564:
projects) because she was tired of the sexist and prejudice attitudes within the industry. She also argues that these patriarchal structures are inherently harmful to both men and women. Pointedly, this gendering neglects the men who were allowed to be emotionally expressive and vulnerable within the context of lovers rock such as
Beshara’s 1981 track “Men Cry Too” which highlighted the emotions that consumed Black British men. Furthermore, this gendering creates a tension between political protest and the emotional/erotic. Additionally, it places femininity in opposition to Black political protest. The gendering of Black diasporic music is commonplace, but lovers rock makes it clear that Black femininity is not inherently oppositional to Black power. Ultimately, Palmer asserts that lovers rock and roots reggae are not oppositional, but instead demonstrate the many forms of Black expression in a period of extreme racialization and prejudice.
548:
challenging question of how black
Britons are now imagining new discourses on black freedom that take seriously the gendered and erotic entanglements that shape and define our visions of black liberation," (Palmer 129). In an anti-black world that constantly places black people in a separate category as human, anything fighting against these notions is a push towards liberation. Love is the quintessential human feeling and by expressing it, the artists of lovers rock and other black genres are showing the humanity of black people and pushing towards liberation.
560:, as well as the musical influences. Much like how lovers rock and Brit funk have allowed for many genres to interact that never would have, many of these identities were introduced to each other for the first time. Though the genres were very much framed apolitically, as these tracks were the ones that received radio time, there was still a deep emphasis on the identity of the artists and listeners as marginalized in every sense. Many tracks displayed this, as well as artist interviews, but these received far less airtime.
527:
politicization. For instance, the song "Men Cry Too/Man a Reason" was important because it "captured the sense of loss, longing, and vulnerability that was part of black male life in
Britain, but was and remains frequently overshadowed by the notion that black masculinity within the British roots reggae music scene is constructed upon the paradigm of political resistance and protest detached from emotional or erotic expression" (Palmer 128).
1404:
540:
ownership of the genre. It portrayed patriarchal discourses through its creation of politically contentious erotic spaces that challenged racism, while also encapsulating the struggles of gendered oppression dealt with by women. Though much more subtle than other politically outspoken music, lovers rock did portray its own stance on the political climate of
Britain in the mid-1970s.
321:
43:
563:
According to sociologist Lisa Amanda Palmer, the patriarchal structures within lovers rock dictated female success as men were often the DJs and producers in that space. She cites the experience of
Carroll Thompson, who created her own company (in which she maintained complete creative control of her
539:
Lovers rock, being indigenous to
Britain with strong Jamaican influences, emerged with regard to the cultural and political environments of the time for Caribbean people in the United Kingdom. It engaged with politics for the female face of the genre, as well as for the male-dominated production and
555:
and lovers rock also displayed an interesting interrogation of a black diasporic that received far less attention from mainstream music society; its portrayals of black diasporic identities in the United
Kingdom at the time are unlike any other culture in the history of black music. Strachan states
543:
Lovers rock, moreover, was an indicator of social and cultural changes within Black and
Caribbean communities living in the UK. As opposed to the singularity espoused by reggae music, lovers rock, encouraged people to engage with one another in hopes of finding a love interest. This allowed for new
535:
Because the majority of its audience were women, and it tended to have a romantic influence in sound and lyrics, lovers rock was often seen as intrinsically apolitical, whereas roots reggae and the black masculinity associated with it had clear political messages of emancipation and liberation.
547:
There's a "faulty logic follow(ing) dominant perceptions within wider patriarchal cultures that love is not political and is ultimately female work" (Palmer 117). "While there remains much to celebrate within lovers rock’s historical legacy, sentimentality has given way to tackling the more
526:
Lovers rock has been heavily constructed in line with romantic sound and themes. Lisa Palmer's "Men Cry Too: Black
Masculinities and the Feminisation of Lovers Rock in the UK" discusses the lyrical contents found within this genre, which are notable due to how they shaped its gendering and
511:
The genre of lovers rock has heavily influenced the R&B, hip hop and pop music scenes since its peak in the 1960s and 1970s. Songs incorporating a mixture of love and romance, politics and reggae-inspired sounds have become an accepted trend in music.
