The Harder They Come

Witness History

BBC

History, Personal Journals, Society & Culture

4.4 • 1.6K Ratings

🗓️ 6 October 2022

⏱️ 10 minutes

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Summary

In 1972, a low-budget Jamaican film and its legendary soundtrack helped popularise reggae music in the world. Ben Henderson spoke to one of the most famous reggae artists ever, Jimmy Cliff, who played the film's protagonist and wrote a number of the songs. Jimmy explained why the film was so popular and how it reflected his own life. 'The Harder They Come' was produced by International Films Inc. (Photo: Jimmy Cliff in 'The Harder They Come'. Credit: Michael Ochs Archives via Getty Images)

Transcript

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0:00.0	This is the sound of crowd science.
0:02.4	We shoot a laser beam at this atom.
0:05.1	Is that a big canister of oxygen in the background?
0:07.7	Oh, there's a wasp in there.
0:09.3	Yeah, perhaps possibly the most disgusting thing I've heard this way.
0:13.6	But it's one of the nicest fun facts you're going to hear today.
0:16.4	So here I'm actually holding a doughnut.
0:18.4	What are you going to do with that?
0:19.2	Find out more at the end of this podcast.
0:23.0	Hello and welcome to the witness history podcast with me, Ben Henderson.
0:27.6	Today, I'm taking you back half a century to 1972 when a low-budget film
0:33.6	and its legendary soundtrack brought reggae music from Jamaica to the west.
0:38.8	The film, The Harder They Come, follows the rise and fall of Ivan Homearton,
0:44.0	a good man trying to make it in the Jamaican music business.
0:47.3	But trapped by injustice and desperation, he turns into a murderous outlaw.
0:58.0	I was attracted to him because you need to understand Jamaican society.
1:05.0	So, Jamaican society have an adoration for violence.
1:10.3	This is one of the biggest reggae artists ever, Jimmy Cliff.
1:14.3	He played Ivan, the main character in the film, who gets into his first violent altercation
1:20.2	after a back and forth about this song, Johnny Too Bad.
1:28.6	You know, remember that I am from the part of Jamaican society that is poor and anybody
1:36.8	who is poor and you know, looking for money would be attracted to Ivan.
	...

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