''Conquering Ruler'' is a cover album by

the Specials The Specials, also known as the Special AKA, were an English 2 tone and ska revival band formed in 1977 in Coventry. After some early changes, the first stable lineup of the group consisted of Terry Hall and Neville Staple on vocals, J ...

, released in 2001 (see 2001 in music). It is their third album of covers, and their seventh studio album. Like its predecessor, '' Skinhead Girl'', the tracks were recorded at 1993 sessions in the wake of an album backing

Desmond Dekker Desmond Dekker (born Desmond Adolphus Dacres; 16 July 1941 – 25 May 2006) was a Jamaican ska, rocksteady and reggae singer-songwriter and musician. Together with his backing group the Aces (consisting of Wilson James and Easton Barrington Ho ...

. Only three of the original members of The Specials - Neville Staple, Roddy Byers and

Horace Panter Stephen Graham "Horace" Panter, (born 30 August 1953) also known professionally as Sir Horace Gentleman, is the bassist for the British 2 Tone ska band The Specials. Early life Panter was born in Croydon, Surrey and spent most of his formativ ...

participated.

Track listing

#"Jezebel" ( Wayne Shanklin) – 2:33 #"Tom Drunk" ( John Holt) – 3:12 #"Take Me as I Am" ( Jackie Edwards) – 3:17 #"Conquering Ruler" (

Derrick Morgan Derrick Morgan OD (born 27 March 1940)Walters, Basil (2012)A New Day – Songs heralding JA’s Independence", ''Jamaica Observer'', 3 June 2012, retrieved 3 June 2012 is a Jamaican musical artist who was popular in the 1960s and 1970s. He w ...

) – 3:12 #"Decimal Currency" (

The Blenders The Blenders is a vocal quartet based in Minneapolis, Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota (not to be confused with the 1960s vocal quartet of the same name that appeared on the ''Lawrence Welk Show'' for two years, and disbanded in 1967, or the R&B ...

) – 3:48 #"Promises" (

Clancy Eccles Clancy Eccles (9 December 1940 in Dean Pen, St. Mary, Jamaica – 30 June 2005 in Spanish Town, Jamaica)Katz was a Jamaican ska and reggae singer, songwriter, arranger, promoter, record producer and talent scout. Known mostly for his early re ...

) – 3:16 #"Double Barrel" ( Winston Riley) – 3:40 #"Keep My Love from Fading" (B.B. Seaton) – 3:33 #"Rough and Tough" (

Stranger Cole Stranger Cole, also known as StrangeJah Cole (born Wilburn Theodore Cole, 26 June 1942)Thompson, Dave (2002) ''Reggae & Caribbean Music'', Backbeat Books, , p. 335 is a Jamaican singer whose long recording career dates from the early days of sk ...

Duke Reid Arthur "Duke" Reid CD (21 July 1915 – 1 January 1975) was a Jamaican record producer, DJ and record label owner. He ran one of the most popular sound systems of the 1950s called Reid's Sound System, whilst Duke himself was known as The Tr ...

) – 3:23 #"Foolish Plan" ( Johnny Osbourne) – 3:30 #"I Am a Madman" (

Lee "Scratch" Perry Lee "Scratch" Perry (born Rainford Hugh Perry; 20 March 1936 – 29 August 2021) was a Jamaican record producer, songwriter and singer noted for his innovative studio techniques and production style. Perry was a pioneer in the 1970s development ...

) – 4:17 #"Salvation Train" ( Lloyd Charmers) – 3:24 #"Lorna Banana" (

Dennis Alcapone Dennis Alcapone, born Dennis Smith, is a Jamaican reggae Deejay (Jamaican), DJ and Record producer, producer. In 2018, he received the Prime Minister's Medal of Appreciation from Andrew Holness.Johnson, Richard (2018)'Clean up your act!'", ''Ja ...

) – 4:49 #"Return of Django" (

) – 3:37 #"I Don't Need Your Love Anymore" ( Dobby Dobson) – 2:44

Personnel

* Neville Staple – vocals * Roddy Byers – vocals, guitar *

– bass guitar * Neol Davies – rhythm guitar *Justin Dodsworth – keyboards *Leigh Malin – tenor saxophone *Steve Holdway – trombone *Paul Daleman – trumpet *Anthony Harty – percussion, drums *Roger Lomas – producer, engineer, mixing *Phil Rogers – design

References

2001 albums The Specials albums 2000s covers albums {{ska-album-stub