On this day (November 4) in 1972, Johnny Nash started a four-week run at No. 1 on the Hot 100 with “I Can See Clearly Now.” It was the first reggae song to reach the top of the chart. Later, the song appeared in multiple popular films. Notably, a version recorded by reggae legend Jimmy Cliff appeared in Cool Runnings, the John Candy comedy sports movie about the 1988 Jamaican Olympic bobsled team.
Nash started his career in the 1950s as a pop artist, but never found consistent success. Eventually, he partnered with producer Danny Sims and traveled to Jamaica to market American singers to the largely untapped market. After moving to the country, Sims established the publishing company Cayman Music. In 1967, Nash and Sims partnered with Arthur Jenkins to form JAD Records. Around the same time, they signed Bob Marley and the Wailing Wailers to Cayman.
In 1968, JAD released Nash’s rocksteady single “Hold Me Tight,” making him the first foreign artist to record in Jamaica. It charted well in the United States and United Kingdom. He later found chart success again the UK with a cover of Marley’s “Stir It Up.”
In short, Nash wasn’t just an American artist who was copying the Jamaican sound. He was part of the scene and hoped to introduce the world to the music of the island nation. “I Can See Clearly Now” was his most successful attempt.
Johnny Nash’s History-Making No. 1 Appeared in Several Movies
Millions of moviegoers are familiar with this Johnny Nash-penned hit. However, most likely didn’t realize that it made history in the early 1970s.
“I Can See Clearly Now” appeared in the award-winning 1991 movie Thelma & Louise. It was a box office hit and won an Oscar and a Golden Globe.
Nash’s version of the song also appeared in the 1997 John Cusack film Grosse Pointe Blank. It plays during the movie’s opening sequence, according to Songfacts.
Jamaican music legend Jimmy Cliff’s cover appeared in Cool Runnings. It also went to No. 18 on the Hot 100 in 1994.
Featured Image by Watal Asanuma/Shinko Music/Getty Images
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