Alton Ellis
Alton Nehemiah Ellis OD (1 September 1938 – 10 October 2008) was a Jamaican… Read Full Bio ↴Alton Nehemiah Ellis OD (1 September 1938 – 10 October 2008) was a Jamaican singer and songwriter. One of the innovators of rocksteady who was given the informal title "Godfather of Rocksteady". In 2004, Alton Ellis was awarded the Order of Distinction by the Jamaican government in recognition of his achievements. In 2006, he was inducted into the International Reggae And World Music Awards Hall Of Fame.
Born in Trenchtown, Kingston, Jamaica, Alton Ellis was raised within a musical family and learned to play the piano at a young age. He attended Ebeneezer and Boys' Town schools, where he excelled in both music and sport. While at Boys' Town Ellis performed as a dancer (in a duo) in the first show that a school director called Mr Bailey had organized for Vere Johns who had been invited down to talent scout. He would later compete on Vere Johns' Opportunity Hour. After winning some competitions, he switched to singing, starting his career in 1959 as part of the duo Alton & Eddy with Eddy Parkins.
Ellis and Parkins recorded for Coxsone Dodd at Studio One, initially in the R&B style, having a hit in 1960 with "Muriel" (from Dodd's first commercially-oriented recording session at Federal studios), a song Ellis had written while working as a labourer on a building site. This initial success was followed by the release of "My Heaven", which like "Muriel" was a slow R&B ballad with the instrumental triplets and vocal harmonizing common to the ballads of that period. Further releases in the R&B style followed: "Lullabye Angel", "I Know It All", "I'm Never Gonna Cry" and "Yours". The duo also recorded R&B tracks for Vincent Chin's Randy's label including "Let Me Dream". The duo split after Parkins won a major talent contest and moved to the United States. Ellis remained in Kingston, working as a printer and after losing his job, he restarted his music career, initially forming a new duo with John Holt. When Holt joined The Paragons, Ellis formed a new group, The Flames. Ellis continued to work for Dodd and also recorded for his arch-rival, Duke Reid on his Treasure Isle label. At the start of his career Ellis recorded with his younger sister Hortense; early tracks with Hortense like "Don't Gamble With Love" (1965) were still in the R&B style.
By the mid-1960s, ska was moving on and the beat was slowing down to rocksteady and becoming associated with the violent rude boy subculture in Jamaican dancehalls. Many artists made records referring to the rude boys, including Ellis, although his records were consistently anti-rudie, including "Don't Trouble People", "Dance Crasher", and "Cry Tough". Releasing records under the name Alton Ellis and The Flames (the varying line-up of which included his brother Leslie Ellis, David "Baby G" Gordon and Winston Jarrett); the group had hits with "Girl I've Got a Date" and "Cry Tough". The release of "Rock Steady" (1967) backed by Tommy McCook and the Supersonics, the first song to refer to the name of the new genre, heralded the new direction Jamaican popular music was taking. Ellis continued to have hits for Treasure Isle; working with artists such as Lloyd Charmers, Phyllis Dillon and The Heptones. His Mr Soul of Jamaica album (with Tommy McCook and the Supersonics) is regarded as one of the definitive rocksteady albums.
Ellis toured the United Kingdom in the 1967 with Ken Boothe and Studio One session band the Soul Vendors and on his return to Jamaica he worked with Dodd, recording the tracks that would be released as his debut album Alton Ellis Sings Rock & Soul. During the late 1960s and early 1970s, Ellis recorded for some of Jamaica's top producers including Bunny Lee, Keith Hudson, and Herman Chin Loy. He also began to produce his own records, including "My Time Is The Right Time" (1968) and "The Message". He had two hits with Lloyd Daley in "Deliver Us" (1970) and "Back to Africa" (1971), both released in the UK on the Gas record label, a subsidiary of Pama Records.
Ellis regularly returned to England, working with several London-based producers and after spending a few years in Canada, from 1972 he based himself permanently in the UK. Ellis continued to record and perform regularly, recording in the early 1980s for emerging producers including Henry "Junjo" Lawes, Sugar Minott, and King Jammy. He also opened up the All-Tone record shop in South London, and started a record label of the same name.
Ellis continued to be active on the reggae scene until his health began to deteriorate. His latest works include performing all over Europe with a French backing-band called ASPO (About Some Precioux Oldies) at the beginning of the 21st century. Recorded in Bordeaux, France, Live with Aspo: Workin' on a Groovy Thing is the only live album Alton Ellis ever published (2001).
In 2004, Ellis was awarded the Order of Distinction by the Jamaican government in recognition of his achievements.
