Yabby You – Tell Us Our Past History
Yabby You, born Vivian Neville Jackson (14 August 1946 – 12 January 2010) in the Waterhouse district of Kingston, Jamaica, was one of the most unique and compelling voices in the history of roots reggae. Known by the epithet “Jesus Dread”, Jackson’s deeply spiritual music set him apart from many of his Rastafarian contemporaries: rather than venerating Haile Selassie I, he professed a fervent belief in Jesus Christ, a conviction that permeated every note and lyric of his recordings.
Jackson’s route to music was shaped by extraordinary hardship. Struck by severe malnutrition in his teens, he suffered arthritis that partially crippled his legs and forced him to walk with the aid of crutches throughout much of his career. Undeterred, he began recording in the early 1970s, producing his debut single “Conquering Lion” in 1972 under the name Vivian Jackson & the Ralph Brothers. The commercial success of the single enabled him to establish his own Prophet label in 1974, through which he would release some of the most profound roots reggae recordings of the era.
His debut album Conquering Lion (1975) received a rare five-star rating from AllMusic, which hailed it as “an important and very meaningful recording”. His collaborations with legendary dub producer King Tubby yielded King Tubby’s Prophesy of Dub (1976), another landmark release. Yabby You also produced recordings for other artists including Michael Rose, Big Youth and Trinity. His work was later celebrated in a series of reissues on the esteemed Blood and Fire label, introducing his “sublime devotional recordings” to a new generation of listeners.
Tell Us Our Past History is a characteristic example of Yabby You’s art: rootsy, righteous and shot through with a haunting spiritual authority. A rare 7″ single, it is a rewarding find for collectors and aficionados of classic Jamaican music.