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.
Journey
Jimmy Cliff Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
By: Jimmy Cliff
Well the years have come and the years have gone
Still the son of man keeps a trotting on
Journey, Journey on
Yet from innocence to experience
Journey, Journey on
Well now I have love and I have been loved
I have judged and I have been judged
Journey, Journey on
So where there come a storm there's a victory
Cause I live all and all lives in me
Journey, Journey on
Chorus:
Journey, Oh Journey
and I never get, never get weary yet
Journey, Oh Journey
still I never get, never get weary yet
I was captured on the banks of the river Nile
carried far beyond the seven seas
Journey, Journey on
So I left my home in the morning
I wanna go home in the evening
Journey, Journey on
Chorus
Like the sun and sea life is flowing free
I've got to be free 1983
Journey, Journey on
So from the lessons learned and the tables turned
the victories earned and my heart still yearns
Journey, Journey on
Chorus
In this song, Jimmy Cliff reflects on his journey through life. He acknowledges that he has progressed from innocence to experience, from dependence to independence. Cliff has loved and been loved, judged and been judged. He recognizes that there will be storms in his life, but he will triumph over them. He claims that he lives all, and all lives in him. Cliff recognizes the many challenges he has faced, but he remains resolute in his determination to keep going. He further adds that life flows free, and he wants to be free too.
The chorus of the song, 'Journey, Oh Journey' emphasizes Cliff's tenacity and endurance. Despite the numerous challenges that he has faced, he remains steadfast and doesn't get weary.
Line by Line Meaning
Well the years have come and the years have gone
Despite the passage of time, I, the son of man, continue to journey on
Still the son of man keeps a trotting on
My journey continues, moving forward steadily despite adversity
Journey, Journey on
I continue to travel through life with determination and resilience
Yet from innocence to experience
As I travel through life, I go from a state of naivety to one of knowledge and understanding
from dependence to independence
I move away from needing others to being self-sufficient and self-reliant
Well now I have love and I have been loved
I have experienced both giving and receiving affection
I have judged and I have been judged
I have formed opinions of others and have also been the subject of others' judgments
So where there come a storm there's a victory
Even when faced with difficult challenges, there is always the possibility of overcoming and succeeding
Cause I live all and all lives in me
I live fully and have a connection to all things around me
Chorus:
Repetition of the phrase 'Journey, Oh Journey' to emphasize the ongoing theme of the song
I was captured on the banks of the river Nile
I have experienced captivity and have been taken far from my home
carried far beyond the seven seas
I have been taken to distant lands and faced with new cultures and surroundings
So I left my home in the morning
I set out on my journey with the hope of returning home someday
I wanna go home in the evening
Although I continue to travel, my ultimate goal is to return to my place of origin
Like the sun and sea life is flowing free
Life is constantly in motion and has a natural ebb and flow, like the sun and the sea
I've got to be free 1983
In the year 1983, I realized the importance of personal freedom
So from the lessons learned and the tables turned
I have gained knowledge and insight from my experiences and have had situations reverse themselves
the victories earned and my heart still yearns
Despite my successes, I still have a desire to continue on my journey
Journey, Journey on
The song ends with a repetition of the phrase 'Journey, Journey on', emphasizing the ongoing nature of life's journey
Chorus
The chorus is repeated again at the end of the song to reinforce the song's central theme
Contributed by Tyler M. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@vinceweru
Well the years have come and the years have gone
Still the son of man keeps a trotting on
Journey, Journey on
Yet from innocence to experience
from dependence to independence
Journey, Journey on
Well now I have love and I have been loved
I have judged and I have been judged
Journey, Journey on
So where there come a storm there's a victory
Cause I live all and all lives in me
Journey, Journey on
[Chorus:]
Journey, Oh Journey
and I never get, never get weary yet
Journey, Oh Journey
still I never get, never get weary yet
I was captured on the banks of the river Nile
carried far beyond the seven seas
Journey, Journey on
So I left my home in the morning
I wanna go home in the evening
Journey, Journey on
[Chorus]
Like the sun and sea life is flowing free
I've got to be free 1983
Journey, Journey on
So from the lessons learned and the tables turned
the victories earned and my heart still yearns
Journey, Journey on
[Chorus]
@ABRAHAMTARUS-zp9mk
It’s the 28/12/2023 and a decade from today I’ll still come to the same spot listening to my favourite song ❤ can’t ever get enough of this ❤
@SpecOpsPanda
2024 now baby! A little closer to this truth.
@therootoflife5290
The lyrics are so meaningful
@PauloOliveira-ih8mr
I grew up listen to Jimmy Cliff. When I listen to this music, it takes me back to my childhood and travelling time with my parents. Beautiful memories
@linktaigo88-top1
If you're watching this in 2021, I love you and you're not alone.
@ebenbergerB
I grew up listen to Jimmy Cliff. My dad loved his music. When I listen to this music, it takes me back to my childhood and travelling time with my parents. Beautiful memories 😃
@TheBlackpearl44
True indeed.👊🏾👊🏾
@renaldoperuzaa1406
Same
@bernardgordonjoseph9026
Back to my roots
@e-flo3028
Bro same here...my dad's favorite song journey.....I'm 30now