ALTHEA AND DONNA – Uptown Top Ranking (Remastered w/ 2 Bonus Tracks) – LP – Vinyl [RSD23]

LP – Limited RSD23 Edition Heavyweight Black Vinyl with two bonus tracks. Remastered at Abbey Road Studios.Out of print for many years.

This product is a Record Store Day title and not available to pre-order.
Available to buy in-store from 8am on Saturday, 22/04/2023 (Record Store Day).
Any remaining copies will be available to buy online from 8pm on Monday 24/04/2023.

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The ultimate one-hit-wonders, Uptown Top Ranking was a surprise International No. 1 smash hit single for the teenage due Althea and Donna. Entranced by Trinitys hit Three Piece Suit, they wrote a reply song – Uptown Top Ranking, which they cut for Joe Gibbs.

The success of the single, both in Jamaica and globally, secured them a deal with Virgin Records Front Line imprint, releasing this, their only album, in 1978. The album features the cream of Jamaicas reggae musicians The Riddim Twins‘ (Sly Dunbar and Robbie Shakespeare) gives the music the fat rhythms, while the legendary group of players, The Revolutionaries – the sublime horn section of Tommy McCook, Vin Gordon, and Herman Marquis; guitarist Earl “Chinna” Smith and keyboard player Bernard Harvey, provide the icing on the cake.

Despite the teenage girls lack of experience, this is a fabulous collection of roots reggae that swings from intense moody appeals to Jah, to brightly upbeat pop songs, and the Revolutionaries’ outstanding contribution deserves the recognition it never received at the time. The title track has been covered many times, notably by Bristol trip-hoppers Portishead, in the late-’90s. This reissue includes two bonus tracks It Mek, an album out-take unreleased at the time, and Going To Negril, a 12 single, also from 1978.

Remastered at Abbey road on heavyweight black vinyl.
Out of print for many years.

A BONA FIDE REGGAE CLASSIC!

QTY (UK/Ireland):1,000
[RSD 2023 Exclusive Edition]

Tracklist:

Side A
1. No More Fighting [3:40]
2. Jah Rastafari [3:42]
3. Make A Truce [4:16]
4. Oh Dread [2:37]
5. Uptown Top Ranking [3:45]
6. It Mek [3:50] (Bonus track)

Side B
1. The West [3:48]
2. Jah Music [3:54]
3. If You Don’t Love Yah [2:55]
4. Sorry [3:57]
5. They Wanna Just [2:51]
6. Going To Negril [7:08] (Bonus track)