Roots Archives Forum

when people use the term rub a dub what do they mean? is this a genre of reggae music? what aritsts would be considered rub a dub?

http://www.reggae-reviews.com/history.html

Part of the Dancehall area. A "mix" between DUB and DANCEHALL, where singers and dj's use dubbed riddims. Somewhere between 1982/83 and 1985.

Artists: 2 many 2 mention.
Check for an impression the Junjo & Thompson productions from that periode for artists:
http://www.roots-archives.com/artist/579
http://www.roots-archives.com/artist/19

"Rub a dub dance" and "rub a dub style" were common expressions from the late 70s, but it wasn´t a genre of music.
Calling the early 80s period "Rub A Dub" is really a recent "invention" ( in the last 12 years or so?), we didn´t call it like that in 83.
I think this trend of referring to that period as "Rub a dub" started in the US ( I never heard it in London in the 80s). We used to call it Reggae....ina dancehall style!
Mostly Radics recuts of classic Studio One riddims, stripped down, and arranged in the contemporary early 80s style ( heavy drums, simple chords, etc...). Loads of great music.

Inyaki wrote:......... we didn´t call it like that in 83.
I think this trend of referring to that period as "Rub a dub" started in the US ( I never heard it in London in the 80s). We used to call it Reggae....ina dancehall style!

True, I never heard Rub-A-Dub in the 80's. Dancehall Reggae (or Reggae Inna Dancehall Style) was hitting the street.

thanks to both of you for your response. I am in the us and friends say rub a dub when referring to lone ranger&briggy. which confused me because,then i was thinking they meant the dj style. I found a lp rub a dub soldiers that was made up of songs from 80 to 83 at channel one. which also gave me an idea of what they mean.

Apart from asking about this term describing a musical genre (which it is not), well, everybody knows what is meant by 'Rub a Dub', don't you?

dont me ! what meant

No, the only meaning I am aware of outside of reggae, is Cockney slang for a pub. Check it on Wikipedia, it claims there were one or two faintly suggestive nursery rhymes 300 years ago, but nothing else in truth.

To be honest I suspect the term rub a dub was probably coined in the studio by a musician or engineer almost as an off the cuff remark as part of studio banter sometime in the 70s and caught on. As a result a number of tunes used the term in their title i.e. Rub A Dub Style by Ranking Trevor and it stuck. I wouldn't describe it as a genre of its own.

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 ?