Jimmy Cliff

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Jimmy Cliff

Jimmy Cliff OM

Jamaican Order of Merit

The Order of Merit is part of the Jamaican honours system and is the third highest honour conferred by the nation of Jamaica. The Order of Merit is conferred upon Jamaicans or on distinguished citizen of another country who has achieved eminent international distinction in the field of science, arts, literature or any other endeavour....
(born James Chambers, 1 April 1948, Somerton District, St. James

Saint James Parish, Jamaica

St James is a suburban parish, located on the north west end of the island of Jamaica. Its Capital , Montego Bay, originally called Manteca by the Spanish, was named the second city of Jamaica, behind Kingston, Jamaica, in 1981....
, Jamaica

Jamaica

Jamaica is an island nation of the Greater Antilles, in length and as much as in width situated in the Caribbean Sea. It is about south of Cuba, and west of the island of Hispaniola, on which Haiti and the Dominican Republic are situated....
) is a Jamaican ska

Ska

Ska is a music genre that originated in Jamaica in the late 1950s, and was the precursor to rocksteady and reggae. Ska combined elements of Caribbean mento and Calypso music with United States jazz and rhythm and blues....
and reggae

Reggae

Reggae is a music genre first developed in Jamaica in the late 1960s.While sometimes used in a broader sense to refer to most types of Music of Jamaica, the term reggae more properly denotes a particular music style that originated following on the development of ska and rocksteady....
musician

Musician

A musician is a person who plays or writes music. Musicians can be classified by their roles in creating or performing music:* An instrumentalist plays a musical instrument....
. He is best known among mainstream

Mainstream

Mainstream is, generally, the common current of thought of the majority. It is a term most often applied in the The Arts . This includes:* something that is available to the general public;...
audiences for song

Song

A song is a musical musical composition which contains vocal parts that are performed, 'sung,' and feature words , commonly accompanied by musical instruments ....
s such as "Sittin' in Limbo", "You Can Get It If You Really Want", "Many Rivers to Cross

Many Rivers to Cross

"Many Rivers to Cross" is a song songwriter in 1969 by Jimmy Cliff....
" from the soundtrack

The Harder They Come (soundtrack)

The Harder They Come is the iconic soundtrack to the The Harder They Come. Released in 1972 in music, much of the soundtrack was compiled by the film's director and co-writer, Perry Henzell, from his favorite roots reggae classics....
to The Harder They Come
The Harder They Come

The Harder They Come is a 1972 in film List of Jamaican films crime film directed by Perry Henzell.It stars reggae singer Jimmy Cliff, who plays Ivanhoe Martin, a character based on Rhyging, a real-life Jamaican criminal who achieved fame in the 1940s....
which helped popularize reggae across the world; and for his cover

Cover version

In popular music, a cover version, or simply cover, is a new rendition of a previously recorded, commercially released song.In its current use, it can sometimes have a pejorative meaning — implying that the original recording should be regarded as the definitive version, usually in the sense of an "authentic" rendition, and all...
of Cat Stevens

Cat Stevens

Yusuf Islam , best known by his former stage name Cat Stevens, is a Great Britain musician of Greek Cypriot and Sweden ancestry. He is a singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, educator, philanthropist and prominent Religious conversion to Islam....
' "Wild World

Wild World

I Can See Clearly Now

Film

Film encompasses individual motion pictures, the field of film as an art form, and the film industry. Films are produced by recording images from the world with cameras, or by creating images using animation techniques or special effects....
, Cool Runnings
Cool Runnings

Cool Runnings is a 1993 comedy film directed by Jon Turteltaub. It is loosely based on the true story of the Jamaica national bobsled team's debut at the 1988 Winter Olympics in Calgary, Alberta, Alberta....
. Cliff had difficulty gaining a broad audience; in fact, outside of the reggae world, he is probably best known for his film appearance in The Harder They Come.

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Career

Cliff moved to Kingston

Kingston, Jamaica

Kingston is the Capital and largest city of Jamaica and is located on the southeastern coast of the island country. It faces a natural harbor protected by the Palisadoes, a long spit which connects Port Royal and the Norman Manley International Airport to the rest of the island....
in 1962. After two singles

Single (music)

In the record industry, a single is a song usually used from a current or upcoming album to promote the album. Singles are distributed through a number of ways; originally, they were packaged as "single" records with one or two other songs and sold before the release of the album....
that failed to make much impression, his career took off after his "Hurricane Hattie" became a hit

Hit record

A Hit record is a sound recording, usually in the form of a Single or album, that sells a large number of copies or otherwise becomes broadly popular or well-known, through airplay , Nightclub, inclusion in a film or stage play soundtrack, causing it to have "hit" one of the popular chart listings....
, while he was aged 14. It was produced

Record producer

In the music industry, a record producer has many roles, among them controlling the recording sessions, coaching and guiding the musicians, organizing and scheduling production budget and resources, and supervising the recording, Audio mixing and audio mastering processes....
by Leslie Kong

Leslie Kong

Leslie Kong was a Chinese Jamaican, reggae record producer....
, with whom Cliff would remain until Kong's death. Cliff's 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

World's Fair

Universal Exposition or Expo is the name given to various large public exhibitions held since the mid-19th century. They are the third largest event in the world in terms of economic and cultural impact, after the FIFA World Cup and the Olympic Games....
and Cliff soon signed to Island Records

Island Records

Island Records was a record label that was founded by British record producers in Jamaica. It was based in England for many years, but is now owned by Universal Music Group and is operated in the United States through The Island Def Jam Music Group and in the UK through Island Records Group ....
and moved to the UK

