Smile Riddim – Studio 1

1968 was a rich stretch for Studio One, when the label was still setting the template for roots-era reggae, and the Smile rhythm sits right in that pocket with a warm, easy shuffle and a deeply sung bassline that leaves plenty of room for the singers. Alpheus on “Mrs Right, ” Rod Taylor on “Want Your Loving, ” and Willie Williams on “Jah Righteous Plan” each take a different angle on the same cut, but the Silvertones’ “Smile” is the one that really locks into the groove and gives the riddim its name. The set moves with that classic Coxsone feel: compact, melodic, and made for repeated plays, ending on the righteous note of “Jah Righteous Plan” before the instrumental lets the rhythm breathe on its own.

Smile Riddim Tracklist:

1. Alpheus – Mrs Right
2. Glen Washingtone – Wages Of Sin
3. Rod Taylor – Want Your Loving
4. The Blackstones – I Wanna Hold You
5. The Jay’s – Good Love Affair
6. The Silvertones – Smile
7. Willie Williams – Jah Righteous Plan