A.D. Amorosi In 1972, director-writer Perry Henzell released his Jamaican crime flick “The Harder They Come” with singer-songwriter Jimmy Cliff — then, a burgeoning reggae star — as its anti-hero lead actor.
For his menacing cinematic debut, Cliff provided the lion’s share of the film’s riveting soundtrack, with lilting songs such as “You Can Get It If You Really Want” and the movie’s title tune.
Both the soundtrack and film (the latter released in the United States in 1973) became sensations. “The Harder They Come” brought island culture to the world beyond the Caribbean, and helped popularize reggae in the Americas.
Along with his anthemic title song becoming an instant classic, Cliff’s “Many Rivers to Cross” was subsequently covered by Linda Ronstadt, John Lennon and Annie Lennox, among other artists.
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