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

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

From A History of Rock Music in 500 Songs by Andrew Hickey

December 18, 2025 · 1h 50m

About this episode

This episode explores the song 'Many Rivers to Cross', the origins of reggae, and the career of Jimmy Cliff.

This episode, we look at the song “Many Rivers to Cross”, the birth of reggae, and the career of the late Jimmy Cliff. Click the full post to read liner notes, links to more information, and a transcript of the episode. Patreon backers also have a sixty-seven-minute bonus episode available, on “Return of Django” by the Upsetters. Tilt Araiza has assisted invaluably by editing, and will hopefully be doing so from now on. Check out Tilt’s irregular podcasts at http://www.podnose.com/jaffa-cakes-for-proust and http://sitcomclub.com/. (more…)

People in this episode

Host: Andrew Hickey

Topics covered

  • reggae
  • Jimmy Cliff
  • music history
  • song analysis
  • cultural impact

Keywords

  • Many Rivers to Cross
  • Jimmy Cliff
  • reggae
  • music history
  • Upsetters
  • Return of Django

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Upsetters

Books & works: Many Rivers to Cross, Return of Django

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