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 recorded with Kool & the Gang for Power & the Glory (1983). (During the 1981 River Tour, Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band added Cliff's little-known "Trapped" to their live set; it achieved great prominence when included on 1985's We Are the World benefit album.) The follow-up, Cliff Hanger (1985) won a Grammy Award, though it was his last major success in the U.S. until 1993. He continued to sell well in Jamaica and, to a lesser extent, the UK, returning to the mainstream pop charts in the U.S. and elsewhere with a version of Johnny Nash's "I Can See Clearly Now" on the Cool Runnings film soundtrack in 1993 .
In 2002, Cliff released his new album, Fantastic Plastic People in Europe, after first providing free downloads using Delacove's People Music Media p2p software. This album featured collaborations with Joe Strummer, Annie Lennox, 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 favor of an electronica sound, for inclusion in Black Magic.
Cliff has also covered the famous African song "The Lion Sleeps Tonight".
His recording of 'You Can Get It If You Really Want' was used as a campaign anthem by the Sandinista National Liberation Front in the 1990 election in Nicaragua (they lost). It was also adopted by the British Conservative Party during their annual conference in October, 2007. It is unclear whether Mr Cliff endorsed either party. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame March 15,2010.
Hypocrites
Jimmy Cliff Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You gonna pay the price some day e e
Hypocrite all of you hypocrite
You gonna pay the price some day e e
What you speak from your mouth
What your heart keeps telling lies
Oh oh hypo
Hypocrite you better watch out
(Yes we did)
We ate we drank together(yes we did)
But friend i find
You are snake in the grass
My heart bleeds to be taken for a past
Oh oh but
Hypocrite all of you hypocrite
You gonna pay the price some day ee
Hypocrite stinking hypocrite
You gonna pay the price some day e e
What you speak from your mouth
What your heart keeps telling lies
Oh o hypo
Hypocrite you better watch out
Other time i was jokking with you
You were planning to make me blue
On one side of your smile
Was a frown
You said you wish me well
Yet you trap me down
Anywhere you go there is always one to be found
But
Hypocrite stinking hypocrite
You gonna pay the price someday e e
Hypocrite you rotten hypocrite
You gonna pay the price some day ee
What you speak from your mouth
What your heart keeps telling lies
Oh oo hypo
Hypocrite you better watch out
Hypocrite you dirty hypocrite
I know you gonna pay the price some day e e
Oh oh
Hypocrite all of you
Hypocrite
I know you gonna pay the price
I say you gonna pay the price
End
The lyrics of Jimmy Cliff's "Hypocrites" speak of the consequences of dishonesty and deception. The first lines point directly at hypocrites, stating that they will eventually face the price for their behavior. The repetition of the phrase "you gonna pay the price some day" emphasizes the inevitability of the consequences that await the hypocrites. The lyrics then touch on the idea that what people say with their mouth might be different from what their heart feels, and that lies are being told. The next verse speaks of a supposed friend who turned out to be a "snake in the grass," causing heartache and betrayal. The song reiterates the message of the first verse, stating that hypocrites will face the consequences of their actions, regardless of how they try to deceive or manipulate others.
The lyrics of the song "Hypocrites" are straightforward in its message, but its composition and performance are powerful. The reggae rhythm emphasizes the weight of the lyrics, driving home the message that the consequences of deceitfulness will ultimately catch up with the hypocrite. The simplicity of the lyrics and the repetition of the phrase "you gonna pay the price some day" create a sense of unity and solidarity against those who choose to be dishonest. Jimmy Cliff's impassioned delivery further drives the message of the song, hammering home the idea that hypocrisy is not a victimless crime.
Line by Line Meaning
Hypocrite you dirty hypocrite
You are a dishonest person who pretends to have qualities or beliefs that you do not actually have.
You gonna pay the price some day e e
You will eventually face the consequences of your actions.
Hypocrite all of you hypocrite
Everyone who is dishonest and insincere will ultimately face the consequences of their actions.
What you speak from your mouth
The words that you say out loud to others.
What your heart keeps telling lies
Your innermost thoughts and feelings are not truthful.
Oh oh hypo
Short for 'hypocrite.'
Hypocrite you better watch out
Be careful, because your lies and deceit will eventually catch up to you.
We walked we talked together
We spent time together.
(Yes we did)
Confirming that the previous statement is true.
We ate we drank together(yes we did)
We consumed food and beverages in each other's company.
But friend i find
However, I have come to know the truth.
You are snake in the grass
You are deceitful in a quiet and sneaky way.
My heart bleeds to be taken for a past
It hurts me deeply to have been deceived and taken advantage of.
Hypocrite stinking hypocrite
You are a particularly odious and revolting example of a dishonest person.
What you speak from your mouth
The words that you say out loud to others.
What your heart keeps telling lies
Your innermost thoughts and feelings are not truthful.
Oh o hypo
Short for 'hypocrite.'
Hypocrite you better watch out
Be careful, because your lies and deceit will eventually catch up to you.
Other time i was jokking with you
On a previous occasion, I was joking around with you.
You were planning to make me blue
Unbeknownst to me at the time, you were planning to bring me down or make me sad.
On one side of your smile
In addition to a smile, you had a hidden negative emotion or agenda.
Was a frown
That hidden emotion or agenda was, in fact, a frown or negative attitude.
You said you wish me well
You claimed to want the best for me.
Yet you trap me down
But your actions or words had the effect of hindering or holding me back.
Anywhere you go there is always one to be found
No matter where you go or who you interact with, you always manage to find someone to deceive or manipulate.
But
However,
Hypocrite stinking hypocrite
You are a particularly odious and revolting example of a dishonest person.
You gonna pay the price someday e e
You will eventually face the consequences of your actions.
Hypocrite you rotten hypocrite
You are a revolting and corrupt example of a dishonest person.
What you speak from your mouth
The words that you say out loud to others.
What your heart keeps telling lies
Your innermost thoughts and feelings are not truthful.
Oh oo hypo
Short for 'hypocrite.'
Hypocrite you better watch out
Be careful, because your lies and deceit will eventually catch up to you.
Hypocrite you dirty hypocrite
You are a dishonest person who pretends to have qualities or beliefs that you do not actually have.
I know you gonna pay the price some day e e
I am confident that you will face the consequences of your actions eventually.
Oh oh
An exclamation of emphasis or emotion.
Hypocrite all of you
Everyone who is dishonest and insincere.
Hypocrite
A person who pretends to have qualities or beliefs that they do not actually have.
I know you gonna pay the price
I am confident that you will face the consequences of your actions.
I say you gonna pay the price
I am emphasizing and repeating that you will inevitably face the consequences of your actions.
Writer(s): JIMMY CLIFF
Contributed by Peyton G. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@user-qu9tt5dg9h
I started listening to Jimmy cliff songs when i was sixteen years old but now seventy one years still he is my favorite singer.
@enochlee3055
My mom sang this song in church a Sunday night 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣 this was so fun
@heatherfulmore3412
Sometimes you have to talk to some of the church folks.
@renrenwentaway
So I searched for “songs about hypocrites” to low-key dedicate to someone. I came across to some gems & bangers. This is one of em.
@justanolfrend8050
Same
@cs180
@Justan Olfrend same
@notinsand09
Me too! Lol
@janainapaula4293
😊😊
@dionesioferreira
@@justanolfrend8050hi Dr
@jabirukassum3752
Rest In Peace DAd , you left me with Jimmy Cliff album called ‘follow my mind’ and it had very special songs from this great man . Thank you jimmy