While the striding beat is genuinely captivating on its own, its combination with such an emphatic vocal makes this a worthy Track of the Week. “Thank You” may sound intriguingly familiar to roots fans, in particular: Debbie Defire is also Debra Keese, of “Travelling” (1977) fame. That Lee Perry production and a duet a year later with Lord Sassafrass (as Debra Keeys), also on a Perry imprint, with relative silence afterward, have made her something of an enigma (though perhaps not as dramatically so as Sheila Rickards); it’s great to hear her on such a proper production, one poised to stand the test of time just like “Travelling”.
Lyrically, this acknowledges the challenges of society, while emphatically celebrating the Most High: “so Jah I thank you, for each and every day… in this time we can be weak at heart; you’ve got to fight to find your inner strength”. There’s a hypnotic sense to the track, courtesy of the combination of the bass tone, the swirling effects, and the notable delivery by Debbie Defire. The alternate cuts (one dub digitally and one version on vinyl) from Mikey Dub are stellar explorations of the original’s soundscape, where the triumphant horns shine.
“Thank You” is available via the prolific Cypriot label Dubophonic Records, with the digital (released in 2023) being the only option since the polyvinyl (released in 2024), limited to 50 copies, sold out quite quickly.
More info:
Dubophonic Records
The Groove Thief
.the future of dub is the present.
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Editor: Global Reggae Charts Magazine
