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Jimmy Cliff — Sitting In Limbo
Album: The Harder They Come
Avg rating:
7.3

Your rating:
Total ratings: 2393









Released: 1972
Length: 4:50
Plays (last 30 days): 2
Sitting here in limbo
But I know it won't be long
Sitting here in limbo
Like a bird without a song
Well, they're putting up a resistance
But I know that my faith will lead me on

Sitting here in limbo
Waiting for the dice to roll
Yeah, now, sitting here in limbo
Got some time to search my soul
Well, they're putting up a resistance
But I know that my faith will lead me on

I don't know where life will leave me
But I know where I have been
I can't say what life will show me
But I know what I have seen
Tried my hand at love and friendship
But all that is past and gone
This little boy is movin' on

Sitting here in limbo
Waiting for the tide to flow
Sitting here in limbo
Knowing that I have to go
Well, they're putting up a resistance
But I know that my faith will lead me on

I don't know where life will take me
But I know where I have been
I don't know what life will show me
But I know what I have seen
Tried my hand at love and friendship
That is past and gone
And now it's time to move along

Gonna lead me on now
Meanwhile, they're putting up resistance
But I know that my faith will lead me on
Sitting in limbo, limbo, limbo
Sitting in limbo, limbo, limbo
Sitting in limbo, limbo, limbo
Meanwhile, they're putting up a resistance
But I know that my faith will lead me on
Comments (156)add comment
Pretty much any tune on this landmark album is pushin' 10 for me!
Setting context:I iam now nearly five months into a so called "career break".In short my overdue response to a "universe ,hey Stop" message. But ...more often than I would like ,I get frightening visions of myself sleeping on cardboard box ,a "purple tin" of cider for comfort....Then this song weaves it's magic and reminds me there is always time to heal.Thanx Jimmy...
Boy, did I need to hear this- perfectly timed, as always, RP. 
 Waaiers wrote:
Extremely boring, zZzzzzZ



To the unworthy.
Always crank this one up. Reminds me of my brother. RIP bro
Just noticed the '70 Mercury Cougar stretch limo in the Peter Max-esque cover illustration!
Extremely boring, zZzzzzZ
 JustJanis wrote:

It's my theme song........still sitting.....still in limbo



I'm sorry to hear that. At least it's nice waiting music. 
 MilSF1 wrote:

Just watched the "Muscle Shoals" documentary. Hadn't realized that the "Swampers" of The Muscle Shoals Sound Studio were the backing band for this track.


Growing up in Montgomery, it was often spelled 'Mussel Shoals' - for the mussels natives used to collect from the river.
c.

 MilSF1 wrote:

Just watched the "Muscle Shoals" documentary. Hadn't realized that the "Swampers" of The Muscle Shoals Sound Studio were the backing band for this track.



Highly recommend taking the tour if you're ever in the area.  A hidden gem that was more 'instrumental' (pun intended) than most realize.  We were just there last month and it was amazing.
Just watched the "Muscle Shoals" documentary. Hadn't realized that the "Swampers" of The Muscle Shoals Sound Studio were the backing band for this track.
The perfect pandemic song
The whole 'The Harder They Come' soundtrack album is worth checking out.
a must have album for lovers of contemporary music. Came across this in 80 or so and still spin the record and smile. 
I've seen Jimmy a few times since and think he is a real class act . 
 Jelani wrote:
 
 2021



This song has been relevant and remains relevant to whenever you hear it.
I had the good fortune to have shared a smile with Jimmy Cliff at City Gardens in Trenton, NJ. He had a big fat spliff in his hand but I think Jimmy smiles naturally. I smile every time I see or hear him.
Great tune! Classic. Love the Willy version too.
pandemic prescient.
Hey man,

It's February. It's the Midwest. It's snowing again. Its freakin freezing outside. 

Sitting in Limbo? 

