Jimmy Cliff ~ A teenage ska star
Hello hello silver bloggers, music lovers and Hello hivers!
I had my post almost ready to go this morning, but then I learnt of the passing of the icon that is Jimmy Cliff.
Most people know of Bob Marley, but not everyone knows of the King of Reggae Jimmy Cliff.
For me though, Jimmy Cliff is massive for his ska and rocksteady tunes before the emergence of reggae.
Jimmy Cliff was born James Chambers on 30 July 1944 in Saint James, Colony of Jamaica. He was the second youngest of nine children.
Now get this ... he began writing songs while still at primary school in St. James while he was listening to a neighbour's sound system.
When Chambers was 14, his father took him to Kingston where he adopted the stage name Jimmy Cliff.
It is this era that I love. Ska baby ska!
So today we are having six ska songs from a teenage Jimmy Cliff!
It is Tuesday and that of course means that it's #ttt or #threetunetuesday and so it's time to share some tunes with you!
@ablaze started #ttt 235 weeks ago! Go check out what it is all about on his last post Tom Waits (Heart Attack and Vine) for Three Tune Tuesday - Week 234 - win some HBI
Do go support @ablaze as without him we would not have this mental fun musical activity that you can win HSBI from! I am happy to be one of the SIX sponsors and it is kinda fun checking out music from all over this global village of ours!
Long live #ttt 😁🎼 and #threetunetuesday
There are two Jamaican Music Hall of Famers .. Bob Marley and yep Jimmy Cliff.
I am not going to tell you about his 1972 film The Harder They Come The film is most famous for its reggae soundtrack that is said to have "brought reggae to the world".
This ttt is purely his early ska years. There is one song I love which I was tempted to include which is the classic King of Kings but go visit @riverflows as she included in her King of Kings, A Little Visitor, Concrete Breaking, Sweet Side.
I know of two other Jimmy Cliff ttt's today that feature more of his post ska or reggae tunes ... so go check out ..
A Salute to Late Reggae Legend Jimmy Cliff by @thebighigg and
Three Tune Tuesday – Honoring Jimmy Cliff by @thefed
If you want to know more just use the google or your favourite AI ... but seriously just listen to the legend at work ...
Kicking it off with the tune that was his first hit..
What do you do when you are 14 and have a schoolboy crush on a girl called Beverley?
You write a fluffing hit single of course!
Tune 1 - Jimmy Cliff - Dearest Beverley
This was his very first hit single, recorded while he was still a teenager in Kingston. It was produced by Leslie Kong, one of Jamaica's most important early producers, and launched Cliff's career as a Ska star.
Tune 2 - Jimmy Cliff – Hurricane Hattie
His first major chart hit in Jamaica. It was a topical song written about the devastating 1961 hurricane that struck the Caribbean.
Tune 3 - Jimmy Cliff- Miss Jamaica
A classic, upbeat Ska track that celebrated national pride and beauty. It was a major local success.
Tune 4 - Jimmy Cliff- Gold Digger
14 fucking years old and these lyrics ...
She tried to dig my gold once
I caught her hands slip down in my pants
Gold digger
Watch your clothes 'cause she will dig you the most
And put you to bed
'Cause she is a gold digger
She is a gold digger
Another popular single from his prolific early period with Leslie Kong.
Tune 5 - Jimmy Cliff-Jimmy Cliff - One Eyed Jacks
Don't forget he still 14!
Yeah I fluffing love ska.
Tune 6 - Jimmy Cliff- I'm Sorry
Well I am sure as hell am not sorry I brought you six ska songs from the legend that is and will always be Jimmy Cliff...
Don't forget these were all released when he was 14 fucking years of age!
BONUS - Jimmy Cliff- Tiny Desk Concert 2010
So there you have it — my absolute bangers from Jimmy Cliff this week.
Which was your favourite tune? Or have you never heard of them?
Note: The 7 YouTube videos that I have shared are not owned by me, I am simply spreading great music on Hive.
I wish that you all have a brilliant happy fun and terrific Tuesday until we meet again enjoy your tunes 🎶🎵🎶
Thanks for visiting!
The images were taken by the author in Kirkcaldy Scotland. Ramblings are also from me with some assistance from gemini, the mad Scotsman TengoLoTodo unless otherwise stated.
@tengolotodo November 25th 2025
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You have been manual curated and upvoted by @ecency
Did you know that @stresskiller is also a witness now ?
Unfortunately I have never heard him before. :)
not a very popular gendre here, unless Bob Marley
hehe well I like his stuff like I posted here which was before the reggae era he helped create
Such an iconic fellow. As I said in another comment, many rivers to cross is my favorite of his.
Yes the earlier the better for me.
So sad about his passing, i'm not really familiar with him. But I think his song is the kind that the oldies would love to listen to. He sounds so amazing and his kind of genre is really a lively one. Like you can't helo but groove with it. Ehe
Hehe yeah and then here in the UK Ska got reinvented later in the 70s and 80s when it got blended with punk and that is my favourite music of all time hehe!
We gotta get our groove on hehe
Sorry for his passing. Though I'm not familiar with his songs but I think a lot of people like them before and even today😌🫤
And what about you? These were all from 1962 before we were even born!
I'm not a fan of it😛
You don't like ska, oh no 🤣
I totes knew you were gonna do Jimmy Cliff this week ♥️💚💛
hehe well I just had to, but just focused on his early ska stuff which is my favourite
Me too!!!
RIP Jimmy! I remember him from my younger years.
His early stuff was just awesome, and I love going back to it from time to time
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A great loss for music. I hadn't listened to him in a while; I always preferred Bob Marley. Thanks for the post, my friend @tengolotodo . A big hug from Maracay.
Bob Marley certainly did Reggae but I preferred his very early stuff the Wailers in the early 60s which was ska like here from Jimmy Cliff.
Pretty sweet covering an early era! Very original! Now that’s #SKA!
that’s where bands like The Clash and English Beat come from!
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Hehe yes it is and my favourite genre, so this is real Jimmy Cliff to me.
You mad at me? I never see you come by my TTT posts no more 🙃
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It's clear you like it!! 7 songs?! I had never listened to it before, and even though some videos didn't open on my computer, I liked Gold Digger. Hugs
Yes this is Ska which is where my favourite genre of 2tone ska pretty much came from.
Wow! You clearly like ska. I've heard some Bob Marley songs, but this is the first time I've read about Jimmy Cliff and heard one of his songs. Thanks for sharing your passion.
Have a great weekend!