Broadway Jungle or Dog Ska War or School Days
This may be my favorite song from the Islands. The song has crawled inside my head and it won't leave. When I first heard this song I was stunned. I can't count the number of times I've heard it and it still doesn't sound old. Then I realized there were other versions but they don't come close to the original. It was produced by the legendary Prince Buster and performed by the Maytals. The song Dog Ska War is a hyper manic ganjaic romp of ska ecstasy. In the immortal words of my friend Sterno "it rocks the fuck".
Excerpt from an online song review. Interesting history about the song.
If any one song can be said to have captured on vinyl the true exhilaration of the Maytals, this was it. "Broadway Jungle" -- or "Dog War" as it was also known -- absolutely sizzles with excitement. From the opening piano intro to its final yip, the song never lets up. The solid ska beat sets the pace, buttressed by the rest of the band; superb brass solos float in and out, and through it all comes an exuberant chimp-like yipping that can barely be contained. In this jungle setting, Toots Hibbert sets up his revival tent and leads the chorus of Jerry Matthias and Henry "Raleigh" Gordon in a reassuring dance for joy. The group may be lost in the jungle, but that's no reason not to celebrate. The single was cut for Prince Buster in early 1964 and would quickly appear in British shops as well. Unbeknownst to the trio at the time, many of their records were being leased across the Atlantic, where they were credited to the Flames or the Vikings. The labels only became aware of these subterfuges after Buster leased the song to the Island label as the Vikings' "Broadway Jungle," then subsequently leased it to Blue Beat as the Maytals' "Dog War." The Maytals themselves did not become aware of this disreputable situation for a few more years. Under either title, the single remains a masterpiece; it's one of the group's greatest songs, as well as one of the Prince's most memorable productions.
Original recording Maytals Dog Ska War. This was the best I could find but poster disabled embed option.
Click here to hear the original Dog Ska War. This is incredible.
Slow Skank Version 1976
Toots and The Maytals 2000 version
Sorry for the add but worth the wait.
Dog War (Broadway Jungle or Jamaica Dog SkaWar or School Days)
1964 Single
Skaba-liba-lay (down)
Ska-day (down)
One last stop in the jungle
We leave for the first time
We were tied in the jungle
At the hands of a man
We're all in the jungle
Couldn't find a way
So Come on the jungle
Man to man
When we really don't know this jungle
Which way to jump and dance
Hey hey, ha ha ha ha hey
Oh baby lay (down)
Jump in the line
Rock your body in time
Everything is alright
We're going to Broadway
Very first time
We're out of the jungle
Everything is alright
Skaba-liba-lay (down)
Ska-day (down)
We're out of the jungle
We're going to Broadway
Come on boys
Come on girls
Let's jump in the line
Rock your body in time
Everything is alright
Let's go to Broadway
Come up
Everything is alright
We're really gonna stay in the jungle
Skaba-liba-lay (down)
Ska-day (down)
Skaba-liba-lay (down)
Ska-day (down)
Ha ha ha ha hey hey hey ha ha ha
Come on, come on, come on, everything's in line
Everything is alright
Don't have no scars
Don't get no scrapes
Everything is alright
We're out of the jungle
Everything is alright
Ska-liba-liba-lay (down)
Ska-day (down)
Come on boy
Come on girl
Just jump in the line
Rock your body in time
Let's got to Broadway
etc.
Yes I know I'm a little obsessed.
If any one song can be said to have captured on vinyl the true exhilaration of the Maytals, this was it. "Broadway Jungle" -- or "Dog War" as it was also known -- absolutely sizzles with excitement. From the opening piano intro to its final yip, the song never lets up. The solid ska beat sets the pace, buttressed by the rest of the band; superb brass solos float in and out, and through it all comes an exuberant chimp-like yipping that can barely be contained. In this jungle setting, Toots Hibbert sets up his revival tent and leads the chorus of Jerry Matthias and Henry "Raleigh" Gordon in a reassuring dance for joy. The group may be lost in the jungle, but that's no reason not to celebrate. The single was cut for Prince Buster in early 1964 and would quickly appear in British shops as well. Unbeknownst to the trio at the time, many of their records were being leased across the Atlantic, where they were credited to the Flames or the Vikings. The labels only became aware of these subterfuges after Buster leased the song to the Island label as the Vikings' "Broadway Jungle," then subsequently leased it to Blue Beat as the Maytals' "Dog War." The Maytals themselves did not become aware of this disreputable situation for a few more years. Under either title, the single remains a masterpiece; it's one of the group's greatest songs, as well as one of the Prince's most memorable productions.
Original recording Maytals Dog Ska War. This was the best I could find but poster disabled embed option.
Click here to hear the original Dog Ska War. This is incredible.
Slow Skank Version 1976
Toots and The Maytals 2000 version
Sorry for the add but worth the wait.
Dog War (Broadway Jungle or Jamaica Dog SkaWar or School Days)
1964 Single
Skaba-liba-lay (down)
Ska-day (down)
One last stop in the jungle
We leave for the first time
We were tied in the jungle
At the hands of a man
We're all in the jungle
Couldn't find a way
So Come on the jungle
Man to man
When we really don't know this jungle
Which way to jump and dance
Hey hey, ha ha ha ha hey
Oh baby lay (down)
Jump in the line
Rock your body in time
Everything is alright
We're going to Broadway
Very first time
We're out of the jungle
Everything is alright
Skaba-liba-lay (down)
Ska-day (down)
We're out of the jungle
We're going to Broadway
Come on boys
Come on girls
Let's jump in the line
Rock your body in time
Everything is alright
Let's go to Broadway
Come up
Everything is alright
We're really gonna stay in the jungle
Skaba-liba-lay (down)
Ska-day (down)
Skaba-liba-lay (down)
Ska-day (down)
Ha ha ha ha hey hey hey ha ha ha
Come on, come on, come on, everything's in line
Everything is alright
Don't have no scars
Don't get no scrapes
Everything is alright
We're out of the jungle
Everything is alright
Ska-liba-liba-lay (down)
Ska-day (down)
Come on boy
Come on girl
Just jump in the line
Rock your body in time
Let's got to Broadway
etc.
Yes I know I'm a little obsessed.