Uploaded August 2025 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
From '' Sings Hits Of '69 ''
Label: Revolution Records – REV RLP 1, REVRLP1, REVRLP 1
Series: Rocksteady
Format: Vinyl, LP, Album, Stereo
Country: UK
Released: 1969
Tracklist
A1 It Miek
Written-By – Desmond Dekker, Leslie Kong
A2 Swan Lake
Written-By [Uncredited] – Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky
A3 Children Get Ready
Written-By – B. Barrett
A4 Cupid
Written-By – Sam Cooke
A5 Phoenix City
Written-By – Jim Single
A6 Wet Dream
Written-By – Maxie Smith
B1 Red, Red Wine
Written By – Smith
Written-By [Uncredited] – Neil Diamond
B2 Guns Of Navarone
Written-By – Dimitri Tiomkin, Paul Francis Webster
B3 Everybody Needs Love
Written-By – Slim Smith
B4 Israelites
Written-By – Desmond Dekker, Leslie Kong
B5 The Horse
Written-By – Jesse James
B6 Bangarang
Written-By – Clancy Eccles
Liner Notes – Roger St. Pierre
Sleeve, Layout – Leonie Day
Producer – Dave Hadfield
Notes
"Though Owen had plenty of hits of his own, Owen decided that he would like to pay his own tribute to his fellow ska and soul hitmakers and here it is, one of the most exciting albums of the year - I hope you'll enjoy it". From the sleeve notes.
Beverly Music Ltd.
The album was reissued with a new title (How Reggae Is That Elephant Overthere?) and album cover on Blue Elephant in 1971.
℗ 2015 Fonior
© Cherry Red Records
℗ Cherry Red Records
💿 [SONG INFO]
"Israelites" is a song written by Desmond Dekker and Leslie Kong for their group, Desmond Dekker & the Aces, which reached the top of the charts in numerous countries in 1969.
Sung in Jamaican Patois, some of the song's lyrics were not readily understood by many British and American listeners at the time of its release. Despite this, the single was the first UK reggae no.1 and among the first to reach the US top ten (peaking at no.9).
It combined the Rastafarian religion with rude boy concerns, to make what has been described by Allmusic as a "timeless masterpiece that knew no boundaries".
Origin and lyrics
Originally issued in Jamaica as "Poor Me Israelites", it remains the best known Jamaican reggae hit to reach the United States Hot 100's top 10, and was written almost two years after Dekker first made his mark with the rude boy song "007 (Shanty Town)".
Dekker composed the song after overhearing an argument: "I was walking in the park, eating popcorn. I heard a couple arguing about money. She was saying she needs money and he was saying the work he was doing was not giving him enough. I related to those things and began to sing a little song: 'You get up in the morning and you're slaving for bread.' By the time I got home, it was complete."
The title has been the source of speculation, but most settle on the Rastafarian Movement's association with the Twelve Tribes of Israel.
In the 1960s, Jamaican Rastafarians were largely marginalized as "cultish" and ostracized from the larger society, including by the more conservative Christian church in Kingston. Destitute ("slaving for bread") and unkempt ("Shirt dem a-tear up, trousers a-gone"), some Rastafarians were tempted to a life of crime ("I don't want to end up like Bonnie and Clyde"). The song is a lament of this condition.
Impact
Despite "Israelites" being recorded and released in 1968, the Uni 45 discography shows its copyright as 1969. In June 1969, the record reached the Top Ten in the United States, peaking at no.9 on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart. "Israelites" hit no.1 in the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Jamaica and West Germany.
"Israelites" brought a Jamaican beat to the British top 40 for the first time since Dekker's no.14 hit "007 (Shanty Town)" in 1967.
The disc was released in the UK in March 1969 and was no.1 for one week, selling over 250,000 copies. A global million sales was reported in June 1969.
Charts
Weekly charts
Chart (1969) / Peak position
Australia (Go-Set) / 3
Australia (Kent Music Report) / 5
Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40) / 2
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders) / 3
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Wallonia) / 8
Canada Top Singles (RPM) / 9
Ireland (IRMA) / 7
Netherlands (Single Top 100) / 1
South Africa (Springbok Radio) / 12
Sweden (Kvällstoppen) / 2
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade) / 6
UK Singles (OCC) / 1
US Billboard Hot 100 / 9
US Cash Box Top 100 / 8
West Germany (GfK) / 1
Appearance in other media
The song has appeared in numerous movies and television programs, including the soundtracks of the 1989 American film Drugstore Cowboy and the 2010 British film Made in Dagenham.
On November 3, 2019, "Israelites" was prominently featured in the third episode of HBO's Watchmen. Potentially because of this usage, the song charted again, entering the Billboard Digital Reggae Song Sales Chart at no.2.
In 1989 the song was used as part of an advertising campaign by Hitachi’s Maxell tapes brand.
