Many Rivers to Cross

"Many Rivers to Cross" is a song written in 1969 by Jimmy Cliff.

Song information

This is one of the few Cliff tracks to use an organ, which helps to supplement the gospel feel provided by the backing vocalists. Cliff 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 as an actor. Rolling Stone ranked it #317 on their list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.

Cover versions

"Many Rivers to Cross"
Single by Cher
from the album Greatest Hits: 1965-1992
Released	1993
Recorded	1992
Genre	reggae
Length	4:10
Label	Geffen
Writer(s)	Jimmy Cliff
Cher singles chronology
"Whenever You're Near" (1992) "Many Rivers to Cross" (1993) "I Got You Babe" (1994) Audio sample file info · help

Many artists have released cover versions of the song; two covers (by UB40 and Cher) became hits on the UK Singles Chart. Here is a partial listing of notable cover performers, including the year of release:

• Percy Sledge, 1969
• Stanley Turrentine, 1974
• Harry Nilsson, 1974
• Martha Reeves, 1974
• Lorraine Ellison, 1974
• Linda Ronstadt, 1975, on the album Prisoner in Disguise
• The Animals, 1977
• Chelsea, 1977
• The Walker Brothers, 1977
• Desmond Dekker, 1980
• Joe Cocker, 1982
• Marcia Hines, 1982
• Ruud Jansen Band duet Dorien Teeuwisse, 1986
• UB40, 1983, on the album Labour of Love
• Elvis Costello, 1988
• Toni Childs, 1989
• Zucchero, 1991
• Jimmy Barnes, 1991, on the album Soul Deep
• Bruce Springsteen, 1993, played 23 times on the Human Touch Tour
• Cher, 1993, also performed live on Heart of Stone Tour and Love Hurts Tour
• Tina Arena, 1994
• Oleta Adams, 1994
• Jocelyn Brown, 1995
• Larry Goldings, 1996
• Tom Tom Club, 1996
• Vika and Linda, 1996
• Ken Boothe, 1997
• Byron Lee, 1997
• Mary Ann Redmond, 1997
• U2, 1997, performed once in Sarajevo in 1997 on the Popmart Tour, and fifteen times during the Vertigo Tour in 2005
• Bill Withers, 1998
• Ian Moore, 1999
• Heather Nova, 1999
• Jim Weider, 2000
• Margaret Singana, 2001
• The Blind Boys Of Alabama, 2002
• Ted Leo and the Pharmacists, 2002
• Ernest Ranglin, 2002
• Lenny Kravitz, 2002
• Kwamé, 2003
• The Brand New Heavies, 2004
• Soweto Gospel Choir, 2004
• Gov't Mule, 2005, during the Deja Voodoo Summer Tour
• Deacon John Moore, 2005
• The Black Crowes, 2005
• Barb Jungr, 2006
• The Walkmen, 2006
• Lightspeed Champion, 2007
• Annie Lennox, 2008^[1]
• Bugge Wesseltoft, 2009
• Emeline Michel, Hope for Haiti, 2010
• Sharleen Spiteri, 2010

Charts

UB 40 version:

Chart (1983)	Peak position
UK Singles Chart[2]	16

Cher version:

Chart (1993)	Peak position
UK Singles Chart[3]	37

Annie Lennox version:

Chart (2008)	Peak position
Canadian Singles Chart[4]	47
U.S. Billboard Hot 100[5]	80

References

1. ^ "Many Rivers to Cross: Annie Lennox" at Allmusic. Retrieved October 15, 2011.
2. ^ "UB40 - Many Rivers To Cross". ChartStats.com. http://www.chartstats.com/release.php?release=11035. Retrieved October 15, 2011. 
3. ^ "Cher: Singles". UK Singles Chart. TheOfficialCharts.com. http://www.theofficialcharts.com/artist/_/cher/. Retrieved October 31, 2010. 
4. ^ "Annie Lennox - Many Rivers To Cross". αCharts.us. http://acharts.us/song/34989. Retrieved October 15, 2011. 
5. ^ "Leona Lewis Returns To No. 1 On The Hot 100". Billboard.com. http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/news/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003790781. Retrieved October 15, 2011. 

External links

• Official Cher site
• Cher at the Internet Movie Database