Last revised: 7/4/07

Introduction

Golden-age Singles

 

A Count Sticky single on Caribou: "Tempting Powder" b/w "Sticky Mento". Both are very rural with bamboo and banjo. The former has something of a proto-reggae beat. I have not yet been able to decipher what the tempting powder that Sticky sings about is. (My copy is quite worn, and Sticky's easy

delivery, though pleasing to the ear, is hard to understand. ) But from the few snatches of lyrics that I've caught, I can tell that it's an interesting tale. The melody of this song has certain characteristics that are typical of many rural mento vocal lines. It's a pleasing, easy softness that makes the melody go down easy and lingers. The Count must have used up all his lyrics on the mysterious A-side, as the B-side, "Sticky Mento" is an raucous rural instrumental. As you will see on this page, other than "Tempting Powder", lyrics were not Count Sticky's  strong suit.

Because these tracks are favorites of mine and they are not in print, here are song clips of Tempting Powder and Sticky Mento.  [Click here for notes About the Audio Clips On this Site.]

A scan courtesy of Dan Neely: "Calypso Ten" by Count Sticky and His Calypsonians on the Caribou label. The b-side of this track is the same recoding of "Tempting Powder" as on the single above. The lyrics of this rural work-out, which consist of Sticky counting from "Calypso one" up to the title, did not win him any awards. But they were good enough for King Barou to borrow as the chorus for his "Calypso Cha Cha Cha".

A Count Sticky single: "Chico Chico" backed with "Bam Cielena".  RKR has this listed as a 1960 Dada Tuari production, originally released on Caribou in Jamaica, and re-released in the UK on Kalypso, as seen to the left.

As seen to the right, it was also released on the RCA label released in Jamaica. (Sorry, a larger version of this image is not available.)

A writing credit is given for both songs to Kenneth Scott, though whether this is the Count's real name is speculation. As the lyrics of "Chico Chico" open with "Chico Chico, from Puerto Rico, he plays the rumba...", it's not as surprising to hear a Latin-influenced more urban sound on this Count Sticky recording. It is surprising to hear the rumba being repeatedly described as being "from Chicago" ! An upbeat, fun song, that says absolutely nothing other than introducing the band (except for the saxophonist, who is unmentioned). The full lyrics are below, even though I may have put more effort into deciphering them than Sticky did in writing them. Because it is a favorite of mine and it's not in print, here is a song clip of Chico Chico.  [Click here for notes About the Audio Clips On this Site.]

"Chico Chico" by Kenneth Scott

Chico Chico, from Puerto Rico
He play the rumba like the rumba from Chicago
Chico Chico, from Puerto Rico
He play the rumba like the rumba from Chicago

I am Count Sticky, from Jamaica
He play the rumba like the rumba from Chicago
I am Count Sticky, from Jamaica
He play the rumba like the rumba from Chicago

There go Georgie on his steel guitar
He play the rumba like the rumba from Chicago
There go Georgie on his steel guitar
He play the rumba like the rumba from Chicago

There goes Mustache[?] on his Spanish guitar                      ["Spanish" meaning acoustic guitar]
He play the rumba like the rumba from Chicago
There goes Vasquez[?] on his marimba                                 ["marimba" meaning rumba box]
He play the rumba like the rumba from Chicago

There goes Danny on his poo-poos                                        ["poo-poos" are apparently hand drums]
He play the rumba like the rumba from Chicago
There goes Gorilla on his maracas
He play the rumba like the rumba from Chicago
 

The b-side, "Bam Cielena" is more conventional, with a melody reminiscent of "Day-O" and the same instrumentation as above.

 

Courtesy of Matthias Münchow of Germany, in all their faded glory are the labels of Count Sticky 78 RPM single on Caribou: Now A Day's Children       b/w Linda Scandal I have not heard this single.

 

An advertisement from The Daily Gleaner from March 28, 1956 for an Easter show at the Gaiety theater. It starts with a move, then a live show that includes Count Sticky as one of the acts.

Late 1960s - early 1970 reggae DJ tracks

"Dry Acid" is a count Count Sticky-voiced reggae track from the late 1960s that can be heard on an easily obtainable compilation of Lee Perry productions by the same name. While other

mento singers went on to sing ska and reggae, Count Sticky is the only one to go on to be a reggae DJ. This is the early DJ style, where a lot of expressions and vocal sounds are barked out rather than the later, more fluid style popularized by U-Roy, Big Youth, et al. The title is not meaningful, as it is not even mentioned by Sticky. The music is the characteristic of Perry's productions at that time: fast paced, with oversized organ as the lead instrument and no break in the middle. The liner notes mistakenly attribute this track to, the other Sticky, Issiah Thompson.

Incidentally, this CD also includes a tracke sung by middle-period mento singer Denzil Laing.   "What Do You So" is a Count Sticky track produced by Harry Mudie, released in 1974 on Mudie's Moodisc Records label. Sticky's scattershot DJ style is largely unchanged from the above recording he made five years earlier for Lee Perry. The backing track is the same chugging, soulful instrumental as used for the backing of Nora Dean's "Let Me Tell You Boy", but with extra organ. The b-side is a version credited to the organist and band, Winston Wright and Mudie's All Stars.     Here is "What's Your Excuse", by Count Sticky, which was released in the UK credited to the Hippy Boys (as was the flip side is "Tell Me Tell Me", which did not feature Sticky. Leon Kratzer of Germany provided additional information on this recording: It's a 1969 release on the Bullet label, with Ranny Williams credited as producer. It's an very upbeat organ dominated track with Sticky shouting exclaiming in the background throughout.   From 1973 or 1974, "Penny Reel" by Charlie & Sticky on the Scorpion label. The b-side is "Reel Dub" by the In Swings. The Charlie is Charlie Ace, who also produced the track. Thanks to Filipe Canuto of Fortaleza, Brazil, I have heard this track. It's a wonderfully rough chugging mento-reggae cover of Lord Power's well remembered mento song. It features electric guitar, piano and bamboo sax.       Here is the self produced "What Goes Up Must Come Down", by Sticky, on the Stick label, recorded in 1973 . On this adequate, if non-descript reggae recording, Sticky sings rather than DJs. The b-side is dub version.     Courtesy of Jurjen Borregaard here a the self produced Count Sticky single on the Kass label: "Stop Rape" b/w "Young World" These reggae songs are unusual for Sticky, as he sings rather than DJs.     The Count Sticky single "Live The Life" on the Stick label, from 1975. This is perhaps the last single that Sticky recorded. On it, he sings rather than DJs over a spongy reggae backing. The b-side is an dub version.     Left, on the Gibbs label: "Matter of Time" by Sticky Right, on Upsetter, "To Hell and Back" by Count Sticky Paul Steward of London was kind enough to send me MP3s of another Count Sticky DJ track, "Cassa Boo Boo", along with its b-side version. (He would have included a label scan, but it had a blank label.) Sticky introduces Prince Tony [Robinson], who the b-side is credited to, and interjects sparsely over an organ dominated reggae track from 1969. I've also heard the Count Sticky and Check 'O' Mates single "Train to Soulville", released in 1968 blank label J Gibson produce single. (The b-side is "Tickle Me" by The Pioneers.) On it, Sticky DJs over a re-cut Treasure Island "Ba Ba Boom" riddim.

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