305:' US R&B song, "A Feeling Is a Feeling". They were headhunted by Neville King who produced their UK reggae chart hit "Black Is Our Colour". This was followed by the husband and wife production team of Dennis and Eve Harris who then had a big hit with
522:
film (with Dennis Bovell in a minor role), released in
December 2020, chronicled a night at a 1980 blues party in West London in which lovers rock music played a central part in both the storyline and soundtrack.
727:
Palmer, Lisa Amanda. “‘Men Cry Too’: Black Masculinities and the Feminisation of Lovers Rock in the UK.” Black Popular Music in Britain since 1945, by Jon Stratton and Nabeel Zuberi, Ashgate, 2014, pp.
536:
While not as explicitly politically conscious as other subgenres of reggae, lovers rock was indeed political, however, “never too far away from the politics of romantic love and heartbreak”.
556:
that being black and British, much like the thesis of "The Black Atlantic", involves quite a bit of maneuvering as far as identities go. The identities went far beyond that of just
343:) pioneered a subgenre, 'conscious lovers', with songs such as "I'm in Love with a Dreadlocks" (1977) and "Black Pride". Others who released records in this subgenre included the
836:
Palmer, Lisa Amanda (2014). "Chapter 7: 'Men Cry Too': Black Masculinities and the Feminisation of Lovers Rock in the UK". In Stratton, Jon; Zuberi, Nabeel (eds.).
796:
Palmer, Lisa Amanda (2014). "Chapter 7: 'Men Cry Too': Black Masculinities and the Feminisation of Lovers Rock in the UK". In Stratton, Jon; Zuberi, Nabeel (eds.).
1204:
697:
377:
in 1979. Although noted for the preponderance and youth of its female exponents, the new style produced male stars as well, including Honey Boy Martin,
544:
dynamics of sex and gender, with women having more personal autonomy on the dance floor and a choice of who to engage or not engage romantically with.
216:
sound and content. While love songs had been an important part of reggae since the late 1960s, the style was given a greater focus and a name in
309:'s "Last Date". Dennis Harris then set up a new record label, Lover's Rock, at his South East London Studio on Upper Brockley Road along with
1303:
1277:
862:
Strachan, Robert (2014). Britfunk: Black British Popular Music, Identity and the Recording Industry in the Early 1980s. Aldershot: Ashgate.
850:
Stratton, Jon, et al. 'Men Cry Too': Black Masculinities and the Feminisation of Lovers Rock in the UK. E-book, London, Routledge, 2016.
1169:
1199:
669:
629:
602:
82:
1441:
950:
1298:
820:
420:. Brown's "Money in My Pocket" (#14 in 1979) and Minott's "Good Thing Going" (#4 in 1981) were both successful hits in the
298:'s "Caught You in a Lie" in 1975. This spawned the distinctive young girl female sound associated with early lovers rock.
1184:
197:
1189:
31:
1179:
573:
60:
53:
1373:
1143:
404:
Subsequently, numerous well-established Jamaican acts attempted the new sound. Most successful among these were
1293:
1174:
513:
488:
301:
Simplicity formed in 1975 and released their first hit "To Be in Love" produced by Coxson; the B-side was the
1446:
1348:
517:
378:
352:
279:
263:
at the time, a continuation of the soulful and commonly love-themed rocksteady style, based on singers like
739:
267:, who were not very optimistic about the rise of Rastafarian reggae. It combined the smooth soul sounds of
1436:
1333:
1097:
295:
1338:
1225:
1065:
769:
492:
1431:
1113:
1038:
943:
557:
1194:
332:
1257:
462:
popularised the term, introducing it to a wider mainstream audience, by including a song called "
382:
245:
1388:
1353:
1247:
816:
680:
665:
625:
598:
455:
1363:
1308:
1023:
500:
483:
label was successful with UK audiences, and the Revue label had a chart-topper in 1986 with
421:
417:
390:
374:
362:
287:
193:
124:
715:
1368:
1252:
1235:
1123:
936:
813:
Caribbean Popular Music: An Encyclopedia of Reggae, Mento, Ska, Rock Steady, and Dancehall
782:
702:
496:
480:
348:
324:
157:
698:'Nursing Grounded Me From The Pitfalls Of Entertainment' - Marcia Aitken Returns To Music
463:
286:, the style had particular appeal amongst women and produced many female stars including
1409:
1383:
1378:
1262:
1220:
499:
and Donna Marie enjoyed success with the genre, and several British stars performed at
484:
472:
405:
398:
320:
213:
64:
1425:
1272:
1118:
1043:
1013:
984:
969:
428:
386:
358:
336:
314:
181:
764:
Palmer, Lisa (2014). "Men Cry too-Masculinity and the feminization of lovers' rock".
