Double Barrel (song)

"Double Barrel" is a 1970 reggae single by Dave and Ansell Collins (though credited in both the UK and the U.S. to 'Dave and Ansil Collins'). It was the second reggae tune to top the UK charts, two years after Desmond Dekker's number 1 breakthrough hit "Israelites".^[5] The record reached number 1 on the UK Singles Chart^[6] for the first two weeks in May 1971, selling 300,000 copies, after only 33 radio plays.^[7] In the U.S., "Double Barrel" peaked at number 22 on the Billboard Hot 100 the week of 7 August 1971^[8][9] and number 4 on WLS on 28 June 1971,^[10] two years to the week after "Israelites" made a nearly identical climb to peak at the same position on the same chart.^[11] The record also reached number 1 in Mexico on October 23, 1971^[12] and number 8 in Australia.^[13]

"Double Barrel"
Single by Dave and Ansil Collins
from the album Double Barrel
B-side	"Double Barrel (Version 2)" (Techniques), "Double Barrel (Instrumental)" (Big Tree)
Released	August 1970 (UK),[1] May 1971 (US)[2]
Genre	Reggae[3] pop[3]
Length	2:44
Label	Techniques, Big Tree
Songwriter(s)	Winston Riley[4]
Producer(s)	Winston Riley[4]
Dave and Ansil Collins singles chronology
"Double Barrel" (1970) "Monkey Spanner" (1971)
Music video
Dave & Ansel Collins - Double Barrel (Official Audio) on YouTube

Background

Written and produced by Winston Riley,^[4] former vocalist of The Techniques,^[6] the single featured the vocals of Dave Barker, who had been recording in Jamaica for around five years, principally for Clement "Coxsone" Dodd and Lee Perry. This song marked the first appearance on record by Sly Dunbar, later of Sly & Robbie fame, on drums. He was just 18 at the time. A significant portion of the tune bears a strong resemblance to Ramsey Lewis' 1967 song "Party Time" (on Chess).^[14] From the very beginning of the cold intro, the lyrics are punctuated throughout by the unusual claim "I am the magnificent W-O-O-O" (and variants thereof), but the title never appears.

Charts

Chart (1970–71)	Peak position
Australia (Kent Music Report)[13]	8
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[15]	4
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Wallonia)[16]	42
Canada Top Singles (RPM)[17]	41
Germany (GfK)[18]	28
Ireland (IRMA)[19]	10
Mexico (Radio Mil)[12]	1
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[20]	1
Netherlands (Single Top 100)[21]	1
UK Singles (OCC)[22]	1
US Billboard Hot 100[23]	22

Cover versions

• The song has been covered by later ska acts such as The Selecter and The Specials. In 1972, a sample of the song was included in the top ten hit "Convention '72" by The Delegates.^[24]

Samples

It was sampled in 2012 GOOD Music song "The One".^[25]

See also

• List of number-one hits of 1971 (Mexico)

References

1. "Double Barrel / Double Barrel (Version 2) - Dave And Ansil Collins". 45cat. Retrieved 2020-02-29.
2. "Double Barrel / Double Barrel (Instrumental) - Dave And Ansil Collins". 45cat. Retrieved 2020-02-29.
3. Bradley, Larry (November 4, 2014). "The 1970s: Dave and Ansell Collins - "Double Barrel". The Alternative Jukebox. Cassell. p. 42. ISBN 978-1-84403-789-6.
4. "Dave And Ansil Collins – Double Barrel". Discogs. 1970. Retrieved 2014-01-10.
5. Davis, Sharon (2012). Every Chart Topper Tells a Story: The Seventies. Random House. p. 1949. ISBN 9781780574103.
6. Thompson, Dave (2002) Reggae & Caribbean Music, Backbeat Books, ISBN 0-87930-655-6, p.317
7. Bradley, Lloyd (August 30, 2001). Bass Culture: When Reggae Was King. Penguin Books Limited. ISBN 9780141928173 – via Google Books.
8. Whitburn, Joel (2004). The Billboard Book of Top 40 Hits: Eighth Edition. Record Research. p. 138.
9. Billboard Hot 100, Week of August 7, 1971 – Billboard.com. Retrieved July 11, 2023.
10. "WLS 890 Hit Parade". 1971-06-28. Retrieved 2015-11-16.
11. "WLS 890 Hit Parade". 1969-06-30. Retrieved 2015-11-16.
12. Billboard Staff (October 23, 1971). "[Hits of the World]" (archived print version). Billboard Magazine: 60. Retrieved January 10, 2017.
13. Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 69. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
14. "Compare Dave and Ansil Collins' 'Double Barrel' with Ramsey Lewis's 'Party Time'". who sampled: Exploring the DNA of music. Retrieved 2020-02-29.
15. "Dave & Ansil Collins – Double Barrel" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50.
16. "Dave & Ansil Collins – Double Barrel" (in French). Ultratop 50.
17. "Top RPM Singles: Issue 5351." RPM. Library and Archives Canada.
18. "Dave & Ansil Collins – Double Barrel" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts.
19. "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Double Barrel". Irish Singles Chart.
20. "Nederlandse Top 40 – Dave & Ansil Collins" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40.
21. "Dave & Ansil Collins – Double Barrel" (in Dutch). Single Top 100.
22. "Dave & Ansil Colins: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company.
23. "Dave & Ansil Collins Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard.
24. Simpson, Kim. "Early '70s 'Break-In' Records on the Charts". Early '70s Radio. Retrieved 2 September 2019.
25. Cruel Summer (PDF digital booklet). GOOD Music. Def Jam Recordings. 2012.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)