The Origins & History of LOVER'S ROCK

Lover's Rock is considered third in the pecking order begin Roots Reggae and Dancehall. The story behind this sub-genre is traceable to the yearnings and cultural leanings of the second generation of Jamaican kids in 1970s Britain. This video traces the history of the sound from it's beginnings in South London
#reggae #jamaica #loversrock

[@stuckintha90s]

I remember a Sugar Minott interview where he said audiences in Jamaica weren't feeling his love songs so he decided to join Dennis Brown in England

[@leroyholmes3472]

It’s nice that you take me down Memory Lane as BROWN SUGAR was the 1st band I played drums for, WINSTON EDWARDS recruited me, JOHN KPIAYE was the musical director and had asthma,so smoking was a problem and I love herb too much, so I moved on to ROOTS ROCK REGGAE. I recall having to wait until CARRON WHEELER finish school before rehearsals could start, she was that young, great to see her glory as SOUL2SOUL,KOFI (CAROL) did wonders with MOVE ME NO MOUNTAIN for JAZZY B and the many ARIWA hits. Those memories are treasures. Keep up the good work RASPECT IN EVERY ASPECT!!!🇯🇲🎶👏🏿

[@ReggaeAppreciationSociety]

Wow! Thanks for sharing this sir. Respect🙌

[@Montgomery539]

So nice to see Lovers Rick still going strong …. Saw Janet Kaye and Carroll Thompson in concert a few months ago and they haven’t changed a bit !!! Their Voices are still perfect 🎉

[@dp13579]

Great stuff..... Lovers Rock is just the mellowest music in the world!!!!!!

[@watsonunlimitedmusic]

Another great video ! There was a series of artists that relocated to the UK over the 60s and 70s that I think influenced the trajectory of reggae in the UK towards Lovers Rock. Jackie Edwards moved there in the early 60s, Alton Ellis was there from '72 onwards. When I played guitar with Ken Boothe here in Canada, he told me a lot of people weren't aware that he'd actually lived more than 20yrs in the Harlesden / Willesden area of North West London from the mid 70s onwards. The same area where Hawkeye Records was situated and where Mad Professor still has his Ariwa studios. I think the presence of these Rocksteady era giants in the English scene kept the music grounded in the Rocksteady era while Jamaica moved towards the "Golden Era" Roots sound. Even the fact that the local session musicians (like The Cimarons, for example) were working backing these artists created a scene with a different sound by the mid 70s. Louisa Marks and also Ginger Williams are especially significant because they were the first UK born Afro Caribbean artists to have success in the UK reggae market. Which then, as you describe, led to the hunt for new acts at home. All this several years before the likes of Steele Pulse and Aswad had formed.

[@ReggaeAppreciationSociety]

Wow thanks for sharing sir 🙌

[@mrsplanetmaster9]

Happy June Teenth Day from Hollywood, Ca. ✊🏼, perfect new video with black history..Thx RAS..🩸🌞🌿

[@ReggaeAppreciationSociety]

Blessings 😊 mi California lioness 🔥

[@obakengleepile1538]

Evolution of Reggae... Always love the academic approach to the content...

[@ReggaeAppreciationSociety]

Blessings brethren ✌️

[@OGxCSH]

Praises due Bigg RAS....phenomenal walk through Lovers Rock!!!!! My all-time favorite subgenre after Ska & Rocksteady of course. Big ups from Southern California Brethren

[@ReggaeAppreciationSociety]

Blessings mon! Glad you liked it

[@OGxCSH]

@ReggaeAppreciationSociety Everything you do Brethren is a scorcher....mad respect!!!!

[@boohdahbless]

Great video RAS and i luv all of the history im reading in the comments. Bless up everyone....much luv and respect.

[@ReggaeAppreciationSociety]

✌️🔥🔥🔥

[@tb22k]

Love ur African accent 😅❤hello everybody

[@ReggaeAppreciationSociety]

😎 Thanks mi lioness. You just made my head swell ❤️💛💚

[@celmac74]

Can't beat lovers rock if you want to feel cozy 🎉

[@AuthenticSelector64]

Jamaica also made Reggae Love Songs…. But that authentic Lovers Rock sound started 1975 with Louisa Mark…. Caught You in A Lie…. It was Reggae with that RnB American influence in the Production….also it led to a surge in very young Female singers….Louisa Mark Brown Sugar Sonia Ferguson Carroll Thompson Janet Kay Simplicity Sister Love Cool Notes Cassandra Sandra Reid 15,16,17 Marie Pierre Sylvia Tella Jean Adebambo

[@fredericocr1]

Agree on hierarchy. There is another somewhat obscure sub-genre called afro-reggae. It comes from the Brazilian state of Bahia, perhaps the place with the strongest african cultural influence in Brazil. It is played by big percurssion groups + convenssional instruments. The most famous band is called Olodum. Their moment of internatiinal fame was recording a videoclip with Michael Jackson. He even wore their band shirt. But their sound is fire and they play on the street every week near their HQ in the historical part of Salvador, Bahia's capital.

[@ReggaeAppreciationSociety]

Interesting. Will look up this Brazilian creation

[@jzkramer]

My favourite Lovers Rock tune - Nana Mclean - Til I Kissed You, 1973.

