MusicRadar

The Israelites by Desmond Dekker and The Aces is a masterpiece of ska/early reggae.

Most folk can’t actually understand what Desmond is going on about in the song but that didn’t stop it hitting the top spot on the UK charts in 1969. Okay, it sounds like he’s singing 'my ears are alight,' but the actual words are 'Get up in the morning/Slaving for bread sir/So that every mouth can be fed/Oh, oh… the Israelites.'

Dekker also recorded the ska classic 007 (Shanty Town).

I is also for… I’m In The Mood For Ska: The 1965 ska classic was recorded by Lord Tanamo and The Skatalites. Born Joseph Abraham Gordon, Lord Tanamo was a key figure in the birth of the ska sound in the late 50s.