The Harder They Come (soundtrack)
Encyclopedia
The Harder They Come is the soundtrack
album
to the iconic film of the same name
, released in 1972
in the United Kingdom
as Island Records
ILPS 9202. It was issued in February 1973 in North America
as Mango Records SMAS-7400. It peaked at #140 on the Billboard 200
.
singer Jimmy Cliff
. Only the title track "The Harder They Come
" was recorded by Cliff specifically for the soundtrack, with three earlier songs by Cliff added. The remainder of the album is a compilation of singles
released in Jamaica
from the period of 1967 through 1972, assembled by the The Harder They Come director and co-writer, Perry Henzell
, from songs by favored reggae singers. In addition to Cliff, these artists include The Melodians
, The Slickers
, DJ Scotty
, and seminal early reggae stars Desmond Dekker
and Toots and the Maytals.
The soundtrack album played a major part in popularizing reggae in the United States and the world beyond, the film itself preventing the genre from remaining an isolated phenomenon in Jamaica. In 2003, the album was ranked number 119 on Rolling Stone
magazine's list of the 500 greatest albums of all time
. The album also appears on greatest albums lists from Time
and Blender
, and was named the 97th best album of the 1970s by Pitchfork Media
.
On August 5, 2003, Universal Music Group
issued a Deluxe Edition of the album, with the original remastered and reissued on one disc. A bonus disc continued the idea of the original soundtrack itself, compiling additional singles from the early days of reggae, entitled Reggae Hit the Town: Crucial Reggae 1968-1972.
Soundtrack
A soundtrack can be recorded music accompanying and synchronized to the images of a motion picture, book, television program or video game; a commercially released soundtrack album of music as featured in the soundtrack of a film or TV show; or the physical area of a film that contains the...
album
Album
An album is a collection of recordings, released as a single package on gramophone record, cassette, compact disc, or via digital distribution. The word derives from the Latin word for list .Vinyl LP records have two sides, each comprising one half of the album...
to the iconic film of the same name
The Harder They Come
The Harder They Come is a 1972 Jamaican crime film directed by Perry Henzell.The film stars reggae singer Jimmy Cliff, who plays Ivanhoe Martin, a character based on Rhyging, a real-life Jamaican criminal who achieved fame in the 1940s...
, released in 1972
1972 in music
-Events:*January 17 – Highway 51 South in Memphis, Tennessee is renamed "Elvis Presley Boulevard"*January 20 – The début of Pink Floyd's Dark Side of the Moon at The Dome, Brighton, is halted by technical difficulties,...
in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
as Island Records
Island Records
Island Records is a record label that was founded by Chris Blackwell in Jamaica. It was based in the United Kingdom for many years and is now owned by Universal Music Group...
ILPS 9202. It was issued in February 1973 in North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
as Mango Records SMAS-7400. It peaked at #140 on the Billboard 200
Billboard 200
The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists...
.
Content
The heart of the soundtrack comes from performances by the film's star, reggaeReggae
Reggae is a music genre first developed in Jamaica in the late 1960s. While sometimes used in a broader sense to refer to most types of Jamaican music, the term reggae more properly denotes a particular music style that originated following on the development of ska and rocksteady.Reggae is based...
singer Jimmy Cliff
Jimmy Cliff
Jimmy Cliff, OM is a Jamaican musician, singer and actor. He is the only currently living musician to hold the Order of Merit, the highest honour that can be granted by the Jamaican government for achievement in the arts and sciences...
. Only the title track "The Harder They Come
The Harder They Come (song)
"The Harder They Come" is a reggae song by the Jamaican singer Jimmy Cliff. It was first recorded for the soundtrack of the movie by the same name....
" was recorded by Cliff specifically for the soundtrack, with three earlier songs by Cliff added. The remainder of the album is a compilation of singles
Single (music)
In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...
released in Jamaica
Jamaica
Jamaica is an island nation of the Greater Antilles, in length, up to in width and 10,990 square kilometres in area. It is situated in the Caribbean Sea, about south of Cuba, and west of Hispaniola, the island harbouring the nation-states Haiti and the Dominican Republic...
from the period of 1967 through 1972, assembled by the The Harder They Come director and co-writer, Perry Henzell
Perry Henzell
Perry Henzell was most famous for being the director of the first Jamaican feature film, The Harder They Come , starring Jimmy Cliff....
