After winning a talent contest at Bull Bay on the south-western coast of Jamaica, Johnny Clarke made his first record, "God Made The Sea And Sun", which flopped. His next two releases for producer Rupie Edwards, "Everyday Wandering" and "Julie", both enjoyed considerable sales in Jamaica and among expatriate communities in the UK, USA and Canada. By 1974 Clarke was working with Bunny Lee in the studios of Treasure Isle, Randy's and Harry J., while voicing the finished instrumental tracks at King Tubby's studio in Kingston's Waterhouse district. Under Lee's tutelage during 1975-76, Clarke became the most exciting new singer in Jamaica. His repertoire, an astute mix of militant "dread" tunes and love songs, given a contemporary gloss or "style" by the Aggrovators studio band, found immediate favour with the discerning dancehall patrons of Jamaica and elsewhere. His hits in those two years included "None Shall Escape The Judgement", "Move Out Of Babylon", "Rock With Me Baby", "Enter Into His Gates With Praise" and "Joshua's Word", all new songs, while Lee encouraged him to cover classic Jamaican standards by artists such as John Holt. Holt's canon supplied further local hits for Clarke, including "Fancy Make-Up", "Stranger In Love", "Left With A Broken Heart" and "So Much Pain", all backed by the then current "flying cymbal sound" of Lee's Aggrovators. Following this period, Clarke continued to record for Lee and other producers as diverse as Errol Thompson and King Jammy.
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