Reggae Wednesday

I'm not going to apologise for posting so many classics in this series. It's fine being all clever and obscure, but I'll never fail to acknowledge the brilliance of some of the best known reggae tunes out there. Today's pick is one of the best known of all - one of the great reggae songs of all time.

Night Nurse catapulted Gregory Isaacs headlong into worldwide stardom in 1982. The fame led to him developing a serious cocaine and crack habit which in turn resulted in the loss of his teeth, a deterioration of his voice and a spell in prison. However, he never stopped writing, recording and performing. More than 60 studio albums bear his name and he remains a legend of his genre. Isaacs died of lung cancer in London in 2010. The Jamaican government posthumously awarded him the Order Of Distinction (Officer Class) in 2016. But his lasting legacy will be his music.

I love Night Nurse so much, I'm giving it to you twice! The first is the original 12" mix which combines the album version with the obligatory dub version. The other is a fantastic live version from 1987's 'Encore', recorded at Brixton Academy in London. The (mainly female) crowd is exuberant throughout, singing loudly and chanting "We want Greg'ry" as he leaves the stage at the end.

• Night Nurse [discomix] - Gregory Isaacs (12" single)
• Night Nurse [live] - Gregory Isaacs (from 'Encore')