Customer Reviews

Give Thanks

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Along with Bob Johnston and Jimmy I was one of the Producers of this record. We recorded it in Jamaica under very trying conditions. Jimmy brought his musician friends out of the little villages in the center of the island and with them an authenticity that I have seldom seen or heard. "Bongo Man" is an especially magical track. Over the years all of my copies of this record disappeared and since I'm so proud of it I'm giving thankx that is available again. I'm going to get several of them.

(from an extended feature, copyright
1979, 2006 Michael F. Hopkins)

Out of print for at least 25 years, one of the most
memorable of all Jimmy Cliff's recordings is finally
available on CD. It's about time. GIVE THANKX fires
on all levels, featuring the great singer at his most
beautifully lyrical and culturally pertinent.
Among the legendary artist's finest works, the Wounded
Bird release is that rare item of artistic integrity
which reaches on a genuinely popular level.

Here, Cliff merges the raw expression of his debut on
Trojan with the shimmer and dare of his acclaimed work
for THE HARDER THEY COME. From the Nyabinghi drum call
of the benedictory "Bongo Man", to the haunting chant
of "Universal Love (Beyond The Boundaries)", GIVE THANKX
is a sublime package of radiant harmony, buoyant content,
and deep, compelling passion.
Armed with guitarists Ernest Ranglin and Earl "Chinna"
Smith, background vocalists which include The Meditations,
and percussionists which include Kwaku "Reebop" Baah, GIVE
THANKX is empowered by a tight band featuring some of the
finest instrumentalists in all of Reggae. The last purely
aesthetic album that Cliff would present for a long time,
GIVE THANKX is Roots Reggae and Solid Soul meeting without
concession, everyone having a good time doing great Music
extremely well.

Give Thanks for the ability to listen, and feel.

I LISTENED THIS ALBUM WHEN I WAS A CHILD. MY FATHER BOUGHT IT IN SAIGON (NOW NAMED HO CHI MIN), IN 1979. HE WAS THERE FOR WORK. I'VE NEVER LISTEN TO REGGAE MUSIC BEFORE, AND I WOULDN'T LISTEN TO IT FOR MANY MANY HERE TO COME. WHEN I WAS FOURTEEN I STARTED TO LISTEN TO BOB MARLEY AND MANY OTHERS GREAT REGGAE SINGERS, BUT THIS ALBUM IT WAS A BIG SURPRISE, A DISCOVERY. GREAT RELAXING MUSIC, JIMMY CLIFF DRAWS A LINE BETWEEN JAMAICA AN AFRICA, BEFORE HE BECOME MORE COMMERCIAL THAN THE BEGINNING. A RARE ALBUM IT WORTH EVERY DOLLAR YOU PAY, NOW ON CD! MARVELLOUS!

I really love the soul overtone that jimmy and Bob Johnson treated this album with, it one of my favorite from jimmy's very impressive catologe. Along with the 10 hearfelt songs on the album i also like the cover art, What a great album.

This appears to be one of Jimmy Cliff's lesser known albums. I picked up a copy of the CD in Japan and I absolutely love it. Every track is a winner. It seems a bit more pop-oriented than his work on "The Harder They Fall" and "Wonderful World, Beautiful People," but his powerful, expressive voice and catchy tunes are always a joy to hear.

I listened to this album on a daily basis until someone borrowed it and never returned it. I am glad I have been able to find it again. It is a masterpiece among the works of Jimmy Cliff.