Jimmy Cliff Struggling Man CD

Recorded in Jamaica.
Written in the aftermath of his longtime producer Leslie Kong's tragically early death, 1972's Struggling Man reflected Jimmy Cliff's desperate attempt to shake himself out of mourning and find a new career path. And it really was a struggle. Cliff had spent virtually his entire career with Kong, joining his Beverley's label in 1962, when he was only 14. Without Kong by his side, the singer was at a paralyzing loss, a state also reflected by his single "Sitting in Limbo." The following year, Cliff signed to Reprise, and released the Unlimited album, which was greeted coolly by audiences at home and abroad. Thus, the still struggling singer wryly recut "Struggling Man," and titled his new album after the song. It's telling that Cliff, one of the island's greatest songwriters, managed to compose little more than half the set. Even so, the star works hard to put a brave face on, with numbers like "Better Days Are Coming," "Sooner or Later," "Let's Seize the Time," and "Come on People" trying to rally up his old optimism that any and all obstacles can be overcome with hard work and self belief. But the nostalgic "Good, Good Old Days" suggests Cliff can't quite let go of the past. His youthful hopes are fading, as "When You're Young" makes clear, while his dreams of stardom have turned to dust, as he vividly describes on "Going Back West." Cliff's fortunes would dramatically shift the following year, with the American release of his The Harder They Come film, but this album finds him at his lowest ebb. However, it's the intensity of the singer's struggle during this period that fuels this set, his pain, confusion, and turmoil are raw, packing the set with an emotional intensity that he'll never quite equal elsewhere. It's unlikely that Cliff himself has fond memories of this album, but regardless, its power remains undiluted by the years. ~ Jo-Ann Greene
It must have been a daunting task for Jimmy Cliff to follow THE HARDER THEY COME, which established him as the one of the premier figures in the world of reggae. As the title indicates, Cliff continued to concern himself with the difficulties of life in his native Jamaica, offering up songs of hope and transcendence, while sprucing up his palette with touches of soul and gospel.
STRUGGLING MAN has a classic roots-reggae sound, and Cliff's vocals are joyous. When he sings "a change must come" in "Better Days Are Coming" it's hard not to recall the sweet singing of Sam Cooke. The title track, though less known then other Cliff originals, ranks with his finest works. Cliff shifts gears with fine results on "Can't Stop Worrying, Can't Stop Loving You," a Dave Mason cover that sounds like an old chestnut Otis Redding might have sung, and "Let's Seize the Time," a gospel-flavored number that really shows off Cliff's pipes. In "Can't Live Without You," Cliff takes an atypical look at interpersonal struggles rather than those of a people.