Jimmy Cliff OM (Jamaican Order of Merit) born as James Chambers (1 April 19… Read Full Bio ↴Jimmy Cliff OM (Jamaican Order of Merit) born as James Chambers (1 April 1948, St. Catherine, Jamaica) is a Jamaican reggae musician. He is best known among mainstream audiences for songs like "Sittin' in Limbo", "You Can Get It If You Really Want," "Many Rivers to Cross" and the title track from The Harder They Come, a film soundtrack which helped popularise reggae across the world.

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 Turn the Tables
Jimmy Cliff Lyrics

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Let's turn the table you know we are able
Let's turn the table i know we are able

Let's turn the table you know we are able
We will turn, turn, turn every table
We will turn, turn, turn every table

It's too much of the bad news

An' nothin' of the good news
It's too much of the bad news
An' nothin' of the good news

Too much of the bad news
And nothing of good news
We will turn, turn, turn every table
We will turn, turn, turn every table

Ya, ya ya, ya ya, ya ya
Ya ya, ya ya, ya ya, ya ya

God give you willpower to change every hour
God give you willpower
A to change every hour

God give you willpower
A to change every hour
We will turn, turn, turn every table
We will turn, turn, turn every table

Forget the label let's turn the table
Forget the label you know we are able

Forget the label let's turn the table
We will turn, turn, turn every table
We will turn, turn, turn every table

So let's turn the table you know we are able
Let's turn the table you know we are able

On this day you've got to follow-
I say, on this day turn the table
Turn the table

Let's turn the table, let's turn the table
Yeah, let's turn the table

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Jimmy Cliff's song "Let's Turn the Tables" convey a message of empowerment and the need for change. The repetition of the phrase "Let's turn the table" emphasizes the idea of taking control and transforming the current situation. The singer expresses confidence in their ability to bring about this change, stating, "We will turn, turn, turn every table." The use of the phrase "too much of the bad news and nothing of the good news" highlights the negativity that surrounds us and the lack of positive information being circulated.

The song encourages listeners to break free from the constraints imposed by society, urging them to forget labels and embrace their ability to bring about change. The line "God give you willpower to change every hour" suggests that the singer believes in the divine ability within each individual to make a difference. The repetition of the line "Let's turn the table, you know we are able" serves as a reminder that collective action can lead to transformative outcomes.

Overall, "Let's Turn the Tables" is an uplifting anthem that calls for unity and empowerment. It encourages listeners to challenge the status quo and take charge of their own destinies in order to create a brighter future.

Line by Line Meaning

Let's turn the table you know we are able
We have the capability to change the situation, so let's take action and turn the tables.

We will turn, turn, turn every table
We will completely transform and reverse all unfavorable circumstances.

It's too much of the bad news
There is an overwhelming amount of negative and distressing information.

An' nothin' of the good news
But there is a lack of positive and uplifting news.

Too much of the bad news
There is an excess of negative updates and reports.

And nothing of good news
And no positive or encouraging news to balance it out.

God give you willpower to change every hour
May God grant you the determination and strength to bring about change continuously.

A to change every hour
So that you can make a difference in every passing hour.

Forget the label let's turn the table
Let's disregard societal categorizations or stereotypes and focus on creating a positive shift.

We will turn, turn, turn every table
We will persistently and decisively transform all circumstances.

So let's turn the table you know we are able
Therefore, let's change the situation because we have the capability to do so.