United Kingdom

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom , the UK or Britain,is a sovereign state located off the northwestern coast of continental Europe....
. Island Records initially (and unsuccessfully) tried to sell Cliff to the rock

Rock music

Rock music is a loosely defined genre of popular music that entered the mainstream in the mid 1950's. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rhythm and blues, country music and other influences....
audience, but his career took off in the late 1960s. His international debut album

Album

An album or record album is a collection of related Sound recording and reproduction or music tracks distributed to the public. The most common way is through commercial distribution, although smaller artists will often distribute directly to the public by selling their albums at live concerts or on their websites....
was Hard Road to Travel, which received excellent reviews and included "Waterfall", a Brazil

Brazil

Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is a country in South America. It is the List of countries and outlying territories by total area country by geographical area, occupying nearly half of South America, the List of countries by population country, and the fourth most populous democracy in the world....
ian 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

World

World is a common name for the planet Earth seen from a human worldview, as a place inhabited by human beings. It is often used to signify the sum of human experience and history, or the 'human condition' in general....
. Folk rock

Folk rock

Folk rock is a musical genre, combining elements of folk music and Rock and roll.In its earliest and narrowest sense, the term referred to a genre that arose in the United States and Canada around the mid-1960s....
singer-songwriter

Singer-songwriter

File:Joan Baez Bob Dylan crop.jpgSinger-songwriter is a term that refers to performers who Lyricist, composer and singing their own Musical piece including lyrics and melody....
Bob Dylan even called "Vietnam" the best protest song

Protest song

A protest song is a song which is associated with a movement for social change and hence part of the broader category of topical songs . It may be folk, classical, or commercial in genre....
he'd ever heard. Also during this period, Cliff released a cover

Cover version

Cat Stevens

Wild World

"Wild World" is a song written and recorded by English singer-songwriter Cat Stevens. It first appeared in his fourth album, Tea for the Tillerman, in 1970, arguably the most popular single from the album....
" as a single, but it was not included on his Wonderful World, Beautiful People
Wonderful World, Beautiful People

Wonderful World, Beautiful People is a 1970 album by Jimmy Cliff....
album.

Leslie Kong died of a heart attack

Myocardial infarction

Myocardial infarction , commonly known as a heart attack, occurs when the Blood flow to part of the heart is interrupted. This is most commonly due to occlusion of a coronary artery following the rupture of a Vulnerable plaque, which is an unstable collection of lipids and white blood cells in the wall of an artery....
in 1971. The soundtrack to the 1972 reggae film The Harder They Come
The Harder They Come

The Harder They Come is a 1972 in film List of Jamaican films crime film directed by Perry Henzell.It stars reggae singer Jimmy Cliff, who plays Ivanhoe Martin, a character based on Rhyging, a real-life Jamaican criminal who achieved fame in the 1940s....
was a huge success that sold well across the world, but did not break Cliff into the mainstream. The film made its debut at London

London

London is the capital of both England and the United Kingdom, and the most populous municipality in the European Union. An important settlement for two millennia, History of London goes back to its founding by the Roman Empire....
's Notting Hill

Notting Hill

Notting Hill is an area in West London, England close to the north-western corner of Hyde Park, London, and lying within the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea....
Gaumont

Gaumont Film Company

Gaumont is a France film production company founded in 1895 by the engineer-turned-inventor, L?on Gaumont . It is the oldest running film company in the world....
cinema

Movie theater

A movie theater, movie theatre, picture theatre, film theater or cinema is a venue, usually a building, for viewing film ....
on 1 September 1972. After a series of albums, Cliff took a break and traveled to Africa

Africa

Africa is the world's second-largest and second most-populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km? including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area....
, exploring his newfound Muslim

Islam

Islam is a Monotheism, Abrahamic religion originating with the teachings of the Prophets of Islam Muhammad, a 7th century Arab religious and political figure....
spirituality. He quickly returned to music

Music

Music is an art form whose media is sound organized in time. Common elements of music are pitch , rhythm , dynamics , and the sonic qualities of timbre and texture ....
, touring for several years before he recorded

Sound recording and reproduction

Sound recording and reproduction is the electrical or mechanics inscription and re-creation of sound waves, such as spoken voice, singing, instrumental music, or sound effects....
with Kool & the Gang

Kool & the Gang

Kool & the Gang are an American jazz/R&B/soul music/funk/disco group. They originally formed in Jersey City, New Jersey, U.S. in 1964 in music. They went through several musical phases in their career, starting out with a purist jazz sound, becoming practitioners of R&B and funk, progressing to a smooth disco ensemble, and ended the successfu...
for The Power and the Glory (1983). In 1984 Cliff appeared at the Pinkpop Festival in Landgraaf

Landgraaf

Landgraaf is a municipality in the southeastern Netherlands....
, in the Netherlands

Netherlands

The Netherlands is a country that is part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. It is a parliamentary democratic constitutional monarchy. The Netherlands is located in North-West Europe, and bordered by the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east....
.

During the 1981 River Tour

The River Tour

The River Tour was a concert tour featuring Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band that took place in 1980 and 1981, beginning concurrently with the release of Springsteen's album The River ....
, Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band added Cliff's little-known song "Trapped" to their live set; it achieved great prominence when included on 1985's We Are the World
We Are the World (album)

We Are the World was a 1985 album that contained USA for Africa's "We Are the World" superstar charity recording for famine relief efforts in Ethiopia....
benefit album). The follow-up, Cliff Hanger (1985) won a Grammy Award

Grammy Awards of 1986

The 28th Grammy Awards were held on February 25, 1986. They recognized accomplishments by musicians from the previous year, 1985 in music....
for 'Best Reggae Album'

Grammy Award for Best Reggae Album

The Grammy Award for Best Reggae Album has been awarded since 1985. From 1985 to 1991 the award was called the Grammy Award for Best Reggae Recording....
, though it was his last major success in the U.S.

