Customer Reviews

I Can See Clearly Now

5 star:		(11)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

It's hard to turn on an "oldies" format station and not hear Johnny Nash's beautiful voice streaming from it, singing "I Can See Clearly Now." It is one of the highpoints of reggae in the United States, and a pop song legend.

What is missed, however, is that Nash had several hits, and was instrumental in helping Bob Marley jumpstart his career. Indeed, Nash's cover of the Marley staple "Stir It Up" did much to bring Marley's name to the lips of American listeners.

This collection is a great one, showcasing Nash's beautiful voice that sends shivers up and down the spines of many a listener (myself included) and is worth having in any collection, if for the title track alone, one of the most positive songs in all of reggae.

Add to the title track "Stir It Up," the uptempo "That's the Way We Get By," and the beautiful "So Nice While It lasted" and "There Are More Questions Than Answers," and this collection is close to perfect.

Add it to your collection now and you, too, will have blue skieeeeeeessssssssssss...

Nash's beautiful soaring vocals (he can't hold a note? Are we listening to the same Johnny Nash here?), gorgeous melodies together with some hypnotic reggae rhythms and rousing soul tracks... this is a classic 70s album. Oh, and J. P. Kraus, Bob Marley did not write or contribute to the title track: it's pure Nash. Several of the songs on the album, correctly attributed to Marley, were commissioned (not stolen off a kid for $50) from him by Nash, including Stir It Up, Guava Jelly and Comma Comma - the latter is just sublime in Johnny's hands. Buy this album for an uplifting soulful experience.

I bought this in record album form about 25 years ago and found that I liked every band. I've listened to it from time to time for all these years, and I still enjoy every band every time. Tonight I'm ordering the CD. Love the voice!

Whenever I hear "I Can See Clearly Now" tears come to my eyes. What a beautiful piece of work. So positive and enduring. Whenever I feel down that song brings me up. I have only heard a couple of the other songs on this album before but all are very enjoyable to listen to.

The BEST E V E R!!! I love this CD. It'll be worn out soon because it's always playing. If you want some happy music, this is it! You'll love it! This is one CD that I cannot live without!

*** THIS REVIEW IS FOR THE 2011 CD REISSUE ***

Some confusion surrounds "I Can See Clearly Now" because it has the same name as a 1989 CBS 'Best Of' compilation, which naughtily contained some unannounced re-recordings. This 2011 Big Break Records CD is NOT that compilation - it's a reissue of THE 'ORIGINAL' 1972 ALBUM with two bonus tracks added on. Here are the details...

UK released 1 August 2011, Big Break Records CDBBR 0064 remasters and expands "I Can See Clearly Now" - an album originally released July 1972 in the UK on CBS Records S CBS 64840 and on Epic Records KE 31607 in the USA. It peaked at number 39 and 23 on the Pop Charts in the UK and USA.
[Note: Tracks 1 to 12 are the UK track list - the original US LP replaced "The Fish And The Alley Of Destruction" on Side 2 with "Cream Puff"]

Track 13 is "Cream Puff" - the non-album B-side of "Stir It Up" - originally the first 45 lifted off the album

Track 14 is "Stir It Up (Single Mix)" - a 2:18 minute remix and edit of the album version (Track 1 - 3:06 minutes)

There were 4 x 7" singles issued in the UK and USA off the album at the time - this release will allow you to sequence all of them as follows:

1. Stir It Up [14] b/w Cream Puff [13] - released March 1972 in the UK on CBS Records CBS 7800 and May 1972 in the USA on Epic Records 5-10973
2. I Can See Clearly Now [7] b/w How Good It Is [10] - released 2 June 1972 in the UK on CBS Records CBS S 8113 and July 1972 in the USA on Epic 5-10902
3. There Are More Questions Than Answers [12] b/w Guava Jelly [3] - released September 1972 in the UK on CBS Records CBS S 8351 (unreleased in the USA)
4. Stir It Up [14] b/w Ooh Baby You've Been Good To Me [5] - reissue issued in the USA-only in January 1973 on Epic 5-10949

