It is August 1 and Jamaicans celebrate Emancipation Day. On this landmark day, slaves were granted freedom by Great Britain which owned Jamaica at the time. The following are songs that capture the spirit of the forefathers who endured centuries of oppression.

Freedom Sounds — A horn-hooked classic from 1964 by The Skatalites, composed by Tommy McCook, leader of that legendary band’s famous triple sax attack. Musicologists differ as to which event inspired this Studio One-produced song — Emancipation of the slaves in 1838 or Jamaica gaining independence from Britain in 1962. It is suitable for both occasions.

Equal Rights — The Heptones are usually identified with party anthems, but lead singer and chief songwriter Leroy Sibbles was inspired to write this Studio One song after watching his black brothers suffering in the United States. Released in 1968, it was later covered by Dennis Brown.

400 Years — A powerful song by The Wailers, released by Island Records in 1973 as part of the group’s outstanding Catch A Fire album. Written by Peter Tosh, it hears them imploring black people, ‘Don’t sit down on your pride, there’s no time for you to hide’, after centuries of being brainwashed by the slave master.

Africa — Released 50 years ago, this track hears Dennis Brown longing for repatriation to the Motherland, from where his foreparents were stolen 400 years before. Produced by Winston “Niney” Holness, Africa was one of the songs that defined the Afrocentric 1970s and ‘D Brown’s coming of age as an artiste.

Slavemaster — Smooth ballads like Soon Forward earned Gregory Isaacs the moniker, The Cool Ruler, but on this 1977 roots track produced by Niney Holness, his heartfelt lyrics about plantation life tugged at the heartstrings.

‘Every time I hear the music and I make a dip, a dip

Slave master comes around and spank I with his whip, the whip

But if I don’t get my desire

Then I’ll set the plantations on fire’

Hello Mama Africa — Garnet Silk toasts the Motherland on this big hit from 1994. Produced by Richard Bell for Startrail Records, it hears the singer yearning for the continent despite being “oceans away”.

– Howard Campbell