Summary of "A History of Rock Music in 500 Songs"

Episode 182: “Many Rivers to Cross” by Jimmy Cliff

Host: Andrew Hickey | Date: December 18, 2025

Overview

In this episode, Andrew Hickey delves into the life, career, and influence of Jamaican musician Jimmy Cliff, using his song "Many Rivers to Cross" as a lens to explore the development and global spread of reggae music. Hickey intertwines a biography of Cliff, who passed away in November 2025, with the broader history of Jamaican music, addressing issues of race, cultural identity, and the transnational journey of reggae. The episode highlights Cliff's resilience, musical innovation, and his considerable impact—second only to Bob Marley—in bringing reggae to worldwide audiences.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

Early Life and Formative Years

• Background: James Chambers (Jimmy Cliff) grew up impoverished in rural Jamaica, raised by a strict Pentecostal father ([00:09]-[05:10]).
  • "Growing up with his father and brother in a one-room shack with no electricity and no plumbing... there was always the river." ([00:09])
• Musical Awakening: Began singing in church, but was more drawn to music than religion. Inspired by Fats Domino and New Orleans R&B ([05:10]).
  • "I enjoyed the singing of the church, but when the preaching came on, I slept." – Jimmy Cliff ([00:09])
• First Public Performances: As a child, he performed Fats Domino songs at local 4H Club talent shows and adopted his stage name, Jimmy Cliff ([05:25]).

Move to Kingston and Early Struggles

• Relocation to Kingston: As a teenager, Cliff moved to Kingston for education and opportunity ([08:56]).
  • Chose a radio over tuition when moving to the city, reflecting his commitment to music ([08:56]).
• Initial Rejections and Determination: Faced repeated setbacks; record producers uninterested until he wrote "Dearest Beverly" to attract the Kong brothers ([12:23]-[14:15]).
• "One thing that comes through over and over again in Cliff's story is that he was just not someone who would give up no matter how impossible things seemed." ([12:23])

Jamaica’s Music Industry and Racial Dynamics

• Breakthrough with Leslie Kong: Cliff’s persistence paid off when Leslie Kong, a Chinese-Jamaican shop owner, decided to record Cliff after Derek Morgan’s endorsement ([14:15]-[16:51]).
• Complex Racial Dynamics: The episode documents tensions in the Jamaican music world, especially toward Chinese-Jamaican producers, as exemplified by Prince Buster’s anti-Chinese records ([20:32]).

Contributions as Talent Scout and Producer

• Mentoring Role: Cliff played crucial roles in launching careers of Desmond Dekker and Bob Marley ([30:32]-[34:25]).
  • "[Desmond Dekker] would become the biggest star of the 60s in Jamaica..." ([31:41])
  • "That was the start of Bob Marley." – Jimmy Cliff ([34:25])

Evolution of Jamaican Music: Ska, Rocksteady, Reggae

• Musical Transitions: The episode details the transitions from ska to rocksteady to reggae, with Cliff both contributing to and adapting within these shifts ([52:28]-[61:31]).
  • Key artists and records are referenced (Elton Ellis' "Rocksteady," Larry Marshall's "Nanny Goat," Toots & the Maytals "Do the Reggae").
• Session Musicians: Rise of the Beverley’s/Glad All Stars as foundational studio players ([59:08]).

International Success and Challenges

• British Breakthrough: With help from Chris Blackwell of Island Records, Cliff recorded and performed in Britain, soon finding success with “Wonderful World, Beautiful People” and “Vietnam” ([41:56]-[63:01]).
  • "I came to the UK, I was still in my teens. I came full of vigor. I’m going to make it. I’m going to be up there with the Beatles and the Stones. And it wasn't really going like that." – Jimmy Cliff ([63:44])
• Signature Song – “Many Rivers to Cross”: Written from a place of frustration and longing; became a standard covered widely ([63:44]-[83:25]).
  • "Frustration fuelled the song." – Jimmy Cliff ([63:44])

The Harder They Come: Film and Soundtrack

• Star-Making Vehicle: Starring in "The Harder They Come" (1972) thrust Cliff and reggae into international consciousness ([70:04]-[88:47]).
  • The film’s storyline parallels Cliff’s personal journey, blending biography and fiction.
  • "The story of Ivanhoe Martin got intermingled with the story of Cliff." ([72:08])
• Lasting Impact: Despite delayed US recognition, the film’s soundtrack solidifies Cliff’s and reggae’s place in pop culture.

