TO LONGEVITY

Jimmy Cliff has a new record out, you may have heard that. But think about it. The Harder They Come, the film (and soundtrack) featuring Cliff, came out in 1972. That was forty years ago. What's really amazing is that Cliff had already been recording for over ten years when he did The Harder They Come. And now the man has a new record, over fifty years later. Take that Stones.

The new one is produced by Rancid's Tim Armstrong, which...hey, good for him. In a recent interview, Cliff gave Armstrong props for his knowledge of Jamaican music, session musicians and studios. That may be all fine and dandy. I've only heard a handful of songs on the new one and, while it's good, it's not Cliff good. Well, you might think it is. I prefer his early seventies stuff. Maybe it just bugs me, for no particular reason, that Armstrong produced it. Whatever. (Dude, Lee Perry's just hanging out acting weird in Switzerland, or wherever it is he lives nowadays. Get him to do it. Lee Perry producing Jimmy Cliff? That I would dig.). Regardless, he's still singing, and appears to be healthy with all his wits about him. And that makes me feel good.

~ NOTE: ALL MEDIA IS HOSTED BY THE BLOGS & SITES NAMED BELOW ~

Listen:
Jimmy Cliff - One More mp3 (via Box.net) at The Slow Drag At Box.net, click on the "Download" button in the top right to save.
Jimmy Cliff - Bang mp3 (via Box.net) at Surviving the Golden Age
Jimmy Cliff - Ruby Soho (streaming) at Cover Me
Older stuff:
Jimmy Cliff - Miss Jamaica mp3 at Dinosaur Gardens 1962
Jimmy Cliff - My Lucky Day mp3 at Jaliscoska 1963
Jimmy Cliff - One Eyed Jacks mp3 at Jaliscoska 1963
Jimmy Cliff - The Harder They Come mp3 at The Cargo Culte 1972
Jimmy Cliff - You Can Get It If You Really Want mp3 at 2 Bean or Not 2 Bean 1972
Jimmy Cliff - Sitting In Limbo mp3 at PopDose 1972