United States

The United States of America is a Federal government constitutional republic comprising U.S. state and a federal district. The country is situated mostly in central North America, where its Contiguous United States and Washington, D.C., the Capital districts and territories, lie between the Pacific Ocean and Atlantic Oceans, Borders of the U...
until 1993. Also in 1985 Cliff contributed to the song "Sun City

Sun City (song)

"Sun City" is a 1985 in music protest song written by Steven Van Zandt and recorded by Artists United Against Apartheid to convey opposition to the South African policy of apartheid....
", a protest song

Protest song

Songwriter

File:Beethoven.jpgA songwriter is someone who writes the lyrics, as well the musical composition or melody to songs. One who writes only lyrics is a lyricist, while one who writes only music is a composer....
by Steven Van Zandt

Steven Van Zandt

Steven Van Zandt is an United States musician, songwriter, arranger, record producer, actor, and radio disc jockey, who frequently goes by the stage names Little Steven or Miami Steve....
and recorded by Artists United Against Apartheid

Artists United Against Apartheid

Artists United Against Apartheid was a 1985 protest group founded by activism and performer Steven Van Zandt to protest apartheid in South Africa, that produced the song "Sun City " and the album Sun City that year....
to convey opposition to the South Africa

South Africa

The Republic of South Africa, also known by Official names of South Africa, is a country located at the southern tip of the continent of Africa....
n policy of apartheid. Cliff then provided backing vocals

Backing vocalist

A backing vocalist or backing singer is a singer who provides vocal harmony with the lead vocalist or other backing vocalists. In some cases, a backing singer may sing alone as a lead-in to the main vocalist's entry....
on The Rolling Stones

The Rolling Stones

The Rolling Stones are an English rock music band formed in 1962 in London when multi-instrumentalist Brian Jones and pianist Ian Stewart were joined by vocalist Mick Jagger and guitarist Keith Richards....
' 1986 album, Dirty Work
Dirty Work (album)

Dirty Work is The Rolling Stones' 18th studio album . It was released on 24 March 1986 on the Rolling Stones Records by Sony Music. Produced by Steve Lillywhite, the album was recorded during a period when relations between Mick Jagger and Keith Richards soured considerably, and is often regarded as a low point for the band....
.

In 1991 Cliff appeared at the second Rock in Rio

Rock in Rio

Rock in Rio, the largest rock festival in the world , is a series of rock festivals held in Brazil and later in Portugal. Three incarnations of the festival were in Rio de Janeiro, in 1985, 1991 and 2001 and three in Lisbon, in 2004, 2006 and 2008....
festival

Music festival

A music festival is a festival oriented towards music that is sometimes presented with a theme such as musical genre, nationality or locality of musicians, or holiday....
in the Estádio do Maracanã

Estádio do Maracanã

The Est?dio Jornalista M?rio Filho, commonly called Est?dio do Maracan? , is an open-air stadium in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Owned by the Rio de Janeiro , it is named after the Maracan? in Rio de Janeiro....
in Rio de Janeiro

Rio de Janeiro

Rio de Janeiro , is the second largest city of Brazil and South America, behind S?o Paulo, and the third largest metropolitan area in South America, behind S?o Paulo and Buenos Aires....
, Brazil

Brazil

Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is a country in South America. It is the List of countries and outlying territories by total area country by geographical area, occupying nearly half of South America, the List of countries by population country, and the fourth most populous democracy in the world....
. He continued to sell well in Jamaica and, to a lesser extent, the UK, returning to the mainstream pop

Pop music

Pop music is a music genre that features a noticeable rhythmic element, melodies and hook , a mainstream style and a conventional structure.The term "pop music" was first used in 1926 in the sense of "having popular appeal" , but since the 1950s it has been used in the sense of a musical genre, originally characterized as a lighter alternat...
charts

Record chart

Record chart are a method of ranking music according to popularity during a given period of time. Examples of music charts are the Hit parade, Hot 100 or Top 40....
in the U.S. and elsewhere (#1

List of French number-one hits of 1994

This is a list of the France SNEP Top 100 Singles number-ones of 1994....
in France

Syndicat National de l'Edition Phonographique

The Syndicat national de l'?dition phonographique is the inter-professional organisation which protects the interests of the France record industry....
) with a version of Johnny Nash

Johnny Nash

Johnny Nash is an African-American popular music singer-songwriter, best known for his unexpected 1972 comeback chart-topper, "I Can See Clearly Now"....
's "I Can See Clearly Now

I Can See Clearly Now

"I Can See Clearly Now" is a song written and recorded by Johnny Nash. It was a single from the album of the same name and achieved success in the United States and the United Kingdom when it was released in 1972....
" on the Cool Runnings
Cool Runnings

Cool Runnings is a 1993 comedy film directed by Jon Turteltaub. It is loosely based on the true story of the Jamaica national bobsled team's debut at the 1988 Winter Olympics in Calgary, Alberta, Alberta....
film soundtrack in 1993. In 1995 Cliff released the single "Hakuna Matata

Hakuna Matata (song)

"Hakuna Matata" is a song from The Walt Disney Company's 32nd animated feature The Lion King. It is characterized by its simple 4/4 time signature, upbeat message and catchy lyrics....
" (a collaboration with Lebo M

