Customer Reviews

The Harder They Come [Vinyl]

5 star:		(46)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Your search ends here, folks.

As a fan of the Jamaican forms of music for most of my life, I can assure you that in very few, if any, places, will one find a better cross-section of rocksteady, vocal trio, rude boy, and reggae music than on this classic film soundtrack.

The music of the legends- Desmond Dekker, the king of rocksteady; Toots and the Maytals, masters of Ska, rocksteady and reggae; the Melodians, one of the premier rocksteady vocal trios of all time; and Jimmy Cliff, the master himself- spearheaded the film, and the careers of the players on this disc.

Bob Marley fans will argue that Marley is the most influential reggae master of all time. This may very well be true, but this soundtrack is the master of all reggae cds. The blend of styles perfect, the muisc tight and groovy, the vocals exquisite- Jamaican music from this period at its best.

If you own one representative of Jamaican music, this would have to be it, but hopefully this soundtrack will lead you down the paths of mssrs. Dekker, Toots, the Melodians, and Cliff..and allow you the opportunity to explore and fall in love with, all that Jamaican music has to offer.

So stop reading this and get this soundtrack and buckle yourself in, because once the journey starts, you won't want to stop.

I'm one of those relatively few people who prefer Jimmy Cliff to Bob Marley...and this CD is one of the primary reasons. I'm not a huge reggae fan, but this soundtrack is simply one of the best CDs I've ever heard. Every song is a classic. Four of Jimmy's best songs are one this one - "You Can Get It," "Many Rivers to Cross," "Sitting in Limbo," and "The Harder They Come." Even non-reggae fans are likely to recognize "Many Rivers to Cross," which I think is one of the most beautiful songs ever recorded.

In addition to Jimmy's incredible contributions, several other important reggae acts make an appearance. Scotty scores with "Draw Your Brakes," which has the memorable chorus "stop that train, I want to get off." Desmond Dekker (who had the first ever US reggae hit single with "Israelites") has a song as does the Slickers ("Johnny Too Bad," which was later covered by UB40). This CD is widely credited with popularizing reggae in the United States, and for that distinction alone, it deserves to be considered a true classic. Plus, it's just great music.

This 1973 release has probably introduced far more Americans to Reggae than any other ten Reggae discs put together. It's also one of the very best compilation albums, of any genre, I've ever heard.

Anchoring the disc are several Jimmy Cliff gems: "You Can Get it if You Really Want" (in two versions, one without the vocals on the verses), "The Harder They Come" (two different versions), the soulful, gospel-influenced "Many Rivers to Cross", and a great pop track, "Sitting In Limbo."

Also included are Scotty's slow Reggae-train rhythm of "Draw Your Brakes", The Melodians harmony laden "Rivers of Babylon", The Maytals' "Sweet and Dandy" and their incredible version of "Pressure Drop" (the only problem with which is that it isn't about 40 minutes longer), The Slickers' "Johnny Too Bad" (with those great wails that always made me think the Jordanaires were vacationing in Jamaica and had a little too much to smoke), and Desmond Dekkar's "Shanty Town" (not quite capturing the top-10 grab of "Israelites", but fitting in here just fine).

A classic from start to finish.

This is it folks. It doesn't get any more obvious than this one. Every track on this album is a keeper, and the arrangements and production are first rate. The remastering is quite crisp and clear. This is the one reggae album that branches into a million parts, and allows you a broad introduction into a truly original and exciting genre. Give it a few months, and you'll be converted and searching for cd's from The Melodions, Desmond Dekker, and Jimmy Cliff. It's really an amazing record, and opens up a whole new assortment of musicians. In American culture, where reggae starts and ends with the somewhat overrated Bob Marley and his copy-cat sons, here is a record that gets your feet wet and gives you a better understanding of the many styles and voices that make reggae the inventive, infectious, rhythmic style it is. This is the record that lit a fire under Marley's Catch A Fire, and this is the record that brought reggae music to the mainstream, and this is the artist "Jimmy Cliff", the real underground king, the lyricist who became an instant celebrity in dancehalls and coffee shops in New York.. I could go on forever.. Check this record out..

Am I including Bob Marley in my title statement? Yes. As much as I love Marley's work, I prefer this album to anything he has done. Marley is good, but is just the surface of all the great Jamacian music out there. Jimmy Cliff, Desmond Dekker, Justin Hines, Lee "Scratch" Perry, Toots & the Maytals, and many others are just as talented as Marley was. In other words, there is so much more to rocksteady and reggae than just "Legend". That album is the perfect gateway drug to reggae, but this is really the first non-Marley reggae album you should pick up to get initiated into the genre (the film is a cult classic also). There isn't a single weak track on this album, which can not be said really of any of Marley's studio LPs. There is so much variety on this album, and it shows that Reggae can be some of the most soulful music ever. There is little production, and it is raw and unpolished. It paints a perfect portrait of the country, as the songs give you a feel of the atmosphere. I can honestly say that as much as I love Bob Marley (and I do very much so), I take out this album for a listen more often.

I recently got around to digging out and re-playing this Jimmy Cliff tape (which I made from the old album before that wore out). I found myself hitting the "replay" button over and over. The songs stick to your insides like a winter stew. You'll mull over the lyrics and especially the beautiful melodies. I even found myself -- out of the blue -- singing these songs to my wife. Don't do that to your spouse. Let Jimmy do the singing....

I am not a fan of reggae, but this is one great CD. Great songs -- Johnny Too Bad, Rivers of Babylon, Pressure Drop, Sitting in Limbo and all the rest -- and wonderful performances. I see that a remastered version of this CD is shortly to be released. I hope it doesn't clean up the primitive engineering on songs like Draw Your Brakes or Babylon. It adds to the charm of this wonderful CD.

Looking to explore international music? Start here!

This is the original soundtrack to the film "The Harder They Come". It is essential reggae. The title track, "You Can Get It If You Really Want" and "Many Rivers to Cross" are Jimmy Cliff at his best. Add Toots and the Maytals ("Pressure Drop" & "Sweet and Dandy"), The Slickers ("Johnny Too Bad"), Desmond Dekker ("Shanty Town") and The Melodians ("Rivers of Babylon") to the mix and you have a classic. If you are -- or want to be -- a reggae fan, you must have this CD. This IS NOT the reissue of anything Bob Marley did, but that simply doesn't matter.

I love all forms of reggae, but this cd is excellent. one of the best soundtracks ever made.

This compilation to the movie did more than anything to put reggae across to the world..Jimmy Cliff, the struggling man is the existential hero looking for that number one hit which he found..despite the obstacles.

Now with vastly better sound,showcasing great great Jamaican staple songs, all here is worthy of inclusion into a rock and roll hall of fame..Cliff's own numbers are autobiographical, the other tracks either from Desmond Dekker,Toots,Scotty etc.remain classics till this day showcasing the rock steady calypso backdrop of early reggae prior to the Roots, Dub styles now common.

Your ticket into this great music and naturally you need to see the movie.