, from songs by favored reggae singers. In addition to Cliff, these artists include The Melodians
The Melodians
The Melodians were a reggae band formed in the Greenwich Town area of Kingston, Jamaica in 1965, by Tony Brevett , Brent Dowe and Trevor McNaughton...
, The Slickers
The Slickers
The Slickers were a Jamaican rocksteady and reggae group in the late 1960s and early 1970s.They are best known for the song, "Johnny Too Bad", which featured on the film soundtrack of The Harder They Come, and which was sung with additional lyrics by John Martyn on his Grace and Danger album.The...
, DJ Scotty
Scotty (musician)
Scotty performed as a reggae vocalist and deejay.-Biography:...
, and seminal early reggae stars Desmond Dekker
Desmond Dekker
Desmond Dekker was a Jamaican ska, rocksteady and reggae singer-songwriter and musician. Together with his backing group, The Aces , he had one of the first international Jamaican hits with "Israelites". Other hits include "007 " and "It Miek"...
and Toots and the Maytals.
The soundtrack album played a major part in popularizing reggae in the United States and the world beyond, the film itself preventing the genre from remaining an isolated phenomenon in Jamaica. In 2003, the album was ranked number 119 on Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone is a US-based magazine devoted to music, liberal politics, and popular culture that is published every two weeks. Rolling Stone was founded in San Francisco in 1967 by Jann Wenner and music critic Ralph J...
magazine's list of the 500 greatest albums of all time
The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time
"The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time" is the title of a 2003 special issue of American magazine Rolling Stone, and a related book published in 2005.Related news articles:...
. The album also appears on greatest albums lists from Time
Time (magazine)
Time is an American news magazine. A European edition is published from London. Time Europe covers the Middle East, Africa and, since 2003, Latin America. An Asian edition is based in Hong Kong...
and Blender
Blender (magazine)
Blender was an American music magazine that billed itself as "the ultimate guide to music and more". It was also known for sometimes steamy pictorials of celebrities....
, and was named the 97th best album of the 1970s by Pitchfork Media
Pitchfork Media
Pitchfork Media, usually known simply as Pitchfork or P4k, is a Chicago-based daily Internet publication established in 1995 that is devoted to music criticism and commentary, music news, and artist interviews. Its focus is on underground and independent music, especially indie rock...
.
On August 5, 2003, Universal Music Group
Universal Music Group
Universal Music Group is an American music group, the largest of the "big four" record companies by its commanding market share and its multitude of global operations...
issued a Deluxe Edition of the album, with the original remastered and reissued on one disc. A bonus disc continued the idea of the original soundtrack itself, compiling additional singles from the early days of reggae, entitled Reggae Hit the Town: Crucial Reggae 1968-1972.
Side one
- "You Can Get It If You Really Want" (Jimmy CliffJimmy CliffJimmy Cliff, OM is a Jamaican musician, singer and actor. He is the only currently living musician to hold the Order of Merit, the highest honour that can be granted by the Jamaican government for achievement in the arts and sciences...
) – 2:40 performed by Jimmy Cliff - "Draw Your Brakes" (Derrick HarriottDerrick HarriottDerrick Harriott is a singer and record producer. He has produced recordings by Big Youth, Chariot Riders, The Chosen Few, Dennis Brown, The Ethiopians, Keith & Tex, The Kingstonians, Rudy Mills, Scotty, Sly & Revolutionaries, and Winston McAnuff.-Biography:As a student at Excelsior High School,...
, Texas Dixon, Keith Rowe) – 2:57 performed by ScottyScotty (musician)Scotty performed as a reggae vocalist and deejay.-Biography:... - "Rivers of BabylonRivers of Babylon"Rivers of Babylon" is a rastafarian song written and recorded by Brent Dowe and Trevor McNaughton of the Jamaican reggae group The Melodians in 1970. The Melodians' original versions of the song appeared in the sound track to the 1972 movie The Harder They Come and the 1999 Nicolas Cage movie...
" (Brent Dowe, James McNaughton) – 4:16 performed by The MelodiansThe MelodiansThe Melodians were a reggae band formed in the Greenwich Town area of Kingston, Jamaica in 1965, by Tony Brevett , Brent Dowe and Trevor McNaughton... - "Many Rivers to CrossMany Rivers to Cross- Song information :This is one of the few Cliff tracks to use an organ, which helps to supplement the gospel feel provided by the backing vocalists. Cliff released the song, with production work by Leslie Kong, on his 1969 album, Jimmy Cliff. It was also released on the 1972 soundtrack album for...