Lebo M

Lebohang Morake, known professionally as Lebo M, is a South African composer most famous for arranging and performing music for the The Lion King movies and stage productions....
), a song from the soundtrack of the film The Lion King
The Lion King

The Lion King is a American Animation film produced by Walt Disney Feature Animation, released in theaters on June 15, 1994 by Walt Disney Pictures....
,

In 2002, Cliff released the album, Fantastic Plastic People in Europe

Europe

Europe is, conventionally, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally divided from Asia to its east by the water divide of the Ural Mountains, the Ural , the Caspian Sea, and by the Caucasus Mountains to the southeast....
, after first providing free download

Uploading and downloading

In networks, uploading and downloading refer to the two canonical directions that information can move, and further defines such data as being copy and file transfer to create a complete file, Progress bar....
s using p2p software

Computer software

Computer software, or just software is a general term used to describe a collection of computer programs, Algorithm and Software documentation that perform some tasks on a computer system....
. This album featured collaborations with Joe Strummer

Joe Strummer

John Graham Mellor , better known by his stage name Joe Strummer, was the co-founder, lyricist, rhythm guitarist and lead singer of the English punk rock band The Clash....
, Annie Lennox

Annie Lennox

Annie Lennox is a British musician, vocalist and Academy Award-winning songwriter. She is both a solo artist and the lead singer of the musical duo Eurythmics, hailed as "The Greatest White Soul Singer Alive" by members of the rock industry on the VH1 show 100 Greatest Women of Rock and Roll in 1999....
, and Sting as well as new songs that were very reminiscent of Cliff's original hits. In 2004 Cliff completely reworked the songs, dropping the traditional reggae in favour of an electronica

Electronica

Electronica includes a wide range of contemporary electronic music designed for a wide range of uses, including foreground listening, some forms of dancing, and background music for other activities; however, unlike electronic dance music, it is not specifically made for dancing....
sound, for inclusion in Black Magic. He also performed at the closing ceremony to the 2002 Commonwealth Games

2002 Commonwealth Games

The 2002 Commonwealth Games were held in Manchester, England from 25 July to 4 August 2002. The XVII Commonwealth Games was the largest multi-sport event ever to be held in England, eclipsing London's 1948 Summer Olympics in numbers of teams and athletes participating....
. In 2003 his song "You Can Get It If You Really Want" was included in the soundtrack to the film, Something's Gotta Give
Something's Gotta Give (film)

Something's Gotta Give is a 2003 in film United States romantic comedy film, written, produced and directed by Nancy Meyers for both Columbia Pictures, which distributed in North America and Warner Bros....
. Cliff appeared in July 2003 at the Paléo Festival

Paléo Festival

The Pal?o Festival de Nyon, usually just called Pal?o, started in 1976 and is today the second biggest open-air music festival in Europe, after theSziget Festival....
in Nyon

Nyon

Nyon is a Municipalities of Switzerland in the district of Nyon in the Cantons of Switzerland of Vaud in Switzerland. It is located some 25 kilometers north of Geneva's downtown, and is part of the Geneva metropolitan area....
, Switzerland

Switzerland

Switzerland is a landlocked Swiss Alps country of roughly 7.7 million people in Western Europe with an area of 41,285 km?. Switzerland is a federal republic consisting of 26 states called Cantons of Switzerland....
.

The government of Jamaica honored Cliff on 20 October 2003, by awarding him The Order of Merit

Jamaican Order of Merit

The Order of Merit is part of the Jamaican honours system and is the third highest honour conferred by the nation of Jamaica. The Order of Merit is conferred upon Jamaicans or on distinguished citizen of another country who has achieved eminent international distinction in the field of science, arts, literature or any other endeavour....
, the nation's third-highest honour, in recognition of his contributions to the film and music of Jamaica.

More recently, Cliff appeared on the Jazz World Stage at the Glastonbury Festival

Glastonbury Festival 2008

The Glastonbury Festival of Contemporary Performing Arts was held on the weekend of 27th, 28 and 29 June 2008; gates opened to the public on the 25th....
in 2008.

Cliff has also covered The Tokens

The Tokens

The Tokens are an United States male doo-wop human voice band from Brooklyn, New York. They are best-known for their chart-topper 1961 single , "The Lion Sleeps Tonight" ....
' song, "The Lion Sleeps Tonight

The Lion Sleeps Tonight

"The Lion Sleeps Tonight" began as a 1939 African popular music hit "Mbube" that, in modified versions, also became a hit in the United States and United Kingdom....
". Some of his albums were distributed by Craze Productions

Craze Productions

Craze Digital Productions, also known as "Crazed" Productions, or just "Craze", is a multi-million dollar digital music production company, specializing in urban music....
. Cliff name checked the Welsh

Welsh people

The Welsh people are an ethnic group and nation associated with Wales and the Welsh language. John Davies argues that the origin of the "Welsh nation" can be traced to the late 4th and early 5th centuries, following the Roman withdrawal from Britain, although Celtic languages seem to have been spoken in Wales far longer....
privateer

Privateer

A privateer was a private warship authorized by a country's government by letters of marque to attack foreign shipping. Strictly, a privateer was only entitled by its state to attack and rob enemy vessels during wartime....
, Henry Morgan

Henry Morgan

Admiral Sir Henry Morgan , was a Wales privateer, who made a name in the Caribbean as a leader of privateers. He was one of the most notorious and successful privateers from Wales, and one of the most dangerous pirates that lurked in the Spanish Main....
, in his song "Oh, Jamaica". "Many Rivers to Cross" was mentioned in the dialogue in the film, High Fidelity
High Fidelity (film)

