Song of the Day 2/16: The Wailing Wailers, “Simmer Down”
The new Bob Marley biopic, “One Love,” is getting slagged by movie critics, which probably won’t make much difference to audiences, who gave it high scores regardless. Only a few of the reviews complained about the music, though Jack Hamilton’s review in Slate dinged it for presenting a “dorm-room poster” version of his oeuvre.
The film covers only two years of Marley’s life, from the attempt on his life in Kingston in 1976 through the recording of his 1977 album “Exodus,” but fleshes out his story with flashbacks. Hamilton says one of the highlights is a scene of a teenaged Marley and the Wailers recording his first big hit, “Simmer Down,” which was the No. 1 song in Jamaica 50 years ago this month. The Wailers recorded it with ska legends the Skatalites.
I LOVE Bob Marley. I saw the movie Wednesday night. It wasn’t very good. A total mess with storyline and editing, bouncing around and truncating inexplicable things. Obviously the music was good, and I’ll commend the acting, but it was just such an unfocused and weird presentation.
“Dorm-room poster” is about right. It gives most (but not all) of the hits, but little background or any discussion of his career from like 1968 to 1975. I’m thinking the estate of Peter Tosh and his family didn’t want to participate, so the second most important member of the band is literally never mentioned once. Same for Lee ” Scratch” Perry, for what it’s worth.
Can anyone please tell me the name of the song they play in the audition scene for Coxsone Dodd? Not Simmer Down, it’s the first one they play and get rejected for. I’m desperate to find out what song that is.
I’m pretty sure it’s the first track on their debut album, “(I’m Gonna) Put It On.” Very ska-flavored as most of that record is, except for the couple covers and the song you mentioned.
Does that sound familiar? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mOrLMoyUIgU&pp=ygUeaSdtIGdvbm5hIHB1dCBpdCBvbiBib2IgbWFybGV5