" (Cliff) – 3:02 performed by Jimmy Cliff - "Sweet and Dandy" (Frederick HibbertToots HibbertFrederick Nathaniel "Toots" Hibbert is a ska and roots reggae singer and leader of the reggae band Toots & the Maytals.-Biography:...
) – 3:01 performed by The MaytalsToots & the MaytalsToots and the Maytals, originally called simply The Maytals, are a Jamaican musical group and one of the best known ska and reggae vocal groups. According to Sandra Brennan at Allmusic, "The Maytals were key figures in reggae music... - "The Harder They ComeThe Harder They Come (song)"The Harder They Come" is a reggae song by the Jamaican singer Jimmy Cliff. It was first recorded for the soundtrack of the movie by the same name....
" (Cliff) – 3:41 performed by Jimmy Cliff
Side two
- "Johnny Too Bad" (Trevor Wilson, Winston Bailey, Hylton Beckford, Derrick Crooks) – 3:04 performed by The SlickersThe SlickersThe Slickers were a Jamaican rocksteady and reggae group in the late 1960s and early 1970s.They are best known for the song, "Johnny Too Bad", which featured on the film soundtrack of The Harder They Come, and which was sung with additional lyrics by John Martyn on his Grace and Danger album.The...
- "007 (Shanty Town)" (Desmond DekkerDesmond DekkerDesmond Dekker was a Jamaican ska, rocksteady and reggae singer-songwriter and musician. Together with his backing group, The Aces , he had one of the first international Jamaican hits with "Israelites". Other hits include "007 " and "It Miek"...
) – 2:43 performed by Desmond Dekker - "Pressure DropPressure Drop (song)"Pressure Drop" is a song recorded in 1969 by The Maytals for producer Leslie Kong. The song appears on their 1970 album Monkey Man and From the Roots...
" (Hibbert) – 3:44 performed by The Maytals - "Sitting in Limbo" (Jimmy Cliff, Guillermo Bright-Plummer) – 4:57 performed by Jimmy Cliff
- "You Can Get It If You Really Want" – 2:43 (Cliff) performed by Jimmy Cliff
- "The Harder They Come" (Cliff) – 3:07 performed by Jimmy Cliff
2003 reissue bonus disc
- "Israelites" (Desmond DacresDesmond DekkerDesmond Dekker was a Jamaican ska, rocksteady and reggae singer-songwriter and musician. Together with his backing group, The Aces , he had one of the first international Jamaican hits with "Israelites". Other hits include "007 " and "It Miek"...
, Leslie KongLeslie KongLeslie Kong was a Chinese Jamaican record producer.-Career:Leslie and his two older brothers Cecil and Lloyd ran a restaurant, ice cream parlour and record shop called Beverley's in Orange Street, Kingston...
) - 2:37 performed by Desmond Dekker and The AcesDesmond DekkerDesmond Dekker was a Jamaican ska, rocksteady and reggae singer-songwriter and musician. Together with his backing group, The Aces , he had one of the first international Jamaican hits with "Israelites". Other hits include "007 " and "It Miek"... - "My Conversation" (Keith Smith, Edward LeeBunny LeeEdward O'Sullivan Lee, better known as Bunny "Striker" Lee is a prominent, prolific and successful record producer best known for his work in the 1960s and 1970s.-Biography:...
) - 2:41 performed by The UniquesThe Uniques (Jamaican group)The Uniques were a Jamaican rocksteady and reggae vocal group, formed in 1966 and active with varying line-ups until the late 1970s.-History:... - "Do the ReggayDo the ReggayDo the Reggay is a reggae song by The Maytals. Written by Toots Hibbert, produced by Leslie Kong and released on Beverly's Records in Jamaica and Pyramid Records in the UK in 1968. It is one of several songs released in 1968 to first use the word reggae in a Jamaican recording...
