I think the first Peter Tosh solo song I recall hearing was Johnny B Goode. I vaguely remember seeing the video on our local television station (JBC) as a child. At the time I didn’t know who the artiste was or how important he would become in my life. All I knew was that I liked the song. Years later I would come across the ‘No Nuclear War‘ album in my stepfather’s music collection. By this time I was already listening and loving Bob Marley’s music. There was something different about Peter Tosh that pulled me in; his voice and straightforwardness couldn’t be ignored. From that moment I became a fan. I spent weeks and months trying to get my hands on as much of his music as possible.The more I listened, the more I wanted to hear. Peter Tosh made music for the common man; you didn’t have to try to decipher the messages in his songs. His songs were simple yet powerful, message-laden yet catchy.

Peter Tosh is one of maybe three reggae artists that I have come across whose music is capable of entrancing me. Like Peter Tosh sang: “Sometimes your temperature it really gets higher, and the music sets your soul on fire .”

In no particular order, these are my favorite Peter Tosh songs:

1. Pick Myself Up – Bush Doctor (1978)

2. Wanted Dread and Alive – Wanted Dread and Alive (1981)

3. Why Must I Cry – Legalize It (1976)

4. Lessons In My Life – No Nuclear War (1987)

5. Recruiting Soldiers  – Mystic Man (1979)

6. Burial – Legalize It (1976)

7. Crystal Ball – Mystic Man (1979)

8. Equal Rights – Equal Rights (1977)

9. The Day The Dollar Die – Mystic Man (1979)

10. Fools Die – Wanted Dread and Alive (1981)