In December 2007, he was admitted to hospital in London for treatment of cancer of the lymph glands (Hodgkins disease), but he returned to live performance after receiving chemotherapy.
Ellis died of cancer on 10 October 2008 at Hammersmith Hospital, London. His death prompted a statement from Jamaica's Minister of Information, Culture, Youth and Sports, Olivia "Babsy" Grange, who said "even as we mourn the great Alton Ellis, we must give thanks for his monumental contribution to the development of Jamaica's popular music". A funeral service and celebration of his life was held on 3 November, attended by family, fans, music industry personnel and government ministers, with tribute performances from stars including Winston "Fix It" Francis, Tinga Stewart, George Nooks, Tony Gregory, Ken Boothe, Judy Mowatt and Carlene Davis.
In 2012 it was announced that the main hall of the new Trench Town Multi-Purpose Building would be named the Alton Ellis Auditorium in his honour.
He was the older brother of the late Hortense Ellis, and the father of more than twenty children including Noel Ellis and Christopher Ellis, who are both reggae singers. He was also the uncle of the Jamaican comedians Owen "Blakka" Ellis and Ian "Ity" Ellis.
Legacy
The "Mad Mad" riddim (the track "Mad Mad" by Alton Ellis and the Sound Dimension band was released in 1968 on the Coxsone label) has been reused or sampled by many hip-hop, dancehall and reggae producers and artists. The recognizable three-note descending horn line was reinterpreted by Henry "Junjo" Lawes, and eventually became known as the "Diseases" reggae riddim. "Diseases" is notably utilized in Yellowman's hit song "Zungguzungguguzungguzeng", which has in turn has been sampled and reinterpreted by a long list of popular hip-hop artists, including KRS-One, The Notorious B.I.G., Tupac Shakur, Sublime, and Blackstar. This constant reinterpretation and referencing has made Ellis a major but little-known influence in the trajectory of dancehall, reggae and hip hop.
--------------------------------
Alton Ellis (1938-2008) was a musician best known as the innovator of rocksteady music. He began recording in the late 1950s and continued until his death in 2008, but he reached his period of greatest popularity in the late 1960s.
Ellis was born in Trenchtown, a poor area of Kingston, Jamaica, and learned to play the piano at a young age. In his teens, Alton and Eddie Perkins formed Alton & Eddie, and began recording for Coxsone Dodd at Studio One, scoring a hit in 1958 with "Muriel".
Ellis launched his solo career after Perkins left for the United States around 1965. He moved to Treasure Isle and began recording with the back-up trio The Flames. His first hit for Treasure Isle was "Dance Crasher", a plea for peace, and he followed it up with "Get Ready - Rock Steady", perhaps the first rocksteady recording. The song was apparently recorded with keyboardist Jackie Mittoo playing the bass guitar part because the bassist did not show up; Mittoo could not keep up with the ska beat, and the tempo was slowed down to accommodate him. This allowed for a choppier rhythm that led Ellis to expand his vocal range.
Ellis' most well-known song is probably "Girl, I've Got A Date", or "I'm Still In Love With You", a song that has been versioned many times by artists such as Sean Paul, Althea & Donna (As 'Uptown Top Ranking').
In 2006, Ellis was inducted into the International Reggae And World Music Awards (IRAWMA), Hall Of Fame.
http://www.myspace.com/altonellisod
Born in Trenchtown, Kingston, Jamaica, Alton Ellis was raised within a musical family and learned to play the piano at a young age. He attended Ebeneezer and Boys' Town schools, where he excelled in both music and sport. While at Boys' Town Ellis performed as a dancer (in a duo) in the first show that a school director called Mr Bailey had organized for Vere Johns who had been invited down to talent scout. He would later compete on Vere Johns' Opportunity Hour. After winning some competitions, he switched to singing, starting his career in 1959 as part of the duo Alton & Eddy with Eddy Parkins.
Ellis and Parkins recorded for Coxsone Dodd at Studio One, initially in the R&B style, having a hit in 1960 with "Muriel" (from Dodd's first commercially-oriented recording session at Federal studios), a song Ellis had written while working as a labourer on a building site. This initial success was followed by the release of "My Heaven", which like "Muriel" was a slow R&B ballad with the instrumental triplets and vocal harmonizing common to the ballads of that period. Further releases in the R&B style followed: "Lullabye Angel", "I Know It All", "I'm Never Gonna Cry" and "Yours". The duo also recorded R&B tracks for Vincent Chin's Randy's label including "Let Me Dream". The duo split after Parkins won a major talent contest and moved to the United States. Ellis remained in Kingston, working as a printer and after losing his job, he restarted his music career, initially forming a new duo with John Holt. When Holt joined The Paragons, Ellis formed a new group, The Flames. Ellis continued to work for Dodd and also recorded for his arch-rival, Duke Reid on his Treasure Isle label. At the start of his career Ellis recorded with his younger sister Hortense; early tracks with Hortense like "Don't Gamble With Love" (1965) were still in the R&B style.