" (Hibbert) - 3:18 performed by The Maytals - "Viet Nam" (Cliff) - 4:53 performed by Jimmy Cliff
- "I Can See Clearly NowI Can See Clearly Now-Certifications:-Charts:-Other covers:The song also appears in various other films, such as Grosse Pointe Blank, The Break-up, Thelma & Louise, Antz, Deep Blue Sea, Envy, Hitch, Shrek 2s Far Far Away Idol, Viktor Vogel – Commercial Man and Jennifer's Body, as well in a 2009 advertisement for Lipton...
" (Johnny NashJohnny NashJohn Lester "Johnny" Nash, Jr. is an American pop singer-songwriter, best known in the US for his 1972 hit, "I Can See Clearly Now". He was also the first non-Jamaican to record reggae music in Kingston, Jamaica.-Life and career:...
) - 2:42 performed by Johnny Nash - "Reggae Hit the Town" (Leonard Dillon) - 2:24 performed by The EthiopiansThe EthiopiansThe Ethiopians were a ska, rocksteady, and reggae vocal group, founded by Leonard Dillon , Stephen Taylor and Aston Morris.-History:...
- "Double Barrel" (Winston RileyWinston RileyWinston Riley worked as a songwriter and record producer of Jamaican music. According to the Jamaica Gleaner, Riley has a claim to being the most successful reggae producer of all-time.-Biography:...
) - 2:50 performed by Dave and Ansel Collins - "It Mek" (Desmond DacresDesmond DekkerDesmond Dekker was a Jamaican ska, rocksteady and reggae singer-songwriter and musician. Together with his backing group, The Aces , he had one of the first international Jamaican hits with "Israelites". Other hits include "007 " and "It Miek"...
, Leslie KongLeslie KongLeslie Kong was a Chinese Jamaican record producer.-Career:Leslie and his two older brothers Cecil and Lloyd ran a restaurant, ice cream parlour and record shop called Beverley's in Orange Street, Kingston...
) - 2:32 performed by Desmond Dekker and The Aces - "Sweet Sensation" (Renford Cogle) - 3:42 performed by The Melodians
- "Let Your Yeah Be Yeah (Cliff) - 3:05 performed by Jimmy Cliff
- "Cherry Oh Baby" (Eric DonaldsonEric DonaldsonEric Donaldson is a Jamaican reggae singer-songwriter.-Biography:Donaldson has won the Jamaican Festival Song Competition six times, in 1971, 1977, 1978, 1984, 1993 and 1997. His winning 1971 entry, "Cherry Oh Baby", launched him into the limelight, although he had been composing and recording...
) - 3:02 performed by Eric Donaldson - "Monkey Spanner" (Winston Riley, Ansel Collins) - 2:45 performed by Dave and Ansel Collins
- "54-46 (That's My Number)" (Hibbert) - 2:58 performed by The Maytals
- "It's My Delight" (Brent Dowe, Trevor McNaughton) - 3:14 performed by The Melodians
- "Wonderful World, Beautiful People" (Cliff) - 3:15 performed by Jimmy Cliff
- "Pomp and Pride" (Hibbert) - 4:28 performed by The Maytals
- "Guava Jelly" (Bob MarleyBob MarleyRobert Nesta "Bob" Marley, OM was a Jamaican singer-songwriter and musician. He was the rhythm guitarist and lead singer for the ska, rocksteady and reggae band Bob Marley & The Wailers...
) - 3:15 performed by Johnny Nash - "The Bigger They Come the Harder They FallThe Harder They Come (song)"The Harder They Come" is a reggae song by the Jamaican singer Jimmy Cliff. It was first recorded for the soundtrack of the movie by the same name....
" (Cliff) - 3:12 performed by Jimmy Cliff
Personnel
- Jimmy CliffJimmy CliffJimmy Cliff, OM is a Jamaican musician, singer and actor. He is the only currently living musician to hold the Order of Merit, the highest honour that can be granted by the Jamaican government for achievement in the arts and sciences...
- vocals - Dave and Ansel Collins - vocals reissue tracks
- Desmond DekkerDesmond DekkerDesmond Dekker was a Jamaican ska, rocksteady and reggae singer-songwriter and musician. Together with his backing group, The Aces , he had one of the first international Jamaican hits with "Israelites". Other hits include "007 " and "It Miek"...
- vocals - Eric DonaldsonEric DonaldsonEric Donaldson is a Jamaican reggae singer-songwriter.-Biography:Donaldson has won the Jamaican Festival Song Competition six times, in 1971, 1977, 1978, 1984, 1993 and 1997. His winning 1971 entry, "Cherry Oh Baby", launched him into the limelight, although he had been composing and recording...