664:
Barrow, Steve & Dalton, Peter (2004) "The Rough Guide to Reggae", Rough Guides,
1267:
1240:
1153:
1082:
1077:
1033:
413:
409:
340:
302:
283:
272:
479:
The popularity of lovers rock continued through the next decade. In the 1980s the
255:
reggae scene, lovers rock represented an apolitical counterpoint to the conscious
17:
1147:
1048:
436:
432:
370:
310:
291:
264:
256:
241:
152:
59:
The references used may be made clearer with a different or consistent style of
1399:
1138:
1070:
1053:
1001:
645:
447:
394:
275:
237:
229:
119:
109:
439:
gained lovers rock hits such as "Wild World"(1988) and "Close to You"(1990).
1318:
1060:
996:
979:
552:
467:
459:
443:
366:
344:
306:
1343:
1328:
1323:
162:
597:
Larkin, Colin (1998) "The Virgin Encyclopedia of Reggae", Virgin Books,
1133:
1092:
268:
260:
624:
Thompson, Dave (2002) "Reggae & Caribbean Music", Backbeat Books,
1358:
1230:
1128:
1087:
1006:
991:
959:
294:
was aged 14 when she had a major lovers rock hit with her version of
252:
233:
217:
209:
138:
114:
248:
enjoying international hits with versions of well-known love songs.
1313:
1028:
389:. The trend also saw the emergence of many male groups, including
932:
401:, who in 1981, had the emotive reggae chart hit "Men Cry Too".
451:
36:
278:
with rocksteady and reggae bassline rhythms. Rooted in the
928:
365:, while Bovell produced one of the genre's biggest hits,
858:
856:
355:
such as Chicken Hi-Fi, Success Sound, and Soferno B.
228:
The roots of lovers rock lie in the last days of the
1286:
1213:
1162:
1106:
968:
327:
performing at the Giants of Lovers Rock event, 2012
187:
177:
145:
133:
102:
97:
435:, Kofi, Sanchez, Samantha Rose, and Macia Aitken.
361:became a key lovers rock producer, working with
27:Style of reggae music noted for being romantic
944:
236:, with Jamaican and American singers such as
8:
815:. Greenwood Publishing Group. p. 182.
951:
937:
929:
641:
639:
637:
620:
618:
616:
614:
612:
610:
351:. Lovers rock became a staple of London's
94:
919:Black Popular Music in Britain since 1945
904:Black Popular Music in Britain since 1945
889:Black Popular Music in Britain since 1945
874:Black Popular Music in Britain since 1945
838:Black popular music in Britain since 1945
798:Black popular music in Britain since 1945
706:, 11 November 2018. Retrieved 5 July 2022
83:Learn how and when to remove this message
740:"The Beat at the Heart of 'Lovers Rock'"
660:
658:
656:
654:
593:
591:
589:
319:
800:. Burlington, VT: Ashgate. p. 121.
648:, allmusic.com, Macrovision Corporation
585:
778:
767:
1304:Caribbean music in the United Kingdom
7:
1205:Reggae bands from the Virgin Islands
681:David Katz, "Junior Murvin obituary"
738:Gordon, Jeremy (29 November 2020).
317:, which gave the new genre a name.
1170:Reggae Grammy winners 1985-present
25:
491:". In the 1990s, artists such as
373:", which reached number 2 in the
1402:
41:
427:Other lovers rock singers were
1:
198:List of reggae fusion artists
811:Moskowitz, David V. (2005).
393:, The Investigators and the
32:Lovers Rock (disambiguation)
574:List of lovers rock artists
359:Neil "Mad Professor" Fraser
1463:
840:. Burlington, VT: Ashgate.
