Prince Far I - Under Heavy Manners (1977)

A fairly obscure figure even by reggae standards, Prince Far I was one of the sternest of the "cultural" DJs that proliferated on the Jamaican scene in the late '70s; he rarely toasted (or, as he preferred, "chanted") about the joys of dancing or romantic love; his message was always focused on matters spiritual and political. This didn't mean he couldn't be whimsical at times: He once used his musical pulpit make fun of neo-Nazis for the clothes they wore and sometimes (as on this album's title track) lectured the youth on matters of etiquette, and he once recorded an entire album of Old Testament psalms.

"Under Heavy Manners", which he recorded for the great producer Joe Gibbs, is one of his finest albums, but until the Rocky One label was revived in the late '90s as Joe Gibbs Music, it was almost impossible to find.  It is a classic late seventies deejay album, featuring frog-throated mic chanter Prince Far I and featuring his monster 1977 Joe Gibbs hit "Under Heavy Manners" plus nine other tracks, some featuring the interjections of Joseph Hill of Culture, utilising riddims such as Dennis Brown’s Ghetto Girl, Junior Byles’ Heart & Soul and Gibbs’ second cut of Satta. Mixed by the great Errol T.


Tracklist:

"Rain a Fall"
"Big Fight"
"You I Love and Not Another"
"Young Generation"
"Shine Eye Gal"
"Boz Rock"
"Show Me Mine Enemy"
"Shadow"
"Deck of Cards"
"Heavy Manners"

Prince Far I - Under Heavy Manners (1977)
(320 kbps, cover art included)