A Hard Rain's A
Jimmy Cliff Lyrics

Oh, where have you been, my blue-eyed son?
Oh, where have you been, my innocent and hopeful child?

And where have you been my darling young one?
And where have you been, my beloved and naive young person?

I've stumbled on the side Of twelve misty mountains
I've faced numerous challenges and obstacles

I've walked and I've crawled On six crooked highways
I've endured difficult journeys and struggled through life's twists and turns

I've stepped in the middle Of seven sad forests
I've found myself in dark and depressing situations

I've been out in front of a dozen dead oceans
I've witnessed the lifelessness and destruction of vast bodies of water

I've been ten thousand miles in The mouth of a graveyard
I've experienced the depths of despair and death

And it's a hard, it's a hard, it's a hard And it's a hard It's a hard rain's a-gonna fall
And it's a difficult, it's a challenging, it's a tough And it's a difficult It's a challenging time that lies ahead

Oh, what did you see, my blue-eyed son?
Oh, what did you witness, my innocent and hopeful child?

And what did you see, my darling young one?
And what did you see, my beloved and naive young person?

I saw a newborn baby with Wild wolves all around it
I saw innocence and vulnerability surrounded by danger and threat

I saw a highway of diamonds with nobody on it
I saw a path of wealth and abundance devoid of any companions

I saw a black branch with Blood that kept drippin'
I saw a symbol of death and suffering, continuously bleeding

I saw a room full of Men with their hammers a-bleedin'
I saw a gathering of people causing harm and violence

I saw a white ladder all covered with water
I saw a path to salvation and enlightenment submerged in difficulty

I saw ten thousand talkers whose Tongues were all broken
I saw countless individuals rendered voiceless and unable to convey their thoughts

I saw guns and sharp swords in The hands of young children
I saw the corruption and perversion of innocence, with weapons in the hands of the young

And it's a hard, it's a hard It's a hard and it's a hard It's a hard rain's a-gonna fall
And it's a difficult, it's a challenging It's a difficult time that lies ahead

And what did you hear, my blue-eyed son?
And what did you hear, my innocent and hopeful child?

And what did you hear, my darling young one?
And what did you hear, my beloved and naive young person?

I heard the sound of a thunder It roared out a warnin'
I heard a powerful and ominous warning of impending danger

I heard the roar of a wave That could drown the whole world
I heard the deafening presence of a destructive force capable of engulfing everything

I heard one hundred drummers Whose hands were a-blazin'
I heard a thunderous and intense rhythm created by passionate individuals

I heard ten thousand whisperin' And nobody listenin'
I heard countless voices speaking quietly, yet nobody paying attention

I heard one person starve I heard many people laughin'
I observed the agony of hunger in one person while others remained indifferent, enjoying themselves

Heard the song of a poet Who died in the gutter
Witnessed the creative expression of an artist who met a tragic end in poverty

Heard the sound of a clown Who cried in the alley
Listened to the sorrowful weeping of a performer hidden away in the darkness

And it's a hard, it's a hard, it's a hard It's a hard And it's a hard rain's a-gonna fall
And it's a difficult, it's a challenging, it's a tough It's a difficult time that lies ahead

Oh, who did you meet my blue-eyed son?
Oh, who did you encounter, my innocent and hopeful child?

Who did you meet, my darling young one?
Who did you meet, my beloved and naive young person?

I met a young child beside a dead pony
I encountered a young innocent next to a symbol of death and loss

I met a white man who walked a black dog
I met a person who, despite their race, embraced something considered taboo or undesirable

I met a young woman whose body was burning
I came across a woman engulfed in pain and suffering

I met a young girl, she gave me a rainbow
I encountered a child who offered hope and beauty in the midst of chaos

I met one man who was wounded in love
I met an individual hurt by the pain and complexities of love

I met another man who was wounded in hatred
I encountered someone consumed by anger and animosity

And it's a hard, it's a hard, it's a hard It's a hard And it's a hard rain's a-gonna fall
And it's a difficult, it's a challenging, it's a tough It's a difficult time that lies ahead

And what'll you do now, my blue-eyed son?
And what will you do now, my innocent and hopeful child?

And what'll you do now my darling young one?
And what will you do now, my beloved and naive young person?

I'm a-goin' back out 'fore The rain starts a-fallin'
I'm going back into the world before the troubles and hardships intensify

I'll walk to the depths of The deepest black forest
I'll journey into the darkest and most treacherous places

Where the people are a many and Their hands are all empty
Where there are numerous individuals, but they lack resources and support

Where the pellets of poison Are flooding their waters
Where harmful influences and toxins are contaminating their surroundings

Where the home in the valley Meets the damp dirty prison
Where the hope and comfort of a safe home become intertwined with the confines and misery of imprisonment

Where the executioner's face is Always well hidden
Where those responsible for inflicting harm and death remain anonymous

Where hunger is ugly
Where the desperation of starvation takes a repulsive form

Where souls are forgotten
Where the essence and well-being of individuals are disregarded and abandoned

Where black is the color Where none is the number
Where darkness and despair prevail, and there is a lack of hope

And I'll tell and think it and Speak it and breathe it
And I will communicate, ponder, articulate, and embody it

And reflect it from the mountain so All souls can see it
And project it from a high point, ensuring that everyone can perceive and understand it

Then I'll stand on the ocean Until I start sinkin'
Then I will stand defiantly, even as the world around me begins to crumble

But I'll know my songs well Before I start singin'
However, I will ensure that I am fully prepared and knowledgeable about my creations before sharing them with the world

And it's a hard, it's a hard, it's a hard And it's a hard It's a hard rain's a-gonna fall
And it's a difficult, it's a challenging, it's a tough And it's a difficult time that lies ahead