Barrington Levy - Englishman/Robin Hood

Barrington Levy
Englishman/Robin Hood (Greensleeves CD 509)

"Englishman" and "Robin Hood" were originally 2 albums recorded for Junjo Lawes in 1979 and 1981, and this Greensleeves reissue combines both on one CD. The packaging is minimal to say the least, with absolutely no sleeve notes or information beyond band credits, and looking like it was badly photocopied, but the sound quality of the CD is fine (far better than many), and the value for money of the package cannot be faulted. (Greensleeves has apparently reissued "Englishman" again as a CD to itself with some bonus tracks, so this 2-for-1 issue may now have been deleted.)

"Englishman" is the rootsier of the 2 albums lyrically, but "Robin Hood" probably has the edge on it in terms of production, with a more fully developed Roots Radics sound. Both albums, however, showcase a typically Levy mixture of roots and lovers material in a pre-digital dancehall style, and as such fit almost seamlessly together.

"Englishman" opens with its title track, one of its more uptempo tunes, and an affirmation of unity between nationalities which is also a celebration of Barrington's international popularity , on a tough rockers riddim enhanced by Ansel Collins's tense organ playing.

"If You Give To Me" and "Sister Carol" are nice but unremarkable lovers tunes which likewise have that warm, organic Radics rub-a-dub feel, while "Don't Fuss Nor Fight" is a plea for non-violence in the dance which is also a deeply laid-back celebration of "sweet reggae music, what the people them want". "Look Girl" gets even more laid-back, with only some sharp syndrums to counter the overwhelming mellowness.

The mood soon changes to one of roots determination, however, with "Look Youthman" with its tougher, semi-steppers riddim and righteous lyrics warning the youths while exalting the Creator. However, the real roots highlight of the album is the haunting "Send A Moses", with Barrington's trademark yearning vocal stretched out over a slow, plaintive riddim to powerful and moving effect, offset nicely by bluesy guitar and echoing cymbals.

"Black Heart Man" (no relation to the Bunny Wailer song and album of the same name) keeps up the mood, with Chinna Smith's guitar again employed to poignant effect over Levy's impassioned defence of Rastafari against false demonisation as child abductors and abusers. "Money Makes Friends", another attack on hypocrites, is voiced over what sounds like a curiously slowed-down cut of "Real Rock". "Bend Your Back" is, again, nice but unremarkable, dealing with the perennial dancehall topic of popular dance moves.

"Robin Hood" is massively dominated by its title track, a truly awesome dancehall roots killer with a deeply dubby, anthemic riddim (taken from another Barrington tune, "Warm and Sunny Day", which was produced by Linval Thompson, and in fact retaining its "day" backing vocal), and Levy at his most impassioned chanting down petty gangsters who rob the poor instead of redistributing wealth like "Robin Hood, who steal from the rich and build the poor more". A powerful, staccato horn riff and inspired, echoing mixing by Scientist lift this tune easily into the ranks of the undisputed classic.

The rest of the "Robin Hood" album shares the horns (which are unfortunately absent from "Englishman"), but fails to reach the same heights of lyrics or arrangements, being dominated by lovers tunes; however, Barrington's varied and inventive lyrics manage to lift such material above the banality of much of its kind, and the riddims are nice throughout. "Rock and Come In" has a horn arrangement somewhat similar to "Stalag", while "Love Sister Carol" is a much-versioned tune with a jaunty, joyful trumpet riff.

"Gonna Tell Your Girlfriend", while dealing lyrically with jealousy and infidelity, has a steely bass and vengeful horns suited to a deep roots tune, and the anthemic tone continues on "You Come To Ask Me What Is Love", with Levy pondering the nature of love and concluding "love is happiness", while once again Scientist finishes the tune with a nice helping of echo. "Why Did You Leave Me" is more minimal, without horns but with very dubby mixing, showcasing percussion and bass.

"Many Changes In Life" centres on Barrington's often-returned-to "when I was a youth... now I am a man" lyric, echoing also the changes in Jamaica due to the economic crisis, a searing bluesy steel guitar again enhancing the mood despite being low in the mix. "Na Broke No Fight Over No Woman" has a similar dark and uncertain mood, with Levy's voice floating hauntingly over the mix, despite rather dismissive lyrics.

"When Friday Come" is a sardonic reality lyric, a tale of working all week and getting no pay, yet with an almost jaunty tone, while "Like How You Kiss And Caress Me" returns to a mellow lovers mood, yet with enough authority in its heavily echoing drumbeats to close the album.

Overall, while lyrically this is a very mixed bag, the mood of the whole CD is cohesive, tho nothing else on it reaches quite the killer status of "Robin Hood". The latter album is noticeably more impressively mixed than the earlier, showing the development of Junjo's and the Roots Radics' sound, but both nicely capture the period when roots was transforming into early dancehall. This is a worthwhile purchase if still possible to track down in its 2-for-1 edition...