GREETINGS: HALF PINT’S TIMELESS ANTHEM RETURNS WITH A 12” MIX
VP Music Group have reissued one of reggae’s cornerstone recordings. Half Pint’s 1985 hit Greetings, now available in a 12″ digital mix, first released on George Phang’s Power House label, remains a defining moment in Jamaican dancehall. Built on Sly & Robbie’s powerful digital take on the rocksteady Heavenless Riddim, the track stands as both a cultural and sonic landmark.
Recorded in a single take, Greetings captured the tension and spirit of mid-1980s Jamaica. Half Pint distilled the era’s economic strain, political unrest and spiritual endurance into a message that spoke directly to the marginalised.
“Greetings I bring from Jah, to all raggamuffin,” he sang, offering solidarity to the impoverished who stayed “rich in spirit.”
GREETINGS I BRING FROM JAH TO ALL RAGGAMUFFIN
The immediacy of that performance still cuts through. At a time when producers like King Jammy were reshaping reggae’s sound with digital rhythms, Phang’s Power House imprint showed how roots and innovation could coexist. The rhythm also propelled Super Cat’s Under Pressure, marking a key point in the digital dancehall transition.
Nearly four decades later, Greetings continues to move crowds and selectors alike. This Greetings (12-Inch Mix) and its dub version are a reminder of reggae’s power to voice resilience and unity. Few records embody that spirit with such enduring clarity.
ABOUT HALF PINT
Half Pint’s story starts in West Kingston’s Rose Lane, where his smooth yet powerful voice first lit up sound system sessions. From there, he delivered classics like Winsome, Mr Landlord, Substitute Lover, and the global anthem Greetings.
His songs inspired covers by The Rolling Stones and Sublime, while collaborations with Sly & Robbie, Slightly Stoopid and Jack Maness expanded his reach. Today, Half Pint remains a vital force in reggae, uniting generations through rhythm and truth.
