Jimmy Cliff OM (born James Chambers, 1 April 1948, St Catherine, Jamaica) is a Jamaican reggae musician. He is best known among mainstream audiences for songs like "Sittin' in Limbo", "You Can Get It If You Really Want It" and "Many Rivers to Cross" from The Harder They Come, a film soundtrack which helped popularise reggae across the world. Cliff moved to Kingston in 1962. After he released two singles that failed to make much of an impression, his career took off when his "Hurricane Hattie" became a hit, while he was aged just 14; it was produced by Leslie Kong, with whom Cliff would remain until Kong's death. Later local hit singles included "King of Kings", "Dearest Beverley" and "Pride and Passion". In 1964, Cliff was chosen as one of the Jamaican representatives at the World's Fair, and Cliff soon signed to Island Records and moved to Britain. Island 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, which received excellent reviews and included "Waterfall", a Brazilian hit that 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. Folk rock singer-songwriter Bob Dylan even called "Vietnam" the best protest song he'd ever heard. Wonderful World included a cover of Cat Stevens' "Wild World", which was a success in 1970. Leslie Kong died of a heart attack in 1971. The soundtrack to the reggae film The Harder They Come was a huge success that sold well across the world, but did not break Cliff into the mainstream. After a series of albums, Cliff took a break and traveled to Africa, exploring his newfound Muslim spirituality. He quickly returned to music, touring for several years before he record
1 | Hanging Fire | Hanging Fire |
2 | She Does It Right | Many Rivers To Cross |
3 | Let's Turn The Tables | Give The People What They Want |
4 | Beware | Many Rivers To Cross |
5 | My Ancestors | Many Rivers To Cross |
6 | She Was So Right For Me | Hanging Fire |
7 | Struggling Man | Struggling Man |
8 | Hard Road To Travel | Many Rivers To Cross |
9 | Many Rivers To Cross | Many Rivers To Cross |
10 | Can't Live Without You | Struggling Man |
11 | Reggae Down Babylon | Hanging Fire |
12 | Come Into My Life | Many Rivers To Cross |
13 | Vietnam | Many Rivers To Cross |
14 | World In Trap | Give The People What They Want |
15 | Soar Like An Eagle | Hanging Fire |
16 | Come On People | Struggling Man |
17 | Give The People What The | Give The People What They Want |
18 | Many Rivers To Cross | Reggae Dance Party, Vol. 1 |
19 | Love Me Love Me | Hanging Fire |
20 | Let's Seize The Time | Struggling Man |