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Jimmy Cliff Lyrics


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I've got a hard road to travel
And a rough rough way to go
Said it's a hard road to travel
And a rough rough way to go
But I can't turn back, my heart is fixed
My mind's made up, I'll never stop
My faith will see, see me through
Let me tell you
I'm all alone, this lonesome road I roam
I've got no love to call my very own
Oh, the river gets deeper
The hills get steeper
And the pain gets deeper every day, yeah

I've got a hard road to travel
And a rough rough way to go
Said it's a hard road to travel
And a rough rough way to go
But I can't turn back, my heart is fixed
My mind's made up, I'll never stop
My faith will see, see me through

Aah, aah, one more thing

I dream of a home far beyond the sea
Where there is love and peace and joy for me
Oh, in my eyes I see troubles and dangers for me
But destiny where it leads me I must go, hey

I've got a hard road to travel
And a rough rough way to go
Said it's a hard road to travel
And a rough rough way to go
But I can't turn back, my heart is fixed
My mind's made up, I'll never stop
My faith will see, see me through





Aah, no, help me somebody
Aah, somebody please, help me right now

Overall Meaning

The song "Hard Road to Travel" by Jimmy Cliff is an inspiring anthem about the struggles of life and the determination to persevere through hardships. The lyrics paint a picture of a difficult journey that is both physically and emotionally challenging. Despite the obstacles, the singer is committed to seeing it through to the end because of their unwavering faith. They acknowledge that it won't be easy and that the pain will only continue to grow, but they refuse to give up on their quest. The singer dreams of a life beyond their current situation, a place where they can find love, peace, and joy. Yet, they know that there are dangers and troubles ahead, but they embrace their destiny and must move forward.


The song's repetition of a "hard road to travel" reinforces the theme of struggle, and the addition of the phrase "rough rough way to go" emphasizes the difficulties the singer is facing. The line "but I can't turn back, my heart is fixed" speaks to the strength of the singer's resolve, showing that they are determined to succeed regardless of the cost. The inclusion of the phrase "my faith will see, see me through" speaks to the importance of unwavering faith in times of struggle. This song speaks to many individuals as it shines a light on their feelings of determination and resilience in the face of challenges.


Line by Line Meaning

I've got a hard road to travel
Life is difficult


And a rough rough way to go
Life is full of obstacles and challenges


Said it's a hard road to travel
Reiterating the difficulty of life


But I can't turn back, my heart is fixed
Commitment to push forward despite difficulties


My mind's made up, I'll never stop
Determined to keep going


My faith will see, see me through
Belief that faith will provide guidance and support


Let me tell you
Addressing someone to share personal experience


I'm all alone, this lonesome road I roam
Feeling isolated on this journey


I've got no love to call my very own
Lack of romantic companionship


Oh, the river gets deeper
Obstacles and challenges become increasingly difficult


The hills get steeper
Obstacles and challenges become more daunting


And the pain gets deeper every day, yeah
Experiencing emotional pain and struggle


I dream of a home far beyond the sea
Desire for a better life


Where there is love and peace and joy for me
The hope for a happier existence


Oh, in my eyes I see troubles and dangers for me
Awareness of personal struggles and obstacles


But destiny where it leads me I must go, hey
Belief that personal destiny must be fulfilled


Aah, no, help me somebody
Request for assistance and support


Aah, somebody please, help me right now
Urgency for immediate help and assistance




Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: JIMMY CLIFF

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Most interesting comment from YouTube:

George

I have been bewitched by this movie! I cannot understand why this film resonates with me so much. Actually, I've had affection for all things Jamaican for years, ever since I was 15. I and a bunch of my neighbourhood friends would hang out at our Jamaican friend's house - he was around 30 at the time.

Anyway, we'd all sit around on his veranda just hanging out on a hot, humid summer afternoon. As the only musician in the group, I always paled my guitar and we'd all sing songs, classic Jamaican songs by i.e., Bob Marley, Yellowman, etc. It was a blast. We drank beer, smoked some weed, we were all as content as can be. Another Jamaican guy did bodywork on his car in the driveway while we partied. - it added a certain specialness to the ambience. Life was perfect!

So when I watch this movie it evokes a certain familiarity for me, almost like I myself lived in Jamaica for some time. I understand the Jamaican patois almost perfectly, and so for me the dialogue is quite intelligible, which adds to the enjoyment. The streets, shops, markets, people all seem so familiar to me in this movie, and yet I've only been there once, on vacation with my girlfriend in Montego Bay, and that was back in 1984.

