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.
Waterfall
Jimmy Cliff Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
If I could have my way I'd stay forever
Look at the waterfall, see how the shadow scroll
If you belive me, we'll stay together
And we'll sit right here on the grass
And look at the sun, at the sun, at the sky, at the sky
Oh, oh, oh, oh
The same ol'place we found, it's ours forever
And we all can again we both do understand
I'll be your only one, I'll leave you never
When I see you, you smile
I see the waterfall
With my hand at the sky
I wanna remember, I wanna remember, the blue
Another sun to shine, another place of mine
If I could have my way, I'd stay forever
Look at the waterfall, see how the shadow scroll
If you belive me, we'll stay together
And we'll sit right here on the grass
And look at the sun, at the sun, at the sky, at the sky
Oh, oh, oh, oh
La, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la
The lyrics to Jimmy Cliff's "Waterfall" speak of a desire to stay in a particular place forever. The imagery used in the lyrics evoke a sense of peace and contentment in being in the presence of a waterfall and the beauty of nature. The singer describes wanting to share this experience with someone they care for deeply, and promising to stay with them always.
The line "If you believe me, we'll stay together" suggests that the singer desires trust and faith from the other person, as they commit to being together always. The repetition of the phrase "look at the sun, at the sun, at the sky, at the sky" reinforces the sense of being present in the moment and the beauty of the natural world.
The lyrics express a longing for simplicity and permanence in a world that can be tumultuous and uncertain. The water in the waterfall represents the ongoing flow of life, while the rock it falls upon represents stability and permanence. The song speaks to the deep human desire for love, and the desire to hold onto it through all of life's changes.
Line by Line Meaning
Another sun to shine, another place of mine
Jimmy Cliff is describing his desire for new experiences and new locations to visit.
If I could have my way I'd stay forever
Jimmy Cliff wants to stay in one particular place permanently if he could choose.
Look at the waterfall, see how the shadow scroll
Jimmy is inviting someone to observe a waterfall and its beauty and movement.
If you believe me, we'll stay together
Jimmy wants someone to trust him and to stay by his side for good.
And we'll sit right here on the grass
Jimmy plans on sharing this moment of peaceful contemplation with someone special by sitting on the grass together.
And look at the sun, at the sun, at the sky, at the sky
Jimmy encourages his companion to observe and appreciate the beauty of the sky and the sun above.
Oh, oh, oh, oh
An exclamation of emotion and excitement in response to the beauty around him.
I need you everyday and we'll stay this way
Jimmy acknowledges that he relies on the consistent presence and love of another person to find contentment and joy.
The same ol'place we found, it's ours forever
Jimmy promises that he and his partner have found a special place that they can call their own forever.
And we all can again we both do understand
Jimmy believes that with this shared experience, they will rekindle their love and reconfirm their mutual bonds.
I'll be your only one, I'll leave you never
Jimmy pledges his loyalty and commitment to his partner and promises to always be there for them.
When I see you, you smile
Jimmy finds joy and happiness in his partner's smile and presence.
I see the waterfall
Jimmy associates his partner with the beauty and movement of the waterfall he admires, drawing a connection between them.
With my hand at the sky
Jimmy reaches for the sky, perhaps symbolizing his aspirations and hopes.
I wanna remember, I wanna remember, the blue
Jimmy wants to remember the specific shade of blue he sees in the sky, perhaps as a reminder of this peaceful moment in time.
La, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la
A repetition of syllables that likely serves as a closing refrain or emphasis on the theme of enjoying the beauty of nature with someone special.
Lyrics © THE ROYALTY NETWORK INC., Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: ALEX SPYROPOULOS, PATRICK CAMPBELL-LYONS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@SoulConnection
TUNE.
@warmswarm
This song was written by Nirvana.
@KavKavanagh
Nope. You got me there. WTF?
@warmswarm
@Kav Kavanagh - It was written by the British Nirvana who were around in the late 60s. The band was based around Alex G Spyropoulos and Patrick Campbell - Lyons, who wrote all their music.
@KavKavanagh
@warmswarm Every days a school day...Thanks