🔗 [LINKS]
Available on Apple Music:
music.apple.com/us/album/how-reggae-is-that-elephant-overthere/977004024
#rocksteady
#reggae
#reggaepop
From '' Sings Hits Of '69 ''
Label: Revolution Records – REV RLP 1, REVRLP1, REVRLP 1
Series: Rocksteady
Format: Vinyl, LP, Album, Stereo
Country: UK
Released: 1969
Tracklist
A1 It Miek
Written-By – Desmond Dekker, Leslie Kong
A2 Swan Lake
Written-By [Uncredited] – Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky
A3 Children Get Ready
Written-By – B. Barrett
A4 Cupid
Written-By – Sam Cooke
A5 Phoenix City
Written-By – Jim Single
A6 Wet Dream
Written-By – Maxie Smith
B1 Red, Red Wine
Written By – Smith
Written-By [Uncredited] – Neil Diamond
B2 Guns Of Navarone
Written-By – Dimitri Tiomkin, Paul Francis Webster
B3 Everybody Needs Love
Written-By – Slim Smith
B4 Israelites
Written-By – Desmond Dekker, Leslie Kong
B5 The Horse
Written-By – Jesse James
B6 Bangarang
Written-By – Clancy Eccles
Liner Notes – Roger St. Pierre
Sleeve, Layout – Leonie Day
Producer – Dave Hadfield
Notes
"Though Owen had plenty of hits of his own, Owen decided that he would like to pay his own tribute to his fellow ska and soul hitmakers and here it is, one of the most exciting albums of the year - I hope you'll enjoy it". From the sleeve notes.
Beverly Music Ltd.
The album was reissued with a new title (How Reggae Is That Elephant Overthere?) and album cover on Blue Elephant in 1971.
℗ 2015 Fonior
© Cherry Red Records
℗ Cherry Red Records
💿 [SONG INFO]
"Israelites" is a song written by Desmond Dekker and Leslie Kong for their group, Desmond Dekker & the Aces, which reached the top of the charts in numerous countries in 1969.
Sung in Jamaican Patois, some of the song's lyrics were not readily understood by many British and American listeners at the time of its release. Despite this, the single was the first UK reggae no.1 and among the first to reach the US top ten (peaking at no.9).
It combined the Rastafarian religion with rude boy concerns, to make what has been described by Allmusic as a "timeless masterpiece that knew no boundaries".
Origin and lyrics
Originally issued in Jamaica as "Poor Me Israelites", it remains the best known Jamaican reggae hit to reach the United States Hot 100's top 10, and was written almost two years after Dekker first made his mark with the rude boy song "007 (Shanty Town)".
Dekker composed the song after overhearing an argument: "I was walking in the park, eating popcorn. I heard a couple arguing about money. She was saying she needs money and he was saying the work he was doing was not giving him enough. I related to those things and began to sing a little song: 'You get up in the morning and you're slaving for bread.' By the time I got home, it was complete."
The title has been the source of speculation, but most settle on the Rastafarian Movement's association with the Twelve Tribes of Israel.
In the 1960s, Jamaican Rastafarians were largely marginalized as "cultish" and ostracized from the larger society, including by the more conservative Christian church in Kingston. Destitute ("slaving for bread") and unkempt ("Shirt dem a-tear up, trousers a-gone"), some Rastafarians were tempted to a life of crime ("I don't want to end up like Bonnie and Clyde"). The song is a lament of this condition.
Impact
Despite "Israelites" being recorded and released in 1968, the Uni 45 discography shows its copyright as 1969. In June 1969, the record reached the Top Ten in the United States, peaking at no.9 on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart. "Israelites" hit no.1 in the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Jamaica and West Germany.
"Israelites" brought a Jamaican beat to the British top 40 for the first time since Dekker's no.14 hit "007 (Shanty Town)" in 1967.
The disc was released in the UK in March 1969 and was no.1 for one week, selling over 250,000 copies. A global million sales was reported in June 1969.
Charts
Weekly charts
Chart (1969) / Peak position
Australia (Go-Set) / 3
Australia (Kent Music Report) / 5
Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40) / 2
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders) / 3
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Wallonia) / 8
Canada Top Singles (RPM) / 9
Ireland (IRMA) / 7
Netherlands (Single Top 100) / 1
South Africa (Springbok Radio) / 12
Sweden (Kvällstoppen) / 2
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade) / 6
UK Singles (OCC) / 1
US Billboard Hot 100 / 9
US Cash Box Top 100 / 8
West Germany (GfK) / 1
Appearance in other media
The song has appeared in numerous movies and television programs, including the soundtracks of the 1989 American film Drugstore Cowboy and the 2010 British film Made in Dagenham.
On November 3, 2019, "Israelites" was prominently featured in the third episode of HBO's Watchmen. Potentially because of this usage, the song charted again, entering the Billboard Digital Reggae Song Sales Chart at no.2.
In 1989 the song was used as part of an advertising campaign by Hitachi’s Maxell tapes brand.
🔗 [LINKS]
Available on Apple Music:
music.apple.com/us/album/how-reggae-is-that-elephant-overthere/977004024
#rocksteady
#reggae
#reggaepop
