Israelites: The Best of Desmond Dekker

Artist	Desmond Dekker & the Aces
Format	CD
Genre	Reggae
Label Name	Sanctuary/Trojan
Release Date	2002 09 24
Song List	1: Israelites (2:37) 2: You Can Get It if You Really Want (2:40) 3: 007 (Shanty Town) (2:34) 4: It Mek (2:34) 5: Pickney Gal (2:52) 6: Honour Your Mother and Father (2:24) 7: Music Like Dirt (2:44) 8: Licking Stick (2:14) 9: Unity (2:14) 10: Mount Zion (2:44) 11: Live and Learn (3:19) 12: It Pays (2:57) 13: Reggae Recipe (3:04) 14: Pretty Africa (2:31) 15: Archie Wah Wah (2:32) 16: Fu Man Chu (3:09) 17: Where Did It Go (3:03) 18: King of Ska (2:44) 19: Sabotage (2:43) 20: Hippopotamus (2:50) 21: Wise Man (2:06) 22: Problems (2:43) 23: Beautiful and Dangerous (2:49) 24: Get Up Edina (2:40) 25: Mother Pepper (2:23)
Style.Categories	Bluebeat, Roots Reggae, Rocksteady, Ska

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Desmond Dekker has been well served by the reissue labels, with the shelves buckling under all the compilations dedicated to his music. The bulk, however, invariably draw from the same limited pool of songs, with most ignoring the singer's early years entirely. The two-CD You Can Get It If You Really Want: The Definitive Collection is pretty much the only compilation that provides a proper career retrospective, with the rest drawing exclusively from his 1967-1971 recordings. Israelites: The Best of Desmond Dekker, while no substitute for You Can Get It If You Really Want, at least dips back into Dekker's early years. One of the best one-disc roundups around, the compilation top-loads the set with Dekker's international hits (the only one missing is 1975's "Sing a Little Song"), with the other 20 tracks drawn willy-nilly from the Kong years (1963-1971). There's no attempt at chronology -- and ska numbers rub shoulders with reggae tracks -- nor any sense of sequencing, so the tempos and moods shift dramatically at times. By and large, though, the set will sate most casual Dekker collectors, with the selector having worked hard to include most modern-day fans' favorite numbers. Those looking for more should purchase You Can Get It If You Really Want, but for those seeking just the hits and a decent overview, this set is the perfect solution. ~ Jo-Ann Greene, All Music Guide