Tony Roy revives ‘Flying Machine’ with reggae flavour

Tony Roy revives ‘Flying Machine’ with reggae flavour

Singer Tony Roy, who had considerable success in 2025 with a cover of Lobo’s I’d Love You to Want Me, has followed up with a reggae spin on Flying Machine, another pop hit from the early 1970s.

Originally done by British star Cliff Richard, Flying Machine was made popular in Jamaica by Teddy Magnus, known to most Jamaicans as Allan Magnus, the popular broadcaster from Radio Jamaica.

Roy’s version is produced by Wayne Holness, who also played bass and keyboards on the track.

The Maryland-based artiste was encouraged by veteran broadcaster Clinton Lindsay to cover Flying Machine.

“He suggested that Flying Machine would be a nice fit for my style after doing I’d Love You to Want Me, so we went ahead and put some different touches to this version,” said Roy.

His Flying Machine, released in February, also features guitarist Ragnar “G Sharp” Rochester, drummer/percussionist Joslyn McKenzie and saxophonist Walter Tates Jr.

Currently number 15 on the South Florida Top 25 Chart, the song is in its eighth week on that table.

The original Flying Machine came out in 1971 and was a hit in the United Kingdom. That year, Magnus did a reggae version for producer Lynford Anderson which was a big hit in Jamaica.

Roy, who is from St Thomas, has been a fixture on the Maryland/Washington DC reggae scene for decades. His reggae take on I’d Love You to Want Me (the original was released in 1972) topped the South Florida Reggae Chart and Foundation Radio Network Chart.

— Howard Campbell