Going Your Way Riddim – Midnight Rock

Three cuts, one sturdy little 1982 slice of roots-to-dancehall transition, and the draw here is the pairing of Johnny Osbourne and a very early Super Cat over Midnight Rock’s “Going Your Way” rhythm. Osbourne’s title tune has that easy, confident swing he was so good at in the period, while Super Cat comes in sharper on “Weh Them A Fight Fa, ” already sounding like a deejay who knew how to cut through a sound system. The version side keeps the whole thing moving without fuss, which is exactly what you want from a rhythm this lean. Midnight Rock were active in that fertile early-’80s stretch when Jamaican productions were tightening up and heading toward the dancehall era, and this one sits right in that moment, brief but full of character.