By the mid-1960s, ska was moving on and the beat was slowing down to rocksteady and becoming associated with the violent rude boy subculture in Jamaican dancehalls. Many artists made records referring to the rude boys, including Ellis, although his records were consistently anti-rudie, including "Don't Trouble People", "Dance Crasher", and "Cry Tough". Releasing records under the name Alton Ellis and The Flames (the varying line-up of which included his brother Leslie Ellis, David "Baby G" Gordon and Winston Jarrett); the group had hits with "Girl I've Got a Date" and "Cry Tough". The release of "Rock Steady" (1967) backed by Tommy McCook and the Supersonics, the first song to refer to the name of the new genre, heralded the new direction Jamaican popular music was taking. Ellis continued to have hits for Treasure Isle; working with artists such as Lloyd Charmers, Phyllis Dillon and The Heptones. His Mr Soul of Jamaica album (with Tommy McCook and the Supersonics) is regarded as one of the definitive rocksteady albums.
Ellis toured the United Kingdom in the 1967 with Ken Boothe and Studio One session band the Soul Vendors and on his return to Jamaica he worked with Dodd, recording the tracks that would be released as his debut album Alton Ellis Sings Rock & Soul. During the late 1960s and early 1970s, Ellis recorded for some of Jamaica's top producers including Bunny Lee, Keith Hudson, and Herman Chin Loy. He also began to produce his own records, including "My Time Is The Right Time" (1968) and "The Message". He had two hits with Lloyd Daley in "Deliver Us" (1970) and "Back to Africa" (1971), both released in the UK on the Gas record label, a subsidiary of Pama Records.
Ellis regularly returned to England, working with several London-based producers and after spending a few years in Canada, from 1972 he based himself permanently in the UK. Ellis continued to record and perform regularly, recording in the early 1980s for emerging producers including Henry "Junjo" Lawes, Sugar Minott, and King Jammy. He also opened up the All-Tone record shop in South London, and started a record label of the same name.
Ellis continued to be active on the reggae scene until his health began to deteriorate. His latest works include performing all over Europe with a French backing-band called ASPO (About Some Precioux Oldies) at the beginning of the 21st century. Recorded in Bordeaux, France, Live with Aspo: Workin' on a Groovy Thing is the only live album Alton Ellis ever published (2001).
In 2004, Ellis was awarded the Order of Distinction by the Jamaican government in recognition of his achievements.
In December 2007, he was admitted to hospital in London for treatment of cancer of the lymph glands (Hodgkins disease), but he returned to live performance after receiving chemotherapy.
Ellis died of cancer on 10 October 2008 at Hammersmith Hospital, London. His death prompted a statement from Jamaica's Minister of Information, Culture, Youth and Sports, Olivia "Babsy" Grange, who said "even as we mourn the great Alton Ellis, we must give thanks for his monumental contribution to the development of Jamaica's popular music". A funeral service and celebration of his life was held on 3 November, attended by family, fans, music industry personnel and government ministers, with tribute performances from stars including Winston "Fix It" Francis, Tinga Stewart, George Nooks, Tony Gregory, Ken Boothe, Judy Mowatt and Carlene Davis.
In 2012 it was announced that the main hall of the new Trench Town Multi-Purpose Building would be named the Alton Ellis Auditorium in his honour.
He was the older brother of the late Hortense Ellis, and the father of more than twenty children including Noel Ellis and Christopher Ellis, who are both reggae singers. He was also the uncle of the Jamaican comedians Owen "Blakka" Ellis and Ian "Ity" Ellis.
Legacy
The "Mad Mad" riddim (the track "Mad Mad" by Alton Ellis and the Sound Dimension band was released in 1968 on the Coxsone label) has been reused or sampled by many hip-hop, dancehall and reggae producers and artists. The recognizable three-note descending horn line was reinterpreted by Henry "Junjo" Lawes, and eventually became known as the "Diseases" reggae riddim. "Diseases" is notably utilized in Yellowman's hit song "Zungguzungguguzungguzeng", which has in turn has been sampled and reinterpreted by a long list of popular hip-hop artists, including KRS-One, The Notorious B.I.G., Tupac Shakur, Sublime, and Blackstar. This constant reinterpretation and referencing has made Ellis a major but little-known influence in the trajectory of dancehall, reggae and hip hop.
