Library Rock's Backpages

Jimmy Cliff: Follow My Mind (Island)/Toots And The Maytals: Funky Kingston (Island)

John Morthland, Creem, January 1976

SINCE HE ELECTRIFIED audiences In The Harder They Come, Jimmy Cliff has been his own worst enemy. His songs in that film bristled with passion, energy and conviction; when he wailed, Cliff sounded like the Jamaican Sam Cooke. They were also old songs, though, and by then he had already made his move towards soul and pop reggae, neither of which he performs with comparable commitment.

Total word count of piece: 401

Subscribe

Becoming a member is easy. Membership gives you access to all the thousands of articles in the library.

Click here to go to Subscribe page.

Click here for academic and other group subscriptions.