On this day in music history: December 24, 1988 - “Tumblin’ Down” by Ziggy Marley & The Melody Makers hits #1 on the Billboard R&B singles chart for 2 weeks, also peaking at #5 on the Modern Rock chart. Written by Ziggy Marley and Tyrone Downie, it is the biggest hit for the family reggae music quartet. David “Ziggy” Marley, the eldest son of reggae icon Bob Marley will form a band in 1979 with his sisters Cedella and Sharon, and youngest brother Stephen. They will perform with their father on their debut album “Children Playing” in 1979 issued on Marley’s Tuff Gong label. After Bob Marley’s death in 1981, the group will not record again until 1985 when they release their second album “Playing The Game Right”. In 1986, The Melody Makers are signed to EMI Records who release their third full length Hey World! which will make a minor dent in the US album charts peaking at #94. Dropped by EMI, the band are signed by Virgin Records in 1987. Initially they are to work with veteran producer and engineer Alex Sadkin (Grace Jones, Robert Palmer, The Thompson Twins), but Sadkin is killed in an automobile accident before recording sessions can begin. Nancy Jefferies of Virgin’s A&R department will recommend that the group work with Chris Frantz and Tina Weymouth, the husband and wife duo who are the drummer and bassist for Talking Heads and the Tom Tom Club. The completed album titled “Conscious Party”, will be solid balance of reggae and pop establishing Marley & The Melody Makers on a worldwide basis. Following the successful first single “Tomorrow People” (#39 Pop), Virgin will release “Tumblin’ Down” as the second single. The track will be remixed by Hank Shocklee, Eric “Vietnam” Sadler, and Keith Boxley of The Bomb Squad (Public Enemy), who will incorporate samples of the Tom Tom Club’s classic “Genius Of Love”, turning it into a solid hit on R&B radio and on the dance floor. The US chart success of “Tumblin’ Down” will drive sales of the “Conscious Party” album to Platinum status in the US.
Posted on: Thu, 25 Dec 2014 01:15:01 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015