Peter Tosh: Legalize It 1976 (2 CD Legacy Edition 2011) + Bush Doctor 1978

 

Born Winston Hubert McIntosh in the rural parish of Westmoreland, Jamaica, in 1944, he moved to the notorious slum of Trench Town (so named because it was built on the “trenches” that drained the

sewage of nearby Kingston) at age 16. His mother strongly influenced him, and her sensibility would become apparent in both his lyrics and views; she was particularly concerned that he have a Christian upbringing. He attended the local church daily, and his experience there – singing in the choir and learning to play the organ – formed a sort of musical apprenticeship that prepared him for his subsequent career.
       

Peter sought refuge from the rigors of poverty in pop music, notably the R&B and doo-wop beamed to the Caribbean by stations in Florida and Louisiana. Having cultivated his guitar skills and his expressive baritone vocals, he began playing with fellow Trenchtown roughnecks Bob Marley and

Neville “Bunny” Livingstone in the early 1960s; because he never knew his father, he came to see the group as his first real family, and his bandmates as his brothers. This nexus was the very earliest seed of the Wailers, who scored a #1 hit in 1964 with the ska jam “Simmer Down.” The band’s affinity for American soul and gospel was further ignited by a burgeoning interest in global rhythms and the teachings of the Rastafarian religion.
                

As the ’60s wound down – and world political consciousness heated up – the Wailers pioneered a new musical direction: slower than ska and rock steady, this new sound combined thick grooves with more socially relevant lyrics (strongly informed by the tenets of Rastafari). What we now recognize as

modern reggae was born. Tosh was the backbone and heartbeat of the Wailers as well the group’s most accomplished musician – and a constant in the band throughout the arrivals and departures of his musical brethren. His tireless guitar, keyboards, percussion and other instruments, meanwhile, formed the foundation of the Wailers’ sound and essentially set the course of reggae music. He was also a prolific and powerful songwriter, his militant perspective offering a bracing contrast to Marley’s more reassuring tone; in a sense he played Lennon to his bandmate’s McCartney.
                       

This was borne out in his solo work, especially in such stirring songs as the purposeful plaint “Equal Rights,” the unstoppable unity anthem “African,” the ganja manifesto “Legalize It” and his

mesmerizing, indelible take on Joe Higgs’ “Stepping Razor.” The latter title was also one of Tosh’s nicknames (alongside Bush Doctor, The Toughest and other monikers) – a highly fitting one, given the slashing wit of his wordplay, the keenness of his intellect, and the cool slice of his guitar. “I’m dangerous,” Tosh sang on the latter song, and as everyone from local toughs to government enforcers would come to understand, he wasn’t kidding.
               

Tosh began recording and released his solo debut, Legalize It, in 1976 with CBS Records company. The

title track soon became popular among endorsers of marijuana legalization, reggae music lovers and Rastafari all over the world, and was a favorite at Tosh’s concerts. His second album Equal Rights followed in 1977. Tosh organized a backing band, Word, Sound and Power, who were to accompany him on tour for the next few years, and many of whom performed on his albums of this period.
           

In 1978 the Rolling Stones record label Rolling Stones Records contracted with Tosh, on which

BOB MARLEY - MICK JAGGER - PETER TOSH

the album Bush Doctor was released, introducing Tosh to a larger audience. The album featured Rolling Stones frontmen Mick Jagger and Keith Richards, and the lead single – a cover version of The Temptations song “Don’t Look Back” – was performed as a duet with Jagger. It made Tosh one of the best-known reggae artists.
                

Mystic Man (1979), and Wanted Dread and Alive (1981) followed, both released on Rolling Stones

Records. Tosh tried to gain some mainstream success while keeping his militant views, but was largely unsuccessful, especially compared to Marley’s achievements. That same year, Tosh appeared in the Rolling Stones’ video Waiting on a Friend. In 1984, after the release of 1983’s album Mama Africa, Tosh went into self-imposed exile, seeking the spiritual advice of traditional medicine men in Africa, and trying to free himself from recording agreements that distributed his records in South Africa.
                

          
Tosh also participated in the international opposition to South African apartheid by appearing at Anti-Apartheid concerts and by conveying his opinion in various songs like “Apartheid” (1977, re-recorded

1987), “Equal Rights” (1977), “Fight On” (1979), and “Not Gonna Give It Up” (1983). In 1991 Stepping Razor – Red X was released, a documentary film by Nicholas Campbell, produced by Wayne Jobson and based upon a series of spoken-word recordings of Tosh himself, which chronicled the story of the artist’s life, music and untimely death. In 1987, Peter Tosh seemed to be having a career revival. He was awarded a Grammy Award for Best Reggae Performance in 1987 for No Nuclear War, his last record.
                

