Share
Days after the passing of reggae legend Jimmy Cliff, his iconic hits flood streaming charts as fans mourn.
Hits such as ‘I Can See Clearly Now’, ‘Many Rivers to Cross’, ‘You Can Get It If You Really Want’, ‘The Harder They Come’, ‘Wonderful World’, and ‘Beautiful People’ dominated the iTunes Top 100 Reggae Singles charts, all within the top 15 spots. Cliff's albums were also represented in the top 100 Reggae Albums charts, with ‘Best of Jimmy Cliff’ sitting at number one, temporarily unseating Bob Marley's Legend. ‘20th Century Masters: The Millennium Collection - The Best of Jimmy Cliff’ claimed fourth, while ‘The Power and the Glory, and In Concert: The Best of Jimmy Cliff (Live)’ claimed fifth and sixth. The eighth, ninth, and tenth spots were also taken by Jimmy Cliff albums: ‘Unlimited’, ‘Wonderful World’, ‘Beautiful People’, and ‘Special’.
This chart resurgence comes as preparations begin for Cliff’s official state funeral. Speaking in Parliament this week, Minister of Culture and Entertainment Olivia “Babsy” Grange confirmed that details for the “going home” service will be announced soon. She added that the Ska and Rocksteady icon had left specific instructions for how he wished his life to be celebrated. Minister Grange also noted that Cliff had been preparing to return to Jamaica from the United States to assist with national recovery efforts following the devastating passage of Category 5 Hurricane Melissa.