007 (
Shanty Town) was released by
Desmond Dekker in 1967, it was
produced by
Leslie Kong. Dekker wrote the song in response to the
police burning
shanty town which was a large
squatter village on the outskirts of
Kingston' Jamaica. When the police burned Shanty town there was rioting which is described in the song. 007 reached #15 on the U.K. charts and was the first in a string of 20 consecutive
chart toppers by Dekker in his home
country. 007 has been covered over the years by many excellent
ska bands including
Toots and the Maytals and
The Specials
oh oh seven
oh oh seven
at ocean eleven
an' now rudeboys 'ave a wail
'cause them out of jail
rudeboys cannot fail
'cause dem must get bail
dem a loot, dem a shoot, dem a wail
( a shanty town )
dem a loot, dem a shoot, dem a wail
( a shanty town )
an' rudeboys out on probation
( a shanty town )
an' rudeboy bomb up de town
( a shanty town )
oh oh seven
oh oh seven
at ocean eleven
an' now rudeboys 'ave a wail
'cause them out of jail
rudeboys cannot fail
'cause them must get bail
dem a loot, dem a shoot, dem a wail
( a shanty town )
dem a loot, dem a shoot, dem a wail
( a shanty town )
an' rudeboys out on probation
( a shanty town )
an' rudeboy bomb up de town
( a shanty town )
de policeman get taller
( a shanty town )
de soldier get longer
( a shanty town )
de rudeboys a weep an' a wail
( a shanty town )