History

The original version of the legendary »Stalag 17« (often referred to as simply Stalag) was recorded by Ansell Collins on organ and Tommy McCook on saxophone with productions by Winston Riley. The song could first be heard as a special on King Tubby's Sound System Hometown HiFi. The first evening Tubby tried live delay in a dance session he played the rhythm for 45 minutes with U-Roy as the deejay. The response from the people attending was wild.

The song was then released on a Romax 7" in 1974. The song was followed by a toast version, »All Nations Have To Bow« with deejay Big Youth.

The next issue of the rhythm was »Stalag 18« featured a melodica and saxophone duetting in different keys over the rhythm. It was coupled with »Stalag 19« which was the drum and bass version that Big Youth was chatting over on his version. »Stalag 18« was however released as »Stalag 17« in the UK which caused some confusion. Also Dillinger had a cut on this early version of the rhythm with his »Meltin Pot«. In 1976 the deejay General Echo had a hit with »Arleen« which was over Stalag.

The rhythm got second wind when Johnny Osbourne recorded »In The Area« over it for King Jammy. The massive response encouraged Winston Riley to pull out his original tape and use it for some new recording. One of the first cuts he issued was the legendary »Ring The Alarm« by Tenor Saw (this also being one of Saw's firsts recordings) but also massive hits by artists such as Sister Nancy with »Bam Bam«. A version of the rhythm was also cut by Skengdon and used among others by Nicodemus (»Suzie Wong«).

Albums were released on the rhythm by Riley, Jammy and Blackbeard. Stalag 17-18 and 19 by Riley being probably the most spread and known.

The title Stalag 17

In Germany, Stalag was a term used for POW camps. Stalag is an abbreviation for »Stammlager«, itself a short form of the full name »Mannschaftsstamm und -straflager«. Stalag 17 is a 1953 war film which tells the story of a group of American airmen held in a German World War II prisoner of war camp, who come to suspect that one of their number is a traitor.

Sources

• Beth Lesser, Dancehall - The Rise of Jamaican Dancehall Culture
• Rhythm Wise 2 (1990) by Jean Scrivener