Tensions and Legacy

• Break with Chris Blackwell: Cliff split with Blackwell as Bob Marley's ascendancy eclipsed his own, despite Cliff having signed Marley to his first record deal ([89:42]).
• Continued Influence: Throughout the '70s, '80s, and beyond, Cliff remained a global ambassador for reggae, collaborating across genres and continents ([94:24]-[101:45]).
  • Notable collaborations: "Trapped" (covered by Bruce Springsteen), "Sun City" protest song, guesting with the Rolling Stones, Club Paradise soundtrack.

Later Years and Continued Activism

• Global Reach: Cliff enjoyed significant popularity in Africa and South America, sometimes facing controversy (e.g., performing in apartheid-era South Africa) but always engaging with political issues ([95:27]-[104:28]).
• Recognition and Final Albums: Two-time Grammy winner, still recording and performing into his 70s, with “Rebirth” (2012) and “Refugees” (2022) as recent acclaimed works ([105:43]-[107:32]).
  • "He wasn’t the biggest star in the world, but he was moderately big everywhere, a truly worldwide success." ([107:32])
  • Only Cliff and Marley are inducted Jamaicans in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Resilience and Identity:
  "I enjoyed the singing of the church, but when the preaching came on, I slept.” – Jimmy Cliff ([00:09])

• On Industry Racism and Tenacity:
  "He was just not someone who would give up no matter how impossible things seemed." – Andrew Hickey ([12:23])

• On the Ambiguity of Reggae’s Beginnings:
  "There's no first anything." ([54:13])

• On International Struggles:
  "I couldn't find my place. Frustration fuelled the song." – Jimmy Cliff, on writing "Many Rivers to Cross" ([63:44])

• On Jamaican Society and The Harder They Come:
  "The film is the kind of ultra low budget thing that could only really have got an audience in the late 1960s... but that cheap option gives the film an air of documentary realism." ([74:02])

• On Commercial Challenges:
  "By then all the blues and R&B that I'd been doing while playing clubs in England had become a part of me... Lots of people thought that it was a bad move because I was doing good with reggae. So why change and go into a different kind of thing?" – Jimmy Cliff ([68:39])

• On Enduring Influence:
  "He wasn’t the biggest star in the world, but he was moderately big everywhere, a truly worldwide success, and he did more to popularise the reggae genre outside Jamaica than anyone other than Bob Marley." – Andrew Hickey ([107:32])

Important Segments and Timestamps

• Cliff’s Early Life and Musical Upbringing: [00:09]-[05:10]
• Kingston Move and Struggles: [08:56]-[12:23]
• Partnership with Leslie Kong: [14:15]-[16:51]
• Racial Dynamics in Jamaican Music: [20:32]
• Mentoring Desmond Dekker & Bob Marley: [30:32]-[34:25]
• Reggae’s Stylistic Evolution: [52:28]-[61:31]
• First International Breakthroughs: [41:56]-[63:01]
• Creation and Legacy of “Many Rivers to Cross”: [63:44]-[65:11], [79:45]-[83:45]
• The Harder They Come – Film and Aftermath: [70:04]-[88:47]
• Break with Blackwell & Marley’s Rise: [89:42]
• African and South American Success, 1980s Collaborations: [94:24]-[101:45]
• Grammy Recognition and Final Works: [102:55]-[107:32]

Conclusion

Andrew Hickey frames Jimmy Cliff's legacy as that of a tireless innovator, mentor, and globalizer of reggae who, through a combination of talent, determination, and vision, left an indelible mark on the music world. Despite setbacks, industry racism, and being overshadowed by later giants, Cliff's songs—especially "Many Rivers to Cross"—and his pioneering role in both music and film remain vital, hopeful, and enduring. The episode honors Cliff’s sixty-year career, culminating in his passing, with affection and respect for both the artist and the larger history he shaped.