High Fidelity is a 2000 film directed by Stephen Frears and starring John Cusack. The film is based on the 1995 British High Fidelity by Nick Hornby....
. Joe Strummer

Joe Strummer

John Graham Mellor , better known by his stage name Joe Strummer, was the co-founder, lyricist, rhythm guitarist and lead singer of the English punk rock band The Clash....
recorded "Over The Border" with Cliff on the latter's album, Black Magic. In 2007 Cliff performed at the opening ceremony at Cricket

Cricket

Cricket is a Bat-and-ball games team sport that originated in southern England. The earliest definite reference is dated 1598, and it is now played in more than 100 countries....
's World Cup

2007 Cricket World Cup

The 2007 International Cricket Council Cricket World cup competition took place in the West Indies from 13 March to 28 April 2007, using the sport's One Day International format....
. His song "Many Rivers to Cross" references the White cliffs of Dover

White cliffs of Dover

The white cliffs of Dover are cliffs which form part of the Great Britain coastline facing the Strait of Dover and France. The cliffs are part of the North Downs formation....
.

Cliff's recording of "You Can Get It If You Really Want" was used as a campaign

Political campaign

A political campaign is an organized effort which seeks to influence the decision making process within a specific group. In democracy, political campaigns often refer to election campaigns, wherein representatives are chosen or referendum are decided....
anthem

Anthem

The term anthem means either a specific form of Anglican church music , or more generally, a song of celebration, usually acting as a symbol for a distinct group of people, as in the term "national anthem" or "sports anthem"....
by the Sandinista National Liberation Front

Sandinista National Liberation Front

The Sandinista National Liberation Front is a socialist Nicaraguan political party. Their organization is generally referred to by the initials FSLN and its members are called, in both English and Spanish, Sandinistas....
in the 1990 election in Nicaragua

Nicaragua

Nicaragua officially the Republic of Nicaragua , is a representative democracy republic. It is the largest state in Central America with an area of 130,000 km2, about the size of the state of New York....
. It was also adopted by the British

United Kingdom

Conservative Party (UK)

The Conservative and Unionist Party, more commonly known as the Conservative Party, is a conservative political party in the United Kingdom....
during their annual conference in October 2007. It is unclear whether Cliff endorsed either political party

Political party

A political party is a political organization that seeks to attain and maintain politics power within government, usually by participating in electoral campaigns....
.

Acting career

In addition to providing the music for The Harder They Come, Cliff also starred as the reggae singing hopeful, Ivanhoe "Ivan" Martin.

Cliff also appeared as the Jamaican musician and revolutionary, Ernest Reed, in the 1986 comedy Club Paradise
Club Paradise

Club Paradise is a 1986 in film comedy film directed by Harold Ramis starring Robin Williams, Peter O'Toole, and Jimmy Cliff. The film reunites director/cowriter Ramis with most of his Second City Television co-stars -- SCTV cast members Andrea Martin, Eugene Levy, Rick Moranis, Joe Flaherty, and Robin Duke play supporting roles in th...
, co-starring with Robin Williams

Robin Williams

Robin McLaurim Williams is an Academy Award-, Golden Globe-, and Grammy Award-winning United Statesn comedian and actor.Rising to fame with his role as the alien Mork in the TV series Mork and Mindy, and later stand up comedy work, Williams has performed in many feature films since 1980....
and Peter O'Toole

Peter O'Toole

Peter Seamus O'Toole is an Irish people actor of stage and screen who achieved instant stardom in 1962 playing T.E. Lawrence in Lawrence of Arabia ....
, and contributed several songs to the soundtrack, including "Seven Day Weekend", which he sang with Elvis Costello

Elvis Costello

Elvis Costello is an England musician and singer-songwriter. Costello came to prominence as an early participant in London's Pub rock scene in the mid-1970s, and later became associated with the punk rock and New Wave musical genres, before establishing his own unique voice in the 1980s....
.

Cliff appeared in Marked for Death
Marked for Death

Marked for Death is a 1990 in film action film directed by Dwight H. Little. It stars Steven Seagal as John Hatcher, a former Police agent....
in 1990, performing "John Crow" with the Jimmy Cliff Band.

Cover versions of Jimmy Cliff songs

"The Harder They Come" Keith Richards

Keith Richards

Keith Richards is an England guitarist, songwriter, singer, record producer and a founding member of The Rolling Stones. As a guitarist, Richards is mostly known for his innovative rhythm guitar playing....
of The Rolling Stones

The Rolling Stones

A-side and B-side

A-side and B-side originally referred to the two sides of 7 inch vinyl records on which single s were released beginning in the 1950s. The terms have come to refer to the types of song conventionally placed on each side of the record, with the A-side being the featured song , while the B-side, or flipside, is a secondary song that ofte...
to his single featuring "Run, Rudolph, Run", written by Chuck Berry

Chuck Berry

Charles Edward Anderson "Chuck" Berry is an American guitarist, singer and songwriter.Chuck Berry is an influential figure and one of the pioneers of rock and roll music....
, in 1978. "The Harder They Come" has been covered by Madness

Madness (band)

Madness are an English Pop music/ska band from Camden Town, London, that formed in 1976. As of 2008, the band have continued to perform with their most recognised lineup of seven members, although their lineup has varied slightly over the years....
(1992), Joe Jackson

Joe Jackson (musician)

Joe Jackson is an England musician and singer-songwriter now living in Berlin, described as a unique and critically acclaimed recording artist, whose five Grammy Award nominations span 1979 to 2001....
, Cher

