A The Paragons- Wear You To The Ball
B Earl Lindo – The Ball
Keith Anderson, better known as Bob Andy, and his childhood friend Garth “Tyrone” Evans kicked off their music career with the group The Blinders in the early 1960s. Following several lineup adjustments, including the addition of John Holt in 1964, The Blinders rebranded as The Paragons, with Bob Andy departing the band in 1965. From 1964 onward, the group collaborated with producer Duke Reid, resulting in a series of hits for the Treasure Isle label. Notable tracks included Memories By The Score, On The Beach, Only A Smile, and Wear You To The Ball, which were later interpreted by UB40, Horace Andy, Dennis Brown, and others. The track Wear You To The Ball was released in 1967 alongside You Mean The World To Me as its B-side. The former, celebrated as one of their standout songs, features impressive harmonies paired with dynamic instrumentation by Tommy McCook & The Supersonics. The Paragons convey the excitement of taking a woman to the ball, implying she will shine all evening long.
This reissue features The Paragons’ Wear You To The Ball alongside Earl ‘Wire’ Lindo’s 1970 organ piece, The Ball. Lindo, a talented keyboardist, later joined Bob Marley & The Wailers and worked with many reggae icons, including Burning Spear. The Ball originally appeared on the B-side of the 1970 released version of Wear You To The Ball by foundation deejay Hugh Roy & John Holt.