466:" on their 1979 signature
29:
1397:
1200:Jamaican record producers
192:
1294:List of reggae festivals
696:Lyew, Stephanie (2018) "
489:I Wanna Wake Up with You
1442:English styles of music
1349:Sound system (Jamaican)
687:, Retrieved 4 July 2022
777:Cite journal requires
328:
251:A style suited to the
232:era and early days of
1185:Reggae fusion artists
1066:Alternative reggaeton
718:Retrieved 4 July 2022
323:
1190:Roots reggae artists
212:music noted for its
30:For other uses, see
1180:Reggae rock artists
921:. pp. 115–129.
906:. pp. 115–129.
891:. pp. 115–129.
876:. pp. 115–129.
347:singer Winsome and
335:(including a young
146:Typical instruments
1339:Dance Hall (venue)
331:South London trio
329:
259:sound dominant in
220:in the mid-1970s.
1419:
1418:
1354:Sound system (DJ)
1163:People and groups
1039:Reggae en Español
431:, Beres Hammond,
203:
202:
103:Stylistic origins
93:
92:
85:
18:Lovers' rock
16:(Redirected from
1454:
1412:
1407:
1406:
1405:
1364:Jamaican English
1309:Music of Jamaica
1175:Reggae musicians
1024:Nyabinghi rhythm
972:
962:
953:
946:
939:
930:
923:
922:
914:
908:
907:
899:
893:
892:
884:
878:
877:
869:
863:
860:
851:
848:
842:
841:
833:
827:
826:
808:
802:
801:
793:
787:
786:
780:
775:
773:
765:
761:
755:
754:
752:
750:
735:
729:
725:
719:
713:
707:
694:
688:
678:
672:
662:
649:
643:
632:
622:
605:
595:
501:Reggae Sunsplash
422:UK Singles Chart
418:Freddie McGregor
375:UK Singles Chart
363:Deborahe Glasgow
288:Carroll Thompson
194:Music of Jamaica
178:Derivative forms
134:Cultural origins
125:rhythm and blues
95:
88:
81:
77:
74:
68:
45:
44:
37:
21:
1462:
1461:
1457:
1456:
1455:
1453:
1452:
1451:
1422:
1421:
1420:
1415:
1408:
1403:
1401:
1393:
1369:Jamaican Patois
1299:Caribbean music
1282:
1209:
1158:
1107:Characteristics
1102:
970:
964:
960:
957:
927:
926:
916:
915:
911:
901:
900:
896:
886:
885:
881:
871:
870:
866:
861:
854:
849:
845:
835:
834:
830:
823:
810:
809:
805:
795:
794:
790:
776:
766:
763:
762:
758:
748:
746:
737:
736:
732:
726:
722:
714:
710:
703:Jamaica Gleaner
695:
691:
679:
675:
663:
652:
644:
635:
623:
608:
596:
587:
582:
570:
533:
509:
497:Peter Hunnigale
226:
173:
158:electric guitar
129:
89:
78:
72:
69:
58:
52:has an unclear
46:
42:
35:
28:
23:
22:
15:
12:
11:
5:
1460:
1458:
1450:
1449:
1447:1970s in music
1444:
1439:
1434:
1424:
1423:
1417:
1416:
1414:
1413:
1410:Jamaica portal
1398:
1395:
1394:
1392:
1391:
1386:
1384:Island Records
1381:
1379:Trojan Records
1376:
1371:
1366:
1361:
1356:
1351:
1346:
1341:
1336:
1331:
1326:
1321:
1316:
1311:
1306:
1301:
1296:
1290:
1288:
1284:
1283:
1281:
1280:
1278:United Kingdom
1275:
1270:
1265:
1260:
1255:
1250:
1245:
1244:
1243:
1238:
1233:
1228:
1217:
1215:
1211:
1210:
1208:
1207:
1202:
1197:
1192:
1187:
1182:
1177:
1172:
1166:
1164:
1160:
1159:
1157:
1156:
1151:
1141:
1136:
1131:
1126:
1121:
1116:
1110:
1108:
1104:
1103:
1101:
1100:
1095:
1090:
1085:
1080:
1075:
1074:
1073:
1068:
1058:
1057:
1056:
1051:
1041:
1036:
1031:
1026:
1021:
1016:
1011:
1010:
1009:
1004:
994:
989:
988:
987:
976:
974:
966:
965:
958:
956:
955:
948:
941:
933:
925:
924:
917:Palmer, Lisa.
