Roots Archives Forum

I just realized something about one of my top riddims. It's always fun to put two and two together, so to speak:

Delano Stewart's That's Life has a DJ version by Big Youth: Facts of Life, but I've known that for a while now. AND...

That's Life was later remade in the mid-70's Bunny Lee style by Ronnie Davis. I've known that for a while too.

BUT...

What I just realized is that in the early 80's the Radics remade the riddim with a different horn part, but same bass line. I knew these tunes too, but didn't make the connection that they're based on That's Life until now. I know of two version of this:

Johnny Osbourne - You're Too Sexy (on Fally Lover lp)
Ranking Dread - Jean Green

That makes 5 versions on three different licks of the That's Life riddim. I would be curious to know if anyone knows of any others. Didn't see anything online yet.

The Tamlins did a version of That's life as well.

Anothr for the list Flashman:

Tony Tuff cut a 12" for Jah Life called "Mix Me Down".

OOH, that is nice to know! Especially the Tony Tuff; if it's Jah Life it must be the Radics version too. Tamlins and Tony Tuff are on my list now, thanks.

Killer. The Tamlins is a Revolutionaries lick of it! And the Tony Tuff is Radics too, but a different recording than the Johnny Osbourne. The Tony Tuff is clearly That's Life, while the Osbourne is a bit disguised by a different arrangement and tempo. It's mostly the bass line alone that is based on That's Life.

Good day at school.

Now I'm up to 5 different recordings of the rhythm and 7 vocals.

flashman wrote:OOH, that is nice to know! Especially the Tony Tuff; if it's Jah Life it must be the Radics version too. Tamlins and Tony Tuff are on my list now, thanks.

Flash

Actually "Mix Me Down" was recorded and voiced at HC&F studio In Freeport, NY with New York based Jamaican musicians, not The Radics. But with very good vetran musicans and Philip Smart mixing, so they definitely know how to get the yard sound.

Funny coincidence Dave, as I just read the chapter about HC&F and Jah Life, and how they were able to sound like JA recordings. Guess this proves it for me.

One more! Nicodemus-PT 109 on the Tidal Wave comp. also at HC &F though yet a different lick than the Tony Tuff.

is there a instrumental or version of the tony tuff mix me down.. I'm quite interested in reworking it in a 2013 style. Not so much for sampling but just to work from.

Trevor Hartley- That's life. I have it on "The posse- Uptempo collection Vol 1" CD