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.
Justice
Jimmy Cliff Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
To find my daily bread
Work so hard to get a roof over my head
But the one's I work with acts like their my masters
When what I refuse I'm more then equal partner
I can't get no justice
I can't get no justice in this society
I work day and night to find my daily needs
But freedom is suppressed by another one's greed
Why should serve the one's who control another one's needs?
It's rebellion these kind of actions breeds
I can't get no justice
Under this system
I can't get no justice
In this society
I can't get no justice
Under this system
I can't get no justice
In this society
Why should one be judged by the color of their skin?
Instead of look what it is they show from deep within
If they keep wanting to control what we earn
Run a press around because we're going to burn (going to burn)
I can't get no justice under this system
I can't get me no justice
In this society
I can't get me no justice
Under this system
I can't no justice in this society
I can't get me no justice
Under this system
I can't get no justice
In this society
Yeah, yeah
I can't get no justice under this system
I can't get no justice in this society
I can't get me no justice
Under this system
I Can't get no justice in this society
In Jimmy Cliff’s song “No Justice”, he expresses the frustration and disappointment of working hard all day, just to struggle to make ends meet under a system that doesn’t provide any justice. He highlights the struggle of working under someone who sees themselves as a superior and wielding more power, creating an unequal relationship between employer and employee. The system doesn't seem to work for everyone, rather it suppresses freedom for many people by someone else's greed, and creates a society where people can't help but rebel against such a system. The lyrics portray Cliff’s dissatisfaction with the way that society operates, and how the chances of truly getting justice seem slim to none.
Line by Line Meaning
I work all day
I spend my entire day working
To find my daily bread
My day is filled with work in order to provide for myself and my basic needs
Work so hard to get a roof over my head
I work tirelessly to have a place to live and call home
But the one's I work with acts like their my masters
My colleagues treat me like a servant or slave, rather than an equal partner
When what I refuse I'm more then equal partner
When I say 'no' to something I don't agree with, I am exercising my right to be an equal partner
I can't get no justice
I cannot receive fair treatment or a just outcome
Under this system
In this particular societal and governmental structure
In this society
Within the larger community in which I live
But freedom is suppressed by another one's greed
My freedom and autonomy are being limited by someone else's selfishness and desire for power
Why should serve the one's who control another one's needs?
Why should I be forced to serve those who have power and control over my basic needs?
It's rebellion these kind of actions breeds
This unjust treatment will inevitably lead to rebellion and unrest
Why should one be judged by the color of their skin?
It is unfair and wrong to discriminate against someone based on their race
Instead of look what it is they show from deep within
We should look at a person's inner qualities and character, rather than their outward appearance
If they keep wanting to control what we earn
If those in power continue to seek control over our earnings and finances
Run a press around because we're going to burn (going to burn)
We will revolt and react with violent anger if this continues
Lyrics © CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC
Written by: JIMMY CLIFF
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@SubidubidubiDu1
I work all day
To find my daily bread
Work so hard to get a roof over my head
But the one's I work with acts like their my masters
When what I refuse I'm more then equal partner
I can't get no justice
Under this system
I can't get no justice in this society
I work day and night to find my daily needs
But freedom is supressed by another one's greed
Why should serve the one's who control another one's needs?
It's rebellion these kind of actions breeds
I can't get no justice
Under this system
I can't get no justice
In this society
I can't get no justice
Under this system
I can't get no justice
In this society
Why should one be judged by the color of their skin?
Instead of the qualities they show from deep within
If they keep wanting to control what we earn
Run a press around because we're going to burn (going to burn)
I can't get no justice under this system
I can't get me no justice
In this society
I can't get me no justice
Under this system
I can't no justice in this society
I can't get me no justice
Under this system
I can't get no justice
In this society
Yeah -- yeah.
I can't get no justice under this system
I can't get no justice in this society
I can't get me no justice
Under this system
I Can't get no justice in this society.
@michaeltuomenoksa3605
I work all day
To find my daily bread
Work so hard to get a roof over my head
But the one's I work with acts like their my masters
When what I refuse I'm more then equal partner
I can't get no justice
Under this system
I can't get no justice in this society
I work day and night to find my daily needs
But freedom is suppressed by another one's greed
Why should serve the one's who control another one's needs?
It's rebellion these kind of actions breeds
I can't get no justice
Under this system
I can't get no justice
In this society
I can't get no justice
Under this system
I can't get no justice
In this society
Why should one be judged by the color of their skin?
Instead of look what it is they show from deep within
If they keep wanting to control what we earn
Run a press around because we're going to burn (going to burn)
I can't get no justice under this system
I can't get me no justice
In this society
I can't get me no justice
Under this system
I can't no justice in this society
I can't get me no justice
Under this system
I can't get no justice
In this society
Yeah, yeah
I can't get no justice under this system
I can't get no justice in this society
I can't get me no justice
Under this system
I Can't get no justice in this society
@ashantiandtheghettonians8617
💣💣💣💥💥💥💥✊🏿
Trabajo todo el día
Para encontrar mi pan diario
Trabajo tan duro para tener un techo sobre mi cabeza
Pero el trabajo con el que trabajo actúa como el de mis maestros
Cuando lo que produzco soy más que igual,
no puedo obtener justicia.
Bajo este sistema,
no puedo obtener justicia en esta sociedad
Trabajo día y noche para encontrar mis comidas diarias.
Pero la libertad es reprimida por la codicia de otra persona.
Por qué ¿Deberían ciertos controlar las necesidades de otro?
Es la rebelión de este tipo de acciones razas
no puedo obtener justicia
Bajo este sistema
no puedo obtener justicia
En esta sociedad
no puedo obtener justicia
Bajo este sistema
no puedo obtener justicia
en esta sociedad
¿Por qué una Ser juzgados por el color de su piel?
En lugar de las cualidades que muestran desde lo más profundo
Si siguen queriendo controlar lo que ganamos
Ejecute una prensa porque vamos a quemar (vamos a quemar) 🔥🔥🔥
@juanestebanlargoo2632
I love this song, the first time I heard it was thanks to a Steven Segal movie that was playing in the background and I never get tired of listening to this song!
@ZimmermanTelegram
Same here
@MeinhardSRohr
„Marked for Death“ is the name of the movie, in case one might wonder.
@titorios1416
As I'm watching it now an came here😂
@antoniopena4653
Same
@rodneyhayban4398
Yes bro me 2 marked 4 death lov dat movie 😊❤
@jayverene1986
Thanks Jimmy, homeless in the UK 🇬🇧 and still smiling because of this song. ✊🏾✊🏾✊🏾
@dontearichardson6114
A CLASSIC SONG THAT ALWAYS SPOKE THE TRUTH! BIG UP JIMMY CLIFF FORWARD JAMAICA!
@Ivan-ou3hw
Love this song it is a reminder of how injustice in society is still a reality
@TheMarvelousMrsMarquez
And even to this day!!!