Sadly, Jamaican roots reggae legend Max Romeo passed away on April 11, 2025. Initially, he received notoriety for his 1968 UK hit “Wet Dream,” which was banned by the BBC for being too explicit. In the 70s, his music shifted in a more political direction, tackling an array of social injustices, including governmental and police corruption. Here is a selection of ten of his protest tunes.
Let The Power Fall (1971)
This is the title track of his sophomore album. The song was adopted as the anthem for the People’s National Party (PNP), and along with Bob Marley, he campaigned for the PNP in the 1972 general election in Jamaica.
Rent Crisis (1974)
This tune is from Romeo’s third album, Every Man Ought To Know. The obscure album, which is sometimes excluded from his discography lists, has recently been re-released in 2024. This evergreen tune deals with escalating rent. Even though Romeo had in mind Jamaica in the 1970s, many localities, including America, continue to experience a spike in homelessness because people can’t afford housing.
Revelation Time (1975)
This tune is the title track from Romeo’s fourth album (re-released in 1977 as Warning Warning! and internationally in 1978 as Open the Iron Gate). The poignant lyrics speak out against inequality and injustice.
Warning, Warning (1975)
Another song from Revelation Time, the lyrics examine the fleetingness of riches. It also indicts those who gain wealth by the exploitation of others.
Three Blind Mice (1975)
Also from Revelation Time, the tune reworks the well-known nursery rhyme to discuss issues of police corruption.
War Ina Babylon (1976)
This is the title track from his fifth album, which was produced by legendary producer Lee “Scratch” Perry. Along with The Heptones’ Party Time and Junior Murvin’s Police And Thieves, it is widely considered part of the Black Ark “holy trinity”. In Rastafarianism, Babylon represents the white patriarchy that has been enslaving and oppressing Black people. It is often referred to as the police and the government.
Uptown Babies Don’t Cry (1976)
Another track from War Ina Babylon, this emotionally powerful tune deals with class distinctions and economic inequality. Those who are born into privilege (Uptown) enjoy benefits that are not afforded to those who are born poor.
Chase The Devil (1976)
Another track from War Ina Babylon. At least, based on streaming, this is Romeo’s most well-known song. There is both a political and religious element to the tune in regards to fighting off evils, such as warfare (with references to guns and bombs). I also first became familiar with the tune because it was sampled in the 1992 tune “Out of Space” by The Prodigy.
Martin Luther King (1977)
This tune is from Romeo’s sixth album, Reconstruction. It is a gorgeous tribute to the slain Civil Rights leader.
Marching (with Mystikal Man) (2025)
This collaboration with the French reggae artist was released posthumously a couple of days after his death. It is a reworking of a tune that Romeo previously released in 2000. The song’s message of standing up against oppression continues to be timely in the current political climate.