[@dailypolishme]

Another brilliant video and thanks for sharing. So comforting 💖

[@robertmathurin739]

Give Thanks for the video Ras,, Blessed Love Rastafari,,🇱🇨👊🏽🇯🇲👍🏽❤️🔥🔥🔥

[@carltonsounds]

I like a lot of the genres in the Jamaican reggae genre. And I also like the lovers rock that is in the British reggae genre. But in my opinion the Jamaican reggae musicians made love songs before lovers rock, e.g. love songs are incorporated in some of the genres of reggae, e.g. a song could be a love song or about Jah or about Ras Tafari or about some of the problems that are in the world or what you wanted to write a song about. And there are many different genres of reggae, e.g. ska, rock steady, reggae, roots, dancehall, ragga, dubs, etc. And you could write a love song or write a song about Jah, etc, in some of these genres of reggae. I call love songs in the reggae genre, e.g. love songs or lovers. And there is the love songs in the Jamaican reggae genre and there is the lovers rock in the British reggae genre. And some times love songs and lovers rock are in the British reggae genre.

[@KyleWallacekev]

So what do you call artiste and groups like Alton Ellis, John Holt , Paragons , Slim smith , Bob Andy , Marcia Griffits , phyliss dillion ( the queen of rock steady )., etc , etc , that sang love ballads , long before these guys in the U. K. In fact they inspired them . I believe they called it Rock Steady. Lovers Rock is nothing more than a british slang for rock steady. What happened wa s reggae went more roots culture in JA in the 70s , and Rock Steady/ Lovers Rock in the U. K

[@lawrencenjawe9875]

That's a fact👍

[@jzkramer]

Even the big guy Bob Marley - Am a Do - 1974

[@kingsleyblair1952]

So what you call Alton Ellis, Slim Smith. That 1968 version of Stir it up Wailer, Baby we have a date most Rock Steady are lover rock

[@somuchthingstosay3704]

Yes! You did your homework. They just want to claim something, not going to happen.

[@KyleWallacekev]

@@somuchthingstosay3704 Not homework , i lived it in the 70s, rocksteady artiste had to go to england to be relevant in love ballads. Alton ellis , John Holt , Gregory Issacs, Hortense Ellis , the heptones, bob andy, marcia griffiths. Ken boothe . Some literally gave it up like phyliss dillion , she migrated to NY. It all started in the late 60s.

[@Infinitebrandon]

Can't wait to rewatch, I got plenty mosquito now lol. 🤙

[@lawrencenjawe9875]

The Origins of Lovers Rock stemmed from the Rock steady era when Jamaican music transitioned from Ska to Rock Steady. Incidentally that rise of Rasta Reggae with the ensuing politicaly charged environment of the era) stemmed the momentum of that reggae subgenre. What then can naysayers tell me? That Ken Boothe, Hortense Ellis, Alton Ellis and orhers weren't Lovers Rock...The difference is: after being transplanted to the UK where it crystallized into a subgenre, it had become more focused

[@drychaf]

It's an attractive genre. Lots of details here, thanks. Not really related to this video, but does anyone know of any old UK house party / blues party videos on YT? Just sound would do. Loved the music, but I only went to Highfields in Leicester once, back in around 1980. As a lone white lad, I didn't feel at ease! (There were comments from the shadows as I approached down the dark drive and someone tried to charge me for entry - he had nothing to do with the gig, just trying it on.) But there were a few nights where the same sounds would pump out at the Poly, and I loved the experimentation. I'd previously got into such sounds at punk gigs in '77. I had a girlfriend once, who had a blues party tape from London. I miss it more than I miss her, lol!

[@ReggaeAppreciationSociety]

Lol. Thanks for sharing. This is a reggae dance from the 1970s. Enjoy 👇 kzbin.info/www/bejne/oGHYY4qMrNSBl6Msi=7V1dYJ_1x3rnq4TP

[@drychaf]

@@ReggaeAppreciationSociety So kind - but I'd found that very video when I went for a wander halfway through watching yours : ) It IS the sort of thing I want to find though. On the one hand it's amazing how rare the record is of this phenomenon. One the other, they were events to be attended, not to be recorded, so it's not so surprising, just a shame we don't have them to enjoy. Thanks again.

[@kevinisaacs6930]

🔥❤🌟

[@normanbajnaut2108]

Gregory Isaac is the real lovers rock singer

[@lawrencenjawe9875]

The number One I must say...💯%

[@AuthenticSelector64]

Also… quality Lovers Rock UK based Male Singers and groups like….Junior English Winston Reedy Investigators Trevor Walters Peter Hunnigale Tex Johnson One Blood Tradition Paul Dawkins Maxi Priest Mike Anthony

[@ReggaeAppreciationSociety]

Don't forget senior man Winston Groovy

[@AuthenticSelector64]

@@ReggaeAppreciationSociety ….. not Lovers Rock Artist….Winston Groovy had big hit …. Please don’t make me cry…..

[@AuthenticSelector64]

Winston Groovy hit tune released in 1970

[@homefrontproductions5334]

Bitty McLean was not apart of the lovers Rock scene until the 90s that is the only misinformation that you got.

[@johntom8291]

Bitty McClean has been singing lovers from 70s

[@gazfunk]

I liked the late 70s and early 80s period. Not so much later on. It went a bit too pop for me.

[@lstatic]

Black Swan 😅😅😅

[@lstatic]

Lovers rock was created by small island people not Jamaicans