Riddim: Wouldn’t Stay Away/Don’t Stay Away
Producer: Chris Peckings
One of my personal favorite voices in roots music, over an upbeat horn-driven riddim you can trace back to rocksteady legend Duke Reid. It’s not a happy song, but it’s a happy-sounding song, with a chorus that sticks in your head and provokes some serious cognitive dissonance. Package the message in a ray of sunshine; Jah Messenger knew what he was doing.
I am sick and tired
Of staying down here
So much sorrow and pain
So much despair
And everywhere I turn is terror and fear…
That’s why I’m runnin’ for my life
I’m running for my life
If anyone asks me
“What’s the matter with you Papa Luci?”
Just tell dem I’m safe, sanctified
Jah Jah inna mi heart
And I’m running for my life…
Additional Listening:
• Phyllis Dillon, “Don’t Stay Away” (1967): Rocksteady formed the bridge between ska and reggae: slower tempos, but still that skanking feel. Duke Reid’s Treasure Isle label was a standout of the time, churning out countless foundation tunes in the late 1960s.
• Luciano performs for BBC Radio 1 Xtra in 2024: If you love NPR’s Tiny Desk series, this is for you. When he finishes with “It’s Me Again Jah,” you can see how completely in the moment—almost ecstatic—he is live. This is roots.
CHUNE 
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