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Tighten Up, Vol. 1

Various Artists
2 discs

0. DISC 1:
1. Tighten Up
2. Kansas City
3. Spanish Harlem
4. Place In the Sun, A
5. Win Your Love For Me
6. Donkey Returns
7. Ob-La-Di Ob-La-Da
8. Angel of the Morning
9. Fat Man
10. Soul Limbo
11. Mix It Up
12. Watch This Sound (For What It's Worth)
13. Good Ambition
14. Out the Light
15. If I Didn't Know
16. Handy Cap
17. It's All In the Game
18. Tribute To Sir Kb
19. Robin Hood Rides Again
20. Love Letters
21. South Parkway Rock
22. I Was Kaiser Bill's Batman
23. I'll Be Around
24. Out of Love
0. DISC 2:
1. Eastern Organ
2. Jackpot
3. Penny For Your Song
4. Memories By the Score
5. Teardrops Falling
6. Combination
7. Fiddler, The
8. Russians Are Coming, The
9. Born To Love You
10. Way of Life
11. Train To Soulsville
12. Intensified Girls
13. Bookie Man
14. Uncle Charlie
15. Nana
16. Good Time Rock
17. Rent Too High
18. My Argument
19. A.B.C. Rocksteady
20. In Like Flint
21. Lady With the Starlight
22. Catch the Beat
23. Dance With Me
24. Hold You Jack
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Additional Info

Manufacturer Part Number (MPN): 1774154
Credits

Producer
Engineer
Compilation producer: Laurence Cane-Honeysett.
Includes liner notes by Harry Hawke.
All tracks have been digitally remastered.
It's hard to believe that this compilation launched what was later revered as a legendary series. In fact, with hindsight, this debut volume was the weakest of the group, heavily weighed down by reggaefied covers of pop fluff. The best of this batch belongs to George A. Penny's "Win Your Love," but that's because even an overly percolating reggae rhythm couldn't dent the Sam Cooke classic. Joy Landis delivers up a delightful soul version of "Kansas City," but then blots her copy book with a truly excruciating cover of "Ob-La-Di Ob-La-Da." Equally unnecessary are takes on "Angel of the Morning" and "A Place in the Sun." A special award goes to the Uniques' "Watch This Squad," a cover of the Buffalo Springfield's anti-war classic "Watch This Sound." Not only is it an exceedingly poor choice of a song to be reggaefied, it also sports one of the most unsympathetic arrangements ever recorded. The Uniques seem at a total loss and take nearly half the track to get their vocals into line. In contrast, the two instrumentals, both covers of course, are quite entertaining. Byron Lee's "Soul Limbo" has a real panache and flair missing from its vocal counterparts, while Val Bennett's "Spanish Harlem" boasts a laid-back island feel across a fine performance. But the real treasures lie elsewhere. Derrick Morgan's "Fat Man" is a classic, while Lee Perry's title track is one of his best pop offerings ever, a singalong melody wed to a sizzling beat. The Kingstonians' "Mix It Up" is equally infectious, while Brother Dan All Stars (a trio that included Dandy Livingstone) offer up "Donkey Returns," a slow John Crow skank featuring a harmonica and delicious vocals. Over time, people forgot the clunkers and recalled only the classics. On this volume, however, those gems are as rare as diamonds. ~ Jo-Ann Greene