909:
902:Palmer, Lisa.
894:
887:Palmer, Lisa.
879:
872:Palmer, Lisa.
864:
852:
843:
828:
821:
803:
788:
779:|journal=
756:
744:New York Times
730:
720:
708:
689:
673:
650:
633:
606:
584:
583:
581:
578:
577:
576:
569:
566:
551:The genres of
532:
529:
508:
505:
485:Boris Gardiner
473:London Calling
406:Gregory Isaacs
379:Trevor Walters
225:
222:
208:is a style of
201:
200:
190:
189:
185:
184:
179:
175:
174:
172:
171:
168:
165:
160:
155:
149:
147:
143:
142:
135:
131:
130:
128:
127:
122:
117:
112:
106:
104:
100:
99:
91:
90:
54:citation style
49:
47:
40:
26:
24:
14:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1459:
1448:
1445:
1443:
1440:
1438:
1437:Reggae genres
1435:
1433:
1430:
1429:
1427:
1411:
1400:
1396:
1390:
1387:
1385:
1382:
1380:
1377:
1375:
1372:
1370:
1367:
1365:
1362:
1360:
1357:
1355:
1352:
1350:
1347:
1345:
1342:
1340:
1337:
1335:
1332:
1330:
1327:
1325:
1322:
1320:
1317:
1315:
1312:
1310:
1307:
1305:
1302:
1300:
1297:
1295:
1292:
1291:
1289:
1285:
1279:
1276:
1274:
1271:
1269:
1266:
1264:
1261:
1259:
1256:
1254:
1251:
1249:
1246:
1242:
1239:
1237:
1234:
1232:
1229:
1227:
1224:
1223:
1222:
1219:
1218:
1216:
1212:
1206:
1203:
1201:
1198:
1196:
1193:
1191:
1188:
1186:
1183:
1181:
1178:
1176:
1173:
1171:
1168:
1167:
1165:
1161:
1155:
1152:
1149:
1145:
1142:
1140:
1137:
1135:
1132:
1130:
1127:
1125:
1122:
1120:
1119:Hammond organ
1117:
1115:
1112:
1111:
1109:
1105:
1099:
1096:
1094:
1091:
1089:
1086:
1084:
1081:
1079:
1076:
1072:
1069:
1067:
1064:
1063:
1062:
1059:
1055:
1052:
1050:
1047:
1046:
1045:
1044:Reggae fusion
1042:
1040:
1037:
1035:
1032:
1030:
1027:
1025:
1022:
1020:
1017:
1015:
1014:Gospel reggae
1012:
1008:
1005:
1003:
1000:
999:
998:
995:
993:
990:
986:
985:Dancehall pop
983:
982:
981:
978:
977:
975:
973:
967:
963:
954:
949:
947:
942:
940:
935:
934:
931:
920:
913:
910:
905:
898:
895:
890:
883:
880:
875:
868:
865:
859:
857:
853:
847:
844:
839:
832:
829:
824:
818:
814:
807:
804:
799:
792:
789:
784:
771:
760:
757:
745:
741:
734:
731:
724:
721:
717:
712:
709:
705:
704:
699:
693:
690:
686:
682:
677:
674:
671:
670:1-84353-329-4
667:
661:
659:
657:
655:
651:
647:
646:"Lovers Rock"
642:
640:
638:
634:
631:
630:0-87930-655-6
627:
621:
619:
617:
615:
613:
611:
607:
604:
603:0-7535-0242-9
600:
594:
592:
590:
586:
579:
575:
572:
571:
567:
565:
561:
559:
554:
549:
545:
541:
537:
530:
528:
524:
521:
520:
515:
514:Steve McQueen
506:
504:
502:
498:
494:
490:
486:
482:
477:
475:
474:
469:
465:
461:
457:
453:
449:
445:
440:
438:
434:
430:
429:Junior Murvin
425:
423:
419:
415:
411:
407:
402:
400:
396:
392:
388:
387:Winston Reedy
384:
380:
376:
372:
368:
364:
360:
356:
354:
353:sound systems
350:
346:
342:
338:
337:Caron Wheeler
334:
326:
322:
318:
316:
315:Dennis Bovell
312:
308:
304:
299:
297:
296:Robert Parker
293:
289:
285:
281:
280:sound systems
277:
274:
270:
266:
262:
258:
254:
