Ty Revisits the Iconic Music of Jimmy Cliff

As I stated last week, I have been in a reggae music listening mood. I have had it on pretty consistently for the past couple weeks. It was mostly Marley, with some other off shoots here and there. It’s been great.

The most played artist on my mixes, after Marley, was Jimmy Cliff. Now I know for some, myself included, the first song I ever heard from Jimmy Cliff was "I Can See Clearly Now". I loved the movie "Cool Runnings" as a child, and this song was prominently featured in the trailer and on the soundtrack. As I got a little older, and branched out to Marley and Lee Perry and Desond Dekker and The Melodians, Cliff was kind of Velveeta to me. He was cheesy and corny. He wasn't like these other guys. These bands had stuff to say, they had a message. It also helped that they were incredible musicians and performers. I kind of put Jimmy Cliff in the same category as I did with Phish when I listened to jam music. I just never gave him a fair shake.

Well, a few years into my 20's, my oldest brother heard me giving Jimmy Cliff a hard time. He was the one who really introduced me to a lot of the reggae I was listening to then, and still listen to now. He told me that I was wrong. He said there was only one thing I needed to see, and then hear, and my opinion would immediately shift. One evening when I was visiting him in Columbia, he showed me the movie "The Harder They Come", and then had me listen to the soundtrack right afterward. He was one hundred percent correct. Any kind of irrational thoughts and feelings I had about Cliff instantly disappeared. He became this whole new person to me. He wasn't the cheesy "I Can See Clearly Now" Cliff anymore. He was different. "The Harder They Come" is one of the better movies I have ever seen, and Cliff is electric in it. He is menacing and charming at the same time. He does some great work. I bought every single ounce of his character. I rooted for him even though he did some shady stuff. But the soundtrack, and especially his songs, moved me. "You Can Get It If You Really Want" is quintessential reggae music. It is also a great way to kick off the record. The title track is hard and, for a reggae song, kind of like rock and roll. It is just so good and so awesome. "Sitting In Limbo" is devastating and rough and perfectly tells a story of a person who truly does not know what their next move should, or will, be. But "Many Rivers to Cross" is one of the most heart breaking, yet beautiful songs ever written. This song still moves me to this day., It has some kind of excellent power grip on me. I can never skip it. I have to always sing along to it. It is the song that I want played at my funeral. It is so goddamn perfect.

So, obviously, this all changed my perception of Cliff. I gave him another shot. I slowly started to discover his older music, and realized he was not only prolific, but a great, great writer who wrote very important songs. He is on that Lee Perry and Desmond Dekker level. To me, he is second only to Bob Marely. I love Peter Tosh, but I think Cliff is a better overall musician, and made more music, only because he wasn't killed. But Cliff has been doing this since 1967. He put out his first record then, at the age of 19. He actually put out six records prior to "The Harder They Come" is the classic, and probably has his best songs on it. He also starred in the movie. Since 1972, Cliff has put out a record almost every year all the way up to 2012. He also has a myriad of live albums that further show his greatness. I mean, this guy has been at it for a very long time, and most of his stuff is great. Hell, as an adult, I adore "I Can See Clearly Now". It is a lovely, and vibrant song. I couldn't have been more wrong on my initial impression of him. But this is why it is good to have people in your life who are willing to call you out, and then show proof of how awesome someone may be that you have discounted.

I am forever grateful to my brother, and love that I was proven wrong. Now if you'll excuse me, I am going to go listen to some Jimmy Cliff. I suggest you do the same.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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