When the lights dimmed, sound system selectors knew it was time to play songs like They Took The Show on The Road at Jamaican house parties during the 1970s. Originally done by American R&B group The Fantastic Four, it has been given a reggae flavour by singer Yah Mystic. His version, produced by Ed Robinson, was released on September 13 by Da Global Base.
“It was my idea to record a more updated version of the song, adding a reggae influence. I was already very familiar with the original. I felt it would have been a disservice to change the song from its original format, so we kept the original nuances intact, including the chord progression,” Yah Mystic explained.
From Kitson Town in St Catherine, he was raised in the music-rich St Andrew community of Waterhouse. Yah Mystic credits listening to diverse artistes such as Bob Marley and Michael Jackson for developing the “cross-cultural singing style” heard on They Took The Show on The Road . The original was not a hit for The Fantastic Four, who were from Detroit.
It was actually the B-side to Hideaway , released in 1976 from their album, Got to Have Your Love. However, They Took The Show on The Road made waves in Jamaica through power play on radio and remains a favourite at oldies dances. It is Yah Mystic’s third song of 2024, following Ebony Eyes and Belong To The Streets .
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