

The Harder They Come is the most important movie ever to come out of the Caribbean, and its soundtrack helped put reggae, in all its variants, on the world map. The film’s star, Jimmy Cliff, lent his tender, high vocals to the unforgettable title track and life-affirming, soul-tinged ballad “Many Rivers to Cross.” Desmond Dekker’s shuffling sing-along “007 (Shanty Town)” is a definitive falsetto ska workout and Toots & The Maytals’ bombastic, speaker-testing “Pressure Drop” is nothing short of a classic.