Thursday, July 21, 2011

UPTOWN TOP RANKING DEPOT


If ever there was a infectious groove, Althea and Donna's "Uptown Top Ranking" is it. If you know the song, you know what I'm talking about. It's a song, and a rhythm, that just keeps giving. Though few versions, the source material or newer covers, really capture the feel. It's gotta be the voices. Althea (often misspelled "Althia", as it is above) and Donna were just 17 and 18 respectively, when they recorded it as an answer song to Trinity's "Three Piece Suit," and both utilized a repeated rhythm from Alton Ellis' "I'm Still In Love With You," which itself was covered by Marcia Aitken. Confused enough? Then just listen to Althea & Donna's version. If you already know that one, then you might dig a variation or two. We've got something for everyone down here! So just c'mon down to Uptown Top Ranking Depot, where we've got versions for everyone in the family! Here's some Beat the Heat Doorbusters right here...


~ NOTE: ALL MEDIA IS HOSTED BY THE BLOGS & SITES NAMED BELOW ~
Listen:
Althea & Donna - Uptown Top Ranking mp3 at Diddy Wah
Rhythm source:
Alton Ellis - I'm Still In Love With You mp3 at Stop Okay Go
Version:
Mighty Two - Calico Suit mp3 at Diddy Wah
An answer song to:
Trinity - Three Piece Suit mp3 (with Mighty Two's Big Fat Thing) via Megaupload at Rewind Mi Selector
Oddball:
Marcia Aitken w/Trinity - I'm Still In Love With You mp3 at Planet Mondo (7 minute mix)
Cover:
Dub Clossus - Uptown Top Ranking (streaming)
at Real World Records
Slightly different mix:

Althea & Donna- Uptown Top Ranking mp3 at Nate Frog
Mono:
Althea & Donna - Uptown Top Ranking (Mono) mp3 at Boogie Woogie Flu
Video:
Althea & Donna - Uptown Top Ranking (Reggae Sunsplash 1978) at YouTube (Footage of them starts at :42)
Althea & Donna - Uptown Top Ranking (Top of the Pops) at YouTube
Tight'n Up - Uptown Top Ranking at YouTube

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

more recently, somebody named Sean Paul (with another somebody named Sasha) covered Alton Ellis' Joe Gibbs' "I'm Still In Love With You". They did a good job. Don't watch the rude vid, tho. It's like peepin' in yo mama's bdrm.
fROM tERRy mARINe