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.
The Price of Peace
Jimmy Cliff Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Brother what a price I've paid
Brother what a price I've paid
Brother what a price I've paid
You stole my history
Destroyed my culture
Cut out my tongue
So I can't communicate
And you separate
Hide my whole way of life
So my self I should hate
Brother what a price I've paid
Brother what a price I've paid
Brother what a price I've paid
Brother what a price I've paid
Took away my name
Put me to shame
Made me a disgrace
As the world's laughing stock
Think of me as show
You jeer and to mock
But your time is at hand
So you better watch the clock
Brother what a price I've paid
Brother what a price I've paid
Brother what a price I've paid
Brother what a price I've paid
From the shores of Africa
To the mainlaind of Haiti
Caribbean and the Pacific
Central and South America
Yes you mediate
And you separate
You hide my whole way of life
So my self I should hate
Brother what a price I've paid
Brother what a price I've paid
Brother what a price I've paid
Brother what a price I've paid
Brother what a price I've paid
Sister what a price I've paid
Mother what a price I've paid
Father what a price I've paid
To thee
To have peace
The lyrics of Jimmy Cliff's "The Price of Peace" express the pain and suffering that have been inflicted upon black people throughout history. The repeated phrase, "Brother what a price I've paid," highlights the singer's sense of betrayal by those who are supposed to be his own. The verses speak of the theft of history and culture, the deliberate destruction of communication, and the shaming and humiliation of black people. The singer talks of being placed on display for the amusement of others and being made to feel like an object of derision. All of this, the singer says, was done in the service of maintaining a system of oppression and control.
The final stanza expands the scope of the song to encompass the entirety of the black experience across time and place, from Africa to the Americas. In each case, the singer claims, black people's ways of life have been distorted and suppressed, leading them to hate themselves. The final line, "To have peace," is a poignant coda that suggests that the black struggle for liberation and equality is not motivated by a desire for revenge or domination, but by a longing for the basic human dignity that comes with freedom and self-determination.
Overall, "The Price of Peace" is a powerful protest song that highlights the human cost of racism, colonization, and imperialism. It speaks to the experience of black people across the world, expressing their pain, their defiance, and their ultimate hope for a better future.
Line by Line Meaning
Brother what a price I've paid
I have paid a steep cost, my brother
You stole my history
You took away my heritage
Destroyed my culture
You ruined my way of life
Cut out my tongue
You stopped me from speaking
So I can't communicate
So I cannot convey my thoughts and feelings
Then you mediate
You act as a go-between
And you separate
You divide us
Hide my whole way of life
You conceal my entire culture
So my self I should hate
So that I begin to detest who I am
Took away my name
You deprived me of my identity
Put me to shame
You embarrassed me
Made me a disgrace
You turned me into a source of shame
As the world's laughing stock
So that everyone would laugh at me
Think of me as show
You view me as entertainment
You jeer and to mock
You taunt and make fun of me
But your time is at hand
But your moment of reckoning is near
So you better watch the clock
You should keep an eye on the time ticking away
From the shores of Africa
From the coasts of Africa
To the mainlaind of Haiti
To the landmass of Haiti
Caribbean and the Pacific
The regions of the Caribbean and Pacific
Central and South America
The areas of Central and South America
Sister what a price I've paid
I have paid an enormous cost, my sister
Mother what a price I've paid
I have paid dearly, my mother
Father what a price I've paid
I have paid greatly, my father
To thee
For the sake of peace
Writer(s): JIMMY CLIFF
Contributed by Tyler O. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@tekiejohn
Brother what a price I’ve paid
Brother what a price I’ve paid
Brother what a price I’ve paid
Brother what a price I’ve paid
You stole my history
Destroyed my culture
Cut out my tongue
So I can’t communicate
Then you mediate
And you separate
Hide my whole way of life
So my self I should hate
Brother what a price I’ve paid
Brother what a price I’ve paid
Brother what a price I’ve paid
Brother what a price I’ve paid
Took away my name
Put me to shame
Made me a disgrace
As the world’s laughing stock
Think of me as show
You jeer and to mock
But your time is at hand
So you better watch the clock
Brother what a price I’ve paid
Brother what a price I’ve paid
Brother what a price I’ve paid
Brother what a price I’ve paid
From the shores of Africa
To the mainlaind of Haiti
Caribbean and the Pacific
Central and South America
Yes you mediate
And you separate
You hide my whole way of life
So my self I should hate
Brother what a price I’ve paid
Brother what a price I’ve paid
Brother what a price I’ve paid
Brother what a price I’ve paid
Brother what a price I’ve paid
Sister what a price I’ve paid
Mother what a price I’ve paid
Father what a price I’ve paid
To thee
To have peace
@eddymanijean6794
Brother what a price I’ve paid
Brother what a price I’ve paid
Brother what a price I’ve paid
Brother what a price I’ve paid
You stole my history
Destroyed my culture
Cut out my tongue
So I can’t communicate
Then you mediate
And you separate
Hide my whole way of life
So my self I should hate
Brother what a price I’ve paid
Brother what a price I’ve paid
Brother what a price I’ve paid
Brother what a price I’ve paid
Took away my name
Put me to shame
Made me a disgrace
As the world’s laughing stock
Think of me as show
You jeer and to mock
But your time is at hand
So you better watch the clock
Brother what a price I’ve paid
Brother what a price I’ve paid
Brother what a price I’ve paid
Brother what a price I’ve paid
From the shores of Africa
To the mainlaind of Haiti
Caribbean and the Pacific
Central and South America
Yes you mediate
And you separate
You hide my whole way of life
So my self I should hate
Brother what a price I’ve paid
Brother what a price I’ve paid
Brother what a price I’ve paid
Brother what a price I’ve paid
Brother what a price I’ve paid
Sister what a price I’ve paid
Mother what a price I’ve paid
Father what a price I’ve paid
To thee
To have peace
@eddymanijean6794
Jump Nyabinghi
Bob Marley & The Wailers
Love to see when ya move in the rhythm
I love to see, when you're dancin' from within!