- vocals reissue tracks - The EthiopiansThe EthiopiansThe Ethiopians were a ska, rocksteady, and reggae vocal group, founded by Leonard Dillon , Stephen Taylor and Aston Morris.-History:...
- vocals reissue tracks - The MaytalsToots & the MaytalsToots and the Maytals, originally called simply The Maytals, are a Jamaican musical group and one of the best known ska and reggae vocal groups. According to Sandra Brennan at Allmusic, "The Maytals were key figures in reggae music...
- vocals - The MelodiansThe MelodiansThe Melodians were a reggae band formed in the Greenwich Town area of Kingston, Jamaica in 1965, by Tony Brevett , Brent Dowe and Trevor McNaughton...
- vocals - Johnny NashJohnny NashJohn Lester "Johnny" Nash, Jr. is an American pop singer-songwriter, best known in the US for his 1972 hit, "I Can See Clearly Now". He was also the first non-Jamaican to record reggae music in Kingston, Jamaica.-Life and career:...
- vocals reissue tracks - ScottyScotty (musician)Scotty performed as a reggae vocalist and deejay.-Biography:...
- vocals - The SlickersThe SlickersThe Slickers were a Jamaican rocksteady and reggae group in the late 1960s and early 1970s.They are best known for the song, "Johnny Too Bad", which featured on the film soundtrack of The Harder They Come, and which was sung with additional lyrics by John Martyn on his Grace and Danger album.The...
- vocals - The UniquesThe Uniques (Jamaican group)The Uniques were a Jamaican rocksteady and reggae vocal group, formed in 1966 and active with varying line-ups until the late 1970s.-History:...
- vocals reissue tracks - Jackie Jackson - bassBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
- Winston GrennanWinston GrennanWinston Grennan was a Jamaican drummer, famous for session work from 1962 to 1973 in Jamaica as well as later in New York City through the 1970s and '80s.-Career:...
- drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person .... - Beverley's All-StarsBeverley'sBeverley's was a Jamaican record label owned by the Chinese Jamaican record producer Leslie Kong. Beverley's was essential to the development of Ska and Rocksteady into Reggae...
- instruments
- Gully Bright - producerRecord producerA record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
- Jimmy Cliff - producer
- Tommy CowanTommy CowanTommy Cowan is a producer and singer, initially working in reggae but later concentrating on gospel, who has been involved in the music business since the 1960s...
- producer reissue tracks - Larry Fallon - producer reissue tracks
- Derrick HarriottDerrick HarriottDerrick Harriott is a singer and record producer. He has produced recordings by Big Youth, Chariot Riders, The Chosen Few, Dennis Brown, The Ethiopians, Keith & Tex, The Kingstonians, Rudy Mills, Scotty, Sly & Revolutionaries, and Winston McAnuff.-Biography:As a student at Excelsior High School,...
- producer - Leslie KongLeslie KongLeslie Kong was a Chinese Jamaican record producer.-Career:Leslie and his two older brothers Cecil and Lloyd ran a restaurant, ice cream parlour and record shop called Beverley's in Orange Street, Kingston...
- producer - Bunny LeeBunny LeeEdward O'Sullivan Lee, better known as Bunny "Striker" Lee is a prominent, prolific and successful record producer best known for his work in the 1960s and 1970s.-Biography:...
- producer reissue tracks - Byron LeeByron LeeByron Lee OD, OJ was a musician, record producer, and entrepreneur, best known for his work as leader of Byron Lee and the Dragonaires.-Biography:Lee was born in Christiana in Manchester Parish to an Afro-Jamaican mother and a Chinese father Byron Lee OD, OJ (born Byron Aloysius St. Elmo Lee, 27...
- producer - Warwick Lyn - producer reissue tracks
- Johnny Nash - producer reissue tracks
- Winston RileyWinston RileyWinston Riley worked as a songwriter and record producer of Jamaican music. According to the Jamaica Gleaner, Riley has a claim to being the most successful reggae producer of all-time.-Biography:...
- producer reissue tracks
Reissue personnel
- Dana Smart - supervisor
- Pat Lawrence - executive producer
- Vartan - reissue art director
- John Bryant - cover illustrator
- Gavin Larsen - digital mastering