The streets of Jamaica in 1962 were never quiet. Dogs barking, people laughing, and celebrating their newfound independence from Britain, but the most defining factor of this time period was the giant sound systems rocking the streets with groovy bass lines, booming drums, and floaty melodies. This presiding genre of the time period that I described above is called ska music.
What is Ska?
Ska is much more than just a genre of music, as it provided a platform for impoverished and suppressed Jamaicans to express themselves. Evolving with generation to generation on the island, it constantly took inspirations from pop culture and societal issues to create its rhythms. Specifically, ska music and reggae, all were significant in the development of the island’s identity. Ska is mostly defined by its extremely high energy performances and punk rock energy. Ska music is made up of three identifying components, with the first being is the instruments. Ska is very drum and bass oriented while maintaining a rock and roll sound with brass, vocals, and a lead guitar. The second category is having brass and guitar solos that trade off with the vocalists, containing recognizable riffs that are unique for each song. The third is the four/four time signatures with an accent note on the second beat, called a ‘skank’. This ‘skank’ is a short and quick attack on a note that persists through most of the song with a intricate bass line. (‘A guide’). This blog post will outline how the genres assist in the cultural advancement while delving into the rich history of the music itself, explaining how the music evolved to where it is today. To begin, I will walk you through the progression of the music from first wave Ska to where Ska and Reggae are today.
Ska VS Reggae:
A common misconception is that ska is categorized with reggae. This, however, is not the case. Ska music became popular in the early 1960s when reggae, a variation of ska arose a few years later. When ska was made, it was a time where Jamaica could finally express itself after breaking free from their British colonial rulers, taking inspiration from many different genres and current popular musical trends, like 1950s Caribbean and Jamaican songs, Elvis, The Drifters, Sam Cooke, as well as respective bands throughout the late 1900s (‘A guide’). Reggae, being similar in the instrumentation, minus the brass, is a slowed down version of Ska. Taking more inspiration from African roots, this rhythmic Reggae music took much less inspiration from American and British pop culture as ska did, defining a more definitive genre. Reggae created a platform for Jamaican citizens to express concerns about their oppressions under their newly formed government, usually donning a serious or relaxed tone, while Ska music was very upbeat and bright sounding. As these genres gained popularity among the citizens, sub genres began forming, as Jamaica finally began forming its own identity in the world (‘History of Reggae’).
Reggae and Rastafarians
“‘Reggae must be lived, not played. It is a lifebeat every time.’ Peter Tosh” (‘History Of’). Reggae is far more complex than most people see on the surface, being an angry but positive expression against poverty and injustice while giving a sense of character to the islanders. The word originated from the slang term, ‘rege rege’, meaning ragged clothing, appearing first in a song by the Maytals called ‘Do the Reggay’. The Rastafarian beliefs had been on the island before Reggae, appearing in the 1930s, being a Afrocentric religion that encouraged free-inhabitance of earth and the overcoming of ‘Babylonian’ restraints, being a symbol for all corruption and corporations in the world. This religion pushes its followers to freely traverse the world past boarders and private properties, the ceremonial use of marijuana, as well as the respect for fellow man, believing there is a bit of ‘Jah'(God) in each person. Bob Marley is usually the first name that comes to mind when one thinks about Reggae music and the Rastafarian religion, as he was a huge political and moral ambassador for both, becoming very popular and influential in the United States for his unique style and music (‘History Of’) .
War on Rastafarian
In 1963, a war was waged against all Rastafarians by their newly born government. Rastafarians were hunted down by the Jamaican government, being imprisoned in horrible conditions, forcibly cutting their dreads off. These orders originated from the grudged Prime Minister Alexander Bustamante following the death of detective in a fire lit at a gas station at Coral Gardens. This event created a anti-Rastafarian sentiment on the island. This sentiment was created by the press, telling citizens that the Rastafarians were the aggressors despite the police creating the incident by harassing traveling Rastafarians. After the riots, the prime minister created laws made to target Rastafarians, such as outlawing marijuana and marijuana paraphernalia, as well as creating tighter vagrancy laws. Police often shot at Rastafarians unprompted, beating them, leaving them for dead in the streets (‘Campbell, Horace G.‘). Around 1971, Jamaica began a 8 year experimental phase of socialism, being placed on the CIA surveillance list, also causing more political unrest in the nation. This unrest could be seen directly after an assassination attempt on Bob Marley and Rita Marley in 1976 during Smile Jamaica music festival for the festivals affiliation with the socialist party, called the PNP(People’s National Party). Nobody was killed, and Bob Marley’s band, the Wailers even continued to play the show, portraying the resilient spirit of Reggae (‘Down to The Roots’). The Reggae music in this time period reflected specific struggles in this time period, such as the popular ‘Rivers of Babylon’ by the Melodians, outlining a symbolic cry for help against the institutionalizing and oppressing government they were facing while comparing their situation to that of the First Testament in the Bible. In 1980, the socialist leader left office, being replaced by a democratic leader, Edward Seaga, prompting a period of economic growth. Reggae music helped the government recover after this period of time, creating tourist opportunities, revenue from producers, also helping the Rastafarian people create a better relationship with the popular masses, gaining more recognition from common society.
