On the latest episode of Essentials Radio on Apple Music Hits, Estelle is joined by renowned Reggae pioneer Jimmy Cliff who discusses 'The Harder They Come' on the film and accompanying soundtrack’s 50th anniversary. He tells Apple Music about the origins of the project, Reggae music's endurance, the stories behind notable tracks “Many Rivers To Cross”, “You Can Get It If You Really Want”, and “Sitting Here in Limbo”, his musical upbringing, and more.
Listen to the episode in full anytime on-demand on Apple Music Hits at http://apple.co/_EssentialsRadio.
Jimmy Cliff Tells Apple Music About The Origin of ’The Harder They Come’ Film...
At the time, I resided in the UK, and the director, Perry Henzell, brought the script over to me and said he would like me to play in his film. So, we ran a scene, and he was very happy that he had found the person to do his film after all these years walking around with it. Well, it took a few things to make me say yeah because at the time, I was doing very well in Europe. I had hit records there. I was making good money. Well, one of the main things that made me agree to say yeah was the director said to me, "You know, Jimmy, I think you're a better actor than singer.” And my eyes popped open because I've always said that to myself, and nobody ever read my mind to say that. So, that really closed the deal for me.
Jimmy Cliff Tells Apple Music About Being Surprised By The Success of ‘The Harder They Come’…
We all were. Because it was the first Jamaican film, and we all went into it, like we dived into the void, empty handed. However, we were all confident that this could be a success.
Jimmy Cliff Tells Apple Music About Performing His Hits 50 Years Later and The Endurance of Reggae Music...
Because they want it, I give it. Where there's a demand, you have to supply. That's what it is. That's the motivation for doing it night after nigh. Part of reggae music is not only the music, the rhythm and all of that. The language, it was a new sound to people's ear. So yeah, all of that is good.
Jimmy Cliff Tells Apple Music About “Many Rivers To Cross”…
...that song was a picture and the emotions of all different things that people go through in this life; as an African descendant man, I thought that was an essential part of the song; As people in general, people go through that, and I was thinking of all of those emotions packed into one.
Jimmy Cliff Tells Apple Music About “You Can Get It If You Really Want”…
It's an inspirational song. It came to me at one of the moments in my life when I was motivating myself. Songwriting is like this for me at least. Some songs are autobiographical, in some songs you are describing a situation; that was an autobiographical song that I was inspiring myself.
Jimmy Cliff Tells Apple Music About “Sitting Here in Limbo”…
Well, that was an autobiographical song at one moment in my life, when I was feeling kind of low and I had to uplift myself. Give myself, so to speak, hope, and that's where that song's coming from.
Jimmy Cliff Tells Apple Music About His Musical Upbringing…
My family, everyone sang. We were a singing family, and there was always music for everything. Music for dinner. Music for breakfast. Music for funerals. Jamaica is like that. So, yes, I grew up in a musical family. I sang in the church. There was music around all the time. So, yeah, at about age of six, I decided I want to do music… I sang folk songs, and I sang Calypso, and I sang what we call foreign songs, which is mainly American music. You know? Whether it be Sam Cooke, Fats Domino, Ray Charles, R&B, especially from New Orleans.
