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The Liquidator (instrumental)
"Liquidator" is a reggae instrumental by Jamaican band Harry J Allstars. It reached number nine on the UK Singles Chart in November 1969 and was certified silver in the UK in April 2022.
Carlton "Carly" Barrett has said that the instrumental was originally for a song by Tony Scott, "What Am I to Do". Harry Johnson bought the rights from Scott, licensed the track to Trojan and credited it to the Harry J Allstars. But Alton Ellis has said that the core of the song was a lift from his rocksteady hit "Girl I've Got a Date".
Musicians involved in the recording included the core of The Hippy Boys: bassist 'Family Man' Aston Barrett, drummer Carlton Barrett and guitarist Alva Lewis. They later formed the core of The Upsetters and The Wailers. The organ was played by Winston Wright who, as a member of Tommy McCook's Supersonics, was acknowledged as Jamaica's master of the Hammond organ. Wright featured on other Harry Johnson hits, including The Beltones' "No More Heartaches" and on Boris Gardiner's "Elizabethan Reggae".
A variation was recorded featuring the sax of Val Bennett (entitled "Tons of Gold"), but the Hippy Boys' original instrumental had the most success.
The Staple Singers used the bass line and introduction from "Liquidator" for their 1972 hit "I'll Take You There".
The Specials covered "Liquidator" as part of the ska covers medley "Skinhead Symphony" on their live EP The Special A.K.A. Live! which reached number one in the UK Singles Chart in January 1980. The renewed interest in the song led to Trojan Records reissuing the Harry J Allstars version as a double A-side with the original version of another song featured in the medley, "Long Shot Kick De Bucket" by The Pioneers, in March 1980. The reissue reached number 42 in the UK Singles Chart.
The 1990s saw a version by youth group TCO titled "Big It Up" released on Virgin Records and was produced by Suggs from Madness. Contributors included K-Gee. It featured prominent reggae players with contributions from young north London rappers and singers. The record also contained interpolations from The Staple Singers "I'll Take You There". The single featured a product tie-in with 7 Up and video game Cool Spot and was featured in the then current 7 Up television advertisement campaign.
"Liquidator" is a popular tune to play as UK football teams run out: Northampton Town, Chelsea, Wolverhampton Wanderers, West Bromwich Albion, and St Johnstone all have claims to have been the first club to use it.[citation needed]
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The Liquidator (instrumental)
"Liquidator" is a reggae instrumental by Jamaican band Harry J Allstars. It reached number nine on the UK Singles Chart in November 1969 and was certified silver in the UK in April 2022.
Carlton "Carly" Barrett has said that the instrumental was originally for a song by Tony Scott, "What Am I to Do". Harry Johnson bought the rights from Scott, licensed the track to Trojan and credited it to the Harry J Allstars. But Alton Ellis has said that the core of the song was a lift from his rocksteady hit "Girl I've Got a Date".
Musicians involved in the recording included the core of The Hippy Boys: bassist 'Family Man' Aston Barrett, drummer Carlton Barrett and guitarist Alva Lewis. They later formed the core of The Upsetters and The Wailers. The organ was played by Winston Wright who, as a member of Tommy McCook's Supersonics, was acknowledged as Jamaica's master of the Hammond organ. Wright featured on other Harry Johnson hits, including The Beltones' "No More Heartaches" and on Boris Gardiner's "Elizabethan Reggae".
A variation was recorded featuring the sax of Val Bennett (entitled "Tons of Gold"), but the Hippy Boys' original instrumental had the most success.
The Staple Singers used the bass line and introduction from "Liquidator" for their 1972 hit "I'll Take You There".
The Specials covered "Liquidator" as part of the ska covers medley "Skinhead Symphony" on their live EP The Special A.K.A. Live! which reached number one in the UK Singles Chart in January 1980. The renewed interest in the song led to Trojan Records reissuing the Harry J Allstars version as a double A-side with the original version of another song featured in the medley, "Long Shot Kick De Bucket" by The Pioneers, in March 1980. The reissue reached number 42 in the UK Singles Chart.
The 1990s saw a version by youth group TCO titled "Big It Up" released on Virgin Records and was produced by Suggs from Madness. Contributors included K-Gee. It featured prominent reggae players with contributions from young north London rappers and singers. The record also contained interpolations from The Staple Singers "I'll Take You There". The single featured a product tie-in with 7 Up and video game Cool Spot and was featured in the then current 7 Up television advertisement campaign.
"Liquidator" is a popular tune to play as UK football teams run out: Northampton Town, Chelsea, Wolverhampton Wanderers, West Bromwich Albion, and St Johnstone all have claims to have been the first club to use it.[citation needed]