Wonderful World, Beautiful People/ Waterfall

Though it would be years before reggae music became well known and loved in the U.S., 1968-69 were remarkable years when you think of the breakout hits that brought success to Johnny Nash ("Hold Me Tight"), Desmond Dekker ("Israelites") and Jimmy Cliff ("Wonderful World..."). At the time, as with Paul Simon's 1972 hit "Mother and Child Reunion," the sound of reggae made hits because of its novelty... not because of widespread adoption of reggae rhythms and arrangements by mainstream rock artists, as was the case by the late 1970s with bands like The Police and The Clash. Also don't miss the terrific Northern Soul dancer on the flip! Note: This copy comes in a vintage A&M Records factory sleeve. The audio is pristine except for a tiny hairline crack that causes a very light "pop" for the first few spins at the beginning of the track.