C/D: Althea & Donna - Uptown Top Ranking

The song may be my favorite discovery from the ILM Best Tracks of the '70s Poll.

where are our reggae headz?

who doesnt think its classic?

Jo-Ann Greene at Allmusic:

Theirs is a legendary story of how two teenagers enamored with Trinity's hit "Three Piece Suit" wrote a reply,"Uptown Town Ranking," cut it for Joe Gibbs, and scored a number one in both Jamaica and Britain. That feat brought Althea Forrest and Donna Reid a record contract with Front Line, which resulted in this, their sole album. Uptown Top Ranking was superbly produced by Karl Pitterson, and boasts the heavy rhythms of the Revolutionaries. The music is a wonder to behold, driven by the Riddim Twins' fat rhythms and accompanied by Scully's inspired percussion. The heavenly horn section of Tommy McCook, Vin Gordon, and Herman Marquis punctuates the tracks, while keyboardist Bernard Harvey burbles in the background and guitarist Earl "Chinna" Smith riffs away. All told, the group makes Uptown top ranking indeed, fabulous roots reggae that swings from deeply moody to brightly upbeat. So, why was this album an abysmal failure? Simply put, because Althea & Donna were under the mistaken impression that they were now cultural artists instead of pop stars. And while the pair sings with heartfelt passion, their lyrics are rife with clichés and mind-numbing banalities; the immaturity of their writing is now laid bare. As is their singing. Although both girls had pretty enough voices, what they lacked was experience and training. This wasn't a problem on the single, a jubilant number whose brash lyrics laid waste to all other considerations. Across a full album, the flaws become obvious -- there's no real harmonies to speak of, and neither girl is able to come up with a suitably strong melody of their own. Compared to other albums of the era, Uptown Top Ranking was anything but top ranking. Today, however, militant themes and thoughtful lyrics are no longer required, and thus Althea & Donna may be due for a comeback. Certainly the Revolutionaries' excellent work here deserves the recognition it never received at the time.

So, why was this album an abysmal failure? Simply put, because Althea & Donna were under the mistaken impression that they were now cultural artists instead of pop stars. And while the pair sings with heartfelt passion, their lyrics are rife with clichés and mind-numbing banalities; the immaturity of their writing is now laid bare. As is their singing.

oh i was just thinking the single, my bad. haven't heard the album

use search:

Uptown Top Ranking : Best record ever?

and i agree with that amg review. the best thing about the single is the rhythm. compared to other voiced versions, theirs is a bit weak. and the album of the same name is pretty poor

Oh I totally disagree with that. I'll take their version over the Trinity and Alton Ellis ones any time.

That said I've never felt any need to buy this CD and I strongly suspect that it isn't even close to as good as the Love Joys records for example.

i liked it at one time, but i really dread (lol) hearing their singing these days

dude the album is not good, that single is the best thing about it. and of course love joys destroy them

ah, crap, i only searched "Althea & Donna"

my bad. lock it up.

the trinity one is good too but loses a few points IMO cos of the chorus just being still in love with you. but trinity himself rules. a&d's version isnt just good for the rhythm though, its cos they sound like bratty, impudent, fierce teenage girls and the sharp/stacatto phrasing/melody is stupidly catchy.

i prefer alton ellis on this riddim but the althea & donna's version is obv classic.

and "The deadpan vocal delivery" as the person who started that other thread says!

sean paul & sasha on this riddim is awesome as well.

this is just a classic riddim, like "stealing stealing" or something like that... I don't think it's possible to make a bad song on this riddim

unmetered taxi is another one.

someone should make a classic riddims thread.

I remember "The Puppy dog song" from the album...

"Frogs and snails and puppy dogs' tails, that's what little boys are made of..."

Hell, I *bought* The Puppy Dog Song! 10p in a bargain bin. Bloody awful. Worst 10p I ever spent! (And a prime candidate for duddest follow-up to a UK #1 ever.)

Why are there two diff versions of this song:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OMrNDnU6PPk

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YROAOQNftJM

I'm guessing #2 is a rerecording so they could make money off of it?

jamaicans love the remix

#1 is the real one though right? Bcz Spotify has #2 as the album version and it's weirding me out and I don't like it.

Yes, number 1 is the original one. The second one sounds awful, like it comes for one of those albums filled with generic, anonymous cover versions of big hits to pay less royalties.

btw, I suggest that a mod should remove the C/D from the thread title because it's obviously a classic.

"Uptown Top Ranking" = all-time KLASSIK fuiud etc

winin' baby

winin'

so which version do I buy?

will any of the ones released in 1977 do? I def. want the orig. version. the only thing that looks like a remix on Discogs is from 1995...

the original 12" is my pick. if you buy vinyl, there was a semi-recent reissue that was cut ultra loud.

i have this 45. kinda my fave version. slower and dubbier.

http://www.rootsvinylguide.com/images/pictures/453407_0.jpg

I dunno I always heard the 2nd youtube everywhere, that's the version I think of about this song. I've heard another version (I can't hear the 1st one cos Youtube blocks it in the UK for some reason) from a Soul Jazz comp that was a bit slower and might be the other one. Either way I love this song obviously.

the rolets were althea & donna as far as i know. vocals are different though. just as deadpan.

i didn't know there was an earlier version (the rolets). i really need to hear that now.

this may lose me all my cool points but i don't get this song at all.

I dunno I always heard the 2nd youtube everywhere, that's the version I think of about this song.

Are you sure? - I can't see the first youtube either but there's two versions on Spotify, the second youtube is the '2001 digital remaster' and it's subtly but definitely inferior, the main keyboard melody sounds like it's been done on the cheapest shitty 80s casio keyboard available and the cowbell is a whole new addition. The usual version is on 'The Story of Jamaican Music' and 'Now That's What I Call Reggae'.

Actually I did think "I don't remember this cowbell" but figured maybe it just sounded weird on Youtube. Hmm.

any love for the black box recorder version?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i1May2M8wCw

yes!

I loved this record when i was 7, I still remember the label had a tree on it

any love for the black box recorder version?

I think it's terrible. It reminds me of this:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NUIuixJLpbc

a big thanks to mr. seward for the heads up on the rolets version which is definitely althea & donna too unless my ears are completely deceiving me. i picked up a copy of it today and it is so good. after 35 years of knowing and loving what i thought was the original it's great to fall in love with this song all over again.

still the best

Can you hear the Rolets version anywhere? Youtube isn't offering anything up.

if i can find the time i'll youtube it but in the meantime there's a clip of it here - http://deadlydragonsound.com/v3_records_info.php?id=29790

I picked up a 7" of this at some NYC reggae vinyl shop in/near Chinatown but I don't think I've ever gotten around to listening to it

So tight