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Desmond Dekker

From HitStory, the pop encyclopedia of School of Rock · Artist

Desmond Dekker's real name was Desmond Adolphus Dacres. He was born in 1941 in Kingston, Jamaica, and as a child went to church with his grandmother and aunt, where he loved singing hymns. He trained as a tailor and then became a welder. His colleagues heard him singing while he worked and urged him to make music. In 1961 he got a contract with Leslie Kong. He also brought his fellow welder Bob Marley to Kong's attention, and Kong made his first records.

Music and breakthrough

In 1963 he had his first Jamaican hit with Honour Your Mother and Father, and with King of Ska he became one of the island's biggest stars. With his backing group The Aces he made ska and rocksteady. With 007 (Shanty Town) from 1967 he sang about the rude boys, the youths from the ghettos of Kingston. That song also became popular in England with the mods.

Influence

In 1969 Israelites reached number 1 in England and the top ten in America, one of the first international reggae hits. In England young working-class people, including the early skinheads, found this music in their own way. It Mek and You Can Get It If You Really Want also became hits. Around 1980 he recorded new versions for Stiff Records during the ska revival. In this way he took Jamaican music to the rest of the world, even before Marley. He died in 2006.

Listening

Listening tip. Listen to Israelites. Notice the bouncing, angular rhythm of the rocksteady and Dekker's singing, which laments hard work and poverty yet still sounds cheerful.

Discography

Studio albums

In School of Rock

The chapters, maps and magazine stories of School of Rock are currently available in Dutch only.

Categories: Artists