Carlton & the Shoes - Happy Land - Original 1968 Studio 1/Coxsone

One of my all time favourites from Carlton Manning & his brother Linford (Abyssinians) and Alex Henry - who originally made up Carlton & the Shoes. "Happy Land" and "Love Me Forever" (A-side) were the first recordings the group did with Coxsone in 1968. However, besides both being a hit, more importantly, "Happy Land" was the tune that inspired and laid the foundation for the Abyssinians' roots classic "Satta Massa Gana". Simply beautiful.....

"There is a land far far away....where there's no night there's only day"
...................

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Carlton
• His
• Shoes
• Manning
• Donald
• Linford
• Alex
• Henry
• Abyssinians
• Happy
• Land
• Roots
• Reggae
• Rocksteady
• Studio
• One
• Coxsone
• Satta
• Massa
• Gana

[dukesteveduke]

Shall I tell u something v. weird? Carlton is remembering a song he must have heard in church or perhaps in other places. It's a hymn written in 1850 by Andrew Young with tune by (or arranged by) Leonard Breedlove. If the Shoes went to a country school in JA they would have heard it there. Carlton's tune is almost the same, with slightly diff. words. There's loads of YouTube clips cos US evangelicals sing it still.

[RootsDaughter41926]

I see your point, and have taken a listen, and while the first line is very similiar... this is not unusual with hymns really... and neither is it unusual given that scripture lies at the foundation of many reggae artists.... I've read interviews with Mr Manning and he's never made reference to influence.... you may be right of course, but I'm inclined to think - that when it comes to scripture similiarity will always be there.... Nice comment though & thanks Duke

[lardsah]

Cyar tek it! My favourite Shoes tune ever.

Wonderful

Bless up sis!

[RootsDaughter41926]

My favourite also... beautiful song... lovely harmonies... thanks Lardsah... :-)

[stillablaze]

Luv dem style yah...legendary group...never knew Carlton and the Shoes were the Abyssinians ! Bwoy learn sumting new everyday...nice info Rootsdawta...bless

[RootsDaughter41926]

Bless Blaze.... yep... Linford initially started out with his brother before leaving to form the Abyssinians with his other brother Donald... that's where the Abyssinians' distinctive & heavenly harmonies originate from.... Carlton Manning.... glad you love this one.... :-)

[dukesteveduke]

Roots daughter. Got all the top selectah on ya side girl - look dem comment!

[Phrixphrox]

Beautiful harmonies. Perfection!

And I too never knew that they went on to become the Abyssians - thanks for the info.

[Yuuxa]

Haha i know an alex henry

[TheINSECTES]

jamaican tune in Carlton and The shoes . KEEP lesson Keep harmony ... I look tap in ROOTS dem Selector Track; HAPPY LAND

[RasRel]

Sir Coxsone Sound. Perfect harmony.

[palomasblancas]

Great tune, never fails to uplift me - thank you for posting this.

[dukesteveduke]

Yeah, I'm on your wavelength. He's not covering or pinching a song, but that scriptural/religious background lies behind so much JA music, doesn't it. Probably the only styles apart from straight gospel to namecheck the books of Moses would be my hero Toots and hardcore American country music! And I think it's always seemed weird to 'Roots' fans that all Sunday at Studio One Coxsone was recording spirituals and gospel, wasn't he?