Cover Culture : Laurel Aitken & The Soulmen / Milson Luce – Don’t Break Your Promises
COVER VERSION VS ORIGINAL SONG
Since the early 1960s and even prior, numerous iconic Jamaican hits were derived from popular foreign songs. The original pop and soul tracks were frequently embraced by audiences on the island, leading reggae artists to create their own renditions. Some of these artists gained fame by covering chart-topping songs, turning these adaptations into timeless classics.
For instance, American artist Bill Withers recorded the Grammy-winning song Ain’t No Sunshine, which Horace Andy later adapted, while Dennis Brown’s rendition of Black Magic Woman originally came from Fleetwood Mac. These two examples represent just a small fraction of the many covers that have emerged over the past sixty-five years.
Since the advent of these adaptations, both Jamaican and international reggae musicians have persistently reimagined pop and soul hits, continuing this tradition into the present. You’re welcome to listen to both the original and the cover versions to determine which one resonates with you the most.
LAUREL AITKEN & THE SOULMEN
Released in 1966, Laurel Aitken & The Soulmen’s Don’t Break Your Promises is a reinterpretation of a track originally done by Milson Luce. The song already enjoyed popularity in Jamaica, having been licensed that same year by Dada Tewari on his Downbeat label. Aitken’s version fueled a wave of Jamaican covers, including renditions by Dandy in 1972, The Chosen Few for Studio One in 1973, and John Holt, also in 1973, for producer Bunny Lee. Known as the “Godfather of Ska,” Aitken’s extensive recording career in the UK featured numerous singles on iconic labels like Blue Beat, Pama Records, and Trojan Records.
MILSON LUCE
Born in New Orleans in 1934, Milson Joseph Luce was a self-taught pianist who, alongside the Johnny Wallace Sextet, achieved hit success in 1956 with the song Don’t Break Your Promise To Me. Released in the US on the Argo label in 10″ vinyl / 78rpm format, it gained recognition as one of the finest R&B tracks from New Orleans in the ’50s. Despite this hit, Milson Luce remained relatively obscure, performing in various hotel and restaurant piano bars in New Orleans until he had to leave the area following Hurricane Katrina. Milson Luce passed away in 2012 due to complications from pneumonia.
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