Post Description

This collection (not to be confused with its similarly titled African counterpart, also on the Shanachie label) focuses on performances by women singers from the late 1970s, reggae's classical period. These fifteen tracks round up the usual suspects -- Rita Marley's much-anthologized ganja anthem "One Draw," Marcia Griffiths' "Steppin' out of Babylon," just to name two -- but they also include a few obscure gems. "International Style" is a charming deejay track from early in the distinguished career of Sister Carol, and Marcia Aitken does a commendable job of responding to the Meditations' misogynist classic "Woman Is Like a Shadow" by altering its lyrics and rendering it "Narrow-Minded Man." Her version may even be better than the original. Shan-I Benjamen (of the Ariwa posse) makes an appearance with the nutritional ode "Look After Your Structure" ("Rice and peas and ackee, that makes me happy") and brings along the Mad Professor for a dub cameo. I know, I know -- the album has two subtitles, just like a bad senior thesis


01 Steppin' Out of Babylon---Marcia Griffiths
02 Black Woman---Jody Mowatt
03 Uptown Top Ranking---Althea & Donna
04 One Draw---Rita Marley
05 Jah Mysterious Works---Hortense Ellis
06 Many Are Called---I Threes
07 International Style---Sister Carol
08 Babylon Must Fall---Barbara Paige
09 Ina Jah Jah Children---Dhaima
10 Narrow Minded Man---Marcia Aitken
11 It Dread Out Deh---Joy White
12 Teach The Youth---Nadine Sutherland
13 Children Of The Ghetto---Senya
14 Look After Your Structure---Shan-I Benjamin
15 Structure Dub---The Mad Professor