I saw something that bothered me a little while ago. We won't put it in here (because you don't want to see that shit) but I saw a video about "Reggae One Hit Wonders" and on that list was Jah Mason... anyone with functioning ears (and a few people without) should know what rubbish his inclusion on such a list is. Yes, he has had a biggest hit -- I'm going to tell you about it RIGHT NOW -- but to discredit and discount well over THIRTY YEARS of beautiful work is pure insanity. Today we attempt to spread some mental health and a few drops of common sense while celebrating one of the genre's most CONSISTENT of champions. Signatures: Jah Mason
{Note: Coming soon - Skinny Fabulous & Pressure Busspipe}
{Note 2: Doing this list definitely gave me a new appreciation of Jah Mason's work and I hope it does the same for you. That man is an INCREDIBLY skilled writer}
1. 'My Princess Gone'
Far far away. As is our tradition (because I've written enough of these things now to have a TRADITION!), we begin with what is likely (it is) Jah Mason's most identifiable track to date, 'My Princess Gone'. Producer Roland McDermott handed the Mason his lovely (and woefully mistitled) Adrenaline Rush Riddim (which also carried a well underrated tune, 'Wine & Roses' by Anthony B) and returned to him was an undeniable CLASSIC which conquered the Reggae world and, nearly twenty-five years on, is still sitting on a throne... but it's not the only ruler he's had.
2. 'Keep Your Joy'
Goodness! 'Keep Your Joy' was both an early hit for Jah Mason and the title track for his debut album (for the wonderful people at Ghetto Technology... wherever you may be these days) (it was also one of a handful that appeared on both that debut album and its followup, "Working So Hard" - more on that one later) (neither one of those albums ever made it to the digital side and that's too bad). 'Keep Your Joy' is GORGEOUS! It is a beautiful, beautiful song and if you do know it, its presence here can come as no surprise as Jah Mason put on a stunning display in the name of telling all to keep your proverbial heads up in the face of negativity or when life just isn't going your way.
"Keep yah joy, keep yah joy
Even if yuh unemployed"
3. 'Fire'
Blaze without a limit. Another early top-taker, 'Fire' would have come up in an era where the trend in Roots music -- largely courtesy of the Capletons, Sizzlas and Anthony Bs of the world -- was to find anything even remotely negative or oppressive and completely DOUSE it in a cleansing (or destructive, if it was too far gone to save) flame. The result was songs like these but they were RARELY this good.... from, like, anyone. Brutally straightforward, yet still pretty damn clever ["Fyah caan escape, coulda short like midget. Well miah bun di fyah and it well legit. Well fyah red! And dem caan bridge it. Well fyah mek dem all ah dance like mimic"], 'Fire', perhaps unbeknownst to anyone during its day had a very sturdy pair of legs and it has aged exceptionally well. This is a list of my favourite Jah Mason songs and this one would DEFINITELY be in the top half of these: One of the best songs he's ever done.
4. 'Most Royal'
No barrier. No bridge. The title track of what is, arguably, the Mason's most underrated album to date, the Jah Warrior produced "Most Royal" (...for some reason, I was stuck trying to think of the name of that album.... I should probably go to bed after I finish this one), 'Most Royal' is just an overly-solid piece of music. What I mean is that, in describing it, you want to use words like 'proficient' and 'efficient' and 'solid' but it's better than that while not, at least on the surface being entirely spectacular. Keep on listening to it though... maybe it is kinda spectacular. This aggressive slow-burner earns its keep on such a post of mine for having grayed (you have to admit that "grayed" is a very cool way of saying "aged". ISN'T IT!) amazingly well; finding Jah Mason preaching for us all to just up our personal standards and expectations of others, as well) just a bit more.
5. 'Stay In My Heart'
Special place in my heart. Jah Mason's megahit, the aforementioned 'My Princess Gone' would head an album of the same name in 2006 where it was, undeniably, a highlight BUT it was not the best song on the album named after it.... it also wasn't the second best either (album was quite top-heavy, in retrospect, but maybe a bit underrated, still). The latter distinction belongs to the downright GLORIOUS 'Stay In My Heart'. What's so damn good about this tune? I'd challenge you to find a love song as intense as this one without falling into the ridiculous category. You'll find some craziness, surely (biggup Sizzla), but I can't recall one from the top of my head where the artist managed to keep his wits, while turning up the heat and putting on a blistering and EXCITING display in the name of professing their love. Jah Mason did it sublimely here and it has stuck with me over the years... still sticking.
