An image of
reggae musicians performing on stage, capturing Jamaican culture, Rastafari
colors, and the global spirit of reggae music.
Reggae music
is more than a genre, it is a living testimony of resilience, unity, and
spiritual awakening. Born in the streets of Kingston, Jamaica, reggae emerged
as the voice of the oppressed, the rhythm of the Rastafari movement, and the
heartbeat of a people determined to rise above struggle.
A major figure in world music, Jimmy Cliff has painstakingly crossed many rivers to become an international superstar.
Life is very tough and full of lessons. In Africa, during our school days and darkest periods, to avoid social problems, we fought to stay focused. On Sundays, we listen to whatever the preacher tells us, but away from the pastor's sight, we use reggae music as a tool to direct us on the right track and express our emotions.
In the sixties and seventies in Ghana, we listened to the songs of reggae pioneers, such as John Holt, Desmond Dekker, etc., but the musician whose songs played a significant role in our lives is Jimmy Cliff. His music was encouraging and inspiring. It educated us and made us tough in our environment with the desire to succeed in life. Below are some of the selected tunes of Jimmy Cliff we dwelled on.
Hard Road To Travel
We listened to reggae from dusk till dawn, and the lyrical encouragement helped us let go of suppressed feelings.
“It’s a hard road to travel and a rough, rough way to go, but I can’t turn back, my heart is fixed, my mind’s made up, I’ll never stop, my faith will see me through,” sings Jimmy Cliff. The hope and faith we had from such songs became our tool for survival.
Jimmy Cliff and Peter Tosh
Every man has a right to live. Love is all that we have to
give. Together we struggle by your will to survive, and then together we fight just
to stay alive. A struggling man has got to move
Struggling man, no time to lose, I’m a struggling man, and I’ve got to move on.
I am born to win. Been lost and found, turned upside down,
yeah, yeah, yeah. Been cast aside and despised, uhm, uhm, uhm, but I’m Daniel in the
lion’s den and Jonah in the belly of the whale. I’m not alone, so I cannot
fail, no, no, no. And I’m born to win.
Sitting here in Limbo, Waiting for the tide turn, Yeah,
now, sitting here in Limbo, So many things I’ve got to learn, Meanwhile,
they’re putting up a resistance, but I know that my faith will lead me
on.
You can get it if you really want. You can get it if you
really want. You can get it if you really want, but you must try, try, and try,
try and try. You’ll succeed at last.
While we listen to such encouraging lyrics, we are
inspired in such a way that we don’t feel the pain we go through in our daily
hustle, often eliminating boredom and depression. Even
though reggae music is not much promoted commercially by MTV, the power of the
music can’t be denied.
Jimmy Cliff and Peter Tosh were both against apartheid in
South Africa. In the picture, Jimmy Cliff wears a T-shirt with the picture of the murdered South African hero, Steve Biko.
Your world is plastic; you can see through to the other side.
Your cities are made of wood; Antiques are what you’ve got inside; Houses are
paper, but folks don’t hear a word you say Friendship’s like acid; it burns, burns, burns, as it slides away.
Jimmy Cliff sings 'Synthetic World.'
There’s a day of feasting and a day of famine, a day of
sadness and a day of joy. You could see on the day of feasting that life isn’t just
a little play-like toy., So the day arrived when you least expected it, because you
always thought you were well protected. Now you feel like a fish out of water,
so now you’re wondering what’s the matter.
“You can change the style of playing reggae, you can
change the rhythm of playing reggae, but never change the message,” sings
Lucky Dube in Reggae Strong, because it’s music that carries the message of
truth and the light. If you don’t like the truth, you can never be a friend of
reggae.
The renowned Jamaican reggae singer and actor Jimmy Cliff passed away at the age of 81. On Monday, November 24, 2025, his wife Latifa Chambers announced his death, citing pneumonia and a seizure as the causes. On Monday, November 24, 2025, Jimmy Cliff passed away from pneumonia that followed a seizure.
Reggae music is inspirational. It is a piece of music that carries
Jah’s prophetic message, the truth, and the light. It’s a piece of music that gives
comfort and satisfaction to sufferers and the downtrodden victims, and gives hope
to the common people denied justice and abused in society.
I love reggae music because it gives me the inspiration to
write without ceasing. Just as I love the music, I love the
artists and the players of the instruments behind the music.
Jimmy Cliff
is one of my favorite reggae artists. I love almost all his songs, but not more
than this great song called ‘Sitting Here In Limbo.’
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 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 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 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 resistance
But I know that my faith will lead me on
Listen to Jimmy Cliff singing Sitting Here In Limbo.
From left to right, Warren Weir, Usain Bolt, and Yohan Blake
Jamaica, that wonderful Island in the Caribbean, for many years has established its name as one of the best countries in the world, in regard to tourism, and above all, the home of wonderful reggae music.
Jamaica is the birthplace of great reggae stars, including Bob Marley, Peter Tosh, Jimmy Cliff, Gregory Isaacs, Joseph Hill-Culture, to name but a few. Apart from the reggae stars, Jamaica has produced great sprinters in the past, such as Merlene Ottey, Asafa Powell, etc, yet in athletics, compared to other great countries, Jamaica wasn't classified as a great country in sports until the emergence of an unknown sprinter, Usain Bolt. Usain Bolt's unique and charismatic performance, along with teammate Yohan Blake, has firmly established that Jamaica is not only good in music but also in athletics. The 2012 Olympic Games taking place in London confirm it all. After winning the 100-meter race in 19.32 seconds, Usain became the first athlete to win two Olympic medals in the event. Yohan Blake, his training partner, also claimed silver in the event and bronze for Warren Weir. There is no doubt that Jamaicans are now doing better in sports than the United States of America, which has produced great athletes in the past. It seems underestimation of athletes from 'third world countries' is gradually coming to an end because the Jamaican sprinters are "Coming in hot! Hot! Hot! and firing some shots! Shot! shot!" Sings reggae legend late Peter Tosh.