The 12-page booklet has thoroughly detailed and affectionate liner notes by CHRISTIAN JOHN WIKANNE with pictures of UK, US and European singles. A clever inclusion is the original Marty Pekar liner notes that appeared only on the back of the 'US' LP. Because the UK sleeve had neither credits nor an insert - it didn't highlight the extraordinary musician contributions that lay within - and some of these names went on to become huge (see below). But the very best news is the truly stunning SOUND. Remastered by ALAN WILSON at Western Star Studios from the 1st generation tapes with help from BBR's own WAYNE A. DICKSON - the audio quality is truly gorgeous and hits you straight in the solar-plexus the second the drum-whack of "Stir It Up" exits your speakers. Having had to endure years of lacklustre compilations - this is at last the real deal.

As already mentioned above, the album featured uncredited session-men and lesser-known writers. BOB MARLEY was one of them - he features on no less than five writing credits - "Stir It Up", "Guava Jelly", "Comma Comma", "Cream Puff" and a co-wrote with Nash on "You Poured Sugar On Me". Marley hadn't signed to Island Records just yet and was still being hawked around London by Nash as someone people should notice. In fact insiders and journalists of the time cited Johnny Nash as a major catalyst in Marley's global success that eventually came 3 years later in 1975 with his legendary "Live! At The Lyceum" set. It is also widely accepted that members of the backing band at the album sessions were THE WAILERS and even future members of the AVERAGE WHITE BAND. Marley would feature his own version of "Stir It Up" on his Island Records debut album "Catch A Fire" in April of the next year - 1973. Another contributor was sessionman and keyboardist JOHN 'RABBIT' BUNDRICK (had solo albums on Island in the mid Seventies) who wrote three tracks - "That's The Way We Get By", "We're All Alike" and "The Fish And The Alley Of Destruction". Unfortunately they're the weakest songs on here with "Fish" containing some truly cringing lyrics too.

If you think the heavyweight contributions would somehow overshadow Nash's own work - the exact opposite is the truth. Some of the best songs on the album are his. There's "(It Was) So Nice While It Lasted" - a bittersweet ballad with a superb vocal from him - "Ooh Baby You've Been Good To Me" - a chipper and fantastic dancer with great backing-group vocals and the Mellotron-laden "How Good It Is" - probably the most Seventies-Reggae sounding track of them all. Then there are the two huge singles - "I Can See Clearly Now" and "There Are More Questions Than Answers". While the Marley cover "Stir It Up" had aroused interest in Nash's new musical direction when it was released in March 1972, "I Can See Clearly Now" took the summer of that year by storm reaching Number 1 in the USA and 5 in the UK (lyrics above). Neither Reggae nor Soul - it was a strange hybrid of both and the public loved it. And I cannot stress enough how good the sound quality is on both of these gems - especially after years of naff compilations. If you have any love for these songs - then you need to hear them on this CD.

I've bought and reviewed a few BBR reissues and I've been more than impressed with their presentation and especially their sound quality (see REVIEW in the list provided below).

To sum up - it's not all genius for sure, but this a great reissue of a criminally forgotten and ignored Reggae/Soul LP from the early Seventies and a timely nod to an artist who thoroughly deserves accolades galore.

Buy it and enjoy.

PS: for info purposes, below is a printed list of BIG BREAK RECORDS reissues (some REVIEWED) up to December 2011 (forthcoming Jan 2012 included as well)
If you want a pictorial for them, click on the Tag called 'big break records bbr' highlighted on any of these releases on the 'AMAZON UK' site:

