When I was in middle school, punk rock was my saving grace, and thus, Rancid was one of the major players in my adolescence. I have distinct memories of moshing around my friends living room to their 1995 release ...And Out Come The Wolves.

As I got older, punk sort of fell by the wayside. I discovered marijuana, LSD, reggae, and music festivals. At one festival, Gathering of the Vibes in Bridgeport, Connecticut, I had the pleasure of watching a performance by reggae legend Jimmy Cliff. His music was so positive, so optimistic, I couldn’t help but feel good and get grooving. It was completely representative of this new period of my life, away from the angst I used to have, and filled with a love and appreciation for life I had found myself experiencing.

Never would I have imagined these two extremely important musical experiences would come together later in my life. To my surprise, they did, on this beautiful cover of Rancid’s “Ruby Soho” by Jimmy Cliff. Jimmy mellows out the punk of the original, while still retaining it with an almost ska-like essence. Tim Armstrong’s raw and obviously damaged punk vocals are replaced by Cliff’s sweet, soothing voice. While the original is certainly not the angriest of punk rock, there is still that necessary feeling of discontent. Jimmy makes the song more of a celebration, highlighting what is gorgeous about the original. The melody of the original is very captivating, but may be lost to some ears due to the raw sound of it. Jimmy Cliff holds on to that melody, showing us exactly how beautiful it is, while opening it up to a whole new audience of listeners.

While Reggae and Punk are not exactly enemies (i.e. ska), it is rare that a classic reggae artist known for extreme positivity, like Jimmy Cliff, would venture into the realms of the music of displaced youth. He does so, however, with extreme ease and lightness. This song should appeal to fans of reggae and punk, and remind those who were there that punk is not dead, just re-imagined.