Winston & George
The singularly named Winston and George Dekker (born George Canic Agard a.k.a. Johnny Melody . Half-brother of Desmond Dekker. Member of The Pioneers, The Slickers and the duo Winston & George.)
Winston & George tore up more than just "Denham Town" with this rude boy classic from the rocksteady age. Besides hitting big in Jamaica, the 1967 single was also a smash on the British skinhead scene. The simplicity of the arrangement, unintentionally enhanced by the mediocre quality of its CD reissue, was built around Gladdy "Gladstone" Anderson's stern piano, firm guitar riffs, and the further power of Jackie Jackson's sinuous bassline and the hi-hat-heavy drum pattern. Roland Alphonso's sharp solo during the middle break merely reinforces the music's own adamant message, one taken up with aplomb by the duo. The rude boys are talking big, swearing they'll put up a fight with their hatchets and ratchets when the soldiers come, but the pair know better. "You know rude boy, it doesn't pay at all," they warn, "and if you won't behave, you'll always go to jail." And in the end, when the law does show up, the rudies all run for cover, not so tough after all. Surprisingly, though, it was the bad boys themselves who adored these numbers, even when the songs put them firmly in their place, albeit in gorgeous harmony. "Denham Town" was titled after one of Kingston's more notorious gang-riven ghettos, and although soldiers had been sent into these sections of the capitol the year before, even they had been unable to permanently quell the gangs' power and the crime and violence that were so prevalent. And so the popularity of rudie singles continued unabated. This was one of the best, a classic of its day, and another huge hit for the late great producer Leslie Kong.
Appears on ;
1993 Rudies All Round Trojan
1999 Trojan Box Set: Ska Trojan
2001 Trojan Box Set: A Jamaican Story Trojan
2002 Trojan Box Set: Rude Boy Sanctuary/Trojan
2004 Trojan Reggae Duets Box Set Sanctuary/Trojan
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