Down Town Albums Collection / Various Down Town Albums Collection / Various CD

UK two CD set. After embarking on a career as a singer in the early 1960s, Robert Thompson - AKA Dandy - achieved significant success on the British music scene with a series of popular ska and rock steady singles. In the summer of 1968, he proved instrumental in the launch of Trojan Records, which later in the year granted the budding singer-songwriter-producer his own Down Town subsidiary on which to showcase his work. The company's faith in Dandy's creative talents was promptly rewarded when he provided them with two of their earliest big sellers: 'Reggae In Your Jeggae' and Trojan's first official UK pop chart entry, 'Red Red Wine' by Tony Tribe. Soon after, an LP of the same title was compiled and released, with the collection comprising the hit, alongside another 11 Dandy produced tracks, lifted from his most popular Down Town singles to date. The album remained a best seller for Trojan well into 1970, when the company issued the similarly compiled Red Red Wine Volume 2, which, like it's predecessor, proved hugely popular among UK reggae fans. Meanwhile, Dandy's work ethos was reflected in the release of an array of further 7" singles and another two long players: Blow Your Horn - a set that largely showcasing the talents of ace trombonist Rico Rodriquez and top British reggae act, the Rudies - and Your Musical Doctor throughout which Dandy's own vocals took center stage. Now, at long last, all four of these historically important albums have been gathered onto this superb two-disc set, with all but Blow Your Horn making their CD debut. The result is a timely celebration of the original boss reggae style championed by first generation skinheads half a century ago!

1. Red Red Wine - Tony Tribe 2. Games People Play - the Israelites 3. Move Your Mule - Dandy 4. I'm Your Puppet - Dandy 5. Lead Them - Desmond Riley - 6. Love Me Tonight - Audrey 7. Reggae in Your Jeggae - Dandy 8. Lovers Concerto - Audrey 9. Sentimental Reasons - Gene Rondo 10. Night Train - Sonny Binns ; the Rudies 11. You'll Lose a Good Thing - Audrey 12. Lovers Question - Gene Rondo 13. Someday We'll Be Together - Audrey 14. Got to Come Back - Dandy 15. Somebody's Baby - Desmond Riley 16. Spreading Love - Gene Rondo 17. I'm Gonna Give Her All the Love I've Got - Tony Tribe 18. Rraining in My Heart - Dandy 19. Can't Get Used to Losing You - Dandy 20. Song Bird - - Lyndon Johns 21. The Boy I Love - Blossom Johnson 22. The Way You Move - Audrey 23. Party Rush - the Music Doctors 24. Don't Gamble with Love - Lyndon Johns 25. Come Together - the Israelites 26. Reggae Shuffle - Dandy 27. Reco's Message - Rico ; the Rudies 28. Niyah Man - Rico ; the Rudies 29. Jumping the Gun - Rico ; the Rudies 30. The Lion - Dandy 31. Caribbean Serenade - Rico ; the Rudies 32. Mighty Dan - Rico ; the Rudies 33. Quando Quando - Rico ; the Rudies 34. Session Man - Rico ; the Rudies 35. Doctor Sure Shot - Dandy ; the Israelites 36. Muma Muma - Dandy ; the Israelites 37. Biafra - Rico ; the Rudies 38. Here I Go Again - Dandy 39. I'm Gonna Give Her All the Love I've Got - Dandy 40. Run Girl - Dandy 41. Doctor at Work - Dandy 42. Running Wild - Dandy - Dandy 43. Meeting Over Yonder - Dandy 44. Voicing Our Choice - Dandy 45. Everybody Loves a Winner - Dandy 46. Music Doctor - Dandy 47. Gumption Feeling - Dandy 48. Touch of Poison - Dandy 49. Come on Home - Dandy 50. Won't You Come Home Now - Dandy 51. Blues - Rico Rodriguez ; the Rudies