Dennis Brown “Songs My Mother Used To Sing” (Aquarius)

It’s nearly impossible to pick a favorite Dennis Brown tune, but this one might be it.  This mix especially.  Dennis sings this wonderful tune over a classic Herman Lin Choy-produced riddim from Aquarius.  Later versions of the tune were more slickly produced, with the amplified vocal laid over the Lin Choy riddim.  Sounds great still, but the original vibe is lost.  Listen to how Brown’s vocal just blends with the riddim, never overpowering it.  Perfect meld of vocal and riddim here as if the vocal were just another instrument in the mix.

The highlight of the tune is the lyric though.  My favorite from Brown:

“I remember one rainy day on March,
My poor ma, she sent me out to get some starch,
I was the only one that she could depend on,
So I had to shop and cook and clean all day long,
Without a father, only the one that’s deep within”