The Harder It Gets Jimmy Cliff, at the Metro, Thursday night, kicked the evening off with "You Can Get It If You Really Want", and had the crowd dancing and singing along right away, and pretty much never let up. He performed many songs, his own and those of others, from the soundtrack of the movie that made him, and reggae, famous, all over the world, as well as songs from the rest of his catalog. His band were very tight, right there, driving the evening, especially his backup singers, one of whom acted the role of MC as well, keeping the crowd engaged, as if he needed to. I haven't kept up with Mr. Cliff for many years, and while it's nice to know he's got a new record, the songs he performed from it being of good quality, even the anthemic "One More", his defiance of any suggestion of having peaked too soon, the audience around us seemed very up-to-date with every song sung. "Many Rivers to Cross" remains one of the most beautiful pop songs to come out of the '70s reggae scene, and no one can fail to hear the plaintive soul of the Melodians "Rivers of Babylon". All up, a consumate entertainer, maybe struggling a little to stay at the top of his game, but no less beloved or deserving of admiration.