Israelites

Desmond Dekker recorded the song in Jamaica with producer Leslie Kong for Beverley’s; The Aces provided the backing, and the brass parts were added in the UK. It first appeared on record in Jamaica as "Poor Me Israelites" before the UK single release. The track became the first reggae single to reach No. 1 in the UK and a major international breakthrough for Jamaican popular music. In the United States it reached the Top 10 of the Billboard Hot 100, giving Dekker a worldwide hit. "Israelites" remained Dekker’s signature song and one of the best-known Jamaican hits of its era. It has continued to circulate widely through reissues, compilations, film and television use, and later covers and samples.