A Classic Reggae Album is The Best of Peter Tosh: Dread Don't Die

Peter Tosh was a brilliant reggae artist and his The Best of Peter Tosh: Dread Don't Die album was released in 1996 with "Crystal Ball" and "Fools Die."

Reggae music lost Winston Hubert McIntosh more formally known as the reggae artist Peter Tosh on September 11, 1987. Despite his death, Tosh's musical legacy still remains relevant and influential to the new reggae artists of the 21st century. Peter Tosh is well known for being a member of The Wailers with Bob Marley and Bunny Wailer. A compilation of some of Peter Tosh's top songs can be found on The Best of Peter Tosh: Dread Don't Die.

 

Peter Tosh's Musical Legacy

The Wailers sang several songs written by Peter Tosh including "One Foundation," "400 Years" and "Stop That Train." Tosh also co-wrote "Get Up, Stand Up" with Bob Marley. According to Carol Cooper in the essay of The Best of Peter Tosh: Dread Don't Die, Tosh left The Wailers in 1974 and to pursue a solo career in reggae music. Tosh released several solo albums throughout his career including Equal Rights in 1977, Bush Doctor in 1978, Wanted Dread And Alive in 1981, Mama Africa in 1983 and The Toughest in 1986. His last album was No Nuclear War in 1987, just before he died.

The Songs ofThe Best of Peter Tosh: Dread Don't Die

Released in 1996, The Best of Peter Tosh: Dread Don't Die has twelve of Tosh's well known songs. From "Crystal Ball" to "Wanted Dread or Alive" to "Coming in Hot," this album contains some of Tosh's big hits. While this compilation does not include favorites like "Brand New Secondhand" and "African," it does include the duet with Mick Jagger - "(You Got to Walk And) Don't Look Back." There are two live songs from Tosh's 1984 Captured LIVE album: "Equal Rights" and "Downpresser Man" which were performed as one continuous song.

• "That's What They Will Do" is About Friendships Gone Bad: From the Wanted Dread And Alive album, Tosh sings about bad experiences with friends in "That's What They Will Do." With lyrics like "They will come with great pretence to gain your confidence" and "..dress up in your shoes and still carry false news," Tosh wrote this song to express the heartache that comes when someone is betrayed by a friend. "That What They Will Do" can even be considered as a warning about friendships.
• Tosh's Duet with Mick Jagger "(You Got to Walk And) Don't Look Back": "(You Got to Walk And) Don't Look Back" is written by Ronald White and William Robinson and comes of Tosh's Bush Doctor album. "So if you just put your hand in mine / we're gonna leave all our troubles behind / keep on walking / don't look back" is the hook of this catchy reggae song.
• "Glasshouse" is a Reggae Fable: This song comes from Tosh's Mama Africa album and starts off with the sound of broken glass and the chorus "If you live in a glasshouse / don't throw stones." Tosh sings "all behind I back you like to grumble / and before I face you always a fumble" to express his thoughts on this 'glasshouse' concept.
• Tosh Sings of the Love of Reggae in "Reggae Mylitis": "Woke up this morning / with a funny funny feeling / and that feeling / was an unusual feeling" start off this mellow reggae song. Tosh sings of this 'funny feeling' that ran all over his body and that a doctor diagnosed him with "Reggae Mylitis." This 'condition' can be considered the love of reggae music which any fan would concur that this type of music is infectious and highly contagious.

Peter Tosh was a gifted musician who sang in the reggae group The Wailers. The Best of Peter Tosh: Dread Don't Die includes some of his hit reggae songs including "Johnny B. Goode," "Where You Gonna Run" and "Coming In Hot. "This talented reggae artist also recorded with Mick Jagger. Tosh was killed in 1987, but his music remains socially conscious and inspiring.