominence as a member of DJ innovator U-Roy's Stur-Gav Hi-Fi in 1980-1981. Along with fellow Stur-Gav chatter Josey Wales, Chaplin became one of the most popular DJs on the island during his stay with U-Roy, even rivaling the dancehall king of the day, Yellowman. Wales and Chaplin also gained inspiration from U-Roy, continuing the DJ tradition Roy helped launch in the late '60s by taking on some of the master's phasing style and lyrical predilections.
Chaplin soon cut his first album for producer and ex-Royals singer Roy Cousins. The two albums that resulted, Red Pond and Chaplin Chant, gave Chaplin's career a major boost with his first hits, "Mother in Law" and "Diet Rock"; the set also featured the Kilamanjaro DJ Jim Kelly, who was shot and killed shortly after the recording was made.
Chaplin's subsequent recordings with producer George Phang, though, would really put him over the top. His first Phang release, Que Dem, has proven to be one of his most popular and critically acclaimed albums. This is due in no small part to the heavy use of vintage Studio One material like Baba Brooks' "Shank I Shek," Slim Smith's "Never Let Go," and the Sound Dimension's "Full Up." And more than just letting the rhythms take all the weight, Chaplin demonstrates his seamless lyrical flow and witty sensibilities throughout these discs. Chaplin, like Wales, would continue to cut quality sides throughout the '80s, working with a variety of producers like Henry "Junjo" Lawes, Bunny Roots, and Sly & Robbie. In 1989, he signed with RAS and cut a handful of albums through the mid-'90s. While not on the same high plane as his vintage sides of almost a decade earlier, albums like The Two Sides of Charlie Chaplin, Take Two, and Cry Blood show why Chaplin is still considered one of the top toasters on the island. Chaplin also cut a session for VP Records, 1994's King of Dancehall, which was a collaboration with his old Stur-Gav partner, Josey Wales. Throughout the '90s, Chaplin enlisted the services of ragga producer Doctor Dread, while also manning a few sessions himself. And as was the case with much of his '80s work, Chaplin's RAS releases predominantly featured the dancehall-defining band Roots Radics.
Thankfully, for both the new and seasoned fan, there are a few good Chaplin compilations available: Sonic Sounds' 20 Super Hits covers much of his mid- to late-'80s material for a variety of small labels, while RAS Portraits is a sampler of his '90s work for the RAS label. Fans in search of his Roy Cousins debut discs can find them on a two-fer put out by the Tamoki Wambesi label. Unfortunately, Que Dem and other possible sides he cut for George Phang have not been available for some time.
© Stephen Cook /TiVo
-
Final Speech (From "The Great Dictator") - Single
Colonne sonore - Pubblicato da Roy Export SAS il 16 mar 2015
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Charlie Chaplin Film Music Anthology
Colonne sonore - Pubblicato da Roy Export SAS il 12 apr 2019
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
The Kid (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)
Colonne sonore - Pubblicato da Roy Export SAS il 16 mar 2015
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
City Lights (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)
Colonne sonore - Pubblicato da Roy Export SAS il 16 mar 2015
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
The Circus (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)
Colonne sonore - Pubblicato da Roy Export SAS il 16 mar 2015
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Two Sides of Charlie Chaplin
Reggae - Pubblicato da Sanctuary Records il 17 feb 2023
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Charlie Chaplin - Limelight
Pop - Pubblicato da Westmill il 25 mar 2016
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
-
Oh! That Cello
Charlie Chaplin, Thomas Beckmann
Classica - Pubblicato da Jaro Records il 14 gen 1993
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Modern Times - The Complete Remastered Soundtrack (From Modern Times)
Colonne sonore - Pubblicato da Roy Export SAS il 16 apr 2020
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Call me Charlot
Pop - Pubblicato da Italia Singing il 30 gen 2020
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Charlie Chaplin
Charlie Chaplin, Thomas Beckmann
Classica - Pubblicato da Jaro Records il 1 mar 1989
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Take Two!
Charlie Chaplin, The Roots Radics, Massive Crew
Dancehall - Pubblicato da Trojan Records il 1 gen 1990
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
The Great Dictator (Remastered) (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)
Colonne sonore - Pubblicato da Roy Export SAS il 15 ott 2020
24-Bit 48.0 kHz - Stereo -
Nonsense Song (Titine) (From "Modern Times")
Colonne sonore - Pubblicato da Roy Export SAS il 1 ago 2018
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
The Gold Rush (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)
Colonne sonore - Pubblicato da Roy Export SAS il 16 mar 2015
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
A Countess From Hong Kong (Original Soundtrack)
Colonne sonore - Pubblicato da Foyer il 1 dic 2009
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Music Of The Movies - Modern Times
Colonne sonore - Pubblicato da Vanilla OMP il 30 nov 2008
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Freedom
Ska e rocksteady - Pubblicato da KingsKrown Music il 29 giu 2022
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Too Hot To Handle
Dancehall - Pubblicato da Trojan Records il 1 gen 1994
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Limelight (Opening Terry's Theme Eternally)
Generi vari - Pubblicato da United Artists il 19 nov 1951
24-Bit 48.0 kHz - Stereo