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Jimmy Cliff — Many Rivers to Cross
Album: The Harder They Come
Avg rating:
7.6

Your rating:
Total ratings: 2265









Released: 1972
Length: 2:49
Plays (last 30 days): 3
Many rivers to cross
But I can't seem to find my way over
Wandering I am lost
As I travel along the white cliffs of dover

Many rivers to cross
And it's only my will that keeps me alive
I've been licked, washed up for years
And I merely survive because of my pride

And this loneliness won't leave me alone
It's such a drag to be on your own
My woman left me and she didn't say why
Well, I guess I'll have to cry

Many rivers to cross
But just where to begin I'm playing for time
There have been times I find myself
Thinking of committing some dreadful crime

Yes, I've got many rivers to cross
But I can't seem to find my way over
Wandering, I am lost
As I travel along the white cliffs of Dover

Yes, I've got many rivers to cross
And I merely survive because of my will...
Comments (103)add comment
Loving RP right this moment. Music is timeless and thankful.
From Toccata in D minor to this, Yes! I guess this is what you could call an organic segue...
Sorry, I'll get my coat, yet again. 
 nate917 wrote:

Bill does the best segues.  It's fun to look for the common thread; sometimes, it's just that the songs were in the same key.  Other times, the songs were both about fire or something.  It is his art, and it's so enjoyable.
02/17/23
Cruel Country Wilco
Sail Away Randy Newman
Many Rivers To Cross Jimmy Cliff
#1 example of the last sentence.
follow the lyrics, 10/10

I love you, PSD!
So this last time, this song followed the organ piece, Tocatta and Fugue. Excellent segue!
 LaurieinTucson wrote:

little flat on the high notes

I don't recall noticing that before - I wonder if it is a fault with this recording? 

Such memories are attached to this song and the era!  I heard it during one of those challenging times, that involved one, of several more rivers for me to cross, and the song remained in my heart as I crossed them.  It remains one of the treasures in my treasure chest.
 LaurieinTucson wrote:

little flat on the high notes



And yet so much better than than many auto-tuned songs
Jimmy Cliff is a hero. This album is perfect.  
God yes I like this song. My bro told me this is one of his favorite albums.

So soulful. 
 Proclivities wrote:

Michael Bolton was unavailable that day, apparently he was playing dominoes in a pub.
 

This is better ,few voices can do it as well , another one is Seal
This is pure glacier water
Very appropriate song for today.
Jimmy Cliff. 10
Pretty soon there will be to many rivers to cross with climate change Dirty oil coal factory farming jail the creeps that run these shows hang em by the balls
Long Live                                                                                                    Radio Paradise 
8 - Most Excellent   going DOWN to 6   next time I Skip
 Steely_D wrote:

Fun how BillG recognized the loud, incisive voice of John Fogerty with "River is Waiting" and pairs it with the same sort of voice and this song. That's why RP is better than random programming.
 
Bill does the best segues.  It's fun to look for the common thread; sometimes, it's just that the songs were in the same key.  Other times, the songs were both about fire or something.  It is his art, and it's so enjoyable.
A classic!
We don't hear enough Jimmy Cliff on RP.
 Angry_Old_Man wrote:
Good soulful stuff
 
It sure is sir!



Good soulful stuff
 
 LaurieinTucson wrote:
little flat on the high notes

 
Michael Bolton was unavailable that day, apparently he was playing dominoes in a pub.
Works real well when you see the movie,The Harder They Come.
little flat on the high notes
More like oceans
 Alexandra wrote:

Today, this hits home—with one small change to the lyrics:

 

And this loneliness won't leave me alone
It's such a drag to be on your own
My kitty left me, she unexpectedly died
Well, I guess I'll have to cry



 
There is no loneliness I am just alone
It is great  when one is on ones own
I kicked my husband out with all my might
Now I am free and and the remote is mine {#Bananajam}{#Dancingbanana_2}{#Bananapiano}{#Bananajumprope}{#Bananasplit} 
 Alexandra wrote:

Today, this hits home—with one small change to the lyrics:

 

And this loneliness won't leave me alone
It's such a drag to be on your own
My kitty left me, she unexpectedly died
Well, I guess I'll have to cry



 
hugs from a listener {#Sunny}

Today, this hits home—with one small change to the lyrics:

 

And this loneliness won't leave me alone
It's such a drag to be on your own
My kitty left me, she unexpectedly died
Well, I guess I'll have to cry


 colt4x5 wrote:

From Wikipedia: 
"Many Rivers to Cross" is a song written in 1969 by Jimmy Cliff.
It has been recorded by several artists, including 
Harry Nilsson
John Lennon
Joe Cocker
Percy Sledge
Desmond Dekker
UB40
Cher
Eric Burdon & The Animals
Marcia Hines
Toni Childs
Oleta Adams
Linda Rondstadt 
and Annie Lennox.