Overcoming Suppression: Reggae is the Voice of the Island
Reggae music gaining support was one of the best things that could happen to the country of Jamaica, allowing the impoverished and suffering to have their voices heard over the dominantly white aristocratic government. The positive energy created by reggae while pushing for social change caught the attention of the middle class Jamaicans and foreigner’s, lightening the harsh feelings against the Rastafarians, allowing growth in communities and acceptance. With the improvement of the economy, it brought the stage known as ‘Roots Reggae’ to a close, opening up a new ska and reggae wave in the second wave, modernizing the sound to that of the early 80s (‘Campbell, Horace G.‘).
Two Toned: Second Wave of Ska
The two toned movement is a display of the effect of Reggae music on society, creating multiracial bands after a large late 1970s immigration wave of Jamaicans to the UK. The wave began in 1981 with the rise of the British Two Toned Record Label. different races playing the same music together on the same stage was a huge deal for British and American society, the main audience for this wave, integrating the brass and guitars from the original ska waves with an even higher increased tempo, mainly singing songs with Jamaican politics and slang, racial integration, and opposition to the conservative Margaret Thatcher led UK government. Surprisingly, the Skin Heads were also into this wave of ska, listening to two toned Ska music and early Reggae because of the punk rock energy and catchy melodies that it produces. this genre had attracted young rebellious fans, called ‘Rude Boys’. The original rude boys were popular back in Jamaica in the 1960s, dressing in flashy dress clothing and having the attitudes of 1920s American Pseudo-Gangsters. They became the image of this time period of ska (The Story of Subculture: The Rude Boy). This wave prompted the creation of influential bands like ‘The Specials’, ‘Bad Manners, and ‘English Beat’. This wave of Ska produced the most defining music for the genre, being what comes to mind when I think of Ska, as the style of the musicians and their brass ensembles embodies that rude-boy gangster feeling that the genre originally intended, appealing to punks, Jamaicans, Rastafarians, Americans, and UK citizens alike.
The 1990s: Third Wave Ska
The third wave of ska, often called ‘Ska Punk’ was largely based out of the US from bands influenced by early Reggae and Ska bands. These bands take a lot of inspiration from early Reggae and Ska, using Jamaican slang and rhythms while incorporating distorted guitars and uplifting rhythms. Bands off the label Skunk Records like Sublime, Slightly Stoopid, the Ziggens, or others like Reel Big Fish, The Planet Smashers, Less than Jake, Band, Goldfinger, and The Mighty Mighty Bosstones are all examples of third wave ska bands (‘A Guide’). There is an argument that some of these bands can be seen as culturally appropriating the original movements with the use of slang and donning Rastafarian principles, as the majority of these bands are from California, never experiencing or being involved with Jamaican culture outside of listening to Reggae music. Bands like Sublime also frequently made songs inspired by 1970s and 60s Reggae, such as the use of ’54-46 was my number’ by the Toots and the Maytals in a more modern sounding Ska song, also called ‘5446 Was my Number’.
Final Thoughts
The island of Jamaica would not be the same as it is today if not for Reggae Music and all of its respective artists, as the social and economic changes prompted by its creation was detrimental for the island to move out of the state of severe poverty it was in. Ska and Reggae have forever moved so many with their unique rhythms and allowing people to voice their hardships first hand. Although roots Reggae and Ska have had many issues resolved since they have been originally made, struggles still exist today, and songs are still being made to reflect new hardships, like heavy drug use, or relationship struggles. One of these upcoming ‘4th wave’ bands is called ‘Beachblanket’, a band from South Windsor that is popping up on the Ska-Punk radar, releasing their EP this last summer called ‘Endless Summer’, emanating the 90s third wave ska style of music with high energy performances. Understanding this history allows listeners to have an enhanced listening experience, understanding the meaning behind each lyric. With each evolution that the music undergoes, just remember the story of Reggae and its teachings with a quote from one of the most inspirational Reggae artists;
“‘Better to die fighting for freedom than be a prisoner all the days of your life.’ – Bob Marley.”(History of Reggae Music).
Works Cited:
- Campbell, Horace G. “Coral Gardens 1963: The Rastafari and Jamaican Independence.” Social and Economic Studies, vol. 63, no. 1, [University of the West Indies, Sir Arthur Lewis Institute of Social and Economic Studies], 2014, pp. 197–214, http://www.jstor.org/stable/24384103.
- “History of Reggae Music | Mental Itch.” Mentalitch.com, 17 May 2019, mentalitch.com/history-of-reggae-music/#:~:text=Reggae%20music%20rose%20into%20fame%20in%20Kingston%2C%20Jamaica. Accessed 8 Nov. 2021.
- Masterclass Staff. “A Guide to Ska Music: History and Sounds of Ska Music.” Masterclass, 24 June 2021, www.masterclass.com/articles/ska-music-guide#quiz-0. Accessed 7 Nov. 2021.
- Romer, Megan. “Learn the Difference between Ska and Reggae Music.” LiveAbout, 1 Feb. 2019, www.liveabout.com/difference-between-ska-and-reggae-3552831.
- “The Story of Subculture: The Rude Boy (& Rude Girl).” Underground, 1 Mar. 2021, underground-england.com/the-story-of-subculture-the-rude-boy-rude-girl/. Accessed 18 Nov. 2021.
- “Down to the Roots: The Radical Politics of Reggae.” Jessica Lipsky, www.jlipsky.com/down-to-the-roots-the-radical-politics-of-reggae.
The Beachblanket EP can be found HERE: https://open.spotify.com/artist/4j9QxqZmbtMCH0bpAUh6Kg
