innocent criminals
Ben Harper and JP Plunier
Sangster International Airport

During rehearsal on Friday, the evening before the show,
Jimmy Cliff, with the aid of the Marley Family,
were trying to soundcheck Babylon System.
And while Jimmy didn’t remember many of the words -
and subsequently had to be fed the lyrics – it mattered not,
he sang them as if he’d known them since time began,
with such strong passion and deep sorrow -
It is still one of the most prolific musical moments in my life.

Playing with the Wailers, Nyabinghi Drummers, and the I-Threes
it was a performance that would never be repeated,
for the gig version on Saturday was average;
and unfortunately didn’t make the final edit for television or DVD.