Jimmy Cliff - The Harder They Come


Jimmy Cliff : The Harder They Come
Genre: Reggae	Dates: Late '60s - Early '70's

Many would claim this is the greatest film soundtrack in popular music history. It is certainly one of the best (if not the best) places to start for someone who wants to find out if they like reggae. This expanded edition sweetens the deal with an additional disc of seminal reggae classics. The irony is that Bob Marley (who's become synonymous with reggae for mainstream Americans) is absent from the playlist—and it just doesn't matter. Luxuriate instead in the sweet, yearning, yet defiant tenor of Jimmy Cliff (who is brilliant in the role of Ivan in the film); the Otis Redding-goes-to-Kingston soul shouting of Toots Hibbert; the timeless, inspirational poetry (adapted from the Bible) of the Melodians on "Rivers of Babylon"; Scotty's little taste of dub (the producer-dominated reggae subgenre that led to rap music); The Slickers' neat plot summary of the film, "Johnny Too Bad"; the first reggae tune to hit in America, Desmond Dekker's "Israelites"; and Johnny Nash's Marley-produced U. S. chart blockbuster, "I Can See Clearly Now." Class of ’06 reggae expert Charlie Hill and I guarantee you will love this record.

Playlist:

DISC 1: ORIGINAL SOUNDTRACK ALBUM, 1972

1. You Can Get It If You Really Want - Jimmy Cliff
2. Draw Your Brakes - Scotty
3. Rivers Of Babylon - The Melodians
4. Many Rivers To Cross - Jimmy Cliff
5. Sweet And Dandy - The Maytals
6. Harder They Come, The - Jimmy Cliff
7. Johnny Too Bad - The Slickers
8. 007 (Shanty Town) - Desmond Dekker
9. Pressure Drop - The Maytals
10. Sitting In Limbo - Jimmy Cliff
11. You Can Get It If You Really Want - Jimmy Cliff
12. Harder They Come, The - Jimmy Cliff

DISC 2: REGGAE HIT THE TOWN: CRUCIAL REGGAE 1968-1972

1. Israelites - Desmond Dekker & The Aces
2. My Conversation - The Uniques
3. Do The Reggay - The Maytals
4. Viet Nam - Jimmy Cliff
5. I Can See Clearly Now - Johnny Nash
6. Reggae Hit The Town - The Ethiopians
7. Double Barrel - Dave & Ansel Collins
8. It Mek - Desmond Dekker
9. Sweet Sensation - The Melodians
10. Let Your Yeah Be Yeah - Jimmy Cliff
11. Cherry Oh Baby - Eric Donaldson
12. Monkey Spanner - Dave & Ansel Collins
13. 54-46 (That's My Number) - The Maytals
14. It's My Delight - The Melodians
15. Wonderful World, Beautiful People - Jimmy Cliff
16. Pomp And Pride - The Maytals
17. Guava Jelly - Johnny Nash
18. Bigger They Come The Harder They Fall, The - Jimmy Cliff