So yeah, cover. 

 
I love this fabulous song.......I haven't heard all these covers but how could any of them be bad.  I loved Rondstadt's—-that simple, great voice.  
 colt4x5 wrote:
Church organ, heavenly voice. 
 

 
I don't know what it is exactly, but his voice on this song just grates on me so much I have to mute it. He is really stretching for those high notes and not quite getting there and it's like he got a kazoo is his throat when he tries :^ /
 colt4x5 wrote:
Church organ, heavenly voice. 
 

 
Fun how BillG recognized the loud, incisive voice of John Fogerty with "River is Waiting" and pairs it with the same sort of voice and this song. That's why RP is better than random programming.
 Bleyfusz wrote:
And no doubt one of the worst covers.
 
From Wikipedia: 
"Many Rivers to Cross" is a song written in 1969 by Jimmy Cliff.
It has been recorded by several artists, including 
Harry Nilsson
John Lennon
Joe Cocker
Percy Sledge
Desmond Dekker
UB40
Cher
Eric Burdon & The Animals
Marcia Hines
Toni Childs
Oleta Adams
Linda Rondstadt 
and Annie Lennox.

So yeah, cover. 
Church organ, heavenly voice. 
 
I have this old LP - The Harder They Come soundtrack - and it is GREAT. It's not just Jimmy Cliff - also Toots & the Maytals, The Slicker, Desmond Dekker, etc. 1972 - when I first paid attention to reggae.
"And this loneliness won't leave me alone"  it always reminds me of redding`s dock of the bay
Playlist was really superb
 Proclivities wrote:

Get over it, Pavarotti.

 
Pavarotti used Auto-tune. Pass it on.
If anyone has seen the movie Rush about the 1976 F1 Championship duel between Niki Lauda and James Hunt, there is a scene in the movie where this record is playing on the turntable in Hunt's living room.  A nice touch by director Ron Howard in an excellent movie.
Ah, Bill.  Just what I was thinking while listening to Fogerty's River is Waiting.  Great minds think alike!


Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it will move. Nothing will be impossible ...
 Proclivities wrote:

Get over it, Pavarotti.
 

:-))) hahahha.. exactly!!! couldnt have said it better. hahahahha..
His new track, "One More"... great stuff! He's still got it. Living legend.
 gtm256 wrote:
Is he flat sometimes on the many rivers part?
 
Get over it, Pavarotti.
GREAT singers, song and inspiration....the movie is fun too.
Why did I know this song was next,,,, 
Such heart felt inspiration...one love
What a great song!
 nagsheadlocal wrote:
I've been working 14-hr days lately trying to bring an old farm back into production. Recently I solved one problem only to have another one present itself. Out of nowhere I said to myself: "Mountains beyond mountains." And I found myself singing this song to myself, miles from no where, deep in the woods, with a broken section of fence as my only audience.

Now I really understand why gospel is so popular. 
 
This is just awesome news, nagsheadlocal - I wish I could help somehow. What kind of work are you doing?  Maybe take your story to the journal forum, so you can just get it all out.

P.S. - This song gets a 10. How many of us have looked at our lives and seen nothing but mountains beyond mountains, and many rivers?  My uncle had a 600-acre farm in Washington - he grew potatoes, corn, and sugar-beets, and his son had a couple-hundred head of Black Angus cattle.  I got to work on that farm when I was young, and it was HARD WORK. Milking cows, feeding chickens, mucking out the pig pens and the stalls, and helping to get the irrigation system working. I only have sketchy memories of it all, but I know it wasn't easy. I LOVED it.

I wish I'd known about this Jimmy Cliff song back then - I'd probably have been singing it, too...

Good on you, for giving back to the farmers, and to us greedy consumers. You are awesome. {#Cheers}
 cc_rider wrote:
I gave this a 9? That is incorrect.
 
I am questioning my 9 as well.  Every time it comes on I stop to listen... maybe that makes a 10.  I really can't decide.
I've been working 14-hr days lately trying to bring an old farm back into production. Recently I solved one problem only to have another one present itself. Out of nowhere I said to myself: "Mountains beyond mountains." And I found myself singing this song to myself, miles from no where, deep in the woods, with a broken section of fence as my only audience.

Now I really understand why gospel is so popular. 
This song (and the whole album) is timeless and wonderful. It was the first album I ever fell in love with, and 24 years later I still love it just as much :)

I gave this a 9? That is incorrect.
I came to this song through UB40's cover version from the early 80s. I retain a soft spot for the cover version, but this is a whole other level of pain and soulfulness.
Excellent song from an excellent album, the soundtrack of a superb film.
Reggae, Gospel, and the white cliffs of Dover. Something for everyone! LOL

Oh, 10, of course.
This is such a classic, love it.
Saw him singing this recently on Jools Holland live, he still sounds amazing!
 imklammer wrote:
FWIW, Rolling Stone ranked this song #317 out of the greatest 500.
 
