Singer
Jimmy Cliff

Jimmy Cliff, OM (born James Chambers on 1 April 1948) is a Jamaican musician, singer and actor. He is the only currently living musician to hold the Order of Merit, the highest honour that can be granted by the Jamaican government for achievement in the arts and sciences. Cliff is best known among mainstream audiences for songs such as "The Harder They Come," "Sitting in Limbo", "You Can Get It If You Really Want" and "Many Rivers to Cross" from ... the soundtrack to The Harder They Come, which helped popularize reggae across the world; and his covers of Cat Stevens' "Wild World" and Johnny Nash's "I Can See Clearly Now" from the film Cool Runnings. Outside of the reggae world, he is probably best known for his film appearance in The Harder They Come. Cliff was one of five performers inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2010. Jimmy Cliff was born in Somerton District, St. James, Jamaica. He began writing songs while still at primary school in St. James, listening to a neighbour's sound system. In 1962 his father took him to Kingston to go to Kingston Technical school, where he ended up sharing his cousin's one rented room in East Kingston. Cliff sought out many producers while still going to school, trying to get his songs recorded without success. He also entered talent contests. "One night I was walking past a record store and restaurant as they were closing, pushed myself in and convinced one of them, Leslie Kong, to go into the recording business, starting with me," he writes in his own website biography. After two singles that failed to make much impression, his career took off when his "Hurricane Hattie" became a hit, while he was aged 14. It was produced by Kong, with whom Cliff remained until Kong's death from a heart attack in 1971. Cliff's later local hit singles included "King of Kings", "Dearest Beverley", "Miss Jamaica", and "Pride and Passion". In 1964, Cliff was chosen as one of Jamaica's representatives at the World's Fair and he soon signed to Island Records and moved to the UK. Island Records initially (and unsuccessfully) tried to sell Cliff to the rock audience, but his career took off in the late 1960s. His international debut album was Hard Road to Travel. It received excellent reviews and included "Waterfall" (composed by Nirvana's Alex Spyropoulos and Patrick Campbell-Lyons), which became a hit in Brazil and won the International Song Festival. "Waterfall" was followed in 1969 by "Wonderful World, Beautiful People" and "Vietnam" in 1970, both popular throughout most of the world. Bob Dylan called "Vietnam" the best protest song he had ever heard. Also during this period, Cliff released a cover of Cat Stevens' "Wild World" as a single, but it was not included on his Wonderful World, Beautiful People album. See more [+]

I Can See Clearly Now |||||

I can see clearly now the rain is gone. I can see all obstac...

Rebel in me |||||

If the rebel in me Can touch the rebel in you And the rebel ...

Reggae Night |||||

Yeah mom reggae night We live and we love Jam it Reggae nigh...

The Harder They Come |||||

Well, they tell me of a pie up in the sky Waiting for me whe...

You can get it if you really Want |||||

You can get it if you really want, you can get it if you re...

The Love I Need |||||

You know I can't get I say I can't get You know I can't get ...

Wonderful World |||||

Eh---yeah wonderful world beautiful people. You and your gir...

VIETNAM |||||

Vietnam, Vietnam, Vietnam, Vietnam Vietnam, Vietnam, Vietnam...

Wild World |||||

Now that I've lost ev'rything to you You said you want to st...

Sitting in Limbo |||||

Sitting here in limbo, but I know it won't be long Sitting h...

Big Bad John |||||

Nobody seemed to know where John called home He just drifted...

Hard road to travel |||||

I've got a hard road to travel and a rough rough way to go S...

Many rivers to cross |||||

Many rivers to cross But I can't seem to find my way over Wa...

Another Summer |||||

Another spring, another summer Another fall, another winter ...

Going Back West |||||

I was born and raised in the ghetto Talk with me and you'll ...

Now And Forever |||||

Now and forever, once and for all Take your stand, where you...

Miss Jamaica |||||

Roses are red, violets are blue Believe me, I love you Let's...

No Justice |||||

I work all day to find my daily bread Work so hard to get a ...

People |||||

Everybody, everybody, everybody, no Don't forget her, don't ...

The Lion Awakes |||||

Wayo wayo, the lion awakes again, wayo wayo, the lion awakes...

Wahjahka man |||||

I never needed nobody To show me how to walk I never needed ...

Wonderful world, beautiful people |||||

Yeah, Wonderful world, beautiful people You and your girl, t...

Hard To Road To Travel |||||

I've got a hard road to travel and a rough, rough way to go ...

Ruby Soho |||||

verse 1 Echoes of reggae comin' through my bedroom wall Havi...

Strugglin Man |||||

Every man has the right to live Love is all he has to give ...

Son Of Man |||||

Son of man has risen, up from the prison Broken the spell an...

Under The Sun Moon And Stars |||||

My poor parents worked, from sun-up, 'til sun-down. Peace co...

We Are All One |||||

We all are one, we are the same person I'll be you, you'll b...

Peace |||||

How Is There Going To Be Peace When There Is No Justice, Oh ...

Journey |||||

Well the years have come and the years have gone Still the s...

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