‘The Harder They Come’: the groundbreaking soundtrack album that popularised reggae
For a relatively small island in the Caribbean, Jamaica has boasted a colossal cultural influence for many years. In the wake of the nation’s independence from British colonial rule in 1962, Jamaica witnessed a vibrant explosion of music, art, and film, culminating in the rise of ska, reggae, and rocksteady music. However, it took a little while longer for those infectious rhythms to be adopted by global audiences.
One of the first places outside of the Caribbean to adopt the optimistic sounds of ska and reggae was the United Kingdom. In the wake of World War II, high volumes of people from Jamaica and the wider Caribbean began to settle in the UK, in search of work and the ‘better life’ which was advertised to them. With the arrival of the Windrush generation came an influx of Jamaican music into the UK, and the upbeat sounds of ska and rocksteady music found a natural home in working-class communities up and down the nation.
Jimmy Cliff was among the most prominent Jamaican artists who established themselves in the UK. In fact, the vocalist relocated to the UK during the 1960s, where he signed for Island Records and went on to release records like ‘Wonderful World, Beautiful People’ for the iconic Trojan Records, making him a hero among the UK’s reggae-obsessed skinhead subculture. However, it wasn’t until Cliff starred in the feature film The Harder They Come that more widespread audiences began to take note of his musical talents.
Seeing Cliff star as Ivan Martin, a down-on-his-luck country boy who travels to Kingston in the hopes of becoming a successful singer, before turning to a life of crime, The Harder They Come was a truly revolutionary film. However, the movie’s plotline and cinematography were second to its blisteringly good soundtrack. Featuring various material from Cliff himself, the soundtrack also featured the likes of The Melodians, The Slickers, Desmond Dekker, and Toots and the Maytals.
A veritable smörgåsbord of ska and reggae excellence, the soundtrack collated some of the greatest sounds emanating from Jamaica at that time. Of course, the focal point of the soundtrack was the title track, performed by Cliff specifically for the feature film, but the rest of the track listing is just as commanding.
Part of what made the soundtrack so compelling was its diversity. Prominent, well-known artists like Dekker and Cliff were placed alongside more obscure artists like The Slickers, shining a light on some of the island’s up-and-coming stars.
Alongside the film release, Island Records published The Harder They Come as a soundtrack album in both the UK and the US, a move which was essential in the development of reggae music and its global appreciation. Although the album never charted, in either country, it seemed to find its way into the hands of those who mattered most. In the wake of its release, audiences across the world began to take note of this blossoming music scene in Jamaica, giving rise to reggae’s widespread popularity.
The soundtrack album has since been listed as an influence by everybody from Elvis Costello to Bob Dylan, reflecting its broad appeal and the universality of reggae music. Without the release of the soundtrack album, the world might never have taken notice of the subsequent reggae stars that followed in its wake, such as Bob Marley, whose iconic Catch a Fire album was released the following year.