About 300 places too low, IMHO....


Great song and that album had some great stuff on it besides Jimmy's.  The CD version I have has many taht the original vinyl didn't, including The Israelites.
 blinkblink wrote:


Not a cover. Jimmy wrote it.
 

The reference, I believe, is to the cover artwork
 starfishNcoffee wrote:
You stir my Jamaican pride.
 

And I would love to stir your Jamaican coffee.
Now I understand what all the hype was about Jimmy Cliff.  An incredibly moving piece.   {#Notworthy}
FWIW, Rolling Stone ranked this song #317 out of the greatest 500.
Another superb song from Mr. Cliff. If you guys are interested, Ian Moore does a phenomenal cover of this song on his album Ian Moore's Got The Green Grass. Give Ian a chance, excellent singer/songwriter/guitarist.

You stir my Jamaican pride.
kazuma wrote:
Magic, mythic, timeless.
Yes sir!
Servo, Servo, where art thou?
blinkblink wrote:
Not a cover. Jimmy wrote it.
Maybe the OP was talking about the album cover?
Bleyfusz wrote:
And no doubt one of the worst covers.
Not a cover. Jimmy wrote it.
jah_blessed wrote:
Really one of the best songs ever.
And no doubt one of the worst covers.
sweet tune
Great song and KICKIN' album cover!!
jah_blessed wrote:
Really one of the best songs ever.
Agreed.
Really one of the best songs ever.
wow. this song suits my mood today. blue. Many Rivers to Cross, and I can't seem to find my way across. washed up for years. losing sucks.
I first saw this film ( and heard the song) on a winter night in Santa Fe a long time ago..must have been 1975. Thanks for the memory!
kazuma wrote:
Magic, mythic, timeless.
Amen. Timeless, yet timely as well. Who hasn't felt this way?
I saw this movie so long ago, I can't remember the plot. But I did buy the soundtrack, first on LP, now on CD, and every song is great. This one is a 10.
Magic, mythic, timeless.
Upped this to a 10 after buying the CD and listening to this track over and over again.
Is he flat sometimes on the many rivers part?
This will be my next CD purchase! Thanks for playing.
Oh, RP...what a sweet spot you hit with this one. Even if it didn't already hold a very special place in my heart... I was listening while Husband and I were browsing through photos of the hurricane...nearly brought me to tears... I think this is a truely beautiful song....something about the organ and pleading vocals...it is a hymn- and couldn't have been played at a more imortant time and place. Music really is an incredible force in our lives. Well done.
I can almost see CNN footage of New Orleans by helicopter. The beginning of this century sure has been rough.
Zzzzzzzzzz
Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
thanks rp
upinya wrote:
Are you all crazy? Lest we all forget Harry Nilsson's version on the John Lennon-produced Pussy Cats record during Lennon's lost weekend. Lennon had Nilsson do take after take until his vocal chords bled. He never told Lennon about the injury for fear Lennon would stop the sessions, so he soldiered on through. Classic story. Great take as well.
Fascinating story about Nilsson. I treasured his first album - his best - which included a label saying, "John Lennon's favorite singer...." This version, I regret, doesn't do a lot for me.
Are you all crazy? Lest we all forget Harry Nilsson's version on the John Lennon-produced Pussy Cats record during Lennon's lost weekend. Lennon had Nilsson do take after take until his vocal chords bled. He never told Lennon about the injury for fear Lennon would stop the sessions, so he soldiered on through. Classic story. Great take as well.
Wonderful. This reminds me of sitting in the sun at Glastonbury festival last year with Jimmy singing his little socks off to a field full of gently snoozing hippies. Go Jimmy!!
Isn't Jimmy Cliff an organist? Who's on vocals? Great singer!
Originally Posted by Beastman: I want this playing at my funeral
I wish you a long life. It's a good song but there are better ocasions to hear it.
I want this playing at my funeral
There\'s a beautiful cover of this by the Blind Boys of Alabama. Check it out!
I never get tired of hearing this, thanks again RP
Never get tired of hearing this, thanks
Maybe people nowadays have become too realistic or blasé, to enjoy or appreciate this kind of songs. When I'm in the right mood, I still love to listen to it. Just like I love listening to old Staple Singers recordings from time to time.
A little too \'Gospel,\' but Jimmy\'s showin\' off the pipes I guess.
I first heard this song when Linda Rondstadt covered it. She did a really good job actually.
Lily - I love reggae, but this track is just plain sappiness - not very much reggae about it. it bores me as well.
Not necessarily a west coast thing .... you can never play too much reggae!!! :)