--------------------------------
Alton Ellis (1938-2008) was a musician best known as the innovator of rocksteady music. He began recording in the late 1950s and continued until his death in 2008, but he reached his period of greatest popularity in the late 1960s.
Ellis was born in Trenchtown, a poor area of Kingston, Jamaica, and learned to play the piano at a young age. In his teens, Alton and Eddie Perkins formed Alton & Eddie, and began recording for Coxsone Dodd at Studio One, scoring a hit in 1958 with "Muriel".
Ellis launched his solo career after Perkins left for the United States around 1965. He moved to Treasure Isle and began recording with the back-up trio The Flames. His first hit for Treasure Isle was "Dance Crasher", a plea for peace, and he followed it up with "Get Ready - Rock Steady", perhaps the first rocksteady recording. The song was apparently recorded with keyboardist Jackie Mittoo playing the bass guitar part because the bassist did not show up; Mittoo could not keep up with the ska beat, and the tempo was slowed down to accommodate him. This allowed for a choppier rhythm that led Ellis to expand his vocal range.
Ellis' most well-known song is probably "Girl, I've Got A Date", or "I'm Still In Love With You", a song that has been versioned many times by artists such as Sean Paul, Althea & Donna (As 'Uptown Top Ranking').
In 2006, Ellis was inducted into the International Reggae And World Music Awards (IRAWMA), Hall Of Fame.
http://www.myspace.com/altonellisod
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Alton Ellis Lyrics
(My) Willow Tree They say that once the tear has fallen, The willow cries…
A Whiter Shade of Pale We skipped the light fandango Turned cartwheels cross the fl…
Again L cannot forget the night I met you, hmm You gave…
Ain Oh, hey baby, yeah Take that loving baby Yeah yeah You thin…
All My Tears Honey, I love a pretty little, a little girl like…
Alton's Official Daughter Versuri >> E >> EL >> Eli din Timisoara >>…
And I Love Her I'm still in love With you girl I'm still in love With you…
Baby I Love You Oowee baby, baby I love you I love you, baby…
Black Man's Pride When the black man's word was spoken, yes And the white…
Blessings of Love La la la la la What a la la What a la…
Breaking Up You tell me that you're leavin', I can't believe it's…
Breaking Up (Is Hard to Do) You tell me that you're leavin', I can't believe it's true! …
Breaking Up Is Hard You tell me that you're leavin', I can't believe it's…
Can She didn't bat an eye, as I packed my bags…
Can't Get Used to Losing You Guess there's no use in hangin' 'round Guess I'll get dresse…
Can't Stand It I wish I could count on you I wish I…
Can't Stop Now Just wait a minute wait a minute Wait a minute…
Cry Tough (Cry tough), don't you know you're getting old (Cry tough), …
Dance Crasher Ooooh, dance crasher Oo-oo-oo-ooh, dance crasher Oh no no Do…
deliver us Let the naked be clothed Let the blind be led Let the…
Diana You're so young and I'm so old This, my darling, I've…
Do Your Thing It's your thing, do what you wanna do I can't tell…
Duke of Earl Duke, Duke, Duke, Duke of Earl Duke, Duke, Duke of…
Get Ready Better get ready, come do rock steady, yeah You got to…
girl Girl I've got a date And I just mean, I can't…
Girls I've got a date Girl I've got a date And I just mean, I can't…
Honey I Love You Oowee baby, baby I love you I love you, baby…
How Can I Just wait a minute wait a minute Wait a minute…
How Can I? How can I find How can I find How can I find,…
Hurting Me You see, You cry, You don't hurt nobody, But yourself The th…
I by the time by the time you leave i'll be waiting…
I Am Still In Love I'm still in love With you girl I'm still in love With you…
I Am Still In Love With You I'm still in love With you girl I'm still in love With yo…
I Believe in Love I'm still in love With you girl I'm still in love With you…
I Can Just wait a minute wait a minute Wait a minute…
I Can't Stand It I wish I could count on you I wish I…
I Can't Stop Just wait a minute wait a minute Wait a minute…
I Dig You Baby Oowee baby, baby I love you I love you, baby…
I Love You I'm still in love With you girl I'm still in love With you…
I Love You Girl Oowee baby, baby I love you I love you, baby…
I Need A Girl Girl I've got a date And I just mean, I can't…
I'll Be There by the time by the time you leave i'll be waiting…
I'm Just A Guy I'm just a guy. believe me. I'm just a guy. Yes, I'm…
I'm Still in Love I'm still in love With you girl I'm still in love With you…