Cher

Cher is an American pop music singer-songwriter, actor, film director and recording industry. She has won an Academy Award, a Grammy Award, an Emmy Award, three Golden Globe Awards and was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame....
(1975), Rancid

Rancid (band)

Rancid is an American punk band formed in 1991 in Albany, California, by Matt Freeman and Tim Armstrong, both of whom previously played in ska punk group Operation Ivy ....
, Willie Nelson

Willie Nelson

Willie Hugh Nelson is an United States country music singer-songwriter author, poet and actor. He reached his greatest fame during the outlaw country movement of the 1970s, but remains Cultural icon, especially in American popular culture....
, Joe Strummer

Joe Strummer

Jerry Garcia Band

The Jerry Garcia Band was a San Francisco Bay Area rock band led by Jerry Garcia of the Grateful Dead. Garcia founded the band in 1975; it remained the most important of his various side-projects until his death in 1995....
, Desmond Dekker

Desmond Dekker

Desmond Dekker was a Jamaican ska and reggae singer and songwriter. Together with his backing group, The Aces , he had one of the first international Jamaican hits with "Israelites "....
, Me First & The Gimme Gimmes, Poison Idea

Poison Idea

Poison Idea was an United States hardcore punk band formed in Portland, Oregon in 1980. As their career progressed the band began to incorporate overt influences from hard rock....
, Kahimi Karie

Kahimi Karie

Kahimi Karie , born Mari Hiki is a Japanese Shibuya-kei musician.Kahimi sings in English language, French language, and Japanese language with whisper-like vocals....
, moe.

Moe.

moe. is an American jam band, formed at the University at Buffalo, The State University of New York in 1990. The band members are: Rob Derhak , Al Schnier , Chuck Garvey , Vinnie Amico , and Jim Loughlin ....
State Radio

State Radio

State Radio is an alternative rock band from Boston, MA, consisting of former Dispatch member Chad Urmston , Chuck Fay and Mike Najarian ....
and Guster

Guster

Guster is an United States alternative rock band that is known for its live performances, humor, and cult following, and was formed by Adam Gardner, Ryan Miller , and Brian Rosenworcel in 1991 while attending Tufts University in Medford, Massachusetts....
. Pat MacDonald

Pat MacDonald

Pat MacDonald is an United States musician and songwriter. He is most famous as singer, guitarist, and main songwriter for Timbuk3, nominated for a Grammy Award for Best New Artist in 1987....
also covered "The Harder They Come" on Bridging the Distance: a Portland, OR covers compilation
Bridging the Distance: a Portland, OR covers compilation

Bridging the Distance: a Portland, OR covers compilation is a compilation album released April 17, 2007 by Arena Rock Recording Co. to benefit ....
released in 2007 (Arena Rock Recording Co.

Arena Rock Recording Co.

The Arena Rock Recording Company is an independent record label based in Portland, Oregon, United States. Albums are distributed by Redeye in the United States and Koch Entertainment Canada in Canada....
)

"Many Rivers to Cross" The song "Many Rivers to Cross" was covered in 1982 by Joe Cocker

Joe Cocker

John Robert "Joe" Cocker OBE is an England rock /blues singer who came to popularity in the 1960s, and is most known for his gritty human voice and his cover versions of popular songs, particularly those of The Beatles....
on his album

Album

An album or record album is a collection of related Sound recording and reproduction or music tracks distributed to the public. The most common way is through commercial distribution, although smaller artists will often distribute directly to the public by selling their albums at live concerts or on their websites....
, Sheffield Steel with the Compass Point All Stars

Compass Point All Stars

The Compass Point phenomenon is meant to be to reggae-based pop/rock music of the 80s, what Nashville was to country music, or the Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section was to soul and R&B in the 60s....
. This song was also recorded by The Animals

The Animals

The Animals were an England music group of the 1960s known in the United States as part of the British Invasion. Known for their gritty, bluesy sound and deep-voiced frontman Eric Burdon, as exemplified by their signature songs "The House of the Rising Sun" and "We Gotta Get Out Of This Place", the band balanced tough, rock music-edged pop mu...
in their 1982 reunition album Ark
Ark (The Animals album)

Ark is a reunion album released in 1983 by the original members of The Animals. It was the second, and last, reunion attempt of the original group....
, and by Arthur Lee

Arthur Lee (musician)

Arthur Lee was the frontman, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist of the Los Angeles rock band Love , best known for the critically acclaimed 1967 album, Forever Changes....
on his 1981 solo

Solo (music)

In music, a solo is a piece or a section of a piece played or sung by a single performer. In practice this means a number of different things, depending on the type of music and the context....
album Arthur Lee. "Many Rivers to Cross" was also covered in 1974 by Harry Nilsson

Harry Nilsson

Harry Edward Nilsson III was an American songwriter, singer, pianist, and guitarist who achieved the height of his fame during the 1960s and 1970s....
, on his album Pussy Cats
Pussy Cats

Pussy Cats is an album by Harry Nilsson released in 1974. It was produced by John Lennon during his "May_Pang#The_Lost_Weekend" phase. During the production of this album Nilsson ruptured one of his vocal cords but chose not to notify Lennon and forced himself to push through the sessions....
, which was produced

Record producer

John Lennon

John Winston Ono Lennon, Order of the British Empire was an English Rock music musician, singer, songwriter, artist, and peace activist who gained worldwide fame as one of the founding members of The Beatles....
. Nilsson's version of "Many Rivers to Cross" was itself covered by The Walkmen

