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Subject: Who was more important to Reggae; Jimmy Cliff or Bob Marley?

Written By: Trimac20 on 04/16/06 at 11:37 am

Of course it's like comparing apples and oranges, and there are of course many others who could stand as candidates (Jackie Mitoo and the Skalatites just to name two). One popularised reggae, while the other was possibly the first international 'Reggae superstar.' While I like Marley's music better, Cliff made the more important advances. I'm not an expert on the genre, so hence the thread...

Subject: Re: Who was more important to Reggae; Jimmy Cliff or Bob Marley?

Written By: AmericanGirl on 04/16/06 at 10:24 pm

Since I think Bob Marley brought Reggae to the masses, I'll go with Bob Marley.

Not to minimize Jimmy Cliff's vast influence...  ::)

Subject: Re: Who was more important to Reggae; Jimmy Cliff or Bob Marley?

Written By: Trimac20 on 04/17/06 at 12:55 am

Marley embolised the whole Reggae/Rastafarian lifestyle and philosophy, whereas Cliff was a Black Muslim.

Subject: Re: Who was more important to Reggae; Jimmy Cliff or Bob Marley?

Written By: Windbreaker05 on 04/17/06 at 7:27 am

My vote would go to Jimmy Cliff, but that is probably biased opinion and not based on any real knowledge.

Subject: Re: Who was more important to Reggae; Jimmy Cliff or Bob Marley?

Written By: whistledog on 04/17/06 at 3:58 pm

Bob Marley was more important, but I liked Jimmy Cliff better

Subject: Re: Who was more important to Reggae; Jimmy Cliff or Bob Marley?

Written By: Paul on 04/17/06 at 4:45 pm

If it's out of these two...I'd say Marley...

Mind you...

One (if not the) singlemost important figure in Reggae was a guy who wasn't even a recording artist!

His name was Chris Blackwell, the founder of Island Records...

This man (whose artists included Cliff & Marley) with his clever technique of salesmanship, really brought Reggae into the mainstream, and quite rightly too...

Subject: Re: Who was more important to Reggae; Jimmy Cliff or Bob Marley?

Written By: Nostalgic on 04/19/06 at 1:47 am

There was also Johnny Nash, who had more success on the US and UK top 40 charts than Cliff or Marley. He had a big reggae hit called "Hold Me Tight" as far back as 1968.

Subject: Re: Who was more important to Reggae; Jimmy Cliff or Bob Marley?

Written By: zotsfreak on 04/19/06 at 5:54 am


There was also Johnny Nash, who had more success on the US and UK top 40 charts than Cliff or Marley. He had a big reggae hit called "Hold Me Tight" as far back as 1968.


I feel the most important influence was Desmond Dekker and the Aces. Well known for the single "The Israelities".
                (""Get up in the morning, slaving for bread, sir,
                  so that every mouth can be fed.
                  Poor me, the Israelitie. Aah."")

He was a steady, prolific, pioneer of this music; dating back to the early 1960's.

Subject: Re: Who was more important to Reggae; Jimmy Cliff or Bob Marley?

Written By: Paul on 04/19/06 at 7:17 am


There was also Johnny Nash, who had more success on the US and UK top 40 charts than Cliff or Marley. He had a big reggae hit called "Hold Me Tight" as far back as 1968.


He originally started off as a 'teenybop' balladeer in the early 60s!

And he also done Marley a big favour by covering one of his songs ('Stir It Up'), which became a fairly sizeable mainstream hit...

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