Jimmy Cliff (1944 - 2025)

Just now it was on the news that Jimmy Cliff had died at the age of 81. It made me wonder, when did I hear reggae music for the first time? I can't be 100% certain, but most likely it was when 'Israelites' entered the Top 40 in 1969 and went to number 1. Not much later 'Wonderful World Beautiful People' entered. It was Jimmy Cliff's first hit here in NL.

Did I realise I was listening to reggae? That answer most likely is no. At that age I took most music for granted. A hit was a hit because it was played on the radio and most of the songs in the Top 40 were taken at face value, with the exception of a few songs that were obviously for parents and grandparents.

Reggae disappeared again, but I remember a film on a reggae festival in Jamaica on the Belgian tv in 1973 or 74. By then everybody was speaking about reggae but I remember being turned off quite soon. It all sounded sort of the same to my ears and although I do like the average reggae hit through the years, after a few songs I have heard enough.

Cliff's second hit was 'Vietnam', a protest song so I gather. It sounds in hindsight very, well almost festive. The rhythm gives it a positive vibe. In 1970 he had his first big hit, 'Wild World', a track Cat Stevens wrote, turned into a reggae track. If I remember correctly, it is the only Jimmy Cliff (James Chambers at the registry office) single I have, because I really liked the song back then. One of his most famous songs, I know because of Joe Jackson's cover on a maxi single and the last he was to release with his Band, until the 00s that is. 'The Harder They Come' is a great song. I've never seen the movie that, so I understand, made a star of Jimmy Cliff.

Where hits were concerned, things became quiet here but he did have a comeback. His second top 10 hit was 'Reggae Nights', followed by 'Sunshine In The Music'. All well over 40 years ago. By then I was not into this kind of pop reggae. Third World though, with the powerful 'Now That We Found Love' and 'Try Jah Love', now that was something different.

Summing up, I've never been a fan of Jimmy Cliff or reggae really. His demise did remind me that one of his songs introduced me to reggae music in 1969. Listening to 'Wonderful World Beautiful People' still makes me feel good. Just like that first hitsingle of Melanie from around the same time, 'Beautiful People'. Is it a coincidence they share a title?

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