On 11 September 1987, just after Tosh had returned to his home in Jamaica, a three-man gang came to his house on motorcycles demanding money. Tosh replied that he did not have any with him

BOB MARLEY - PETER TOSH

but the gang did not believe him. They stayed at his residence for several hours and tortured Tosh in an attempt to extort money from him. Over the hours, as various associates of Tosh arrived to visit him, they were also taken hostage by the gunmen. The gunmen became more and more frustrated, especially the chief thug, Dennis "Leppo" Lobban, a man whom Tosh had previously befriended and tried to help find work after a long jail sentence. Tosh said he did not have any money in the house, after which Lobban and the fellow gunmen began opening fire in a reckless manner.
                  

PETER TOSH - BOB MARLEY - THE WAILERS

Tosh was shot twice in the head and killed. Herbalist Wilton "Doc" Brown and disc jockey Jeff 'Free

I' Dixon also died as a result of wounds sustained during the robbery. Several others in the house were wounded, including Tosh's common law wife Andrea Marlene Brown, Free I's wife Yvonne ("Joy"); Tosh's drummer Carlton "Santa" Davis, and musician Michael Robinson.
             

PETER TOSH - LEGALIZE IT 1976 (2 CD LEGACY EDITION 2011)

           

Legalize It is the debut studio album by Jamaican singer-songwriter and former Wailer Peter Tosh,

released in June 1976. It was recorded at Treasure Isle and Randy's, Kingston. Legalize It is one of the two solo albums released in 1976 by Wailers members, along with Bunny Wailer's album Blackheart Man. Bob Marley and his new Wailers also released Rastaman Vibration. The song was written in

response to his ongoing victimization by the Jamaican police and as a political piece pushing for the legalization of cannabis, particularly for medical use. In 1977, Tosh backed this up by saying "We are the victims of Rasclot circumstances. Victimization, colonialism, gonna lead to bloodbath". Tosh also said "Herb will become like cigarettes", in an NME interview in 1978.

Peter Tosh – Legalize It
Label: Columbia – 88697 74690 2, Legacy – 88697 74690 2
Series: Legacy Edition
Format: 2 x CD, Album, Deluxe Edition, Reissue, Remastered 2011
Country: US
Released: 1976
Genre: Reggae
Style: Roots Reggae

CD 1.

                

01. Legalize It
02. Burial
03. Watcha Gonna Do
04. No Sympathy
05. Why Must I Cry
06. Igziabeher (Let Jah Be Praised)
07. Ketchy Shuby
08. Till Your Well Runs Dry
09. Brand New Second Hand
10. Legalize It (Demo)
11. No Sympathy (Demo)
12. Why Must I Cry (Demo)
13. Igziabeher (Let Jah Be Praised) (Demo)
14. Ketchy Shuby (Demo)
15. Till Your Well Runs Dry (Demo)
16. Brand New Second Hand (Demo)

MP3 @ 320 Size: 167 MB
Flac  Size: 374 MB

LEGALIZE IT LYRICS

                      

Legalize it
Don't criticize it
Legalize it, yeah yeah
And I will advertise it

Some call it tamjee (tamjee)
Some call it the weed (tamjee)
Some call it marijuana (marijuana), ayy-yeah
Some a dem call it ganja (ganja)

Never mind, got to legalize it
And don't criticize it
Legalize it, yeah, yeah
And I will advertise it

                        

Singers smoke it
And players of instrument too
Legalize it, yeah, yeah
That's the best thing you can do

Doctors smoke it
Nurses smoke it
Judges smoke it
Even lawyer too

So you've got to legalize it
And, uh, don't criticize it
Legalize it, yeah, yeah
And I will advertise it

It's good for the flu
Good for asthma
Good for tuberculosis
Even umara composis

Go to legalize it
Don't criticize it
Legalize it, yeah, yeah
I will advertise it

       

Birds eat it
Ants love it
Fowls eat it
Goats love to play with it

So you've got to legalize it
And don't criticize it
Legalize it, yeah, yeah
And I will advertise it

Keep on telling you legalize it

CD 2. (ORIGINAL JAMAICAN MIX)       

                 

