Mighty Threes – Africa Shall Stretch For Her Hand

[kalcidis]

A bit confused about when this record was released. Long story short (I wrote a post that disappeared when I was logged out).

The original issue has 1978 as year of release on label:
https://www.discogs.com/Mighty-Threes-A ... se/1659508

So far, so good. Nuh confusion on yah. However on the Makasound-reissue of the album from 2003 they write in two different places (liner notes and back of album) that it was recorded and released in 1979. The only single from the album that has a release date on it (Sata / Rasta Business, April 7") has the release date as 1979. Could the original label just have the wrong info? Perhaps a stock label that was from the year before that they re-used? The companion dub album doesn't have any release info.

Why it is a 1978 release:
+ It says so on the original issue label.

Why it is a 1979 release:
+ Liner notes from interview with Bunny Brown
+ Only dated single from album is from 1979 – singles usually comes in tandem with the LP
+ Japanese issue is from 1979 and there's no marking on Japanese release that the material is from 1978.

I can see more reasons for the album to be from 1979 but then again the strongest argument for when it from is the sole one that points towards 1978.

Anyone that has any more info, thoughts or conclusions?

[jah_vaults]

Some of theses early roots anthems are shrouded in mystery this seems to be one of them.☺

[jb welda]

another question: why would Africa stretch FOR her hand? Whose hand is Africa stretching for? Makes no sense.

Africa Shall Stretch FORTH Her Hand.

There, I fixed it for ya mighty trees.

one love
jb

[minidub]

ha -- i almost typed the same thing jb!
that bugs me every time i see it.

and sorry kalcidis, i've got nothing for you.
damn good set of music though.

m.

[Ranking Glasses]

Psalms 68:31 "Princes shall come out of Egypt; Ethiopia shall soon stretch out her hands unto God." (All of Africa was known as Ethiopia in ancient times.")

[ZionRootical]

Sometimes they put the date '79 even if issued late '78 so would sell as a new release in mid '79 I heard that story before as in ja all about being fresh especially in the uk and us markets

[marko]

I have the original 12" and always assumed it was from 1978 for no apparent reason as it turns out because I just checked the label and company sleeve and there's no date reference there at all. And then the other 12" on the label has a completely different catalogue number, in fact most of the catalogue numbers in Discogs bear no relation to eachother so no help with sequencing the LP date.

I have never heard the LP is there anything on it as strong as Rasta Business?

[jb welda]

Rasta Business is a boom and there are several others as well. Honestly didn't really love the album when it first came out, but it has grown on me enormously, pretty much love every cut on it now, Good Thing Going On a possible exception. Backyard Movements is a standout as is nearer to africa.

one love
jb

[minidub]

yes rg, stretch out = stretch forth...stretch out her hands/stretch forth her hands.
why would africa/ethiopia stretch FOR her hands?

m.

[Ranking Glasses]

Probably means tthat Ethiopia / Africa will reach out to God

[kalcidis]

It seems that the original US-issue is Forth on the sleeve and For on the label. The Japanese issue from 1979 is For on both label and sleeve. While the reissues all write Forth. Discogs however has written it wrong on more or less every place it could. Will fix it now.

[kalcidis]

marko: Thanks for the help. I'm leaning more towards it being a 1979-release than a 78-release. The album is brilliant but Rasta Business is the strongest tune on it.

zionrootical: I see what you mean and I've seen this myself aswell. Also seen the other way around ... labels with older dates used to much newer releases. According to the liner notes this was recorded in 1979 however. That's what I find confusing.

[Andy G]

I believe it came out in the year timeless which is hard to find on any calendar, record label, or linear note but one can certainly feel it when the needle drops

[jb welda]

Once again, RG is way off base and unwilling to even see what is plain as day.

one love
jb

[Ranking Glasses]

I gave the provenance of the lyric / phrase. What have you contributed to the discussion?