"This 1968 single would in later years leave archivists tearing their hair out in frustration. "Johnny Pram Pram" was released in the U.K. credited solely to Derrick Morgan; however, the original Jamaican single credited the duo of Derrick & Johnny Melody. But who was the mysterious Melody? In 2003, Trojan's Moon Hop, a two-CD set of Morgan's greatest hits, identified Melody as Desmond Dekker, and it indeed sounds like him. However, other sources state just as definitely that Melody was an alias for Dekker's brother George, whose own vocals were at times indistinguishable from his feted sibling's. Both brothers backed Morgan individually and together on a number of recordings, and as there are actually three vocalists on this song, one can authoritatively state that both Dekkers were present, and more tentatively that it was Desmond taking the lead. In any case, the trio brings this old mento vividly into the reggae age, as they commiserate over the misery Johnny is causing them, at least until Morgan grabs his gun and sees the parasite off. Behind them, Beverley's All Stars bubble brightly away in a surge of vivacious riffs and surfy lead guitar, propelled by the fabulous bassline and flood of irrepressible beats. A superb early reggae single, magnificently overseen by Leslie Kong."
