Single Song Sunday

Normally in this series we finish off with a Mandatory Reggae Version (MRV) of whichever song it is we are featuring - and we will do today. But I think this is the first time that the song in question has itself been a reggae standard. I'm talking about "Johnny Too Bad".

The original version of the song was by The Slickers, whose members Derrick Crooks and Winston Bailey were among the co-writers. It came out in 1970 but only really attracted attention outside Jamaica when it was included on the soundtrack album for "The Harder They Come" a couple of years later.

As for the covers, we start with a couple of men who are not exactly averse to a bit of self-mythologising. You can see why the song might appeal to them. John Martyn included it on his 1980 album "Grace and Danger", but this is an alternative take found on the "Best of the Island Years" box set. Steve Earle put it out as a single in 1997. He was backed by The V-Roys, whose main man Scott Miller went on to do good things as a solo artist. 

Obviously the punks have had a bash at the song. I have resisted the charms of the Anti-Nowhere League version to bring you this take by D.O.A., one of the original North American hardcore punk bands who have been around in one form or another since 1978. This is from their 2015 album "Hard Rain Falling". Their lead singer Joey Shithead is now the model of respectability and serves as a city councillor in his home town in Canada (fortunately under his real name).  

Following D.O.A. we have The Silencers. Not as I mistakenly thought when I bought it the Scottish band of that name who had a degree of success in the late 1980s but an earlier outfit from Pittsburgh whose 1980 album "Rock 'n Roll Enforcers" includes this version. Rol may wish to note for future reference that Discogs lists eight bands called The Silencers.

We get a bit more mellow next with the mighty Taj Mahal, who covered the song of his 1974 album "Mo' Roots". There are a handful of reggae covers on that album and Aston 'Family Man' Barrett pops up on piano. 

Even mellower is Desoto, one of several pseudonyms used by Canada's own Michael Phillips. He has kindly made his back catalogue available on Bandcamp on a 'name your own price' basis. This comes from a very good covers album "Musicians Are Cowards", originally released in 2005 and worth spending some money on.

Next we have a ragged but righteous version by Alex Chilton, released posthumously by Fat Possum on a fine 2020 compilation called "Memphis Rent Party". You can buy it for a bargain $7 on Bandcamp, then head to Discogs to find out who all the performers are.

Just because "Johnny Too Bad" is a reggae song doesn't mean we can skip the MRV. After all, The Slickers' recording is the original not a cover. As you can imagine there are no shortage of options to choose from so I've upped it to two MRVs.

The first is by Neville Staple, which was tagged on to a reissue of his 2002 album "Ska Au Go Go" as a bonus track. The second is the cream of the crop. It is by the great Bunny Wailer and it comes from his 1977 album "Protest". "Protest" is one of my favourite albums of all time. I would say this track is one of the highlights, but they are all highlights.

"Johnny Too Bad" - The Slickers

"Johnny Too Bad (Take 2) " - John Martyn

"Johnny Too Bad" - Steve Earle & The V-Roys

"Johnny Too Bad" - D.O.A.

"Johnny Too Bad" - The Silencers

"Johnny Too Bad" - Taj Mahal

"Johnny Too Bad" - Desoto

"Johnny Too Bad" - Alex Chilton & The Randy Band

"Johnny Too Bad" - Neville Staple

"Johnny Too Bad" - Bunny Wailer

I have decided to give Anti-Nowhere League a second chance. I draw the line at UB40 though.