It seems somewhat odd that there has never been a really good best-of compilation devoted to Jimmy Cliff, one of reggae's seminal figures and a major force in popularizing the music in America and beyond. Hip-O's Ultimate Collection is probably the best one assembled to date, collecting Cliff's legendary hits from The Harder They Come, high-quality material from his early years (including the hard-hitting protest song "Viet Nam"), and a selection of highlights from his major-label recordings over the remainder of the '70s. Some songs have never before been available on CD in the U.S., an added enticement for Cliff fans. The Harder They Come is still a tour de force, but as this collection proves, there's more to Cliff that needs to be heard.
01. Wonderful World, Beautiful People
02. Come Into My Life
03. Vietnam
04. Wild World
05. Hard Road To Travel
06. You Can Get It If You Really Want
07. Bongo Man
08. The Harder They Come
09. Many Rivers To Cross
10. Sitting In Limbo
11. Struggling Man
12. If I Follow My Mind
13. The News
14. Sooner Or Later
15. Give The People What They Want
16. Shelter Of Your Love
17. Majority Rule
18. I Can See Clearly Now
19. Rise Up
What's missing on this compilation is Reggae Nights. Especially for TMI visitors here's the 12" version.
