Barnes was born… Read Full Bio ↴Jimmy Barnes (b. 1956) is an Australian rock singer.
Barnes was born James Dixon Swan on the 28th April 1956 in Glasgow, Scotland, and moved to Australia with his family when he was six years old.
He first came to public attention as the lead singer with popular Australian pub-rock band Cold Chisel, which he joined in 1973 and with whom he recorded seven albums between 1978 and 1983. When the band split up in 1983 he launched a solo career almost immediately; his first album, Bodyswerve, entered the Australian charts at number one. It was the first of a remarkable run of top charting albums for Barnes, as each of his first six solo albums entered the charts at number one, a feat that no other Australian artist is likely to match.
In 1986 Barnes recorded two singles with INXS, duetting with that band's singer Michael Hutchence on a cover of The Easybeats' "Good Times", and "Laying Down the Law", which was co-written by Barnes with INXS members Andrew Farriss and Hutchence. "Good Times" was used as the theme song for the Australia Made series of concerts that toured the country in the summer of 1986-1987. Both songs later appeared on the soundtrack of the 1980s teen vampire film The Lost Boys.
Following Hutchence's death in 1997, Barnes appeared live on stage with INXS at shows throughout Australia between 1999 and 2001.
His album Double Happiness, released in July 2005, reaffirmed his popularity, entering the ARIAnet albums chart at number one, his seventh album to do so. Barnes was inducted into the ARIA Hall of Fame on the 23rd October 2005 for his solo career efforts. Coupled with Cold Chisel's previous induction, Barnes is the only artist to be entered into the Hall of Fame twice.
Barnes is also the father of singer David Campbell, who recently starred in the Australian production of the musical Sunset Boulevard, and was a contestant on the Australian television programme Dancing with the Stars. The two perform the duet "Wichita Lineman" on Double Happiness.
Many Rivers to Cross
Jimmy Barnes Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
But I can`t seem to find
My way over
Wandering I am lost
As I travel along
The white cliffs of dover
And it`s only my will
That keeps me alive
I`ve been licked
Washed up for years
And I merely survive
Because of my pride
And this loneliness won`t leave me alone
It`s such a drag to be on your own
My man he left me but he wouldnt say why
Well I guess, I have to try
Many rivers to cross
But just where to begin
I`m playing for time
There`ll be times I find myself
Thinking of committing
Some dreadful crime.
And this loneliness won`t leave me alone
It`s such a drag to be on your own
My man he left me but he wouldnt say why
Well I guess, I have to try, yeah yeah
Rivers, rivers to cross
Yeah yeah
Rivers to cross
The song "Many Rivers to Cross" by Jimmy Barnes is a heartfelt and poignant expression of the struggles and challenges that one faces in life. Through the use of vivid imagery and emotive language, the lyrics of the song convey the feelings of loneliness, isolation, and desperation that the singer is experiencing.
The opening lines of the song, "Many rivers to cross, but I can't seem to find my way over," set the tone for the rest of the piece, suggesting that the singer is facing a multitude of obstacles in their life, but is struggling to overcome them. As the song progresses, the singer reflects on their many trials and tribulations, such as being "washed up for years" and "merely surviving" due to their pride.
As the song reaches its climax, the singer expresses their deep sense of isolation and loneliness, stating that "this loneliness won't leave me alone. It's such a drag to be on your own." Despite their struggles, however, the singer remains determined to persevere, acknowledging that they have "many rivers to cross," but they are playing for time and will survive.
Overall, the lyrics of "Many Rivers to Cross" are powerful and evocative, capturing the struggles and challenges that we all face in life, as well as the determination and perseverance that are necessary to overcome them.
Line by Line Meaning
Many rivers to cross
Life has presented me with a lot of challenges and obstacles that I must overcome.
But I can`t seem to find
Despite my best efforts, I am struggling to move forward and make progress.
My way over
I am lost and unsure of which path to take in order to overcome these challenges.
Wandering I am lost
I feel aimless and directionless as I navigate my way through life.
As I travel along
My journey through life is ongoing and ever-changing.
The white cliffs of dover
I am faced with daunting and unfamiliar landscapes that I must navigate in order to move forward.
And it`s only my will
My determination and perseverance are the only things keeping me going.
That keeps me alive
If I were to give up, I would be overcome by the challenges I face in life.
I`ve been licked
I have been beaten down and defeated by the obstacles in my way.
Washed up for years
I have been stuck in this cycle of defeat and struggle for many years.
And I merely survive
Despite my struggles, I am barely hanging on and just getting by.
Because of my pride
My sense of pride and determination is what keeps me going, even when things seem impossible.
And this loneliness won`t leave me alone
I feel isolated and alone in my struggles, and this feeling persists even as I continue to push forward.
It`s such a drag to be on your own
Being alone in this struggle is exhausting and draining.
My man he left me but he wouldnt say why
I have recently experienced a significant loss, and I am struggling to cope with this mysterious departure.
Well I guess, I have to try
Despite the uncertainty and difficulties I face, I know I must keep trying to move forward.
But just where to begin
I am overwhelmed by the number of challenges I face and am unsure of where to start in tackling them.
I`m playing for time
I am trying to buy myself time to figure things out and come up with a plan of action.
There`ll be times I find myself
I know that in this struggle, there will be moments of weakness and doubt.
Thinking of committing
I may be tempted to give up or take drastic measures to escape my struggles.
Some dreadful crime.
I may consider breaking the law or doing something harmful to myself or others.
Rivers, rivers to cross
My journey is ongoing, and there will always be new obstacles and challenges for me to face.
Yeah yeah
Despite the difficulties I face, I am determined to keep going and overcome these challenges.
Rivers to cross
Life will continue to present me with challenges and obstacles that I must overcome on my journey forward.
Lyrics Β© Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: JIMMY CLIFF
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Klara Rotik
Never Never get tired of Jimmy !!!!
jacobtubejacob
Love this version.
Amanda Bryan
It's the bestest version.
L. Lisa Wilson
Beautiful version π€
Kathleen Gagliardi
So worth our time!! Love an evening full of this magical heart and soul pure ARTIST !!!!
Victoria Manley
Great song!
Anders Blomster
I luv it!
benjamin roux
J'adore :-)
Rockin Rollin n Trollin
Sing it Jimmy ..SING IT !!!
hoborock007
This is probably the best version or Sia does an amazing job also