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.
My People
Jimmy Cliff Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
My people are not your people
And your people are not my people
And my people are not your people
Oh no
Oh no o
I loved you because i was lonely
Wondering and also lost
And in order to have a good future
I was searching to find my past
Wherever thou goest i wud go
But i found out your greatest seeing is to know
My people are not your people
And your people are not my people
And my people are not your people
Oh no
Oh no o
Oh no
I knew you when i was a drifter
Suffering with no connection
You knew me more than i knew myself
But you wont point me in my direction
I was in the dark you were in the light
Now i can tell day from night
My people are not your people
And your people are not my people
And my people are not your people
Oh no
Oh no o
Oh no
My people are not your people
And your people are not my people
And my people are just my people
Oh yea
Oh yea
Oh yea
My people are not your people
And your people are just your people
And my people are just my people
And your people are just your people
I don't wanna mix with your people
My people aint your people
The lyrics of Jimmy Cliff's song "My People" convey a message of cultural identity and the importance of recognizing and respecting differences. The repetition of "My people are not your people" reinforces the idea that each culture is unique and cannot be understood or categorized by those who are not a part of it. The song also touches on the idea of finding oneself through one's roots and history. The lines "I was searching to find my past" and "you knew me more than I knew myself, but you won't point me in my direction" suggest that the singer feels lost and disconnected from their culture and needs guidance to reconnect with it.
The chorus of the song, with its simple, catchy melody and repetition, serves to emphasize the central message of the song. The use of the phrase "Oh no" adds a sense of urgency and seriousness to the message. The verses, on the other hand, tell a story of personal growth and realization, with the singer discovering their cultural identity and rejecting the influences of those who do not understand or respect it.
Overall, "My People" is a powerful statement on the importance of cultural identity and the need to recognize and respect differences. It encourages listeners to embrace their own cultural heritage and to stand up against those who would seek to diminish or erase it.
Line by Line Meaning
My people are not your people
We are not the same, we come from different backgrounds and cultures
And your people are not my people
You have your own community and tribe, and it is not the same as mine
Oh no
I am stating a fact here, there is no need for argument
Oh no o
I am emphasizing my point, this is an important issue to me
I loved you because i was lonely
I felt alone and vulnerable, and you provided comfort and companionship
Wondering and also lost
I was unsure about my place in the world and lacked direction
And in order to have a good future
I knew that in order to be successful and happy, I needed to find my roots
I was searching to find my past
I needed to understand my history and where I came from to move forward
Wherever thou goest i wud go
I was willing to follow you anywhere at the time, because I didn't know where else to turn
But i found out your greatest seeing is to know
I now realize that you had your own agenda, and it was not in line with helping me
I knew you when i was a drifter
I met you when I was wandering aimlessly and unsure of myself
Suffering with no connection
I felt isolated and alone, with no sense of community or belonging
You knew me more than i knew myself
You had insight into who I was, perhaps more than I had insight into myself
But you wont point me in my direction
You were not interested in helping me find my way, you had your own agenda
I was in the dark you were in the light
I was lost and confused, while you seemed to be secure and self-assured
Now i can tell day from night
I have gained clarity and perspective, and can now distinguish between what is right and wrong for me
My people are just my people
I am proud of my community and heritage, and will defend it against those who do not understand it
Oh yea
I am expressing my conviction and belief in my people
And your people are just your people
You have the right to be proud of your own community and culture
I don't wanna mix with your people
I do not want to lose my identity or compromise my beliefs by being absorbed into your culture
My people aint your people
We are fundamentally different, and that is something that should be respected
Writer(s): Jimmy Cliff
Contributed by Hunter D. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@John77764
Jimmy Cliff is an artist I have loved all my life because of tracks like: "house of exile", "hard road to travel", "foolish pride", and many more.
@monnatusa2653
me too...
@tanygarciacalvo5819
Me too✌
@johnnelson3884
every time i listen to jimmy cliff songs i feel like putting on my dancing shoes and rock the world
@ursulamarijancevic1457
😎 Jimmy at his best 💜💜💜
@ecclesiastedavid2135
Jimmy Cliff me plaît depuis les années 1985 j'écoute sa musique je suis une admiratrice je fais des karaoké je connais des chanson par cœur ❤️.
@iderakay2760
Great work thanks Jimmy Cliff
@joanosuagwu4098
Oh am lost in thoughts. Adoring music for ever
@roddylubela
WONDERFULL
@mamaneindia7672
Ah jimmy so memories