Al Capone

• "Al Capone," produced by Jamaican music legend Prince Buster, was the first Jamaican song to reach the top 20 radio music list of the United Kingdom. It was recorded in 1964 on Buster's Blue Beat label. The uptempo ska style of the song, complete with horn and cymbal sounds, was embraced by the underground Mod culture emergent during the early 1960s in Britain. The song is a Jamaican legend and was performed at the nationally renowned Reggae Sunsplash summer festival of 1983 by Prince Buster and the Skatalites.
  
  

Pressure Drop

• "Pressure Drop" by Toots and the Maytals was a 1969 ska hit that received acclaim when used as part of the soundtrack for the 1972 movie "The Harder They Come." The song's undercurrent is meant to give listeners a feeling of dread as it metaphorically refers to a time of political destabilization of the Manley government in Jamaica. Although not a ska first like "Al Capone," "Pressure Drop" has stood the test of time. Toots and the Maytals performed the song for a live audience on "Late Night With Jimmy Fallon" on November 8, 2010.
  
  

The Israelites

• "The Israelites" by Desmond Dekker and the Aces was recorded in 1968. It was a number one hit in the United Kingdom and placed number nine on the top 10 charts in the United States. The first words of the song, "Wake up in the morning, slaving for bread, sir, so that every mouth can be fed..." popularized the tune that could be related to by working-class people, regardless of race or religious affiliation. The recording of "The Israelites, "It Mek" and "007 (Shanty Town)" earned Desmond Dekker the title of "King of Ska."
  
  

My Boy Lollipop

• Millie Small's 1964 ska single, "My Boy Lollipop," was musically arranged by Jamaican guitarist Ernest Ranglin. The ska version was a remake of a 1956 rhythm-and-blues version by Barbie Gaye. According to "National Geographic," Small's "My Boy Lollipop" sold more than 7 million copies around the world, giving the Island label, under which is it was recorded and distributed, international recognition. The song was first recorded in London in 1963 and was made popular again by the British singing group The Spice Girls in their 1997 film, "Spice World."