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Max Romeo

Max Romeo (Maxwell Smith, 1944–2025): Jamaican reggae singer. “Wet Dream” (UK No. 10, 1969), “Let the Power Fall” (1971), War Ina Babylon (1976) with Lee Perry, incl. “Chase the Devil”.

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The Emotions and "Wet Dream"

Maxwell Smith was born in Saint Ann parish in 1944 and moved to Kingston as a teenager. In 1965 he formed the vocal trio The Emotions with Kenneth Knight and Lloyd Shakespeare, who had a Jamaican hit with "(Buy You) A Rainbow" in 1966. Going solo as Max Romeo, he recorded "Wet Dream" in 1968. The BBC banned it for its lyrics, but it reached No. 10 on the UK Singles Chart in June 1969 and stayed on the chart for six months.

Politics and "Let the Power Fall"

Romeo moved away from novelty records toward social and political songs. His 1971 album Let the Power Fall backed Michael Manley's People's National Party, and the title song "Let the Power Fall on I" was used as a PNP theme in the 1972 Jamaican general election.

Lee Perry and War Ina Babylon

Romeo worked with producer Lee "Scratch" Perry at the Black Ark studio in the mid 1970s. War Ina Babylon (Island, 1976), credited to Max Romeo and The Upsetters, is generally regarded as his best album. It includes "I Chase the Devil" (also known as "Chase the Devil") and the title track.

Samples and later years

"Chase the Devil" has been sampled by The Prodigy on "Out of Space" (1992) and on "Lucifer" from Jay-Z's The Black Album (2003), produced by Kanye West. Romeo later co-produced Holding Out My Love to You (1981) with Keith Richards and kept recording and touring. He died on 11 April 2025 in Jamaica, aged 80.

Press play

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Now playingMax Romeo - Wet Dream (Official Audio)
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Max Romeo - Wet Dream (Official Audio)
Max Romeo - Wet Dream (Official Audio)Trojan Records Official
Max Romeo - Let The Power Fall On I (Official Audio) | Pama Records
Max Romeo - Let The Power Fall On I (Official Audio) | Pama RecordsPama Records
I Chase the Devil
I Chase the DevilMax Romeo - Topic
Every record

Discography

Pulled from Discogs. Titles in yellow have a full page on Breakbeat Archive.

Studio albums 27

  1. 1969A DreamPama RecordseBayDiscogs
  2. 1971Let The Power FallDynamic SoundseBayDiscogs
  3. 1974Every Man Ought To KnowImpact!eBayDiscogs
  4. 1975Revelation TimeTropical Sound TracseBayDiscogs
  5. 1977ReconstructionMangoeBayDiscogs
  6. 1981Holding Out My Love To YouShanachieeBayDiscogs
  7. 1982I Love My MusicSolid Groove RecordseBayDiscogs
  8. 1983Mek-Wi-RockWoorell RecordseBayDiscogs
  9. 1984Freedom StreetIsland In The SuneBayDiscogs
  10. 1985One WayKingston RecordseBayDiscogs
  11. 1992On The BeachEsolduneBayDiscogs
  12. 1992Fari - Captain Of My ShipJah Shaka MusiceBayDiscogs
  13. 1994The Cross Or The GunLeggo StudioseBayDiscogs
  14. 1995Sings Hits Of Bob MarleyUnityeBayDiscogs
  15. 1995Our RightsJah Shaka MusiceBayDiscogs
  16. 1998Selassie I ForeverJet StareBayDiscogs
  17. 2003A Little Time For JahMediacomeBayDiscogs
  18. 2005Crazy World Of DubJamaican RecordingseBayDiscogs
  19. 2006Pocomania SongsAriwaeBayDiscogs
  20. 2008Best OfMediacom, NocturneeBayDiscogs
  21. 2016Horror ZoneNu Roots RecordseBayDiscogs
  22. 2023Sings ClassicsWise Records (12)eBayDiscogs
  23. 2025The Time Is NowGroove ExplorationeBayDiscogs
  24. —Banned Charmax MusiceBayDiscogs
  25. —First In LiveSankofa BlackstareBayDiscogs
  26. —Two Face PeopleCharmax MusiceBayDiscogs
  27. —Something Is WrongMediacomeBayDiscogs

Collaborative albums 9

  1. 1976War Ina BabylonMax Romeo & The Upsetters · Federal RecordseBayDiscogs
  2. 1984Max Romeo Meets Owen Gray At King Tubby's StudioMax Romeo Meets Owen Gray · Culture Press, Vista SoundseBayDiscogs
  3. 1988Shock AttackMax Romeo, Tyrone Evans · NEC AvenueeBayDiscogs
  4. 1988TransitionMax Romeo & The Upsetters · NEC AvenueeBayDiscogs
  5. 1988Love MessageMax Romeo And Various · Roots & Culture RecordseBayDiscogs
  6. 1999In This TimeMax Romeo, Tribù Acustica · Satta RecordseBayDiscogs
  7. 2011Babylon FallGoth-Trad With Max Romeo · Deep Medi MusikeBayDiscogs
  8. 2022Showcase Vol 1Gregory Isaacs Meets Max Romeo · Global Beats (3)eBayDiscogs
  9. —Moving OnTradition By Max Romeo · DuomoeBayDiscogs

EPs & mixtapes 2

  1. 2011Protest To The M1Senseless RecordseBayDiscogs
  2. 2016Give Thanks EPNu Roots Records (2)eBayDiscogs

Compilations 10

  1. 1993Wet DreamCrocodisceBayDiscogs
  2. 1999Open The Iron Gate 1973-1977Blood & FireeBayDiscogs
  3. 1999The Many Moods OfDr. Buster DynamiteeBayDiscogs
  4. 2001CollisionCharmax MusiceBayDiscogs
  5. 2002Perilous Times 1974-1999MediacomeBayDiscogs
  6. 2002The Coming Of Jah - Anthology 1967-76Trojan RecordseBayDiscogs
  7. 2004Wet Dream - The Best Of Max RomeoTrojan RecordseBayDiscogs
  8. 2006War Ina Babylon + ReconstructionIsland RecordseBayDiscogs
  9. 2014Wet Dream - Classic Reggae CollectionNot Bad RecordseBayDiscogs
  10. —McCabee VersionSonic SoundseBayDiscogs
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