Just Like A River Rhythm

The Tennors – Cleopatra / I’ve Got To Get You Off My Mind 1968

Tennors Olive BlossomTennors IslandTennors ReissueTennors Jamixal

Thanks to 45cat for label scan

The%20Tennors%20-%20Cleopatra.mp3

From what I can find out this track was the first to be released it is not exactly the same as the Stranger Cole and Gladdy cut. It was presumably financed by Prince Buster being that it came out on an Olive Blossom pre in Jamaica (and I think it was also on Fab in the UK as well as Island ) but the production credit on the Island release is A. Murphy so it was probably self produced . It has been repressed on the UK Jamaxial label. Cleopatra is also available on the Jamaxial CD The Tennors – Moods.

Stranger Cole & Glady – Just Like A River 1968

AMG 801AAMG 801A JAAMG 801A JAMG 801A JBAMG 801A J1AMG 801A J2AMG 801A R

Thanks to 45cat, Dancecrasher, Dave’s Jukebox and DnB Records for label scans

AMG%20801A.mp3

This was the second single on the UK Amalgamated label and it was also released in Jamaica on Amalgamated and later Jogibs. It is the song that has given the rhythym it’s name and is a classic. It has been repressed on the Jamaican Joe Gibbs Record Globe label. It’s also avalable on the VP records CD Joe Gibbs Scorchers From The Early Years (1967-73).

Lyn Taitt And The Jets – Just Like A River 1968

Jets
Just%20Like%20A%20River.mp3

An Instrumental version of ‘Just Like A River’ recently reissued. Originally on The 1968 Merritone album ‘Rock Steady Greatest Hits’. It may have been released on a Merritone 7″as well, but I can’t find any mention of one.

Lyn Taitt And The Jets – El Casino Royale 1968

AMG 810AAMG 810A JA

Thanks to 45cat for label scan

AMG%20810A.mp3

Following on from the success of Just Like A River, later the same year Amalgamated put out an instrumental cut El Casino Royal. It’s a nice version featuring the organ. It’s available on the VP records CD Joe Gibbs Scorchers From The Early Years (1967-73).

Laurel Aitken – Woppi King 1969

Laurel AitkenTrybute

Thanks to 45cat for label scan

Laurel%20Aitken%20-%20Woppi%20King.mp3

This is a nice early DJ cut to the rhythm on Pama’s Nu beat Label. It features bizarre ramblings about reincarnation amoung other topics. It was reissued on a trybute &” a few years back and is currently available on the Trybute CD Laurel Aitken – Woppi King: The Early Reggae Years 1968-1969

Tommy McCook & Stranger Cole – Last Flight To Reggae City 1969

CariftaLast Flight

Thanks to Dancecrasher for label scans

Stranger%20Cole%20&%20Tommy%20McCook%20-%20Last%20Flight%20To%20Reggae%20City%20.mp3
Released on Carifta In Jamaica and Pama’s Unity Label in the UK.
This was a big skinhead tune, similar to El Casino Royale but with a flute instead of the organ. ‘Last Flight To Reggae City’ is available on The Trojan Skinhead Reggae Box Set

Andy Capp – Musical Recipe 1970

Andy Capp
Andy%20Capp%20-%20Musical%20Recipe.mp3

Another DJ cut to the rhythm, this time by Andy Capp.

Mighty Diamonds & Ranking Joe – Just Like A River 1978

Mighty Diamonds

Mighty%20Diamonds%20&%20Ranking%20Joe%20-%20Just%20Like%20A%20River.mp3

A Lover’s Rock cover of Just Like A River.

Danny Ray – Just Like A River 1978

Danny Ray

Danny%20Ray%20-%20Just%20Like%20A%20River.mp3

A rather cheesy rendition of Stranger Cole’s original. It is available on Trojan’s Reggae Chill-Out CD Box Set.

Culture – Callie Weed Song 1981

801Culture
801Culture.mp3
An 80’s version.

Stranger Cole – Just Like A River 198x

Stranger Micron

Stranger%20Cole%20-%20Just%20Like%20A%20River%20(Micron).mp3

I presume this is an eighties update of the orginal song, shown here on the Canadian Micron label, I not sure if it was released on any other lables or in other countries.

