B-side Marcus Garvey Genre Ska Producer(s) Coxsone Dodd | Released 1965 Label Island | |
Writer(s) Dimitri Tiomkin, Paul Webster | ||
"Guns Of Navarone" is a song and single by Jamaican group, The Skatalites. The music was written by Dimitri Tiomkin for the 1961 film of the same name, the soundtrack of which was released on 1 January 1961. Lyrics were added by Paul Francis Webster. It was adapted in the ska style by the Skatalites and is the best selling ska single of all time.
AllMusic describes the song as a masterpiece of the ska genre with its feeling of optimism with a "jubilant harmonic horn chorus". The vocalist is Roland Alphonso, with Lee "Scratch" Perry who provided various shouts on the track. The rhythm section of drummer Lloyd Knibb and bassist, Lloyd Brevett provided sharp rim shots and a "thumping bass". Originally released in 1965 under Alphonso's name, it was re-released in the UK in 1967 making number 36 in the UK charts staying for 6 weeks on the chart. It was their only hit in the UK.
The song was again a hit when included on the UK Chart-topping The Special A.K.A. Live! EP by The Specials in 1980.