6. 'Run Come Love Me' featuring Jah Cure
Let Jah loving share. Nearly thirty years ago now, the great Beres Hammond put his hands on 'Run Come Love Me' and, in doing so, would help to launch a couple of careers to some level of stardom. One of them (that other guy) would embark on a career as full of controversy as hits, while Jah Mason would go on to, as you can see, do a considerable amount of damage on his own. The two would also link on 'Working So Hard' for Henfield (I think he produced that song) and another one from much later, which was also excellent (I don't feel like looking up the title of that one right now), but 'Run Come Love Me' has gone on to such a distinguished level of reverence amongst the masses (myself included) -- and for good reason -- that it simply had to make this list.
7. 'As Much As Mi Get'
High grade plant. 'As Much As Mi Get' is as much of a "viral" tune as you will find here as I don't actually know where I first heard it. It popped up online one day and... about fifteen years later, here we are. You'll find at least one or two other ganja tunes in my compilation but 'As Much As Mi Get' earns its spot by combining EXTREME cleverness and lyrical adroitness ["Man ah smoke before Billy The Kid"] with this DOMINANT infectious riddim (which is probably called the Royal Crown). A head-knocking tune which does not care whether or not you enjoy it. Once it has you, you are not going anywhere.
{Note: 'As Much As Mi Get' has just recently been re-released (if it was ever actually released in the first place, that is) as 'High Grade Plant' on Datsmusic Productions}
8. 'Gideon Start'
Like a thought. I've spent the last twenty-two years telling any and everyone who would bother to listen to me just how confident I am in the FACT that Jah Mason's single finest album to date is the well underappreciated and overlooked "Never Give Up". It just is and I am not sorry to be the (only) one saying that to you. The album is one of THE best I have ever heard in my entire life (already declared a modern classic, from longtime ago!) and I when I think of it, generally the first tune that comes to mind is the SMOOTH album-opening 'Gideon Start'. The song was a all to a revolution but it wasn't at the fevered pitch as some of the other selections that you'll find here, at least not for the most part. Still, in an almost prophetic move, the Mason would provide the song, whole of "Never Give Up" and maybe ALL of the music you'll find here with a very fitting punchline when he said:
'Rastafari still ahgo show dem love from my heart
Keep this inna yuh head, like a thought"
It's been a thought of mine for over twenty years now and should I live another twenty, it WILL still be a thought.
9. 'Couple Chalice A Day'
Nah stray. The signature tune from one of Jah Mason's most popular albums, 2006's "Wheat And Tears", the BEAUTIFUL 'Couple A Chalice A Day', could not possibly be left out. Immediately when you listen to this one, what's going (at least partially) is clear: THIS SONG SOUNDS REALLY, REALLY GOOD! It just does. It's melodic, infectious and it just makes you feel good listening to it. Furthermore, and again, lyrically... this thing is in the stars somewhere. It is EXQUISITELY penned ["If a no high grade, throw dat inna di dustbin"].
10. 'Si Dem Move'
Jason & Chucky. I can pretty safely guarantee you that were you to find another collection of songs like this from Jah Mason (and, unfortunately, you probably won't) that the song 'Si Dem Move' would PROBABLY be the one here that would be least likely to appear on anyone else's though, from the second I heard it, it became an instant favourite of mine and, clearly, it still is. Why exactly??
"Mi dun si dem move
Mi dun si dem flex
Mi get fi overstand seh nuff ah flex like Rex
Mi dun si dem move
Mi dun si dem flex
What kinda move dem ahgo mek next?
MI TELL DEM LIVE CLEAN DEM GWAN LIVE DUTTY!
SELASSIE I COMMANDMENT? DEM RUN GO BRUK IT!
DEM HEART - IT NO CLEAN!
DEM MIND - IT SMUTTY!
WATCH HOW DEM AH MOVE LIKE A DOGS AND PUPPY!
CAAN ESCAPE, NO CARE HOW DEM LUCKY!
WATCH HOW DEM AH FLEX LIKE JASON AND CHUCKY!
WELL YOU NO SI SEH DEM A WALKING DUPPY!
DUTTY LIVITY? MI AH BEH UNUH FI LEF IT!"
Highlighting Reggae Vibes hilariously underrated "Unlimited" album, 'Si Dem Move' featured a well pissed off Mason at his absolute SCATHING best.
