Many Rivers to Cross#UB40 version

Cliff was aged 25 when he wrote and recorded the song in 1969. He has said he wrote the song due to the trouble he was having making it as a musical artist after moving to the United Kingdom. He commented, "When 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, I was touring clubs, not breaking through. I was struggling, with work, life, my identity, I couldn't find my place; frustration fueled the song."{{cite web|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/music/rockandpopfeatures/9382022/Jimmy-Cliff-interview-I-still-have-many-rivers-to-cross.html|title=Jimmy Cliff interview: 'I still have many rivers to cross'|first=Neil|last=McCormick|date=12 July 2012|access-date=22 November 2018|website=Telegraph.co.uk}}

Regarding the line, "Wandering I am lost, as I travel along the White Cliffs of Dover," Cliff stated, "...that came from the number of times I crossed the channel to the continent. Most of the time it was France but sometimes it was Germany. It was a very frustrating time. I came to England with very big hopes and I saw my hopes fading. And that song came out of that experience."{{cite web|url=http://thequietus.com/articles/12237-jimmy-cliff-interview|title=The Quietus - Features - A Quietus Interview - Many Rivers Crossed: Jimmy Cliff Interviewed|website=Thequietus.com|date=15 May 2013 |access-date=22 November 2018}}

Cliff stated he was working on his second album for Island Records, but held the song back because he did not think a ballad would be appropriate. He waited until he came to New York to mix the record and add overdubs and backing vocals. He was walking from his residence to the studio, which took 15 minutes, and finished composing the song in his head. On the last day of the session, as the union backing musicians were preparing to leave, Cliff asked if he could play a song idea he had. He said, "I started singing, the band came in, and that was it. Once. That was it. And then Chris [Blackwell] said, ‘OK, let's put this one in to fill out the album.’"

This is one of the few Cliff tracks to use an organ, which helps to supplement the gospel feel provided by the backing vocalists. He released the song, with production work by Leslie Kong, on his 1969 album, Jimmy Cliff. It was also released on the 1972 soundtrack album for the film The Harder They Come, in which Cliff also starred. Rolling Stone ranked it No. 325 on their list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.

The 1998 Sri Lankan song Nadee Ganga Tharanaye sung by Chitral Somapala is based on, and takes its melody from, Many Rivers to Cross.Pilapitiya, Sureshni (26 August 2019). [https://www.esteemprime.com/2019/08/26/%EF%BB%BFa-legend-of-our-times-that-revolutionized-the-sri-lankan-music-scene-chitral-chity-somapala/ “A legend of our times that revolutionized the Sri Lankan music scene… Chitral “Chity” Somapala”]. Esteem Magazine. Retrieved on 24 October 2023.

{{Infobox song

| name = Many Rivers to Cross

| image = Many rivers to come UB40 UK 7-inch single solid centre.png

| alt =

| caption = Side A of the UK seven-inch single

| type = single

| artist = UB40

| album = Labour of Love

| B-side = Food for Thought

| released = {{start date|1983|11|28|df=yes}}{{cite magazine|date=26 November 1983|title=Roaring Forties|magazine=Record Mirror|page=8}}

| recorded =

| studio =

| genre = Reggae fusion

| length = {{duration|m=4|s=31}}

| label = DEP International (UK)

| writer = Jimmy Cliff

| producer = {{hlist|UB40|Ray "Pablo" Falconer}}

| prev_title = Please Don't Make Me Cry

| prev_year = 1983

| next_title = Cherry Oh Baby

| next_year = 1984

| misc = {{External music video|header=Official video|{{YouTube|6cKXMGEF_XY|"Many Rivers to Cross"}}}}

}}

"'Many Rivers to Cross" is the third single from the album Labour of Love by the reggae group UB40. This single peaked at the number 16 on the UK Singles Chart and the number 48 in New Zealand.

• 7-inch single{{cite AV media notes|title=Many Rivers to Cross |others=UB40|date=1984|type=UK 7-inch Single liner notes|publisher=Virgin Records|id=9}}

1. "Many Rivers To Cross" – 3:48
2. "Food for Thought " – 4:40

• 12-inch maxi-single{{cite AV media notes|title=Many Rivers to Cross |others=UB40|date=1984|type=UK 12-inch Maxi Single liner notes|publisher=Virgin Records|id=9-12}}

1. A1."Many Rivers To Cross" (Full Length Version) – 4:35
2. A2."Food for Thought " – 4:40
3. B2."Johnny Too Bad" (Unexpurgated Version – Not on Labour of Love) – 5:28

UB40

• James Brown – drums, syncussion
• Ali Campbell – vocals, guitar
• Robin Campbell – guitar, vocals
• Earl Falconer – bass
• Norman Hassan – percussion, vocals
• Brian Travers – saxophones
• Michael Virtue – keyboards
• Astro – toasting, rhyming, percussion

Additional personnel

• Mo Birch – vocals
• Jaki Graham – vocals
• Jackie Mittoo – additional keyboards
• Ruby Turner – vocals

{{Certification Table Top}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=United Kingdom|artist=Ub40|title=Many Rivers To Cross|award=Silver|type=single|relyear=2005|certyear=2025|accessdate=19 February 2025|id=20792-264-1}}

{{Certification Table Bottom|streaming=true|nosales=true|noshipments=true}}

{{Infobox song

| name = Many Rivers to Cross

| cover =

| alt =

| caption =

| type = single

| artist = Cher

| album = Greatest Hits: 1965–1992

| released = 4 January 1993 {{Cite web|url=http://hitparade.ch/showitem.asp?interpret=Cher&titel=Many+Rivers+To+Cross&cat=s|title=Cher - Many Rivers To Cross|first=Steffen|last=Hung|website=Hitparade.ch|access-date=29 June 2023}}

| recorded = 1992

| studio =

| genre =

| length = 4:10

| label = Geffen

| writer = Jimmy Cliff

| producer = Cher

| prev_title = Whenever You're Near

| prev_year = 1992

| next_title = I Got You Babe

| next_year = 1993

}}

• European 7-inch and cassette single

1. "Many Rivers to Cross" – 4:09
2. "Who You Gonna Believe" – 4:42

• European CD single

1. "Many Rivers to Cross" – 4:09
2. "Who You Gonna Believe" – 4:42
3. "All Because of You" – 3:28
4. "Perfection" – 4:29

• UK second live cover versions CD single

1. "Many Rivers to Cross" – 4:09
2. "Tougher Than the Rest" – 4:43
3. "Fire Down Below" – 4:28
4. "Takin' It to the Streets" – 4:05

{{Reflist}}

• [https://www.jimmycliff.com/ Jimmy Cliff official website]
• [https://www.discogs.com/artist/63019-Jimmy-Cliff Jimmy Cliff discography at Discogs]

{{Jimmy Cliff}}

{{UB40}}

{{Cher songs}}

{{Annie Lennox}}

{{authority control}}

Category:Songs about Dover, Kent

Category:1969 songs

Category:1969 singles

Category:1983 singles

Category:1993 singles

Category:Cher songs

Category:Geffen Records singles

Category:Jimmy Cliff songs

Category:Song recordings produced by Leslie Kong

Category:Trojan Records singles

Category:UB40 songs

Category:Songs written by Jimmy Cliff

Category:Song recordings produced by John Lennon