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Music Monday: RIP Prince Buster

by Scott Lydon


Happy Music Monday! We've lost so many music legends in 2016 that we stopped doing RIP posts because we couldn't keep up. Seriously. But he's making a small exception for this week, to recap Prince Buster and the bands influenced by his ska.

Prince Buster - Judge Dread

 

I once saw The Specials do their tribute to this song live. They ended by asking an audience member to play the jury. The audience member shouted I SENTENCE HIM TO A SIX PACK AND A BUS TICKET and the whole band started laughing. I wouldn't have that fantastic memory without Prince Buster's hard work creating this song. I also wouldn't have comic book tough guy Judge Dredd, who was named after this song. As you can see, Prince Buster's pretty important to modern culture.

Prince Buster did so much cool stuff it can't all fit into one Music Monday. But there's still more to come.

Prince Buster - Ten Commandments Of Man

 

If you're concerned about the nature of this song, know two things. One, it was written in 1965 Jamaica, which was both a different time and a different country. And two, it inspired an answer song from Princess Buster that addressed the opposite point of view. And, as far as I can tell, Prince Buster wasn't a bit upset.

Madness - The Prince

 

This song from the '80s was part of the wave of British Ska that revitalized the genre for a new generation. And, in fact, it's a two part tribute. The band Madness named themselves after a Prince Buster song of the same name. And, of course, Buster is the Prince they're singing about in the lyrics.

Shaggy - O Carolina

 

If you were alive in the 1990s, you know this song. But it's possible you DIDN'T know that it was a cover! The original O Carolina was, as you probably guessed, a Prince Buster recording first. But listen closely and you'll notice that Shaggy gave the Prince full credit at the very beginning. Samples pay pretty well, you know?

Prince Buster - Enjoy Yourself

 

Now serious fans of ska, blue beat and Prince Buster in general might be aware of a lot of stuff I've skipped. There's politics, there's religion, there's a bunch of other songs that might be more interesting and just as powerful. And to that I say... TRUE! So I encourage everyone to get out there and learn more about Prince Buster. You might be surprised just how important he actually was.

We've picked out a nice Prince Buster collection to give away today on our Facebook page. Head on over and do what they say, and maybe you'll win! Also et us just remind you: some images come from the corresponding Wikipedia page and are here under fair use. See you next week.