Judgement Day (by Laurel Aitken)

Judgement Day is a song by Laurel Aitken originally recorded in Kingston in 1960.
 * "Killer cut by Laurel with solos by Rico Rodriquez, great groove to this and impassioned vocal." (Castle Music)


 * "... recorded in Jamaica and produced by Laurel prior to setting off for Englang in 1960. And to see himself off he sings a spiritual, if irrelevant tune!


 * What you gonna do on judgement day?
 * What you gonna do on judgement day?
 * All I'll do on the judgement day is rock and rollin' my sins away


 * What You gonna do on judgement day?
 * What you gonna do on judgement day?
 * You cannor rock and roll all day
 * All you gotta do is kneel and pray


 * What you gonna do on judgement day?


 * This was the second deliberately blasphemous tune Laurel had sung, following his version of "Swing low, sweet chariot" (UK release on Kaypso XX 16), which has the line:


 * "Me and Rosebell, taking the chariot to hell"


 * Nonetheless the music is fully fledging Jamaican Gospel, complete with off beat hand claps (later characteristic of Prince Buster's recordings during the Ska period), a bass figure, off-beat piano (possibly Theophilus "Easy Snappin'" Beckford) and searing solos from Val Bennett, to which Laurel shouts during these: "Hallelujah", "Gloryful sound" and "Glory man". Rico echoes the previous indiscretions by setting up a riff from "When the saints go marching in". (from the liner notes to The Pioneer Of Jamaican Music by Dave Chapple and Kenn Jones)

Recording
Recorded 1960 by Laurel Aitken with
 * Laurel Aitken (voc)
 * Ken Richards and His Harmonisers
 * Theophilus Beckford (?) (p)
 * Val Bennett (sax)
 * Rico Rodriguez (tb)

Release history
1960:
 * 7"-side: Duke Reid's RR 150 /Jamaica
 * Laurel Aitken, Ken Richards & His Harmonisers: "Judgement Day" b/w "Yea Yea Baby" (7": Blue Beat BB 14 /UK)

1999: Laurel Aitken: The Pioneer Of Jamaican Music (CD: Reggae Retro)

2002: V.A.: Trojan Jamaican R&B Box Set (3CD: Trojan)

2006: Laurel Aitken: The Pioneer Of Jamaican Music (2LP-set: Reggae Retro)