Reggae singer Junior Murvin dies aged 64
'Police and Thieves' became an anthem in British inner cities of the late Seventies
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Junior Murvin, the Jamaican singer whose hit "Police and Thieves" became one of the most distinctive songs in reggae music and an anthem in the British inner cities of the late Seventies, has died.
"Police and Thieves" was recorded in 1976 to reflect turf war and police violence in Jamaica but became closely associated with London's Notting Hill Carnival, which ended in rioting that year. The song introduced many punk rockers to reggae and was covered by The Clash for their debut album in 1977.
"Police and Thieves" was the title track of a popular Junior Murvin album released by Chris Blackwell's Island Records, also in 1977. The song was eventually a British chart hit for the Jamaican singer in 1980 and has been a staple of sound systems at Notting Hill Carnival for nearly four decades.
The falsetto singer, who was born Murvin Smith Junior, began his career under the name of Junior Soul and recorded over a period of more than 30 years. But he never managed to emulate the success of his greatest hit, which was produced by the eccentric Lee "Scratch" Perry. He died peacefully at his home in Port Antonio, Jamaica, on Monday. He was 64.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments