THE 1000 BEST SONGS IN THE WORLD EVER.

789-Junior Murvin-Police and Thieves.

1976-It didn’t chart in the UK until 1980, when it reached Number 23.

Best Bit-At 0.18. The songs producer Lee ‘Scratch’ Perry was known for his eccentric, and superstitious behaviour. Before an artist played,he would often ‘bless’ his recording equipment with mystical invocations, he would blow Ganja smoke on to his tapes while recording, and surround himself with burning candles, and incense. It is said he would also spray tapes with urine, blood, and whiskey, to enhance their spiritual properties.

Junior Murvin was born Murvin Junior Smith, around 1946, in Saint James, Jamaica, he died on December 2nd, 2013, having suffered from diabetes, and hypertension for a long period, his age was reported to be either 67 or 64. Junior Murvin’s first recorded under the stage name of ‘Junior Soul,’ on the ‘Gayfleet’ record label, he then recorded a track called ‘Solomon,’ for the ‘Crystal’ record label, which became a minor local hit in 1972. Prior to finding greater success, he also performed as a member of the ‘Hippy Boys,’ and later the’ Mighty Falcons,’ and the ‘Tornadoes,’ in Kingston’s nightclubs, and tourist hotels. The discography of Junior Murvin includes eight Albums issued between 1977-2007.

Junior Murvin had auditioned for Lee ‘Scratch’ Perry on previous occasions, but always without success. In 1976 he once again approached Perry, now with his song ‘Police and Thieves,’ and this time Perry agreed to work with him. ‘Police and Thieves’ was co-written by Junior Murvin, and Lee ‘Scratch’ Perry, who added new lyrics, with the production also being by Perry, the track would later appear on Murvin’s debut Album of the same name, from April 1977. ‘Police and Thieves’ was first released as a single in Jamaica in May 1976, as ‘Police and Thief,’ and then in the UK in July 1976, as ‘Police and Thieves.’ Perry brought in some of Jamaica’s finest musicians to play on the track, including Boris Gardiner, (bass) Ernest Ranglin, (guitar) Sly Dunbar, (drums) and Keith Sterling, (keyboards) and together, and with others, they recorded and mixed different versions of the song with different lyrics. ‘Police and Thieves’ is a song about gang warfare, and police brutality.

Lee ‘Scratch’ Perry was born Rainford Hugh Perry, on March 20th, 1936, in Kendal, Hanover, Jamaica, he died on August 29th, 2021, from an unspecified illness, at the age of 85. Lee ‘Scratch’ Perry was a leading player in the development of ‘Dub Music’ in the 1970’s, and in 1973 he built his own recording studio called ‘The Black Ark,’ which was situated behind his family’s home, in the Washington Gardens neighbourhood of Kingston, Jamaica. Although much of the equipment he used was not state of the art, Perry still gained a reputation for his innovative sounds and recording techniques in the latter half of the 1970’s. Among the artists who recorded there were Bob Marley, The Heptones, and Max Romeo. Lee ‘Scratch’ Perry issued 79 Albums between 1969-2021, and there are also seven official compilation Albums available. In 1977 Perry produced the single ‘Complete Control,’ for the English Rock band ‘The Clash,’ which reached Number 28 in the UK charts.

‘Police and Thieves’ was not a hit when first issued in the UK, but still became an anthem, as the ‘Notting Hill Carnival’ of 1976 erupted into a riot. Joe Strummer, (1952-2002) and Paul Simonon, who had just formed ‘The Clash’ (see also best songs 867-638 and 294) had been caught up in the rioting, which inspired them to cover the song on their self titled debut Album in 1977, in a style that they called ‘Punk Reggae,’ not ‘White Reggae.’ On hearing The Clash version, Junior Murvin said,’They have destroyed Jah work.’ ‘Police and Thieves’ finally became a hit in the UK in 1980 for Junior Murvin, after being chosen as one of the tracks for the 1978 Jamaican film ‘Rockers.,’ It was also brought to the attention of a new generation, when used again in the 1998 British black comedy crime film ‘Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels,’

‘From Genesis to Revelation yeah, and next generation will be, hear me. All the crimes committed day by day, no one try to stop it in any way. All the peacemakers turn war officers, hear what I say, hehehehehehehey. Police and thieves in the street, fighting the nation with their guns and ammunition.’