Roots Archives Forum

Soundy wrote:You said that the term of Rub A Dub is a recent invention, but in lot of song of that early 80's singer, singjay and dj say it, no ?

Sorry I didn't understand correctly what was said. I need to improve my english as I'm french. Sorry again

well, Derrick Harriott's 'Scrub a Dub is from 1974 and it has to be assumed he was riffing on the rub-a-dub (three men in a tub) rhyme. And every other such reference.

"Hey! rub-a-dub, ho! rub-a-dub, three maids in a tub,
And who do you think were there?
The butcher, the baker, the candlestick-maker,
And all of them gone to the fair."

or

"Rub a dub dub,
Three men in a tub,
And who do you think they be?
The butcher, the baker,
The candlestick maker.
Turn them out, knaves all three."

And what does it mean?
pr0n!

I think it probably originated on Sound Systems. It was one of the many ways to announce something "Dub Plate Style", "Rub A Dub Style" etc. Archie on Gemini certainly used the term a lot.

Also there was the Studio One Dub LP African Rub A Dub which was late 70s or 1980?

In terms of what style it might represent to me personally, I always classified "Chant In A Dance" by Lion Youth as Rub A Dub as it has that laid back feel.

Regards

Rob

It could be consider dancehall music because I thought since the 70's the name "Rub-a-Dub" came from a dance where men rup up on a women grind their hips to the beat and most musicans who make money in bars make their music for dancing.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ufyUNrH4 ... 43737511.1

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gKtrPJ_P ... re=related

Like so much in reggae, it started on sound systems:

You play the vocal version, and then "rub-the-dub", meaning you flip it over and the DJ toasts over the B side of the record. Sometimes there would be a third version to augment this sequence riddim. Often this was the Studio One "original". This became the primary dancehall format from the mid-to late 70's until the late 80's, when sounds started to beat-mix music (which is pretty simple when you are synching two riddims with drum machine beats).
While some like this style, I miss the drama of hearing the needle lift, a silent moment when the record changes (most sounds had only one turntable back then), and then the drum intro to the new track. Much more drama and anticipation then running music the music without pauses.

Sounds like StoneLove really changed this to the "mix" format, and the selector started becoming the primary attraction, often actually holding the mic. Before this, the selctor was silent. He selected, the operator of the sound did the sound balancing, and the DJ's DJ'd.

A bi-product of this stylistic change was that DJ skill-sets changed. Before, you had to be versatile, and be able to basically DJ a whole dance. But mic competition meant that DJs would bust their two lyrics, and then someone else would grab the mic. The other change was automatic "haul and pull up" on just about every tune. Prior to that, people would respond more naturally - a "forward" meant that the crowd truly wanted to hear it from the top. Sometimes the tune could be half way through before the crowd starts to "feel it" and respond. Nowadays people jump up and down simply when recognizing a tune.....too much "haul and pull up".

And yes, slow sensual dancing with lots of rubbing was the style of the day. What we see now in the dancehall is more akin to soft porn IMO.

If I sound like an old codger lamenting the "good old days"+, you are absolutely correct.

Spot on Dave and that is exactly why I cited Lion Youth's "Chant In A Dance" as Rub A Dub style as it is ideal for that type of dancing hence one of the lines in the lyrics "Rub Up Rub Up Rub Up Rub Up"

Would only add one thing to what you said about the selector and/or operator being silent. I think it was more of a gradual transition to them becoming a primary attraction. The operator often talked and chatted the sound in over the first record and announced the DJs, where they were playing next, reminding people they could buy beer at the back etc. This seemed to get longer and longer from the late 70s through the early 80s and the more they did it the better they got so it was sometimes difficult to distinguish them from the DJs on the mike. I always wondered whether they were having to string it out longer because the DJs were turning up later and later.

Regards

Rob

By the way, the term was being used as early as 1966;

Roy Richards - **["Rub A Dub"](http://www.strictly-vibes.com/roy-richa ... y+richards)**

Incidentally, in this case, it appears to have *morphed* from "Rubber Dub".

Well, this is an interesant discussion. Recent invention, i don't think because, some elders say me:"in the 80's we called that sound Rub-a-dub...". So this is not recent. As you say, europeans (not english? i'm surprised)give that name for the early 80's (early dancehall) style.

This is the same problem for "dancehall". It was used since the 60's, probably in the 50's... Because dancehall represent the jamaican dancefloor. But today we use dancehall name for boggle...

We must used all of those names, because it's more simple to understand each other. But we can't stay blocked in our idea.

Regards.

ps: sorry for my english, i can't exprim exactly that i want... thx for your understanding..

Rob Strictly-Rockers wrote:Spot on Dave and that is exactly why I cited Lion Youth's "Chant In A Dance" as Rub A Dub style as it is ideal for that type of dancing hence one of the lines in the lyrics "Rub Up Rub Up Rub Up Rub Up"

Rob

Funny you mention it, I was actually listening to that track the other day for the first time in ages. I have that one on a 12" and it still sounds crisp. Do you know what ever happenned to hom? He seemed to be a very promising singer. His "Rat A Cut Bottle" still stings!