“I WAS IN CANADA…” KEN BOOTHE RECALLS THE MAKING OF “EVERYTHING I OWN!”

Ken Boothe—

THE year 1974 was a landmark for singer Ken Boothe. That is when his international career truly took wings, having scored a hit with a cover of Everything I Own by American soft rock band Bread.

Boothe’s version, done for producer Lloyd Charmers, raced up the local charts, before setting its sights on the overseas market, primarily the United Kingdom where it was picked up by Trojan Records. It reached number one on the UK Singles Chart on October 26 1974, and stayed there for three weeks.

In a previous interview with the Jamaica Observer, Boothe recalled vividly how the idea to record the song was born.

“I was in Canada an’ I was in di apartment of my friend Paul Buchanan an’ we were listening to Andy Williams’s version of di song. I remember Bucky saying to me: ‘You should really record di song when you get back to Jamaica’, an’ it just stuck with me,” he said.

Boothe took Buchanan’s advice and on his return to Jamaica, he began working on an album for Charmers.

“Dem time deh album was 10 songs an’ we had nine an’ so we were searching for di final song for di album. I remembered di song I had heard in Canada an’ suggested it to Lloydie (Charmers). He was not really interested in di ideas that I had, but I said it to (guitarist) Willie Lindo an’ (bassist) Lloyd Parks who were with me at Federal Records studio on Marcus Garvey Drive,” Boothe recalled.

Although still not interested, Charmers agreed to have Boothe audition the song and that is when everything changed.

It was the latest Jamaican hit song in the United Kingdom, following My Boy Lollipop by Millie Small, Israelites by Desmond Dekker, and Double Barrel by Dave Barker and Ansell Collins.

Commercially, it is the biggest song for Boothe who is from Denham Town in West Kingston. He became a star during the rock steady craze of the late 1960s.

“I have performed this song everywhere an’ once it starts, the audience just cannot resist it. Outside of Jamaica, we are always appreciated in England. They have always embraced the music… Over on the continent, this song is also appreciated. Countries like France, Italy, Belgium always show love — an’ I give thanks,” he said.

— RJ