It gives great joy to feel such sweet togetherness
Everyone doin' and they're doing their best
Huh, it remind I of the days in Jericho
When we troddin' down Jericho walls
These are the days when we'll trod t'rough Babylon, (na-na, na-na)
Gonna trod until Babylon falls
Sing your song yah!
(Jump, jump, jump,) Nyabinghi!
(Jump, jump, jump,) Nyabinghi!
(Jump, jump, jump,) Nyabinghi!
(Jump, jump, jump,) Nyabinghi!
We've got the herb (got it!)
We've got the herb (got it!)
We've got the herb (got it!)
So hand I the suru board
'Cause most of all we ain't got nothing to lose, we-e-e-ey!
(Jump, jump, jump,) Nyabinghi!
(Jump, jump, jump,) Nyabinghi! A little bit louder!
(Jump, jump, jump,) Nyabinghi!
(Jump, jump, jump, Nyabinghi!)
Love to see when ya groove with the riddim
'Cause I love to see when you're dancin' from within!
It gives great joy to see such sweet togetherness
'Cause everyone's doin' and they're doing their best
'Cause it remind me of the days in Jericho
When we troddin' down Jericho walls!
These are the days when we'll trod through Babylon
We keep on troddin' until Babylon falls!
(Jump, jump, jump,) Nyabinghi!
(Jump, jump, jump,) Nyabinghi!
(Jump, jump, jump,) Nyabinghi!
Auteurs-compositeurs : Bob Marley, Trad. Pour une utilisation non commerciale uniquement.
@njumeakume3948
Lord Jesus thank you for the gift of Jimmy cliff to mankind... life would have been unbearable without these music legends
@njumeakume3948
A walk down memory lane,thank you Jimmy for your gift to humanity
@shulestuff
Discovered Jimmy when I was 11, 50 years and more and I still love the man...when i feel overwhelmed I go to the 70s to visit Jimmy and it always boosts me
@busivideos
This is song has a very important message! Not only culturally but for anyone struggling with self identity and acceptance issues. Why is status quo so important to some people that they can deny your existence and justify the rejection with a laugh? Ignorance is a shame!
@mikejoshua7054
Since age 6 or 7 big uncles played cliff and it has become indelible in my memory. Cliff is the best ever.....
@Viandanterosso
Great song and great album....But few people know it...
@tekiejohn
Brother what a price I’ve paid
Brother what a price I’ve paid
Brother what a price I’ve paid
Brother what a price I’ve paid
You stole my history
Destroyed my culture
Cut out my tongue
So I can’t communicate
Then you mediate
And you separate
Hide my whole way of life
So my self I should hate
Brother what a price I’ve paid
Brother what a price I’ve paid
Brother what a price I’ve paid
Brother what a price I’ve paid
Took away my name
Put me to shame
Made me a disgrace
As the world’s laughing stock
Think of me as show
You jeer and to mock
But your time is at hand
So you better watch the clock
Brother what a price I’ve paid
Brother what a price I’ve paid
Brother what a price I’ve paid
Brother what a price I’ve paid
From the shores of Africa
To the mainlaind of Haiti
Caribbean and the Pacific
Central and South America
Yes you mediate
And you separate
You hide my whole way of life
So my self I should hate
Brother what a price I’ve paid
Brother what a price I’ve paid
Brother what a price I’ve paid
Brother what a price I’ve paid
Brother what a price I’ve paid
Sister what a price I’ve paid
Mother what a price I’ve paid
Father what a price I’ve paid
To thee
To have peace
@habbinhagan290
History Of Black African,, price of Peace,, so much hurts
@nicolastumba2469
Thank you Deborah for the lyrics.
@lawrencenjawe1935
@Devorah Harry Good work with the lyrics. I hope people read and reflect on this