The Walkmen

The Walkmen are an indie rock band from New York City. The band formed in 2000 with three members from Jonathan Fire*Eater—Paul Maroon , Walter Martin , and Matt Barrick —and two from The Recoys, Peter Bauer and Hamilton Leithauser ....
on their track-by-track cover of Nilsson's Pussy Cats, released in 2006. "Many Rivers to Cross" was also successfully covered by the British reggae act UB40

UB40

UB40 are a United Kingdom reggae band formed in 1978 in Birmingham. Featuring the same line-up of 8 musicians from 1978-2008, the band placed more than 50 singles on the UK charts, and achieved considerable international success as well....
, gaining a Top 20 spot in the UK Singles Chart

UK Singles Chart

The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official UK Charts Company on behalf of the British record industry. The chart week runs from Sunday to Saturday, with the chart being printed in Music Week magazine , ChartsPlus , and published online on various sites ....
in 1983. "Many Rivers to Cross" was remix

Remix

A remix is an alternative version of a song, different from the original version. A remixer uses Audio mixing to compose an alternate master recording of a song, adding or subtracting elements, or simply changing the equalization, dynamics, Pitch , tempo, playing time, or almost any other aspect of th...
ed by Cafe del Mar

Café del Mar

Caf? del Mar is a bar located in Sant Antoni de Portmany, Ibiza, just to the west of the West End, San Antonio, Ibiza. It is a popular summer tourist destination, noted for its view of the local sunset....
DJs

Disc jockey

A disc jockey is a person who selects and plays sound recording for an audience. Originally, disk referred to phonograph records, while disc refers to the Compact Disc, and has become the more common spelling....
for the Cafe del Mar 9 compilation album. Oleta Adams

Oleta Adams

Oleta Adams is an United States soul , jazz, and Gospel music singer and pianist....
is featured singing "Many Rivers to Cross" during the closing credits of the 1994 film, Jason's Lyric

Jason's Lyric

Jason's Lyric is a 1994 in film romantic drama film, written by Bobby Smith, Jr., and film director by Doug McHenry. It stars Allen Payne, Jada Pinkett Smith, Bokeem Woodbine, Treach, Eddie Griffin, Lahmard Tate, and Forest Whitaker....
. The Adam's cover is also featured on her 1998 album, Best of Oleta Adams. Annie Lennox

Annie Lennox

American Idol

American Idol is an Television in the United States Singing airing on Fox network. It debuted on June 11, 2002, and has since become one of the most popular shows on American television....
's charity special Idol Gives Back
Idol Gives Back

Idol Gives Back is the name of a charitable campaign that spanned two episodes of American Idol during its American Idol . A second Idol Gives Back concert and fundraiser occurred on April 9, 2008, during the American Idol of the show....
in 2008. The performance was sold on iTunes

ITunes

iTunes is a Proprietary software digital media media player application, used for playing and organizing digital music and video files. The program is also an interface to manage the contents on Apple's popular iPod digital media players as well as the iPhone....
, with proceeds going to the charity

Charitable organization

The definition of charitable organization, and of charity, varies according to the country and in some instances the region of the country in which the charitable organization operates....
. In 2008 Lenny Kravitz

Lenny Kravitz

Leonard Albert "Lenny" Kravitz is a popular United States singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, record producer, and arrangement whose "retro" style incorporates elements of rock music, soul music, funk, reggae, hard rock, psychedelic rock, traditional music and ballad ....
covered "Many Rivers to Cross" on Clear Channel

Clear Channel Communications

Clear Channel Communications is a Mass media list of conglomerates company based in the United States. Clear Channel, founded in 1972 by Lowry Mays and Red McCombs, wields considerable influence in radio broadcasting, concert promotion and hosting, and fixed advertising in the United States through its subsidiaries....
's Stripped Raw and Real.

"Vietnam" New Order

New Order

New Order are an English alternative rock/electronic band formed in 1980 by Bernard Sumner , Peter Hook and Stephen Morris . New Order was formed in the wake of the demise of their previous group Joy Division, following the suicide of vocalist Ian Curtis....
covered "Vietnam" on the 2003 War Child

War Child (charity)

War Child is a non-governmental organization founded by British filmmakers Bill Leeson and David Wilson in 1993, which focuses on providing assistance to children in areas of conflict and post-conflict....
compilation album

Compilation album

A compilation album is an album featuring tracks from multiple recording artists, often culled from a variety of sources The tracks are usually collected according to a common characteristic, such as popularity, source or subject matter....
, Hope.

"Trapped" From 1981 on, Bruce Springsteen

Bruce Springsteen

Bruce Frederick Joseph Springsteen , nicknamed "The Boss", is an American songwriter, singer and musician. He has recorded and toured with the E Street Band....
has performed "Trapped" in concert, and one such rendition appeared on the 1985 benefit album We Are the World
We Are the World (album)

We Are the World was a 1985 album that contained USA for Africa's "We Are the World" superstar charity recording for famine relief efforts in Ethiopia....
.

"Reggae Nights" La Toya Jackson

La Toya Jackson

La Toya Jackson is an United States singer-songwriter, musician, author, television personality and actress. She is the fifth child of the famous The Jacksons ....
covered "Reggae Nights", a Grammy Award nominated song that she co-wrote, for her album No Relations
No Relations

No Relations is the 7th studio album by American singer La Toya Jackson. The album was released shortly after La Toya's autobiography, La Toya: Growing Up in the Jackson Family was published....
.

