10 Ultimate Ska Anthems

7. Prince Buster – “Madness”

After finding success in Jamaica as a DJ with his sound system Voice of the People in the late 1950s, Prince Buster decided to form a band and record his own music.

In 1961, Buster signed with the London based record label Blue Beat, which become the go-to label for Jamaican groups looking to break the British market. Blue Beat released Buster’s debut album I Feel the Sprit in 1963, featuring the song “Madness”, which became an instant favourite with its bouncing rhythm and jazzy horn section.

As a Kingston native, Buster’s aim was to create a soundtrack to Kingston’s “ghetto” life, covering everything from spirituality, to politics, black pride, and sex, with “Madness” being no exception. The song’s overt political commentary in the lines “Propaganda ministers/I've got a aim in view/I'm gonna walk all over you”, stands as both a warning to those in charge, as well as a rallying cry to Buster’s fellow countrymen.

Prince Buster’s propensity for speaking of society’s ills, combined with his unique singing style, which often mixed spoken word with smooth vocals, served as a major influence to the British 2 Tone movement, with Madness (who took their name from Buster’s song) and The Specials covering and reworking other Buster classics, such as “One Step Beyond” and “Al Capone”.

Contributor

I’m Stiggy. A Brit raised stateside, I have a deep love of music, am an avid gig-goer, and generally love to go places and see things. I have a BA in American Studies (it’s a real subject, I swear), and work full time somewhere in northern England.