  
01. Legalize It
02. Burial
03. Watcha Gonna Do
04. No Sympathy
05. Why Must I Cry
06. Igziabeher (Let Jah Be Praised)
07. Ketchy Shuby
08. Till Your Well Runs Dry
09. Brand New Second Hand
10. Legalize It (Alternate Version)
11. Burial (Dub Version 1)
12. Watcha Gonna Do (ShaJahShoka Dubplate) (ShaJahShoka Dubplate)
13. Igziabeher (Let Jah Be Praised) (ShaJahShoka Dubplate)
14. Second Hand (ShaJahShoka Dubplate)
15. Burial (Dub Version 2)
16. Legalize It (Dub Version)

LINE - UP

Backing Vocals – Bunny Wailer, Judy Mowatt, Peter Tosh, Rita Marley
Bass – Aston "Family Man" Barrett
Drums – Carlton "Santa" Davis, Carlton Barrett
Guitar – Al Anderson (tracks: 1 to 3, 5 to 7, 9), Donald Kinsey (tracks: 4, 8)
Guitar [Reggae Guitar] – Peter Tosh
Harp – Ras Lee, Robbie Lee
Keyboards – Tyrone Downey
Written-By – N. Livingston (tracks: co-writer on 2, 8), Peter Tosh

MP3 @ 320 Size: 172 MB
Flac  Size: 338 MB

PETER TOSH - BUSH DOCTOR 1978

            

Bush Doctor is the third studio album by Jamaican reggae singer Peter Tosh. It was released in 1978 on

Rolling Stones Records. The album features Mick Jagger as guest vocalist on one song, while Keith Richards plays guitar on two tracks. The rhythm section featured Sly and Robbie. The track "Stand Firm" was rarely played live due to its controversial nature.
               

Peter Tosh – Bush Doctor
Label:EMI – 7243 5 39181 2 5
Series: The Definitive Remasters
Format: CD, Album, Remastered 2002
Country: Europe
Released: 1978
Genre: Reggae
Style: Roots Reggae, Dub

TRACKS

           

01. (You Gotta Walk) Don't Look Back  (Vocals [Additional] – Mick Jagger) 5:16
02. Pick Myself Up    3:59
03. I'm The Toughest    3:53
04. Soon Come    3:56
05. Moses - The Prophet    3:35
06. Bush Doctor (Guitar – Keith Richards)   4:04
07. Stand Firm  (Guitar – Keith Richards)   6:08
08. Dem Ha Fe Get A Beatin    4:12
09. Creation    6:26

BONUS TRACKS       

    
10. Lesson In My Life (Outtake)    5:32
11. Soon Come (Long Version)    5:16
12. I'm The Toughest (Long Version)    5:10
13. Bush Doctor (Long Version)    5:42
14. (You Gotta Walk) Don't Look Back (Version)    5:00
15. Tough Rock Soft Stones (Previously Unreleased)    4:30

LINE - UP

Bass, Guitar – Robbie Shakespeare
Drums, Percussion [Gato Box] – Sly Dunbar
Guitar, Synthesizer [Moog], Piano [Fender Rhodes] – Mikey Chung
Keyboards – Keith Sterling
Percussion – Larry McDonald, Uziah "Sticky" Thompson
Piano, Organ, Piano [Fender Rhodes], Clavinet – Robert Lyn

BUSH DOCTOR LYRICS

                         

Warning
The surgeon general warns
Cigarette smoking is dangerous, dangerous
Hazard to your health
Does that mean anything to you?

Dem legalize marijuana
Right here in Jamaica
Dem say it cure glaucoma, yeah
I man-a the bush doctor, yeah

So, there'll be
No more smoking and feeling tense
When I see them a-come
I don't have to jump no fence

Legalize marijuana, yeah
Down here in Jamaica, yeah
Only cure for asthma, yeah
I man a-the minister, yeah

So, there'll be no more
Police brutality
No more disrespect for humanity

              

Legalize marijuana, yeah
Down here in Jamaica, yeah
It can build up your failing economy, yeah
Eliminate the slavish mentality

So, there'll be no more
Illegal humiliation
And no more police interrogation

Legalize marijuana
Down here in sweet Jamaica
Only cure for glaucoma
I man a-the bush doctor, yeah

And there be
(No more) no more need to smoke and hide
When you know you're taking
A legal ride

So, legalize marijuana
Down here in Jamaica (yeah)
It's the only cure for glaucoma
I man a-the minister

MP3 @ 320 Size: 176 MB
Flac  Size: 463 MB