Jimmy Cliff

The good and the great continue to depart- Jimmy Cliff died yesterday at the age of 81. His voice, often described as mellifluous- I'll go for mesmerising and a joy to listen to- is one of the sounds of reggae for me. When I first began to buy reggae records, via covers by The Clash and interviews in the weekly music press, Jimmy Cliff and the soundtrack to The Harder They Come was one of my entry points. The soundtrack to that film is hit after hit. Jimmy sang the title track and recorded it specifically for the film, as well as Many Rivers To Cross and You Can Get It If You Really Want alongside songs from The Maytals, The Melodians, The Slickers and Desmond Decker. Jimmy played the lead role in the film too, Ivan. 

Way back in the early 90s I bought a Jimmy Cliff compilation at a record fair in Buxton which had these two songs on it...

Wild World

Vietnam

I was already familiar with Wild World due to the Maxi Priest cover version from 1988. Good as that is, Jimmy Cliff's version is sublime. Vietnam was called 'the best protest song I ever heard' by no less an authority than Bob Dylan. 

In 2012 Jimmy released a cover of Guns Of Brixton, Jimmy returning the tip of the trilby to Paul Simonon who references Ivan in the lyrics. Jimmy's version was produced by Tim Armstrong of Rancid, a massive Clash fan- Jimmy later covered a Rancid song too. 

'You see he feels like Ivan/ Born under the Brixton sun'

Guns Of Brixton

A life well lived and a giant of Jamaican music. Jimmy Cliff RIP. 

Yesterday I Got A Letter

The evergreat Jimmy Cliff and his 1970 song Vietnam, with a soldier getting ready to come home, his sweetheart with 'golden lips as sweet as cherries' and then his mother receiving the telegram giving the news of his death. Sorry if that spoilt the ending for you. I'm pretty sure New Order had been listening to this when they recorded Love Vigilantes (and they covered it at some point in the late 90s).

Vietnam

Jimmy's new e.p, Sacred Fire, recorded with Tim Armstrong and including two versions of his cover of Guns Of Brixton (posted here in September) and a cover of Rancid's Ruby Soho among its five songs is out now and you should get it. Emusic have it here for download if you're a member though you (and I) should really go looking for a copy we can actually hold in our sweaty mitts.

You See He Feels Like Ivan

Cover version of Guns Of Brixton returns, in fine reggae style. This is very good- Jimmy Cliff with Tim Armstrong from Rancid producing, a taster for a forthcoming album. Jimmy's voice sounds great still, the acoustic guitars swing and there's some lovely trombone.

Guns Of Brixton