Roots Archives Forum

ohh i heard it..still looking for it...shame that it have not still been released on an album

fine fine tune!
The melodica plays well, in harmony with the other instruments playings maybe that's part of what makes the melodie so sweet. Would be interesting to know if this tune has been composed entirely by Family Man including the melody, or if the melodica part was created by Tosh himself...
Anyway the result is great, quite aerian!

PS: How does the song go on after the great last melody-line in the extraxt? Has it a theme or does the melodica play along?

bunny wailer mentioned that the melodica came while peter heard the track and he just played a meldody which was in his mind that fit the song very well

Familyman mentions in his book that he created the riddim and recorded the first version of Armagideon as a dubplate ( with Black Skin on vocals).
Ilawi (Albert Malawi, Jah Love sound system selector) played it a lot and even Brigadier Jerry voiced it afterwards.
Bunny loved it and told Familyman he was gonna write some lyrics on top.
Familyman arranged and produced the Bunny Wailer cut at Aquarius studios.
Peter Tosh and Tommy McCook did the melodica / flute overdubs afterwards.

A hard dub version can be found on I think Bunny Wailer's first dub album.

Dennis Brown also covered "Armagideon" in the early 80s. Imo not as good as the Bunny Wailer track, but still worth seeking out.

As far as the feeling goes, he did right by the song. So cant no one say anything, really.

Oh, and I dont think that A.Pablo's Natural Way is similar to it. Not by a long shot. Its a different key and different notes being played.

And comparing one musician to another is off-key. You may compare it for analytical purposes only.

"Field Marshall" is also a fine piece of Peter Tosh melodica talent. Riddim is similar to Chim Cherie, possibly from same session.