I'm Still in Love With You Girl I'm still in love, with you girl. I'm still in love,…
I'm Still Waiting I'm still in love With you girl I'm still in love With you…
I'v Got A Date Girl I've got a date And I just mean, I can't…
If I Could Rule the World If i could rule this whole world, Then all men would…
If I Had the Right If I had everything I'd be but a slave to you If…
Im Still in Love I'm still in love With you girl I'm still in love With you…
It What does it take to win your love for me? How…
It hurts me so When you turn and you walk through that door It hurts…
It's a Shame It's a shame (sha-ame), the way you mess around with…
It's Your Thing It's your thing, do what you wanna do I can't tell…
I’m Just a Guy I'm just a guy. believe me. I'm just a guy. Yes, I'm…
Joy in the Morning Hit me baby You bring I joy in the morning You bring…
La La Means I Love You Verse 1: Many guys have come to you With a…
La-La Means I Love You Many guys have come to you With a line that wasn't…
Let Him Try Darling, how I love you Gave all I had They tried to…
Lord Deliver Us Let the naked be clothed Let the blind be led Let the…
Love Me for More Reasons Than One Oh, hey baby, yeah Take that loving baby Yeah yeah You thin…
Love on Top Honey, honey I can see the stars all the way from…
Loving You Oh, hey baby, yeah Take that loving baby Yeah yeah You thin…
Make Me Happy I lost at love before, Got mad and closed the door. But…
My Willow Tree They say that once the tear has fallen, The willow cries…
Never Love Again I cannot forget the night I met you, hmm You gave…
Personality Over and over I tried to prove my love to…
Remember That Sunday Remember that Sunday You told me you loved me, baby You're…
Rock Steady Better get ready Come do rock steady, eh You got to do…
Rocksteady Better get ready Come do rock steady, eh You got to do…
Sh-boom Life could be a dream Life could be a dream, sh-boom Life…
Sing For You Oh, hey baby, yeah Take that loving baby Yeah yeah You thin…
Sitting in the Park What would I do without your smart mouth? Drawing me in,…
Sun of Man I'd like to see some body else Who can hold your…
Sunday Coming Ooh yeah, sunday's coming, coming Ooh yeah, sunday's coming,…
The Children Are Crying Don't take this world away from me Don't take this world…
The Message Haha! Right now, The Message This is... The Message If the w…
The Preacher Nie patrząc na mnie trzymasz dłoń Przeczuwam czego możesz ch…
These Eyes These eyes cry every night for you. These arms long to…
Too Late My mama told me, she said, "Son, please beware There's this…
Trying To Reach My Goal I don't know where I'm going But I sure know where…
What Does it Take What does it take to win your love for me? How…
When I [Chorus] I love it when you smile When you're with…
Why Birds Follow Spring Why birds follow spring Like the sun follows the rainbow Now…
Willow Tree They say that once the tear has fallen, the willow cries…
Wyo've Made Me So Very Happy I lost at love before, Got mad and closed the door. But…
You Made Me So Happy I lost at love before, Got mad and closed the door. But…
You Made Me So Very Happy I lost at love before, Got mad and closed the door. But…
You Make Me So Very Happy Whoa whoah woooooo Whoa whoah woooooo I've lost that love,…
You've Made Me So Very Happy I lost at love before, Got mad and closed the door. But…
Babys
on You've Made Me So Very Happy
I am glad you did come into my life!!
Babys
on What Does it Take
Dedicated J wetta
Ebellz08
on Play It Cool
Hit bomb!
Ahh ah ah (4x)
I've got love
Within my heart for you, you
I've got lips
With kisses from the start
Look 'ere now...
It really makes no difference
Without money I know
It really makes no difference
I've got love I know
Easy squeeze it makes no riot
If you know it gonna hurt to play it cool
Easy squeeze it makes no riot
If you know it gonna hurt to play it cool
(Instrumental)
Mmmmhmmm
Ow!
Rock you rock you rock
Rock on time! (3x)
(Whoa, whooah, whooah, oh yeah!)
I've got love for each and every one
Everybody know this
I love you, I love you
Easy squeeze it makes no riot if you...
Just play it cool
It really makes no difference
Without money I know
It really makes no difference
I've got love I know
I'm gon' play it cool
I've got love
Within my heart for you, and-a you, and-a you, yeeeahh! Ohh..
Rock you rock you rock
Rock on time!
(You've got to keep on rocking and rocking)
Rock you rock you rock
Rock on time!
(Remember play it cool)
Rock you rock you rock
Rock on time!
(You've got to play it cool)
Rock you rock you rock
Rock on time!