Drifter Riddim

Presenting the Drifter riddim... From Big Youth to Garnett Silk, or more recently Tony Rebel, this timeless riddim has been re-worked many times over the last 40 years. Many incredible versions have been made and here are some that stand out most to me.

Originally recorded as a an early-reggae song by Dennis Walks, the rythm has since been versioned in many studios over the island. A love song, the singer reveals that since he met this girl, he is no longer a drifter, wandering without knowing where he's going, was recorded in 1968 for Harry Moodie owner of the Moodisc label.

Its unstoppable flowing bassline pattern coupled with an early-reggae skank shuffle has made it the classic it is today.

 

One of the smoothest voices in reggae, Don Carlos recorded his version on the Drifter. Johnny Big Mouth seems to be a personification of people too much who talk before acting.

"A nuff of dem a run up dey mouth
nuff of them a say dem a de best"

This was recorded with the Radics (1979) and the instrumental is sublime. Don Carlos' voice is still the same today, and this song being in his repertoire for concerts today makes his gigs a great experience.

When Coxsone was re-voicing singers over his previous rocksteady and early reggae cuts, Lone Ranger recorded an albums-worth of material, On the Other Side of Dub. This album has become a classic from the veteran deejay, and Every Thing She Want plays a big part in it. As a deejay, he's also a very entertaining performer, his voice now has his rough signature sound and he's often over in Europe.

Although Dennis Brown recorded his cover of the song, Cornell Campbell's is by far my favourite. It's also using the Radics' version, the horns from the original version have been replaced by a very swingy guitar. Cornell's ultra-smooth loving voice fits-in perfectly and there's nothing more to add than magnificent...

Astonishing, this one. Mikey Dread isn't here to talk about love, and he makes that clear as of the first line "Money can't buy life...".The lyrics are as conscious as they get

"If life was a thing that money could buy,

the rich would live and the poor would die"

Mikey calls out the addiction to money and individualism that we have been brought to, bringing us to live in hard times.

"The times so hard, the times to dread,

we can't differenciate the living from the dead.

This a mental slavery"

Mikey deejays over an incredible remake of the riddim, drum rims flying everywhere and his effects that he learnt to use on his radio are spread out over the riddim creating what I call a "wonderful mess". This should be played loud enough to make your eardrums shake, and as with most of the songs on World War 3 (1980), we get a discomix version ! Serious stuff.

It is said that the late Garnett Silk was to become the Bob Marley of the end of the century. In his short life, he recorded some of the best songs of the 1990s, bringing reggae away from slackness and back to its roots. On a digital version on Richard "Bello" Bell's Startrail label, he signed this roots revival song, almost solely based on the bassline so make sure that's turned up.

And to finish off, another version on the Roots Radics' cut. Nicodemus is one of my favourite deejays of the early-dancehall period, and he murders this version here. The introduction to the songs leeds to an amazing drop, when the bassline and drums kick-in. Echo, delay, gimmicks, all is here to a squeeking door towards the end of the song. Nicodemus doesn't stop, and if anyone wonders where hip hop comes from, here's the perfect example. Taken from the DJ Clash (1982) album shared Toyan, the entire set is of a similar level and I highly recommend it.