249:
247:
243:
239:
235:
231:
223:
221:
219:
215:
211:
207:
199:
195:
191:
186:
183:
182:Reggae fusion
180:
176:
169:
166:
164:
161:
159:
156:
154:
151:
150:
148:
144:
140:
136:
132:
126:
123:
121:
118:
116:
113:
111:
108:
107:
105:
101:
96:
87:
84:
76:
66:
62:
56:
55:
50:This article
48:
39:
38:
33:
19:
1154:Walking bass
1083:Samba reggae
1078:Roots reggae
1034:Ragga jungle
1018:
918:
912:
903:
897:
888:
882:
873:
867:
846:
837:
831:
812:
806:
797:
791:
770:cite journal
759:
747:. Retrieved
743:
733:
723:
711:
701:
692:
685:The Guardian
684:
676:
562:
550:
546:
542:
538:
534:
525:
518:
510:
493:Mike Anthony
478:
471:
464:Lover's Rock
441:
426:
416:, and later
414:Sugar Minott
410:Dennis Brown
403:
357:
341:Soul II Soul
330:
300:
284:South London
273:Philadelphia
250:
227:
205:
204:
188:Other topics
170:horn section
79:
70:
51:
1432:Lovers rock
1268:Philippines
1258:New Zealand
1195:Dub artists
1049:Reggae rock
1019:Lovers rock
749:20 December
716:Maxi Priest
558:Black Brits
519:Lovers Rock
437:Maxi Priest
433:Horace Andy
371:Silly Games
339:, later of
333:Brown Sugar
311:John Kpiaye
292:Louisa Mark
265:Alton Ellis
257:Rastafarian
242:Johnny Nash
206:Lovers rock
153:Bass guitar
98:Lovers rock
1426:Categories
1374:Studio One
1071:Moombahton
1054:Reggaestep
1002:Dub poetry
822:0313331588
580:References
395:Birmingham
238:Ken Boothe
230:rocksteady
110:Rocksteady
65:footnoting
1389:Blue Beat
1334:Suedehead
1319:Rastafari
1248:Australia
1231:Mauritius
1214:By region
1061:Reggaeton
980:Dancehall
553:Brit funk
507:Influence
468:double LP
460:The Clash
456:crossover
391:Tradition
383:Honey Boy
367:Janet Kay
345:Battersea
307:T.T. Ross
246:John Holt
141:, England
137:1970s in
1344:Dubplate
1329:Skinhead
1324:Rude boy
1241:Zimbabwe
1144:Toasting
1124:One drop
1098:Two-tone
728:115–129.
568:See also
531:Politics
454:/reggae
442:Seminal
303:Emotions
214:romantic
167:keyboard
163:drum kit
73:May 2024
61:citation
1287:Related
1263:Pacific
1236:Nigeria
1134:Singjay
1093:Singjay
481:Fashion
399:Beshara
269:Chicago
261:Jamaica
224:History
1359:Riddim
1273:Poland
1221:Africa
1148:Deejay
1129:Reverb
1088:Seggae
1007:Psydub
992:Dembow
971:Genres
961:Reggae
819:
668:
628:
601:
397:group
385:, and
253:London
234:reggae
218:London
210:reggae
139:London
115:reggae
1314:Mento
1253:Japan
1226:Kenya
1139:Skank
1114:Delay
1029:Ragga
458:band
817:ISBN
783:help
751:2020
666:ISBN
626:ISBN
599:ISBN
487:'s "
448:rock
444:punk
369:'s "
349:Kofi
325:Kofi
313:and
276:soul
271:and
244:and
120:soul
63:and
997:Dub
700:",
516:'s
452:ska
282:of
1428::
855:^
774::
772:}}
768:{{
742:.
683:,
653:^
636:^
609:^
588:^
503:.
495:,
476:.
470:,
424:.
412:,
408:,
381:,
290:.
240:,
196:-
1150:)
1146:(
952:e
945:t
938:v
825:.
785:)
781:(
753:.
450:/
446:/
86:)
80:(
75:)
71:(
67:.
57:.
34:.
20:)
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.