Jimmy Cliff

Jimmy Cliff (2012)

Jimmy Cliff at the Picture on festival in Bildein (2012)

Jimmy Cliff (born April 1, 1948 in St. Catherine , Jamaica as James Chambers ) is a Jamaican reggae artist who became known through songs like Many Rivers to Cross from the soundtrack album The Harder They Come and with these he was involved in the worldwide breakthrough of reggae music was.

Career

Cliff's career began back in the Ska era with the hit song Hurricane Hattie ; the song was produced by Leslie Kong , with whom Cliff stayed until Kong's death. Later successes include songs such as B. King of Kings and Pride and Passion, which never sold well outside of Jamaica . In 1964, Cliff was elected one of the Jamaican representatives at the World's Fair in New York. Shortly thereafter, he signed with Island Records and moved to the UK . His international debut was the album Hard Road to Travel, which received very good reviews and includes Waterfall , a Brazilian hit that won the International Song Festival.

After Waterfall came Wonderful World, Beautiful People and Vietnam, both of which are known worldwide. The singer Bob Dylan even said that Vietnam was the best protest song he had ever heard. The album Wonderful World includes a cover version of Wild World ( Cat Stevens ), which was very successful in 1970.

The soundtrack to The Harder They Come (a reggae film starring Cliff) was a huge hit and sold worldwide, but did not give Cliff much hit with the masses. After a number of albums, Cliff took a break and traveled to Africa and researched his newfound Muslim faith. He quickly returned to music and toured for years before recording The Power with Kool & the Gang in 1983 . His 1983 song Reggae Night was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Reggae Recording in 1984 and the follow-up album Cliff Hanger (1985) won a Grammy Award in 1986 . He was also nominated in this category for the Grammies in 1987, 1989 and 1993. In 1993 he returned to the US charts with I Can See Clearly Now (from the soundtrack to Cool Runnings ) , and his album Breakout was again nominated for a Grammy. In 2005 the album Black Magic was nominated for a Grammy. At the 55th Grammy Awards (2013), his album Rebirth won the Grammy Award for Best Reggae Album .

Jimmy Cliff songs have been recorded in cover versions by many artists around the world. Among other plays Bruce Springsteen a version of Cliffs Trapped since 1981 at many concerts; from 1992 to 1993 Cliffs Many Rivers to Cross was also part of Springsteen's live performances. Cliffs You Can Get It If You Really Want from the score for The Harder They Come became an international hit for Desmond Dekker .

Discography

Albums

year	Title music label	Top ranking, total weeks, awardChart placementsChart placements (Year, title, music label , placements, weeks, awards, notes)						Remarks
		DE	AT	CH	UK	US	R&B
1975	The Harder They Come (Soundtrack) Island 9202	-	-	-	-	US140 (8 weeks) US	-	First release: July 7, 1972 Soundtrack for the film of the same name that entered the US chart in March 1975
	Follow My Mind Reprise 2218	-	-	-	-	US195 (2 weeks) US	-	First published: October 1975 Producers: Jimmy Cliff, Trevor Lawrence
1982	Columbia Special 38099	-	-	-	-	US186 (2 weeks) US	-	First published: August 1982 Producers: Chris Kimsey , Jimmy Cliff, Oneness Band
1992	Breakout JRS Records 35808	-	-	-	-	-	R&B60 (6 weeks) R&B	First published: June 23, 1992 Producers: Jimmy Cliff, Casey Young, Tommy Vicari
1994	Reggae Classics: The Very Best Of Columbia 476995 2	DE57 (9 weeks) DE	-	-	-	-	-	Best of album First release: June 15, 1994
2012	Rebirth Universal Music B0017108-02	-	-	CH71 (3 weeks) CH	UK83 (1 week) UK	US76 (5 weeks) US	-	First release: July 16, 2012 Grammy (Best Reggae Album) Producer: Tim Armstrong
2019	We All Are One: The Best of Jimmy Cliff Sony Music Entertainment B000068CZO	-	-	CH57 (1 week) CH	-	-	-	Best of album first release: June 11, 2002

gray hatching : no chart data available for this year

More albums

• 1967: Hard Road to Travel
• 1968: Can't Get Enough of It
• 1968: Jimmy Cliff in Brazil
• 1969: Jimmy Cliff / Wonderful World, Beautiful People
• 1971: Goodbye Yesterday
• 1971: Wild World
• 1971: Another Cycle
• 1973: Unlimited
• 1973: Struggling Man
• 1974: House of Exile
• 1974: Music Maker
• 1975: Brave Warrior
• 1978: Give Thanx
• 1980: I Am the Living
• 1981: Give the People What They Want
• 1983: The Power and the Glory
• 1985: Cliff Hanger ( Grammy (Best Reggae Album) )
• 1987: Hanging Fire
• 1989: Save Our Planet Earth
• 1989: Images
• 1993: Samba Reggae
• 1993: Live
• 1996: Higher and Higher
• 1998: Journey of Lifetime
• 2000: Humanitarian
• 2002: Fantastic Plastic People
• 2004: Black Magic
• 2013: The KCRW Session
• 2017: Live in Chicago

