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.
Let's Seize The Time
Jimmy Cliff Lyrics
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Let's seize the time
Let's make the system pay for it's crime
If the power of the people is worth the dime
Let's do our thing now let's seize the time
The time is passing it's going away
Don't leave for tomorrow
If the power of the people is worth the dime
Let's do our thing now let's seize the time
The mind goes weary the heart has lied
Let's stop the dreaming let's stop the fight
If the power of the people is worth the dime
Let's do our thing now let's seize the time
Let's seize the time now
Let's seize the time
Let's make the system pay for it's crime
If the power of the people is worth the dime
Let's do our thing now let's seize the time
The lyrics of Jimmy Cliff's song "Let's Seize The Time" are a call to action and a reminder of the importance of taking action in the present moment. The phrase "Let's seize the time" serves as a motivator to make the most of the opportunities that are present before they slip away. The song suggests that it is necessary to hold the system accountable for its injustices and crimes, indicating a desire for social and political change.
The lyrics emphasize the power of the people to bring about this change. The phrase "If the power of the people is worth the dime" implies that the collective strength of the people should not be underestimated or undervalued. It encourages unity and action, suggesting that it is time to "do our thing" and seize the moment, rather than waiting for tomorrow.
The lyrics also touch upon weariness and disillusionment, urging listeners to stop dreaming and stop fighting amongst themselves. This could be interpreted as a plea for unity and collaboration, emphasizing that the power lies in working together towards a common goal.
Overall, the song serves as a rallying cry for justice, urging individuals to recognize their power and take action in the face of injustice. It calls for seizing the moment and making the system pay for its crimes, while emphasizing the importance of unity and collective action.
Line by Line Meaning
Let's seize the time now
We should take advantage of the present moment
Let's seize the time
Let's make the most of the opportunities we have
Let's make the system pay for its crime
We should hold the system accountable for its wrongdoings
If the power of the people is worth the dime
If the strength of the community has value
Let's do our thing now let's seize the time
Let's take action and make a difference in the current moment
The time is passing it's going away
Time keeps slipping away
Don't leave for tomorrow
Avoid delaying tasks for the future
What must be done today
We need to prioritize completing tasks promptly
The mind goes weary the heart has lied
Mental exhaustion and emotional deception occur
Let's stop the dreaming let's stop the fight
We should cease being idealistic and stop unnecessary conflicts
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: GUILLERMO BRIGHT-PLUMMER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
John Dudley
The song from this album was life changing for me as a young man, now that i have grey hair I look back with sadness on that time and all those missed opportunities for change.
hellbilly479
Im a younger man, it’s hard out here brotha always has been always will be. Stay the course and know God’s got a plan for us all.
Ray from NJ
Very inspirational. We need progressive change now more than ever.
Bernard Monserrat
la plus belle chanson et la moins connue de Jimmy . Tu reste un génie, genial man
David A
Je la découvre alors que je croyais tout connaître de cet artiste hautement génial
green0violets
woo!