DILLINGER - TOP RANKING DILLINGER 

VINYL LP    RADIATION ROOTS RROO338 

One of Jamaica’s most popular “deejays” or rappers, Dillinger was one of the few
Jamaican sound system toasters to rise to international prominence as a recording artist
during the mid-1970s. Born Lester Bullocks in 1953, he was raised by his grandmother in a
peripheral neighbourhood located on the outskirts of Kingston. After moving into a tough
ghetto area in western Kingston, he became a protégé of Dennis Alcapone, the star deejay on
an influential set called El Paso, and was known as Young Alcapone until the maverick
producer Lee “Scratch” Perry renamed him Dillinger, cutting a dozen or so tracks at Dynamic
Sounds studio in 1973, of which the most noteworthy was “Dub Organiser,” which saluted
King Tubby and his sound system. Recordings for Phil Pratt, Augustus Pablo, The
Abyssinians and GG Records led to an impressive album for Studio One, but it wasn’t until
he began recording for Ossie Hibbert and Joseph Hoo Kim at Channel One that the world
took notice, following the dramatic success of Island’s CB200 album and its break-though
hit, “Cokane In My Brain.” The album Top Raking Dillinger was produced by Bunny Lee in
1977 and sees the toaster in fine rapping form over some of Lee’s toughest contemporary
rhythms, including Ronnie Davis’ “Hard Times” for “Rat A Cut Bottle” and Johnny Clarke’s
update of Alton Ellis’ “Cry Tough” for “Ranking Of The Past.” There are also roots
mutations of past classics, including Cornell Campbell’s take of Bob Marley’s “War” for
“War Is Not the Answer,” Johnny Clarke’s version of “Waiting In Vain” for the cheeky
“Check Sister Jane,” a cut of The Silvertones’ “Smile” as “Three Mile Rock,” a horns-laden
take of the perennial “Get Ready” as “Judgement Day Rock” and a version of “Melody Life”
as “Don’t Watch Your Wife.”

TRACKLIST
Table Gonna Turn
Check Sister Jane
Mr Wicked Man Know Yourself
King Pharoh Is A Baldhead
Rat A Cut Bottle
Don't Watch Your Wife
War Is Not The Answer
Love Is What The World Need
Untitled
Judgement Day Rock
Ranking Of The Past