Reggae and lover’s rock would not be where they are today without the late, great Dennis Emmanuel Brown, CD.

Brown who began his career in the 1960s, started at the tender age of 11 and had quite the prolific career. Recording over 75 albums, the artiste, known as the Crown Prince of Reggae, has been a major influence on others throughout the years.

Passing away in July 1999, Brown would have celebrated his 65th year today.

In honour of Dennis Brown and the start of Reggae Month, here are eight of his classics you definitely ought to add to your playlist.

Promised Land (1983)

First recorded in 1983, the track was later added to Brown’s 1985 album Revolution. Produced by the artiste, the record speaks of the journey to land that was promised to Africans. Throughout the song, Brown provides details of the journey, mentioning the different names of places on the African continent that one would encounter.

Giving thanks to the Prophet God, Dennis also stresses that manmade things such as discrimination and segregation, which has long plagued African people, should be discarded when going to and entering the Promised Land.

7. How Could I Leave (1992)

1977’s How Could I Leave was produced by record producer Joe Gibbs. The song was featured on Brown’s Live In Montego Bay album.

The song features a heartbroken Brown stressing that it is impossible for him to leave his love interest. The singer asks his love interest to promise never to leave, for without her he wouldn’t know what to do.

6. Money In My Pocket (1979)

Record producer Joe Gibbs and Dennis Brown began their association in 1972, and this led to Brown’s breakthrough as an international artiste. Gibbs had asked Brown to record an album and from that came the classic Money In My Pocket.

The remastered version was released in 1979 and the record was a part of Brown’s Words of Wisdom album. The original version, created a few years prior, was produced by  Winston ‘Niney’ Holness with backgrounds from Soul Syndicate.

The track hears the singer yearning for someone to love, saying despite being wealthy, he isn’t able to find someone to give his love to. The song quickly became a hit with United Kingdom reggae audiences and became a favourite for his live performances.

5. Revolution (1985)

Produced by Jamaican rhythm section and production duo Sly and Robbie, Revolution, released in 1985, features Brown asking those listening if they are ready to fight and stand up for radical change.

Written by Brown, the song also encourages togetherness, as we hear him repeatedly sing, “Say, we gotta live-a-live-a-live-a-live-a-live, live on forever and Love-love-love-love-love, love each other.”

The song was featured on both the Revolution album and the reissued Brown Sugar album.

4. Sitting and Watching (1980)

Sitting and Watching is another song on this list featured on two of Brown’s albums, Spellbound released in 1980 and reissued on Brown Sugar in 1988.

Produced by Sly and Robbie, the track has Brown talking about materialistic people who are missing out because they opt to focus on the wrong things in life, adding that focusing on worldly things will inevitably cause pain and misery.

Brown goes on to encourage listeners to stay true to themselves and refrain from surrendering to the vanity of the world.

3. Silhouette (1972)

This classic, though not original, piece was produced by Jamaican singer Derrick Harriot. The original song was done by American pop group The Rays and released in 1957. The record was written by Bob Crewe and Frank Slay.

The track was included on Brown’s 1972 album Super Reggae an Soul Hits.

2. Should I (1979)

This popular Dennis Brown track was released in 1979 and produced by Joe Gibbs. In this fourth track from his Words of Wisdom album, Brown reaches out to his love interest, asking what their current status is as he feels the relationship between them is dissolving.

Brown confesses he loves her so much to the point that his love is making a fool out of him.

1. Here I Come (1977)

Released on 1977’s Wolf and Leopards album, this reggae record was produced by TADS Records owner, Tad ‘Papa Tad’ Dawkins.

The third track from the album, Here I Come, features Brown singing of having a clean heart and being protected by the ‘Most High’. The record also references Psalm 23 in its chorus.