"You Can Get It If You Really Want" Desmond Dekker

Desmond Dekker

Arrangement

In music, an arrangement is either a rewriting of a piece of existing music with additional new material or a fleshing-out of a compositional sketch, such as a lead sheet....
but the vocal

Human voice

The human voice consists of sound Voice production by a human being using the vocal folds for Speech communication, singing, Laughter, crying, screaming, etc....
work is quite different.

"Sittin' In Limbo" "Sittin' In Limbo" has been covered by Jerry Garcia

Jerry Garcia

Jerome John "Jerry" Garcia was an American musician best known for his work with the band the Grateful Dead. Though he vehemently disavowed the role, Garcia was viewed by many as the leader or "spokesman" of the group....
, David Grisman

David Grisman

David Grisman is a Bluegrass music/Progressive bluegrass mandolinist and composer of acoustic music. In the early 1990s, he started the Acoustic Disc record label in an effort to preserve and spread acoustic or instrumental music....
, Willie Nelson

Willie Nelson

Fiona Apple

Fiona Apple is a Grammy Awards of 1998 United States singer-songwriter. She gained popularity through her 1996 studio album Tidal , especially with the single "Criminal ", and because of the music video made for it....
, and The Neville Brothers

The Neville Brothers

The Neville Brothers, an R&B, Soul music and Jazz group, was formed in 1976 in New Orleans, LA....
.

"Going Back West" Boney M. covered "Going Back West" in 1982, and it was included on their 1984 album Kalimba de Luna - 16 Happy Songs
Kalimba de Luna - 16 Happy Songs

Kalimba de Luna - 16 Happy Songs is a compilation album by Boney M. released in late 1984. On the strength of two carbon-copy cover versions, "Kalimba De Luna" and "Happy Song" which gave Boney M....
.

"Struggling Man" "Struggling Man" was covered by the Jerry Garcia Band

Jerry Garcia Band

Concert

A concert is a live performance, usually of music, before an audience. The music may be performed by a single musician, sometimes then called a recital, or by a musical ensemble, such as an orchestra, a choir, or a musical band....
from 1990 to 1995.

Discography

Albums

Hard Road to Travel (January 1968)
Jimmy Cliff
Jimmy Cliff (album)

Jimmy Cliff is an eponymous 1969 album by Jimmy Cliff. The album was retitled after the track Wonderful World, Beautiful People following the song being released as a single in the US....
(December 1969)
Wonderful World, Beautiful People
Wonderful World, Beautiful People

Wonderful World, Beautiful People is a 1970 album by Jimmy Cliff....
(1970)
Another Cycle
Another Cycle

Another Cycle is a 1971 album by Jimmy Cliff. It was recorded at Muscle Shoals Sound Studio in Alabama, United States....
(September 1971)
The Harder They Come
The Harder They Come (soundtrack)

The Harder They Come is the iconic soundtrack to the The Harder They Come. Released in 1972 in music, much of the soundtrack was compiled by the film's director and co-writer, Perry Henzell, from his favorite roots reggae classics....
(1972)
Unlimited (August 1973)
Struggling Man (June 1974)
House of Exile (December 1974)
Brave Warrior (1975)
Follow My Mind (November 1975)
In Concert: The Best of Jimmy Cliff (1976)
Give Thanx
Give Thanx

Give Thanx is the 12 album by Jimmy Cliff....
(1978)
I Am The Living (July 1980)
Give the People What They Want (September 1981, with the Compass Point All Stars
Compass Point All Stars

The Compass Point phenomenon is meant to be to reggae-based pop/rock music of the 80s, what Nashville was to country music, or the Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section was to soul and R&B in the 60s....
)
Special (July 1982)
The Power and the Glory (October 1983)
Cliff Hanger (August 1985)
Club Paradise (1986)
Hanging Fire (March 1988)
Images (October 1989)
Save Our Planet Earth (October 1990)
Higher and Higher (May 1998)
Humanitarian
Humanitarian (album)

Humanitarian is a 1999 album by Jimmy Cliff....
(June 1999)
Fantastic Plastic People (2002)
Black Magic (2004)

Singles

"Wonderful World, Beautiful People" - 1969 - Trojan Records
Trojan Records

Trojan Records is a United Kingdom record label specialising in ska, rocksteady, reggae and dub music. The label operates under the Sanctuary Records Group....
- #6 UK
UK Singles Chart

The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official UK Charts Company on behalf of the British record industry. The chart week runs from Sunday to Saturday, with the chart being printed in Music Week magazine , ChartsPlus , and published online on various sites ....
"Vietnam" - 1970 - Trojan - #46 UK
"Wild World
Wild World

"Wild World" is a song written and recorded by English singer-songwriter Cat Stevens. It first appeared in his fourth album, Tea for the Tillerman, in 1970, arguably the most popular single from the album....
" - 1970 - Island Records
Island Records

Island Records was a record label that was founded by British record producers in Jamaica. It was based in England for many years, but is now owned by Universal Music Group and is operated in the United States through The Island Def Jam Music Group and in the UK through Island Records Group ....
- #8 UK
"I Can See Clearly Now
I Can See Clearly Now

"I Can See Clearly Now" is a song written and recorded by Johnny Nash. It was a single from the album of the same name and achieved success in the United States and the United Kingdom when it was released in 1972....
" - 1993 - Columbia Records
Columbia Records

Columbia Records is an American record label founded in 1888.Columbia is the oldest surviving brand name in pre-recorded sound, being the first record company to produce pre-recorded records as opposed to blank cylinders....
- #23 UK

Jimmy Cliff

Career

Acting career

Cover versions of Jimmy Cliff songs

Discography

Albums

Singles

See also

External links