Compilations

• 1975: Pop Chronic
• 1975: The Best of Jimmy Cliff
• 1977: Oh Jamaica
• 1978: Many Rivers to Cross
• 1979: Struggling Man
• 1981: Star Collection
• 1984: Reggae Greats
• 1986: The Best of Jimmy Cliff
• 1987: Fundamental Reggae
• 1990: Gold Collection
• 1992: Monster of Reggae
• 1993: The Best of Jimmy Cliff
• 1995: Definitive Collection
• 1995: Reggae Man
• 1995: Jimmy Cliff Vol. 2
• 1997: Great hits
• 1999: Ultimate Collection
• 1999: Millenium Collection (2 CDs)
• 1999: Wonderful World Beautiful People
• 2000: The Messenger: The Very Best of Reggae's Original Soul Star
• 2000: Wanted (2 CDs)
• 2001: Classic: The Universal Masters Collection / Classic Jimmy Cliff
• 2001: Jimmy Cliff
• 2003: The EMI Years 1973-1975
• 2003: Many Rivers to Cross: The Best of Jimmy Cliff
• 2003: Anthology (2 CDs)
• 2003: You Can Get It If You Really Want… The Best Of
• 2003: Sunshine in the Music
• 2004: The Best of Jimmy Cliff
• 2004: Reggae Night
• 2004: This Is Crucial Reggae
• 2004: Goodbye Yesterday
• 2005: The Harder They Come: The Definitive Collection
• 2006: The Essential Jimmy Cliff (2 CDs)
• 2010: Harder Road to Travel: The Collection (2 CDs)
• 2013: Icon
• 2015: The Ska Singles 1961–1962

Singles

year	Title album	Top ranking, total weeks, awardChart placementsChart placements (Year, title, album , rankings, weeks, awards, notes)						Remarks
		DE	AT	CH	UK	US	R&B
1969	Wonderful World, Beautiful People Jimmy Cliff	-	-	-	UK6 (13 weeks) UK	US25 (11 weeks) US	-	First published: October 24, 1969 Author: Jimmy Cliff
1970	Vietnam Jimmy Cliff	DE15 (8 weeks) DE	-	-	UK46 (3 weeks) UK	-	-	First published: January 16, 1970 Author: Jimmy Cliff
	Come into My Life Jimmy Cliff	-	-	-	-	US89 (3 weeks) US	-	First published: Mar 26, 1970 B-side of Sufferin 'in the Land Author: Jimmy Cliff
	Wild World Wild World	-	AT20 (4 weeks) AT	CH2 (11 weeks) CH	UK8 (12 weeks) UK	-	-	First published: August 7, 1970 Author: Cat Stevens
1982	Special special	-	-	-	-	-	R&B76 (4 weeks) R&B	First published: September 29, 1982 Author: Jimmy Cliff
1983	Reggae Night The Power and the Glory	DE35 (8 weeks) DE	-	-	UK91 (2 weeks) UK	-	R&B89 (4 weeks) R&B	First published: November 4, 1983 Authors: Amir-Salaam Bayyan, La Toya Jackson
1984	We Are the One The Power and the Glory	-	-	-	UK93 (1 week) UK	-	R&B75 (5 weeks) R&B	First published: January 1984 Authors: Amir Bayyan, Huey Harris, Joe Ellis Williams, Raymond Harris
1989	Pressure Drop EP	-	-	-	UK86 (2 weeks) UK	-	-	First release: April 1989 1 track each from The Maytals , The Skatalites , The Pioneers + Jimmy Cliffs Hard Road to Travel
1992	Peace breakout	-	-	-	-	-	R&B96 (2 weeks) R&B	First published: June 1992 Author: Jimmy Cliff
	Breakout breakout	-	-	-	-	-	R&B81 (7 weeks) R&B	First published: September 1992 Author: Jimmy Cliff
1993	I Can See Clearly Now Cool Runnings (Soundtrack)	DE52 (22 weeks) DE	-	-	UK23 (6 weeks) UK	US18 (25 weeks) US	R&B98 (3 weeks) R&B	First published: October 1993 from the soundtrack of the film Cool Runnings - Being there is all author and original: Johnny Nash , 1972
1994	(Your Love Keeps Lifting Me) Higher and Higher The Air Up There (Soundtrack)	DE52 (11 weeks) DE	-	-	-	-	-	First published: September 1994 from the soundtrack of the film The Air Up There Authors: Gary Jackson, Carl Smith Original: Jackie Wilson , 1967
1995	Hakuna Matata The Rhythm of the Pride Lands	DE77 (7 weeks) DE	-	CH32 (5 weeks) CH	-	-	-	First published: February 21, 1995 Authors: Elton John , Tim Rice Original: Nathan Lane , Ernie Sabella , Jason Weaver, Joseph Williams

