Richard Metzger is the current Boing Boing guest blogger
Vivian Jackson, AKA “Yabby You” is one of the most fascinating artists of the “roots reggae” period of the early 1970s. Poverty stricken his entire life, Jackson was in ill-health as a result of living at and working in a garbage incinerator in Waterhouse, Jamaica since he was a young child. After a spell in the hospital, his legs by then crippled with arthritis, 17-year old Jackson was told that he could no longer return to his former job and moved to Kingston where he eked by precariously. Although a Rastafarian, Jackson did not believe in the divinity of Emperor Haile Selassie and his Christian beliefs were at odds with other Rastas he knew. He was given the nickname “Jesus Dread” as a result of his argumentative nature.
One night an ethereal song came to Jackson as he BS’d about religion with friends: “Like a strange ting, inside a-my thoughts –like an angel a-sing.” Although his poverty slowed the recording process down, many top musicians (and master producer, King Tubby) were impressed with Jackson’s unwavering passion that this song must be brought into the world, and volunteered their services. The results, “Conquering Lion” is a dark, brooding masterpiece of true religious fervor and a seminal reggae classic. In many ways, I see this song as a reggae equivalent to “Good Vibrations” by the Beach Boys. Listen to the way the voices are layered. No other Jamaican artist was doing anything even remotely similar at the time. Nor have any since.
Yabby You is still with us and he performs on occasion, standing with the help of crutches. “Conquering Lion” album was pressed in a run as small as 500 copies when it was first released in 1975. It took another 22 years before the LP was widely heard outside of Jamaica, with the deluxe 2 CD edition of “Jesus Dread (1972-1977)” featuring various “versions” of the song released by top UK reggae label, Blood and Fire. Now it’s considered a classic.
“Conquering Lion” by Yabby You
Yabby You live
Lightning Flash (Weak Heart Drop) by Big Youth (a “version” of “Conquering Lion”)
James Brown synch’d to “Conquering Lion” Dub mix
Yabby You’s “Jesus Dread (1972-1977)” on an audio blog