11. 'Team Up'
Together we will be. Were it not for the penultimate song on this list, I'd be pretty confident in proclaiming 'Team Up' the single best song that Jah Mason has ever done. When I first heard this song, now more than twenty years ago, I LOVED it IMMEDIATELY. That was partially to the credit of Loyal Soldiers and their HEAVY Black Shade Riddim (I Wayne probably gave the riddim its most popular tune with 'Bleacher') and it sounds even better in 2025 with a Jah Mason who is as FOCUSED and ON-POINT lyrically as, arguably, he's ever been. Probably THE best written song of his entire career.
"Don't contradict yourself or you will end up inna mystery
...living like some unsolved mystery"
12. 'Black King' featuring Lutan Fyah
Haffi hail HIM. It bothers me to some degree that, after all of these years, though the song is respected (in as far as it is remembered), the true extraordinary quality in 'Black King' hasn't been celebrated nearly enough. The tune would be carried on an album by the name of "Dem No Know Demself", which is best recalled as being the debut album of Lutan Fyah and came via the once mighty Minor 7 Flat 5 imprint (with Al.Ta.Fa.An on production) and, twenty-one years on, still stands a very good, though not GREAT release. HOWEVER, are we just going to ignore the elephant in the room of 'Black King' FOREVER?? Is the ENTIRE WORLD just going to pretend as if we didn't notice that, about a minute and a half into it, Jah Mason ABSOLUTELY DESTROYS AND VANQUISHES EVERYTHING EVERYWHERE ON THIS SONG? ALL OF IT:
"I'm delighted to do thy work, Oh Jah
Well, dem caan stop mi
No time, no sah
Salvation mi need, mi no waan no sponsah
Tell dem, love is di way, also di ansah
Gimme di old time tradition, mi no waan no sponsah
Bangarang dem ah pick and ah powda and pampah
YOW, IT'S TOO LATE!
DEM GWAN GET ANCHORED
WELL A UNCONQUERABLE WEH DEM CAAN CONQUER!"
13. 'Saga Bed'
Govern and dominion! Were there a question of their potency together following 'My Princess Gone' & 'Stay In My Heart' (and there weren't), perhaps you should take a listen to 'Saga Bed' as a testament of the power and chemistry of Jah Mason & Roland McDermott. 'Saga Bed' is my favourite Jah Mason song ever. Period! Why? You take, again, an almost EXPLOSIVE level of (monitored) intensity (and not just being crazy because you want to attract attention) and combine with brilliant lyrics and you have a tune for the ages. 'Saga Bed' left no stone unturned and challenged the listener while, simultaneously, BLASTING them.
"CAN'T WE ALL JUST GET ALONG?!
CHANGE YUH DUTTY WAYS FI A BETTA LAND!
DIVINENESS ALONE DEH PON DI MOTHER LAND!
HAILE SELASSIE I SET DI ORDER, NOT ANOTHER MAN!
GIVE PRAISES, NO THINK SEH THAT YOU BIGGA THAN!
HAILE SELASSIE I: HIM A THE HIGHER ONE!
SO VICTORIOUS!
ONE OUT OF A MILLION!
RASTAFARI GOVERN & DOMINION!"
And I cannot pass through this tune without mentioning just the brilliant arrangement. You listen to what happens as 'Saga Bed' develops. The backing singer/s (who deserve SO much respect that I am going to dig up this physical album just to see the liners to see who she/they are) ignite more and more ["HAIL THE KING! HAIL THE KING!"], while the music gets more and more intense as, of course, Mason destroys any and everything that can hear him. What we end is a downright exhausting, sweat dripping EXPERIENCE of a song and... probably one of the best thirty or so that I have ever heard: FROM ANYONE.
{Note: There are no backup singers credited for this song}
{Note 2: Full credit to her/them, whoever and wherever she/they may be}
14. 'As The Wind Blows'
Do not wonder. Lastly, I know a couple of versions of this song. The one you hear here is the better of the two (and I think it's the more recent recording) but I would have initially heard the older one first. Regardless, 'As The Wind Blows' (also called 'Even When the Wind Blows') is HUGE! If you REALLY tune this one in -- I mean really -- you'll find something that ranks very highly on even this list. It comes through as such a powerfully organic and FLUID praising song. I get the impression that the chanter had a chorus written that he was quite happy with and began to work around it and what he came up with was genius level. You look at a song like this and you listen to it and enjoy it or feel however you feel about it and that's fine; but it is such a.... SURPRISING selection when you can vibe it that everything changes and that doesn't even get into mentioning the music which also levels up as you progress through it. Jah is EVERYWHERE! I can feel HIM even in a breeze!
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