Reggae music is distinguished by a heavy four-beat rhythm with thick bass sounds that often emphasizes the lowest note in each beat.
Lyrics tend to be political and address social reform or spiritual guidance. Many artists who identify as Rastafarian use cannabis (or herb) as an offering.
1. The Harder They Come by Jimmy Cliff
The Harder They Come is widely considered to have introduced reggae music to mainstream audiences worldwide. It features some amazing reggae musicians beyond Bob Marley (who also stars), setting a truly Jamaican atmosphere through its soundtrack.
Jimmy Cliff stars as Ivanhoe Martin, an ambitious street singer with grand dreams who moves to Kingston hoping to break into its music industry only to be exploited by an unscrupulous record producer named Hilton (Bob Charlton). Additionally, Martin becomes involved with illegal marijuana dealing operations.
Cliff’s subtle performance is key to The Harder They Come, helping us understand Ivan’s full range of emotions as he goes through this drama. His ability to portray both frivolity and penance makes for an amazing movie experience – anyone interested in reggae music should see The Harder They Come as it offers an authentic glimpse of Jamaican culture from the 70s!
Jimmy Cliff’s song The Harder They Come was featured as part of the 1972 movie of the same name and became an international hit in the UK and earned critical acclaim, especially due to its political message of social injustice. Joe Jackson and Rockers Revenge later covered it and gave it more psychedelic overtones; their single was released as a single in 1980 while its album version included Cliff singing along with The Royal Studio Band horn section and producer Jerry Heller’s percussion work.
2. Pressure Drop & It’s You by Toots & the Maytals
Frederick Hibbert, better known by his stage name Toots, began singing at his country church as a boy. Over time he honing his voice through years of practice before meeting Nathaniel “Jerry” Matthias and Raleigh Gordon; two singers with a few recordings under their belts who became his vocal group – Toots and the Maytals. At Studio One they would record hits like Pressure Drop, Monkey Man and 54-46 That’s My Number to remain popular while eventually transitioning into rock steady music genres such as rock steady or reggae music genres.
Produced by Leslie Kong, this song serves as an upbeat anthem of survival that speaks to the hardships experienced by Jamaicans during the late ’60s. Toots’ gravely baritone powerfully conveys his message while band members such as Raleigh Gordon’s sympathetic and encouraging lyrics and Jerry Matthias’ soaring guitar work create a compelling musical unity that makes this tune hard to resist.
Toots is known for his powerful message of hope and persistence; his songs serve as cornerstones in reggae’s transition towards its slower, rhythmically complex style that we know today. “Hometown Reminiscing” by Toots serves as an exemplar of that message. This song stands as one of its cornerstones.
Toots & the Maytals enjoyed great popularity among Jamaican and British audiences, yet were never successful at breaking through into American markets. After the release of Reggae Got Soul in 1976, Toots’ health declined sharply and he passed away at University Hospital of the West Indies on September 20, 2020 – leaving a legacy which continues to influence musicians today – now you can honor him by asking your venue to play Wonderwall at gigs to honor this reggae icon’s memory.
3. Stir It Up by Bob Marley & The Wailers
Bob Marley and The Wailers stand out in an otherwise bland genre by crafting captivating songs such as Stir It Up; it features strong rhythm and conveys an important message.
While artists such as Curtis Mayfield, Sly and Family Stone and John Lennon were spreading socio-conscious messages of unity and ghetto strife on American streets through art, Bob Marley and The Wailers took those themes worldwide with their musical talent and charismatic personalities. By 1973 when Bob Marley recorded Stir It Up on Catch A Fire for release worldwide release he was on his way to becoming an international phenomenon.
This song tells the tale of an emotional couple struggling with their romance. A man asks his partner for help to reawaken love between them, yet she resists at first but eventually succumbs to its power and yields to it all the same. A beautiful and moving tune that tells their tale.
Listening to this song will put a smile on your face, whether or not you enjoy reggae music specifically. With its strong rhythm and reggae-influenced melodies, you will soon be dancing along and singing out your favorite lyrics with pleasure!
Another wonderful song from an immensely talented artist who has produced many other popular tunes. Listening to this track can bring much-needed positivity into your life when feeling down or need some cheering up; its infectious beat and lyrics will have you singing for days on end – guaranteed to improve your mood and make you want to dance!
4. I Can See Clearly Now by Paul Simon
As its title suggests, it’s impossible not to feel satisfied when listening to this song by Paul Simon. His poetic words remind us that life doesn’t always go according to plan but we can still manage through difficult times with grace and dignity. His music echoes this thought beautifully as its burbling undercurrent creates both rhythmic and emotive soundscapes. While this particular tune didn’t catch my ear as strongly as others of his (Graceland or his LPs with Art Garfunkel for instance) it still offers soothing sweetness that should make you consider giving this song another listen!
Simon first recorded this song for his 1970 album Surprise and later revisited it here to create a smoother, more laid-back acoustic jazz version with help from Sullivan Fortner’s piano and an arrangement featuring violins, reeds, and trumpets that creates a deeper emotional tone while maintaining the song’s humorous lyrics: ‘You must first fall before learning how to fly.
Stranger to Stranger is Paul Simon’s late-career album that showcases an impressive diversity in its repertoire, from reggae tracks like this worthy one which showcases that variety to poignant reflections on inequality such as “Riots Started Slowly in Downtown Ghetto and then Spread to Heartland Towns That Never Get Wristbands,” while more delicate balladry like “Insomniac’s Lullaby” add to this impression of an album featuring many styles.
5. Hold Me Tight by Johnny Nash
Hold Me Tight by Johnny Nash is an excellent example of the rocksteady sound that dominated reggae during 1968. This catchy tune features Lynn Taitt on backing vocals and boasts an inventive arrangement.
Reggae was developed around 1960 in Kingston, Jamaica’s slums. Local bands began performing an eclectic blend of American R&B, Caribbean and pan-African sounds, along with drummers emphasizing the afterbeat (or second beat of 4/4 time), leading to its distinctive rhythm – Ska. Over time however, Ska began slowing down and losing its brass instrumentation, giving way to Rocksteady with more of a stripped down and “pop-like” feel.
Johnny Nash’s 1968 LP stands out as an early rocksteady sound masterpiece. It includes both great cover versions (such as Sam Cooke’s reggae(ish) track “Cupid”, and Carla Thomas’s timeless track “Lovey Dovey”) as well as outstanding originals; making this album highly recommended to fans of this genre and easily found for very little at thrift stores.