Social Living

Much like another St. Ann's Bay native, Winston Rodney followed in the footsteps of Bob Marley and began his recording career with Sir Coxsone Dodd, taking the handle Burning Spear (in homage to Jomo Kenyatta, the Mau Mau leader and future president of Kenya). From jump, Burning Spear’s music was a heady blend of social awareness, Black history, righteous anger, concepts of repatriation, and Rastafarian devotion. By the time of 1978’s Social Living, he was one of the island’s biggest reggae stars, his forthright messaging of Rastafarianism and Marcus Garvey-indebted Pan-Africanism on full display (four of the twelve titles cite Garvey by name). This B&F reissue presents the more bass-forward JA mix, with Spear’s delivery closer to that of an incantation than crooner, full of world weariness and righteousness.