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.
Son of Man
Jimmy Cliff Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Up from the prison
Broken the spell and anyone can tell
Son of Man is free
Sister you and me
We’re common people with integrity
Say rise
Wipe your weeping eyes
You are alive and there’s nothing to hide
Son of Man is free
Walk upon the seas
We’re common people with integrity
Son of man
Son of man
Son of man
Son of man
???
What is good?
And what does your lord require of you
But to do justice
And to love mercy
And to walk humble with your king
Son of man
Son of man
Son of man
Son of man
???
What is good?
And what does your lord require of you
But to do justice
And to love mercy
And to walk humble with your king
Son of Man
Say rise
Wipe your weeping eyes
You are alive and there’s nothing to hide
Son of Man is free
Walk upon the seas
We’re common people with integrity
Son of man
Son of man
Son of man
Son of man
The song "Son of Man" by Jimmy Cliff is a hymn of hope and liberation, deeply rooted in spiritual and social values of justice, mercy, and humility. At its core, the song speaks of a new dawn for humanity, where the "Son of Man" (a term used in the Bible to refer to Jesus Christ) has risen up from the prison, broken the spell of oppression and fear, and paved the way for freedom and dignity for all. The song celebrates the common people, those who have integrity and stand for what is right, regardless of their status or upbringing.
The lyrics are a call to action, urging listeners to rise up and embrace their true identity as children of God. The repeated refrain of "Son of Man" reinforces the idea that we are all connected to each other and to a higher power, and that we can overcome any obstacle when we unite in love and faith. The lines "Wipe your weeping eyes / You are alive and there’s nothing to hide" are particularly powerful, as they acknowledge the pain and suffering that many people experience, but also offer a message of hope and assurance that we are not alone in our struggles.
Overall, the song "Son of Man" is a testament to the enduring human spirit and the power of faith, love, and solidarity to transform the world. It is a reminder that we are all capable of greatness, and that we can make a difference in our own lives and in the lives of others by living with integrity and compassion.
Line by Line Meaning
Son of Man has risen
The savior has overcome oppression and captivity
Up from the prison
The savior has risen from imprisonment
Broken the spell and anyone can tell
The savior has broken a curse and the evidence is clear
Son of Man is free
The savior has achieved freedom
Sister you and me
Everyone is united in their common struggle
We’re common people with integrity
We are ordinary but we possess moral principles
Son of Man
Title given to the savior, emphasizing their humanity
Say rise
Encouraging the oppressed to stand up
Wipe your weeping eyes
Stop crying
You are alive and there’s nothing to hide
You are still breathing and have no reason to feel ashamed
Walk upon the seas
You can do the impossible
???
Asking what is truly important
What is good?
What actions are morally right
And what does your lord require of you
What does God expect of you
But to do justice
To act with fairness and righteousness
And to love mercy
To show kindness and compassion
And to walk humble with your king
To live modestly and in submission to God
Contributed by Gabriel I. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Eddy manijean
"Son Of Man"
Son of Man has risen
Up from the prison
Broken the spell and anyone can tell Son of Man is free
Sister you and me
We’re common people with integrity Son of Man
Say rise
Wipe your weeping eyes
You are alive and there’s nothing to hide Son of Man is free
Walk upon the seas
We’re common people with integrity Son of man
Son of man
Son of man
Son of man[?]
What is good?
And what does your lord require of you
But to do justice
And to love mercy
And to walk humble with your king Son of man
Son of man
Son of man
Son of man[?]
What is good?
And what does your lord require of you
But to do justice
And to love mercy
And to walk humble with your king Son of Man
Say rise
Wipe your weeping eyes
You are alive and there’s nothing to hide Son of Man is free
Walk upon the seas
We’re common people with integrity Son of man
Son of man
Son of man
Son of man
Jonathan Archer
Son of Man has risen
Up from the prison
Broken the spell and anyone can tell
Son of Man is free
Sister you and me
We're common people with integrity
Son of Man
Say rise
Wipe your weeping eyes
You are alive and there's nothing to hide
Son of Man is free
Walk upon the seas
We're common people with integrity
Son of man
Son of man
Son of man
Son of man
?
What is good?
And what does your lord require of you
But to do justice
And to love mercy
And to walk humble with your king
Son of man
Son of man
Son of man
Son of man
?
What is good?
And what does your lord require of you
But to do justice
And to love mercy
And to walk humble with your king
Son of Man
Say rise
Wipe your weeping eyes
You are alive and there's nothing to hide
Son of Man is free
Walk upon the seas
We're common people with integrity
Son of man
Son of man
Son of man
Son of man
Eddy manijean
"Son Of Man"
Son of Man has risen
Up from the prison
Broken the spell and anyone can tell Son of Man is free
Sister you and me
We’re common people with integrity Son of Man
Say rise
Wipe your weeping eyes
You are alive and there’s nothing to hide Son of Man is free
Walk upon the seas
We’re common people with integrity Son of man
Son of man
Son of man
Son of man[?]
What is good?
And what does your lord require of you
But to do justice
And to love mercy
And to walk humble with your king Son of man
Son of man
Son of man
Son of man[?]
What is good?
And what does your lord require of you
But to do justice
And to love mercy
And to walk humble with your king Son of Man
Say rise
Wipe your weeping eyes
You are alive and there’s nothing to hide Son of Man is free
Walk upon the seas
We’re common people with integrity Son of man
Son of man
Son of man
Son of man
שמשון הגיבור
אלהים אמן היום יבוא יומך עליתי קילו וחצי היטלר שרף אותך במחנות ריכוז
Reginaldo Regi
para mim uma das melhores canções de Jimmy Cliff.
שמשון הגיבור
גזרתי על עצמי שתיקת ת דיבור47שנה ואחר כך אני אהיה זכה😛 היום גם ככה אני עייפה אבל המחשבה בטח לא תהיה צפויה כמו תמיד
שמשון הגיבור
ברוך
lovelieslemons
My sisters and brother created a dance when we were younger in the late 80's early 90's. Just what us kids needed was a dose of sprituality wrapped in one of the finest reggae songs never heard. Great song, great vocals and great beat... THANKS FOR POSTING!!!
jamuga60
Great great story..............................
Ed Stinson
Jimmy has one of the most beautiful voices in all of music - not just reggae - and it shines brightly on this song. One of my all-time favorites.
Goff Wangs
What a great song from a legend. It brings back memories of my child hold.
antero barros
esta musica e melhor que as melhores de bob