Two Sevens Clash (1977)

"Two Sevens Clash" For all the dread (meaning anxiety) that engendered and drives this stone reggae classic, the vibe throughout remains as steadfastly joyful as it is devout, which is not to say it isn't somber too. I suppose that's what happens when you are imagining the end of the world at the hand of a God who loves you, and who you love too. In this case, it's songwriter and singer Joseph Hill, head Culture (with Sly Dunbar and Robbie Shakespeare, among many others, in tow), taking to heart the words of Marcus Garvey, who predicted that July 7, 1977 (or 7/7/77), would herald a period of apocalyptic chaos. In a vision of his own, Hill conceived the terrible glories of the end and converted them into the title song here: "Look at the cotton tree / out by Ferry police station / How beautiful it used to be / And it has been destroyed by lightning, / Earthquake and thunder... / When the two sevens clash it bitter, bitter, bitter." It turned out to be a big hit in Jamaica in 1977, and thanks in part to that all of Kingston essentially shut down when the day came. Well, maybe Garvey actually meant 2077, or maybe Hill garbled the vision—or, come to think of it, maybe they were right. That's not what matters. The rest of us, apocalypse or no, can simply give thanks, kick back, and dig. The charms never seem to fade. Though it comprises only 10 tracks, barely more than half an hour, from song to song all is one groove and fine harmony. The keyboards provide perfectly bright accents, the chanting vocals and harmonies can practically hypnotize, and the rhythm section (of course) is locked in. Play it often and sing it loud: "Wat a liiv an bambaie."