Tune of the Week: Syndey Poirtier in Jamaica

It doesn’t take much digging around to realize how much influence Syndey Poirtier had on the island of Jamaica during the 60s and 70s. This was undoubtably due to his gravitas onscreen as well as his political activism. However, the proof is there in the hits:

Whilst inventing the style known as Rocksteady, Lynn Taitt scored big with this cover of “To Sir, With Love” in 1967.

Black Uhuru had one of their breakout hits with a riff on another Portier starring film, “Guess Who’s Coming To Dinner?”. The German kids certainly are eating this one up with a spoon. RIP Robbie Shakespeare.

A personal favorite here at Spacey King HQ is this one by I Roy from 1973. It opens on a scene with I Roy on his way to the local movie house to take in the film “Buck and the Preacher”, Portier’s directing debut. Poirtier teaming up with Harry Belafonte was probably doubly impactful for black communities at the time. It would be great to make a series of songs inspired by screenings of films. Right now this on a list of one.