I ain't dancing at the cantina.
 NeuroJoe wrote:


Fast forward to 2020.....
 2021

 JustJanis wrote:
It's my theme song........still sitting.....still in limbo
 

Fast forward to 2020.....
You're kilin' it today, Bill. Thank you!
Such a great song for right now! Last day of my 2 week isolation alone.. Waiting for results of my final covid test and tomorrow I can go visit my sister who is 9months pregnant and due any day! So excited.. in the meantime.. sitting in limbo....
The Jerry Garcia Band version is also amazing!  Love this song.
I always thought this was more Curious George than bad&$s.  Classic tune, though, and I love the lyrics.  Easy 8 from me.
Beautiful reggae vibes We love you
 ziakut wrote:
The letters B, L, A and H come to mind upon hearing this mediocre tune. Pleasant but not too memorable.
 
Beautiful, Lovely, Amazing, and Heavenly


Average rating 7?? Sacrilege.
Long Live                                                                                                                         Radio Paradise
                                                                                                                                          8 - Most  Excellent     
This song brings back memories.  Time to do a bit of time travel and watch the movie again. So much good music on the sound track. Irye!
Ok, 9 -> 10
just love this song, the vibe, lyrics, rhythm all of it just flows so well together, truly a piece of art 
 Sitting In Limbo is as it happens. so something happens.
I think this is the first time I've heard the original for some reason.  Don't know how I've missed it for so long.

John Sebastian does a really nice cover of this on his Tarzana Kid album. 
 funkyalfonso wrote:

Great song but do you really want to go out....in limbo? How about Groucho Marx singing ' I must be going.' Perfect.

 
maybe someone could play a cover, "sitting in bardo"
 daveinnj wrote:
Oy, this song hits me in the gut every time I hear it. 
While I hopes it's a long ways away; this is the song I want played at my funeral.
 

 
Great song but do you really want to go out....in limbo? How about Groucho Marx singing ' I must be going.' Perfect.
Oy, this song hits me in the gut every time I hear it. 
While I hopes it's a long ways away; this is the song I want played at my funeral.
 
 Proclivities wrote:

It later occurred to me that OST probably means "Original Soundtrack".  Whatever...

 
Yeah Proclivities, that does make more sense, huh. Thanks for the update.
 ziakut wrote:

Thanks scrubbrush! I appreciate this tune. I also appreciate the way you explain your contrary thought. You are kind and articulate. Thank you for that. Far too many here take affront to averse thought and take things far too seriously. Some even sling mud and name call. So thanks for being who you are!

 
I know, far too many real insults.  A lot of the time it is just funny back-and-forth harmless trash talking, but we really do have some arrogant drips, our resident thought police.  Just keep posting ziakut, I really enjoy reading your comments.
If you are a *real* Jimmy Cliff fan, then you've seen this:

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0070155/

10 extra points if you don't need the subtitles.
Love this song so much. Thx Bill.
 scrubbrush wrote:


This song has been covered, quoted, and popular for over 40 years. Apparently it's memorable to others. love it myself.

 
Thanks scrubbrush! I appreciate this tune. I also appreciate the way you explain your contrary thought. You are kind and articulate. Thank you for that. Far too many here take affront to averse thought and take things far too seriously. Some even sling mud and name call. So thanks for being who you are!
 ziakut wrote:
The letters B, L, A and H come to mind upon hearing this mediocre tune. Pleasant but not too memorable.

 

This song has been covered, quoted, and popular for over 40 years. Apparently it's memorable to others. love it myself.
Bill's segues getting ever more sophisticated with this song and its line about 'putting up resistance' following the cut from H Manx's album 'Om Sweet Ohm'. Hmm, gotta be on yer toes these days...
The letters B, L, A and H come to mind upon hearing this mediocre tune. Pleasant but not too memorable.
 JIan wrote:

OST = Open Source Track, I assume.  {#Angel}
 
It later occurred to me that OST probably means "Original Soundtrack".  Whatever...
 Proclivities wrote:

OST?  Good tune.
 
OST = Open Source Track, I assume.  {#Angel}
I like this song, and after that Snow Patrol song, this is like seeing the heavens open.
Like walking out of sweltering stuffy shit house into warm sunshine.


always...
 Bobert_ParkCity wrote:
Finally saw Jimmy - he opened for Michael Franti at Deer Valley. So my limbo has ended!
 
So jealous, that must have been a heck of a show!
 coding_to_music wrote:
Jimmy's using Sonar to find the Submarine !!!
Sonar Submarine
 

Hmmm. Forward planes mounted to the hull and not the tower, and high up on the hull, characteristic of a Brit design.
 WanderingPenguin wrote:
This might be the best OST album of all time.
 
