Observer Online presents the fourth story in ‘Jimmy Cliff: Stories Of A Bongo Man’, in tribute to the reggae legend who died on November 24 at age 81. This seven-part series looks at different aspects of the singer-songwriter’s life.

Released in late 1989, Images is not considered among Jimmy Cliff’s greatest works. But the album contained Rebel In Me, a soothing ballad that enjoyed steady radio rotation in Jamaica.

Rebel In Me earned a second wind 16 years later through singer Noddy Virtue, who performed the song during his campaign on the Digicel Rising Stars talent contest. His rendition got the thumbs-up from the legendary singer-songwriter who died on November 24 at age 81.

In an interview with Observer Online, Noddy Virtue said it was his idea to do Rebel In Me on Rising Stars’ second season, in which he placed second to Christopher Martin.

“I decided to perform it because I’ve loved it since I was a child. I was 10 years-old when I heard this song and immediately, I gravitated towards it,” he recalled. “I felt the emotions it evoked, the message it gave, the powerful impact it has on lives, because I interpreted it as not just the rebel that’s fighting for a cause, but a rebel that fights in the spiritual realms, giving the experience of ultimate love.”

The St Elizabeth-born artiste eventually met Cliff in 2011 at the latter’s Kingston recording studio. He said Cliff received him warmly, encouraged him to stay in the music business and importantly, endorsed his take on Rebel In Me.

“I’ve always had interactions with Jimmy Cliff about the song. On some occasions, he jokingly said, ‘It look like I’m going to have to give you this song, it makes me feel so proud that somebody can sing my song the way you do’. So, I felt honoured for the legendary Jimmy Cliff to acknowledge me and the song I sang from his catalogue,” Virtue stated.

Cliff produced Images for his Cliff label. It also includes Trapped, a song he first recorded for Island Records in the 1970s, and which was covered by Bruce Springsteen.

Images also contains a cover of The Slickers’ Johnny Too Bad, which is on the soundtrack to The Harder They Come, the 1972 movie in which Cliff starred as Ivan.

Several top musicians played on Images including the Browne brothers Glen (bass), Dalton (guitar), Cleveland (drums) and Danny (guitar); Wycliffe “Steely” Johnson (piano and bass), Bowie McLaughlin (keyboards) and soul singer Betty Wright on backing vocals.

Noddy Virtue, who lives in the United States, also covered Trapped but it was never released. He cherishes his times with Jimmy Cliff.

“I’ll use this opportunity to extend my condolences to the family of Sir Jimmy Cliff, a legend, humanitarian, actor and a great musician. When I first met him by his studio, it was not a meeting that was planned, my team and I were in the area and decided to stop by his studio,” said Virtue. “It was a wonderful experience, laughing and talking about songs and the impact of music. He told me that it will only take one song for me to crossover because I have an international sound, so in that moment he gave me the song Trapped that I recorded and mastered. It will be released soon.”