The Jamaican by birth, and Eritrean at heart, Jimmy Cliff was an avid advocate for human dignity and the principles of Self Reliance, with songs like "The harder they come" that convey a message of determination and resilience, and lines like "I'd rather be a free man in my grave than living as a puppet or a slave", a reference to the African mercenaries that sell their souls to fight someone's else wars...etc
Lyrics
Well, they tell me of a pie up in the sky
Waiting for me when I die
But between the day you're born and when you die
They never seem to hear even your cry
So as sure as the sun will shine
I'm gonna get my share now, what's mine
And then the harder they come
The harder they fall, one and all
Ooh, the harder they come
The harder they fall, one and all
Well, the oppressors are trying to keep me down
Trying to drive me underground
And they think that they have got the battle won
I say forgive them Lord, they know not what they've done
'Cause, as sure as the sun will shine
I'm gonna get my share now, what's mine
And then the harder they come
The harder they fall, one and all
Ooh, the harder they come
Harder they fall, one and all
And I keep on fighting for the things I want
Though I know that when you're dead you can't
But I'd rather be a free man in my grave
Than living as a puppet or a slave
So as sure as the sun will shine
I'm gonna get my share now, what's mine
And then the harder they come
The harder they fall, one and all
Ooh, the harder they come
Harder they fall, one and all
Hey, the harder they come
The harder they fall, one and all
Hey, the harder they come
The harder they fall, one and all
Hey, the harder they come
The harder they fall, one and all