OST?  Good tune.
 coding_to_music wrote:
Jimmy's using Sonar to find the Submarine !!!
Sonar Submarine
 
Bastard sunk my battleship. 
Janis! They're playing your song!


Finally saw Jimmy - he opened for Michael Franti at Deer Valley. So my limbo has ended!
This might be the best OST album of all time.
One of very few perfect albums...
Not me, I'm standing in limbo ever since my back went into spasms

Great song from a great soundtrack.
Thanks RP! Mighty sweet... I had the good fortune to find this on vinyl at Goodwill a few years ago for 50 cents. Remember around 1989-90 when you could buy every LP ever made for a dime? Seattle Goodwill filled a whole parking lot with LP's every year. That was one cultural wave I actually caught; so y'all be ready when the last CD is pressed and people dump them by the ton! We'll be clustered around the dusty old CD player, rememberin' the day.

 ThePoose wrote:
Some songs work like a charm and can be considered perfect.

This is one of them.
 
Amen brother
Jimmy's using Sonar to find the Submarine !!!
Sonar Submarine
{#Daisy}
yeah they did.  love this original too though.... {#Cowboy}

 moshevelvul wrote:
JGB - always did this song right as well......
 


from 8 to 10 !  Timing helps {#Meditate} 

whistling isn't that good, however!

I've either never heard that song, or just never really listened to it.  What a great song.
JGB - always did this song right as well......
Some songs work like a charm and can be considered perfect.

This is one of them.
 JustJanis wrote:
It's my theme song........still sitting.....still in limbo
 
I think of you every time I hear this.



 Mugro wrote:

This song sums up my situation at the moment...


 

I'm happy to report that I'm in limbo no longer. What a difference a year makes!
Passion and pleasure combined in one soulful voice... Jimmy Cliff.

play us some Live Jimmy   {#Cool}
Heard the first lines and immediately remembered that Three Dog Night did this about a million years ago, and I even liked that version. This is ever-so-much better. I just love the song itself.
Love it!
Jelani wrote:
Wait a minute, as far as I know 250 Testa Rossa's don't have radio's, or tops to go with them.What did you do??!!!!! OMG!
Funny! I'm about to turn a '70 250c into a permanent convertible for beach use, and the local MB enthusiasts are in a lather. None of them wants to buy or restore the rusted 'ol beaut, but they don't want me to have any fun with it either.

This, of course, was probably the TR250 in question



 romeotuma wrote:


love it...
 
me too, rated it at an 8.  Love Radio Paradise
 TeddiB wrote:
One of my favorite albums. I'm riding in my TR250 with the top down cranking the stereo on the "smoking trail"! The 70's were the greatest! Sex, drugs, rock and roll and no STD's that weren't curable!
 
Wait a minute, as far as I know 250 Testa Rossa's don't have radio's, or tops to go with them.What did you do??!!!!!
OMG! 
 Mugro wrote:

This song sums up my situation at the moment...

 
Me too. I feel for you.
I"m sitting here hoping as well. 

I always hear "Sitting in a limo".

This song sums up my situation at the moment...


 TeddiB wrote:
One of my favorite albums. I'm riding in my TR250 with the top down cranking the stereo on the "smoking trail"! The 70's were the greatest! Sex, drugs, rock and roll and no STD's that weren't curable!
 
Yeah! I like this statement and this tune is simply fantastic.  Great music from a superb artist / performer... 9/10{#Sunny}

How appropriately these tunes come on....
{#Sunny}
Used to have this on vinyl, gotta get it on CD, this is very very good.
 crowhog2000 wrote:
{#Sunny}
 
Isn't it?


 crowhog2000 wrote:
{#Sunny}
 

{#Sunny}
{#Sunny}
Lovin' this.  Beautiful!
Candela wrote:

 

 

 

{#Daisy}



                                                                                                 {#Sunny}

                                                                                                

 

 

 

{#Daisy}


{#Sunny}

How nice to hear a song you've known for*ever*. Sigh!

Was it really 1972?
 beelzebubba wrote:
Never liked Marley, never liked Peter Tosh, never lilked reggae much at all. But Jimmy Cliff, I like!