Stranger Cole & Sharon Forrester – Just Like A River 1992

Stranger & Sharon

Stranger%20Cole%20&%20Sharon%20Forrester%20-%20Just%20Like%20A%20River.mp3

Written Strangejah Cole on the label, I presume it is Stranger.

Gregory Isaacs – So Much Love 1998

So Much Love

Gregory%20Isaacs%20-%20So%20Much%20Love.mp3

Emerge – Treasure 1999

Kwanaza

Emerge%20-%20Treasure.mp3

Tristan Palmer – Real Loving 1999

Kwanaza

Tristan%20Palmer%20-%20Real%20Loving.mp3

Al Campbell – Love Is Blessing 1999

Al Acmpbell

Al%20Campbell%20-%20Love%20Is%20A%20Blessing.mp3

One of a bunch of versions released on Charm, none of them up to much as far as I’m concerned.

Antonio – From So Long 1999

Antonio

Antonio%20-%20From%20So%20Long.mp3

Tyrone Taylor – When You’re Down 1999

Tyrone Taylor

Tyrone%20Taylor%20-%20When%20You\’re%20Down.mp3

Jimmy Riley – Just Like A River

Jimmy Riley

Jimmy%20Riley%20-%20Just%20Like%20A%20River.mp3

Riverbash

Riverbash

Jetstar release a rythym album on CD in 2008 called “Riverbash” here are some of the tracks from it.

Frankie Paul – Here I Am

Frankie%20Paul%20-%20Here%20I%20Am.mp3

U Brown – Mek We Dance

U%20Brown%20-%20Mek%20We%20Dance.mp3

Freddie Mcgregor – I Should Have Known Better

Freddie%20Mcgregor%20-%20I%20Should%20Have%20Known%20Better.mp3

Dennis Brown – Love Me Tonight

Dennis%20Brown%20-%20Love%20Me%20Tonight.mp3

Michael Prophet – M Sweet Her

Michael%20Prophet%20-%20M%20Sweet%20Her.mp3

Barbara Napps – Don’t Leave

Barbara%20Napps%20-%20Don\’t%20Leave.mp3

Don Campbell – Give It Up

Don%20Campbell%20-%20Give%20It%20Up.mp3

Leory Sibbles – Oil Your Lamp

Leory%20Sibbles%20-%20Oil%20Your%20Lamp.mp3

Easy B – Give Me A Heart

Easy%20B%20-%20Give%20Me%20a%20Heart.mp3

Lascelles James – Sax On the River

Lascelles%20James%20-%20Sax%20On%20the%20River.mp3

Candy Man – It Dread

Candy%20Man%20-%20It%20Dread.mp3

Easy B – Just Like A River

Easy%20B%20-%20Just%20Like%20A%20River.mp3

Hereare some versions that I know absolutly nothing about

Freddie Mcgregor – Take Time To Know Her

Freddie%20Mcgregor%20-%20Take%20Time%20to%20Know%20Her.mp3

Marvin Thomas – Just Like A River

Marvin%20Thomas%20-%20Just%20Like%20A%20River.mp3

Hya P – See It Long Time

Hya%20P%20-%20See%20It%20Long%20Time.mp3

Gregory Isaacs – Just Like A River

Gregory%20Isaacs%20-%20Just%20Like%20A%20River.mp3

Victor Cross – What Would You Profit

And there was apparently a compilation on Joe Gibbs 21st Century label with the following versions on it

Dean Frazer & Pam Hall – All The Love

Satellite – To The Foolish

Dennis Brown – Love And Devotion

Horace Andy – By Your Side

Pam Hall – All The Love

Gregory Isaacs – So Much Love

There are probably dozens more versions out there but I think that is enough for now.


Comments

Just Like A River Rhythm — 6 Comments

  1. i love this riddim.those ones which featured on the 21st century label are on this cd called hi fashion just like a river vol.1.being loooking for a copy but can’t find any…..

  2. on cultures joe gibbs album More culture, their is a track” Callie Weed Song”
    probalby same backing track as mighty diamonds..its a nice track

  3. Larry Marshall sings Get You Off My Mind on Presenting Larry Marshall (Studio One). Thanks for this wonderful article and website – your work is appreciated and inspiring. -D

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