1. Street Opera - ASHFORD & SIMPSON (1982, 1st LP on Capitol)
2. High Rise - ASHFORD & SIMPSON (1983, 2nd on Capitol)
3. Brooklyn Dreams - BROOKLYN DREAMS (1977 - features Donna Summer)
4. Sleepless Nights - BROOKLYN DREAMS (1979 - features Donna Summer)
5. Winners - THE BROTHERS JOHNSON (1981)
6. Love Approach - TOM BROWNE (1980 - features "Funkin' For Jamaica")
7. Cerrone's Paradise - CERRONE (1977)
8. Cerrone 3 - Supernature - CERRONE (1977)
9. Cerrone IV - The Golden Touch - CERRONE (1978)
10. Love In `C' Minor - CERRONE (1979)
11. Sharing Your Love - CHANGE (1982)
12. This Is Your Time - CHANGE (1983)
13. Change Of Heart - CHANGE (1984)
14. Turn On Your Radio - CHANGE (1985)
15. Action Speaks Louder Than Words - CHOCOLATE MILK (1975 on RCA)
16. A.C. (Expanded Edition) - ANDRE CYMONE (1985 on Columbia)
17. Faces - EARTH, WIND & FIRE (1980 2LP set on 1CD with bonuses)
18. Don't Look Any Further - DENNIS EDWARDS (1984 - Dennis Lambert production)
19. F.B.I. (Expanded Edition) - F.B.I. [featuring Root Jackson] (1976)
20. Pennye - PENNYE FORD (1984)
21. Gap Band VI - THE GAP BAND (1984)
22. The Gap Band 8 - THE GAP BAND (1986)
23. Never Can Say Goodbye - GLORIA GAYNOR (1975)
24. Experience Gloria Gaynor - GLORIA GAYNOR (1975)
25. New Horizon (Expanded Edition) - ISAAC HAYES (1977 on Polydor)
26. Don't Let Go - ISAAC HAYES (1979 on Polydor) (Jan 2012)
27. Hot Property - HEATWAVE (1979)
28. Candles - HEATWAVE (1980) [see REVIEW]
29. Current - HEATWAVE (1982)
30. Harvest For The World (Expanded Edition) - THE ISLEY BROTHERS (1976 on T-Neck) [see REVIEW]
31. Go For Your Guns - THE ISLEY BROTHERS (1977 on T-Neck) [see REVIEW]
32. Fire Night Dance (Expanded Edition) - PETER JACQUES BAND (1978 on Prelude)
33. Like Gangbusters - JOBOXERS (1983 on RCA) (Jan 2012)
34. The Joneses (Expanded Edition) - THE JONESES (1977 on Epic)
35. Smooth Talk - EVELYN "CHAMPAGNE" KING (1977 debut)
36. I'm In Love - EVELYN "CHAMPAGNE" KING (1981)
37. Get Loose - EVELYN "CHAMPAGNE" KING (1982)
38. Face To Face - EVELYN "CHAMPAGNE" KING (1983) (Jan 2012)
39. About Love - GLADYS KNIGHT & THE PIPS (1980)
40. Open Sesame - KOOL & THE GANG (1976)
41. Patti LaBelle - PATTI LaBELLE (1977 debut solo LP)
42. It's Alright With Me - PATTI LaBELLE (1979)
43. Lark - LINDA LEWIS (1972 on Reprise)
44. Not A Little Girl Anymore - LINDA LEWIS (1975 on Arista)
45. Intuition - LINX (March 1981 1st LP on Chrysalis)
46. Go Ahead - LINX (Oct 1981 2nd LP on Chrysalis) (Jan 2012)
47. Loose Change - LOOSE CHANGE (1979 on Casablanca)
48. I Am Now - JON LUCIEN (1970 debut LP on RCA)
49. Rashida - JON LUCIEN (1973 2nd LP on RCA)
50. Premonition - JON LUCIEN (1976 on Columbia)
51. I Miss You [aka "Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes"] - HAROLD MELVIN & THE BLUE NOTES (1972 USA debut on Philadelphia International) [see REVIEW]
52. Black & Blue - HAROLD MELVIN & THE BLUE NOTES (1973, 2nd LP for Philadelphia International - features Gamble & Huff and Teddy Pendergrass) [see REVIEW]
53. Melba - MELBA MOORE (1978 - features McFadden & Whitehead)
54. TJM - TOM MOULTON (1979)
55. I Can See Clearly Now [Expanded Edition] - JOHNNY NASH. (1972 on CBS) [see REVIEW]
56. Back Stabbers - O'JAYS (1972) [see REVIEW]
57. Nights (Feel Like Getting Down) - BILLY OCEAN (1981)
58. Inner Feelings - BILLY OCEAN (1982)
59. Odyssey - ODYSSEY (1977)
60. California Sunset - THE ORIGINALS (1975 Motown - Lamont Dozier production)
61. Bonnie Pointer - BONNIE POINTER (1976 Debut LP) (Jan 2012)
62. Baby Sister - JUNE POINTER (of The Pointer Sisters) (1983 debut)
63. Special Things - THE POINTER SISTERS (1980)
64. So Excited - THE POINTER SISTERS (1982, features members of Toto)
65. Break Out - THE POINTER SISTERS (1983 on Planet)
66. Contact - THE POINTER SISTERS (1985, 1st LP on RCA)
67. Flying High - PRIME TIME (1984 on Total Experience)
68. The Garden Of Love - DON RAY (1978)
69. Sweet Beginnings - MARLENA SHAW (1977)
70. Acting Up - MARLENA SHAW (1978)
71. Clean - EDWIN STARR (1978, 2nd LP on 20th Century)
72. Am I Still Your Boyfriend? - SWITCH (1984 on Total Experience)
73. A Taste Of Honey - A TASTE OF HONEY (1978 debut)
74. Another Taste - A TASTE OF HONEY (1979 2nd LP - both debut and this feature Larry and Fonce Mizell)
75. Twice As Sweet - A TASTE OF HONEY (1980 on Capitol)
76. New Directions - TAVARES (1982 Debut)
77. The Three Degrees - THE THREE DEGREES (1974, 1st LP for Philadelphia International - features MFSB)]
78. International - THE THREE DEGREES (1975, 2nd LP for Philadelphia International)
79. New Dimensions - THE THREE DEGREES (1979, 1st LP for Ariola)
80. 3D - THE THREE DEGREES (1979, 2nd LP for Ariola)
81. Song Bird - DENIECE WILLIAMS (1977 - 2nd LP features Maurice White of Earth, Wind & Fire)
82. When Love Comes Calling - DENIECE WILLIAMS (1979 - 3rd LP)
83. My Melody - DENIECE WILLIAMS (1981 - Thom Bell Production)
84. Let's Hear It For The Boy - DENIECE WILLIAMS (1984 on CBS)
85. Be A Winner - YARBROUGH & PEOPLES (1984 on RCA)
86. Guilty - YARBROUGH & PEOPLES (1985 on Total Experience)
87. Love Conquers All - MICHAEL WYCOFF (1982 on RCA)

