OLDIES SUNDAY: @MusicalYouth30 – Pass The Dutchie (1982)

This generation rules the nation with version! Today’s Oldies Sunday selection comes from British Child Reggae Band, Musical Youth. Titled “Pass The Dutchie” and produced by Peter Collins in 1982, this is a song about facing extreme poverty. This song was redone version of the Mighty Diamonds’ hit “Pass The Kutchie” which was a song about smoking Marijuana. In the redone version, “Kutchie” was replaced with “Dutchie“, which was the name of a cooking pot.

The members of Musical Youth, Dennis Seaton, Michael Grant, Kelvin Grant, Patrick Waite and Freddie Waite all enjoyed a huge success off their “Pass The Dutchie” song. With topping charts in the UK, Australia, Canada, Belgium and others, the effort by the group sold 5 million records, a Grammy nomination, and was their most memorable song. The song was also a part of their debut album, “The Youth Of Today” which sold over 500,000 copies on MCA Records. The music video for the song was also played on MTV making Musical Youth the first black act to appear in a studio segment on the channel.

Musical Youth went on to enjoy minor success after their hit but sadly disbanded in 1985 after failing to make anymore hits. While the Grant brothers and Dennis Seaton are still in the music Industry, Freddie Waite stayed out and sadly in 1993 after living a life of crime, Patrick Waite died of a heart attack during a court appearance on drug charges. After a few attempts over the years the band was resurrected as a duo comprising of Michael Grant and Dennis Seaton in 2001 and has been active ever since.

Thank You Musical Youth for your classic hit. R.I.P. Patrick Waite.