Mel Cooke, Gleaner Writer

Thirteen years ago Jamaica's crime rate was high, but still nowhere near the horrendous levels that it has now reached. But a group of young performers, along with two relatively youthful producers, came together to reminisce musically on the 'good ol' days'.

All of 10 voices were featured on Remember The Days, a Steelie and Cleavie production that went to number two on the Jamaican charts. It is a laid-back ode to the better times - although, ironically, there are those who would argue that compared to 2009, 1996 now qualifies as 'better times'.

Although 10 voices are featured on Remember The Days, one seemed to have more presence than all the others. It starts off the song and carries the chorus - and appropriately, too. After all, Bushman was there at the genesis of the song and sings:

"Remember the days

When people on the East Side

Could go party on the West Side

And live in peace ..."

Size 2, Sharon Forrester, Scatta, Don Yute, Delly Ranks, Daddy Screw, Benjy Myaz, Sasha and 10 Percent are the other nine voices on Remember The Days, which also came with a video. Myaz did double duty, as he also played bass guitar on the song.

Bushman told The Sunday Gleaner that Remember The Days originated with himself and Cleavie. "It was a thing where we sat in the studio and we say we should make a song. Me hit the first note (he breaks into song and sings the chorus) and him say 'yeah!'," Bushman said.

Once the basics were worked out, Cleavie got people to fit in the various parts.

"It was a togetherness," Bushman described the process of making the song. "Just like the times we looked back to in the song." All the performers did not gather in the studio at one time, Bushman recalling that his section was recorded in the early afternoon at Studio 2000 on Worthington Avenue, New Kingston.

Bushman pointed out that, for him, Remember The Days was a change. Previously, he had made an impact with Call the Hearse and Grow Yu Natty, but those songs were done in a baritone. "This was more like an alto," Bushman said.

Made him an artiste

Remember The Days has endured worsening times.

"From my experience, that is one of the songs that makes me an artiste that if I don't have a hit single to have people hopping about, I can still do a good live show," Bushman said.

And, most of the times when Remember The Days is performed, "it's just Bushman. We never really get the chance to do it with all of us." He further points out that "at one time, I never got to spend as much time around Steelie and Cleavie."

"Steelie great, but Cleavie now can also sing. He would be like a mentor. Sometimes you sing something, but somebody more on the outside see it more clearly," Bushman said. He said that if he had spent more time around the producing duo, "what we learn maybe two years later we would learn then."

"The first thing, you're grateful for the opportunity. That is the first thing I was conscious of, the opportunity to record with some of the best producers in Jamaica. It was a door open for me to take advantage of. Knowing I was working with the best, I knew what would come after," Bushman said. He added that, at the time, attorney-at-law Lloyd Stanbury was involved through his Sandosa organisation.

Bushman performed Remember The Days for the first time at Peppers Nightclub on Upper Waterloo Road, St Andrew, singing to tracks. "The place was flipping off. You young, you vibrant, you want to do this, you want to take advantage of the opportunity," Bushman said of the energy he hit the stage with.

When he performs Remember The Days, Bushman has fun delivering the different sections that other people recorded, his favourite being Delly Ranks:

"Why do youths dem no care

Sankie dem a sing bout rude boy don't fear

Gal a go a dance inna dem underwear

What is happening here"

Then 10 Percent came in with "Vulgarity increase in popularity

And morality is on the decrease".

"We see it happening to this day," Bushman said of the wearing of inner clothing to parties. "The women put on the lingerie top part, them 'pon de river pon de bank' (underwear) and gone a dance. We come see it unfold in this time," he said.

From left, Myaz, Sasha and Delly Ranx.

Four voices still prominent

Of the 10 entertainers who performed on Remember The Days in 1996, four have maintained a consistent presence throughout the years that followed.

1. Bushman, who went on an Eastern Caribbean-run over this weekend, has carved out a place for himself as a roots reggae singer of substance. His first album, Nyah Man Chant, was released in 1997, followed by Total Commitment in 1999 and Higher Ground in 2001. That was the start of an album-per-year run, Better Place coming in 2002, My Meditation in 2003 and Signs in 2004. Among his more noted songs is Lighthouse, complete with a video shot at the Morant Point Lighthouse in Bushman's home parish of St Thomas. A regular performer in Europe, Bushman delivered an outstanding full-length performance at Sting 2005.

2. Delly Ranks has now changed his name to Delly Ranx, reflecting a different approach to his music. In 2001, he did Headache with Elephant Man and he has a number of collaborations, including Weddy Time One and Two with Voicemail, as well as Sirene with Beres Hammond. Since Remember The Days, Delly Ranx has become a Rastafarian and is heavily into producing.

3. Benjy Myaz is a consummate musician, continuously pushing the boundaries of his bass guitar and utilising it as a lead instrument. Myaz also sings. His remake of Love You Higher is extremely popular. In late 2005, he released the album Long Story Short, which includes Do For Love, and is a strong live draw. At a 2008 concert held at Redbones the Blues Café, New Kingston, Myaz performed a number of well-done covers, including How Deep Is Your Love, Just My Imagination and My Girl.

4. Sasha's part of Remember The Days is a talk at the end, where she speaks about how relationships have changed, where once a boy and a girl would have to really have to get to know each other (and the parents as well) before they got into a sexual relationship. Sasha went on to hit it big with Natty Pon Har Frontline and We've Got the Love, both done with Turbulence. Then they split and Turbulence did Ex-Girlfriend. Sasha is also an entrepreneur.

- Mel Cooke