I bought this CD for the song "Stir it Up" and I love it!! I also have found some other really great songs on the CD.

This is one of my all time favorite albums. Nearly every track is a stand-out. Johnny Nash helped introduce reggae to the rest of the world, with his pop infused reggae sound. This album contains the original version of "I Can See Clearly Now", not the over-produced junk that can be found on the "Reggae Collection" album. I would recommend this album to everyone.

I owned this on vinyl back in the mid 70's, but as often happens, it disappeared somewhere along the way. So I was delighted to see it available again as a CD reissue. The arrangements are absolutely gorgeous, with a wonderful economy or expression and room to breath evident in the keyboard parts, horn parts, backup vocals, etc. So Johnny's clear, passionate, and soulful vocals are allowed to shine out front, just as they should -- riding over the superbly orchestrated mix underneath. And what a FUN collection of tunes in this beautifully realized project. It was great then, and sounds just as great now. A super highlight for me was the ballad, "It Was So Nice While It Lasted" -- which is unavailable as far as I know on other JN collections. Bottom line, this CD is a treat for any casual fan, and a must have for those who love his music.

If Reggae is your style, you have to have this one. Not as great at Jimmy Cliff or Desmond Dekker, but Johnny Nash does okay. And it contains the big hit "I Can See Clearly Now"