More singles

• 1961: I'm sorry
• 1962: Dearest Beverley
• 1962: Miss Jamaica
• 1962: Since Lately
• 1963: My Lucky Day
• 1963: King of Kings
• 1963: Miss Universe
• 1963: The Man
• 1964: One-Eyed Jacks (released September 25th)
• 1966: Pride and Passion (released January)
• 1967: Give and Take (release: February)
• 1967: I Got a Feeling (And I Can't Stop) (Release: June)
• 1968: That's the Way Life Goes (release: January 26th)
• 1968: Set Me Free (with Jackie Edwards; released June 14)
• 1968: Waterfall (release: July 12th)
• 1970: Sufferin 'in the Land (release: March 26th)
• 1970: You Can Get It If You Really Want (released July 10th)
• 1970: Synthetic World (released December 4th)
• 1971: Bongo Man (as James Chambers)
• 1971: Those Good Good Old Days
• 1971: Goodbye Yesterday (released May 21)
• 1971: Sitting in Limbo (release: August 27th)
• 1972: Struggling Man (released April 21)
• 1972: The Harder They Come (release: July 28th)
• 1973: On My Life (release: July 13th)
• 1973: Born to Win (release: September)
• 1973: Fundamental Reggay (release: October 12th)
• 1974: Look What You Done to My Life, Devil Woman (released May 3rd)
• 1974: Money Won't Save You (released July 26th)
• 1974: Don't Let It Die (release: November 29th)
• 1974: Music Maker (release: December)
• 1975: Every Tub
• 1975: Oh Jamaica (released September 19th)
• 1976: Look at the Mountains (release: April 9th)
• 1977: You Can Get It If You Really Want (released May 20th)
• 1977: Let's Turn the Table
• 1977: Deal with Life (as Jimmy Cliffe)
• 1978: Many Rivers to Cross (release: June 9th)
• 1979: Stand Up and Fight Back (release: January 19th)
• 1980: Satan Kingdom
• 1980: All the Strength We Got (release: July 11th)
• 1980: I Am the Living (release: August 22nd)
• 1980: Another Summer (released October 31)
• 1981: Rub-a-Dub partner
• 1981: Midnight Rockers
• 1981: Give the People What They Want
• 1982: Roots Radical (release: July)
• 1982: Treat the Youths Right
• 1983: Love Is All (released February 4th)
• 1984: Reggae Movement (release: August)
• 1984: Black Bess
• 1984: De Youths Dem a Bawl
• 1985: Hot Shot (release: July)
• 1985: American Sweet (release: December)
• 1986: Seven-Day Weekend (with Elvis Costello and the Attractions ; release: June)
• 1986: Club Paradise (release: July)
• 1987: Step Aside (Roots Girl)
• 1988: Love Me Love Me (release: February)
• 1989: Pressure on Botha (with Josey Wales)
• 1990: Rebel
• 1991: Pride and Passion
• 1993: True Revolutionary
• 1993: Many RiverstTo Cross
• 1995: Melody Tempo Harmony (feat. Bernard Lavilliers )
• 1995: Hakuna Matata (feat.Lebohang Morrake)

Honors

• Order of Merit (Jamaica) (2003)

literature

• Katz, David: Jimmy Cliff, an unauthorized biography. Oxford: Signal Books, 2011 ISBN 978-1-904955-96-2 .
• Stambler, Irwin: The Encyclopedia of Pop, Rock and Soul . 3rd Revised Edition, New York City, New York: St. Martin's Press, 1989, pp. 129-131, ISBN 0-312-02573-4 .

swell

1. ↑ ^{a b} Chart sources: DE AT CH UK Billboard Hot 100 Billboard 200
2. ^ Joel Whitburn : Top R&B Albums 1965–1998, ISBN 0-89820-134-9 .
3. ^ Joel Whitburn : Hot R&B Songs 1942–2010: 6th Edition, ISBN 978-0-89820-186-4 .
4. ↑ Honor for 'the rebel' ( Memento of the original from January 13, 2016 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. , Jamaica Observer, October 21, 2003. Retrieved February 9, 2012. 

Web links

Commons : Jimmy Cliff  - collection of images, videos and audio files

• Literature by and about Jimmy Cliff in the catalog of the German National Library
• Official website (English)
• Jimmy Cliff at Allmusic (English)
• Jimmy Cliff at Discogs (English)
• Jimmy Cliff in the Internet Movie Database (English)
• Jimmy Cliff at laut.de
• Jimmy Cliff at 45cat.com (English)