If I could freeze one specific moment in time, it would be one of those occasions when we all hung out at our Jamaican friend's veranda, on a hot August afternoon, and well into the early morning hours. Laughing, joking, singing, partying, in short, one out of many very memorable moments during my teens. Life was so stress free, everything felt right in the world, and there a feeling of hope that tomorrow would be another good day. That's where this movie takes me - to an all so familiar and fantastic time in the past. There was also another time when my best friend and I somehow ended up inside a big garage, just off of a laneway not far from where we lived. Anyway, inside was dim lit, with strobe lights, lots of people smoking and drinking beer, and very loud, thumping Reggie music playing. When I think back to that time seems so surreal, like was a dream, from another time and place. But it was real. The garage was very sound proof, and from outside no one would ever guess what was going on inside - it just looked like a big, old, beat up garage. The only reason we found it was because just as we were walking by at night, the door opened up, we heard loud, thumping reggae music playing, and some guy asked us if we wanted to come inside, to which we said yes. So we stayed for a couple of hours, drank some beer, and smoked a little weed, some of the best we had ever smoked - we found out later that it was Jamaica weed, the real bore, bore! But that's how it was back then. You didn't have to find fun, because the fun somehow found you! And later on that evening we went home, and when we got to the street corner, a whole bunch of Gus we knew from the neighbourhood were standing outside, just hanging around talking, laughing, listening to music from a boom box radio, and naturally we joined the fun until the wee, wee hours of the morning. Life was so amazing that way.

Anyhow, sorry for the long diatribe, but those are the kinds of memories that this movie reminds me of. As such, I watch it many times over and over in any given month. For me it's a kind of escapism, a temporary sanctuary from the insanity and very depressing times we live in today. It is all bad news in the world now. Everyone complains of the very same thing- there is no hope for a better tomorrow, it's all doom and gloom, and it seems impossible to rise above that. Thank you and Godspeed!



All comments from YouTube:

Mark Mark

saw jimmy cliff 'live' in 2003...when he sang Many Rivers, I cried....he still had an amazing voice.

S Owen

Same - in Cardiff, was amazing

yankees29

I would love to see Jimmy live.

Cara isla bonita

Still HAS. I decided to finally watch this movie after seeing a story & interview with Jimmy Cliff on my Google feed

Janet Wood

Cool!

Jay Monee

My mom and dad saw this movie at a theater in London. I saw the movie in the 80s and that knife fight scared me so I would close my eyes but I was a kid. Still a classic movie and should be put up there as one of the greats

George

I have been bewitched by this movie! I cannot understand why this film resonates with me so much. Actually, I've had affection for all things Jamaican for years, ever since I was 15. I and a bunch of my neighbourhood friends would hang out at our Jamaican friend's house - he was around 30 at the time.

Anyway, we'd all sit around on his veranda just hanging out on a hot, humid summer afternoon. As the only musician in the group, I always paled my guitar and we'd all sing songs, classic Jamaican songs by i.e., Bob Marley, Yellowman, etc. It was a blast. We drank beer, smoked some weed, we were all as content as can be. Another Jamaican guy did bodywork on his car in the driveway while we partied. - it added a certain specialness to the ambience. Life was perfect!

So when I watch this movie it evokes a certain familiarity for me, almost like I myself lived in Jamaica for some time. I understand the Jamaican patois almost perfectly, and so for me the dialogue is quite intelligible, which adds to the enjoyment. The streets, shops, markets, people all seem so familiar to me in this movie, and yet I've only been there once, on vacation with my girlfriend in Montego Bay, and that was back in 1984.

If I could freeze one specific moment in time, it would be one of those occasions when we all hung out at our Jamaican friend's veranda, on a hot August afternoon, and well into the early morning hours. Laughing, joking, singing, partying, in short, one out of many very memorable moments during my teens. Life was so stress free, everything felt right in the world, and there a feeling of hope that tomorrow would be another good day. That's where this movie takes me - to an all so familiar and fantastic time in the past. There was also another time when my best friend and I somehow ended up inside a big garage, just off of a laneway not far from where we lived. Anyway, inside was dim lit, with strobe lights, lots of people smoking and drinking beer, and very loud, thumping Reggie music playing. When I think back to that time seems so surreal, like was a dream, from another time and place. But it was real. The garage was very sound proof, and from outside no one would ever guess what was going on inside - it just looked like a big, old, beat up garage. The only reason we found it was because just as we were walking by at night, the door opened up, we heard loud, thumping reggae music playing, and some guy asked us if we wanted to come inside, to which we said yes. So we stayed for a couple of hours, drank some beer, and smoked a little weed, some of the best we had ever smoked - we found out later that it was Jamaica weed, the real bore, bore! But that's how it was back then. You didn't have to find fun, because the fun somehow found you! And later on that evening we went home, and when we got to the street corner, a whole bunch of Gus we knew from the neighbourhood were standing outside, just hanging around talking, laughing, listening to music from a boom box radio, and naturally we joined the fun until the wee, wee hours of the morning. Life was so amazing that way.

Anyhow, sorry for the long diatribe, but those are the kinds of memories that this movie reminds me of. As such, I watch it many times over and over in any given month. For me it's a kind of escapism, a temporary sanctuary from the insanity and very depressing times we live in today. It is all bad news in the world now. Everyone complains of the very same thing- there is no hope for a better tomorrow, it's all doom and gloom, and it seems impossible to rise above that. Thank you and Godspeed!

Steve B.

One time I went to Montego Bay and crank slayer and master of puppets. All night in the house of Bamboo,

Dedra Myers

Thank you for sharing I could actually see and feel what u were recanting mon!

Tu Papi

And Poser is a polite form of say what you really are because youtube doesn't allow me to put the word that you really are 😂😂😂😂😂

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