Cliff was influential, important

The song is so upbeat, and the lyrics are tragic. In Jimmy Cliff's reggae track "Vietnam," the lyrics are about receiving a letter in the mail from a friend, an American soldier, who says he will be coming home soon, and can't wait to see his girlfriend again. The next day, the soldier's mother receives a telegram telling her that her son has been killed. Finally, the singer exclaims "Somebody stop the war!" It's such a moving track. It's bouncy melody and tempo betraying the rather poignant message. Bob Dylan called it the best protest song of all time. The song was performed in Hyde Park in 2012 by Paul Simon. But before playing it, Simon had an introduction to make to the big crowd. "I'd like to introduce you to a personal hero of mine," Simon told the fans. "A man whose music I admire immensely. The great Jimmy Cliff." It was Cliff who wrote and first recorded the song, adding a passionate and haunting vocal. Jimmy Cliff, a pioneer in reggae music who performed and inspired countless artists of many genres, died last month at 81. In a career that spanned more than six decades, the Jamaican-born Cliff recorded more than two dozen albums. While he never reached the overall popularity of fellow Jamaican Bob Marley, he was just as important – perhaps more so – in bringing reggae into the mainstream. When Cliff's death was announced, artists such as Mick Jagger, Tracy Chapman and Chuck D paid tribute. I've spent much of the last week listening to Cliff's music, and I'm blown away by it. It's not that I wasn't aware of Cliff. A few of his songs, like "You Can Get It If You Really Want" were played on the oldies radio I listened to as a kid. Cliff also had a big hit in 1993 with a cover of "I Can See Clearly Now," which got significant play at the time. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2012. But Cliff's career was much more vast than that. He was a singer, an actor and an ambassador for Jamaica and reggae music. Cliff starred in the 1972 crime film "The Harder They Come," in a performance widely praised. His song of the same title, has been covered by numerous artists and was ranked 350th in Rolling Stone's list of the 500 greatest songs of all time. When I listened to more of Cliff's music, it was pretty remarkable, because I heard so many other artists in his songs; artists who I knew well, who were clearly inspired by Cliff's performances and songs. And Cliff was doing it first. The Clash were influenced by him. Bruce Springsteen was inspired by him. And so many others. That will continue for years to come. Jimmy Cliff made a real impact on music. Zach Baker is sports editor of The Courier.