Interesting point. I think he adds some soul inflection to the island sound, and that's what I like.


musikalia wrote:
I see what you mean- a 1 for "Get back" - block this user until she finished school.
Thank You! I'm sorry but I just have to gang up here, and say I was astounded at the polarized (nearly all 10s and 1s) ratings of dreadpixie. The list of 1s had my jaw on the floor. The comments also made me think that this person is the alter-ego of closedmindedmoron and/or physicsgenius.
Well, every community has it's "interesting" people, hehe.



I thought this was Keb Mo when I first heard it. This guys voice is a bit smoother.

I don’t care how many times I hear this song, I still love it!

And, the album is one of my favorites – I want to go into the other room and blast it.



Awwww. I love this song!
Did Janis Ian cover this too? I keep hearing her voice in the back of my head.
Funny, I never knew he wrote this song...it has been done by so many other artist
Love every song on this album.
Excellent, Feel good tune!
Great song from a great soundtrack
Not a bad song on this album. 'Sweet & Dandy', 'Johnny Too Bad', please play more of THTC!
This is the essence of Grand Rapids, MI!
brilliant!!! I still have this album on vinyl a vastly under rated singer
YEAH! This is one of those songs that just forces a smile to appear on my face! Go Jimmy Go!
dreadpixie wrote:
Really now. I'm not this old. pls2play Chemical Brothers or something please.
Dear miss snotty pants, I'm not this old either, but thanks to my mother and her record collection, I learned to appreciate the roots of modern music!
The original (this) is the best, IMO. There are some good covers out there (Neville Brothers, for one), as well.
According to wikipedia the mandolin player was David Grisman. YA_MAN wrote:
Jerry Garcia did a nice version of this with a mandolin player, I can remenber his name off the top of my head, must be getting old, oh wait I am old, can anyone help with this name please
YA_MAN wrote:
Jerry Garcia did a nice version of this with a mandolin player, I can remenber his name off the top of my head, must be getting old, oh wait I am old, can anyone help with this name please
Was is David Grisman? I think that's his name...
Jerry Garcia did a nice version of this with a mandolin player, I can remenber his name off the top of my head, must be getting old, oh wait I am old, can anyone help with this name please
dreadpixie wrote:
Really now. I'm not this old. pls2play Chemical Brothers or something please.
teoni wrote:
two words for your ilk: "hey nineteen." ..."she don't remember/ the Queen of Soul..." :: Poor baby--makes your widdle head hurt? aww. bet you say that about anything from the Beatles too, right? Time to get schooled. It's the stuff played from ALL eras and genres that makes this station listenable.
Thank You! I'm sorry but I just have to gang up here, and say I was astounded at the polarized (nearly all 10s and 1s) ratings of dreadpixie. The list of 1s had my jaw on the floor. The comments also made me think that this person is the alter-ego of closedmindedmoron and/or physicsgenius. Well, every community has it's "interesting" people, hehe.
dreadpixie wrote:
Really now. I'm not this old. pls2play Chemical Brothers or something please.
two words for your ilk: "hey nineteen." ..."she don't remember/ the Queen of Soul..." :: Poor baby--makes your widdle head hurt? aww. bet you say that about anything from the Beatles too, right? Time to get schooled. It's the stuff played from ALL eras and genres that makes this station listenable.
Great movie as well...
Lots happening here, all of it nice!
We are all in Limbo in our own little way...
SittingInLimbo wrote:
It's my theme song........still sitting.....still in limbo
I'm sitting here in limbo right now. This song could be the current theme of my life. Nice to hear it. Limbo can be exciting...what's next!? ...it can also be scary...
jah_blessed wrote:
This is going to be followed by Otis Redding... UPDATE: Yep, it was. Both are fine songs of course, but these repeated segues are getting stale.
Bill can't be here in person ALL the time! His set "chunks" are good!
dexev wrote:
I'll probably be sent to a special level of he77 for this, but I think I prefer willie's version -- this one's just too sweet-sounding for me.
My favorite one is the Grisman&Garcia version. So I guess I'll be rotting there with you.
Love it. 8.
I'll probably be sent to a special level of he77 for this, but I think I prefer willie's version -- this one's just too sweet-sounding for me.
SWWWWWEEEEEEETTT!