The Harder They Come

Lyrics: Jimmy Cliff
Music: Jimmy Cliff

Played by Jerry with Merl Saunders in 1973 and subsequently with a variety of other bands.

They tell me of a pie up in the sky
Waiting for me when I die
From the minute you're born till when you die
They never seem to hear even your cry

Chorus
And as sure as the sun will shine
Gonna get my share of what's mine
And then the harder they come
The harder they'll fall
One and all
Well the harder they come
The harder they'll fall
One and all

Well, the oppressors are trying to keep me down
Trying to drive me under ground
Lord, they think that they've got the battle won
I say forgive them Lord, they know not what they done

[chorus]

And I'll keep on fightin' for the things I want
Though I know that when your dead you can't
But I'd rather be a free man in my grave
Then livin' as a puppet or a slave

[chorus]
Jerry Garcia Recordings
     Date Album Recorded By
     10 Jul 1973 Keystone Companions: The Complete 1973 Fantasy Recordings Garcia/Saunders
     11 Jul 1973 Keystone Companions: The Complete 1973 Fantasy Recordings Garcia/Saunders
     11 Aug 1974 Garcia Live Volume 9 Jerry Garcia & Merl Saunders
      1 Sep 1974 Keystone, Berkeley, 1 September 1974 Jerry Garcia & Merl Saunders Band
     2 Nov 1974 Garcia Live Volume 18 Jerry Garcia & Merl Saunders
      13 Feb 1976 Garcia Live Volume 21 Jerry Garcia Band
     30 Jul 1977 Pure Jerry: Theater 1839 Jerry Garcia Band (note 2)
     18 Mar 1978 Pure Jerry Six: Warner Theatre Jerry Garcia Band
     22 Mar 1978 Garcia Live Volume 4 Jerry Garcia Band
     28 Feb 1980 After Midnight Jerry Garcia Band
      1 Mar 1980 Garcia Live Volume 1 Jerry Garcia Band
     26 Jun 1981 Garcia Live Volume 1.5 Jerry Garcia Band
     29 Aug 1987 Electric On The Eel Jerry Garcia Band
     31 Oct 1987 Pure Jerry: Lunt-Fontanne Jerry Garcia Band
     10 Jun 1989 Electric On The Eel Jerry Garcia Band
      1 Sep 1989 Pure Jerry: Merriweather Post Pavilion Jerry Garcia Band
      5 Sep 1989 Fall 1989: The Long Island Sound Jerry Garcia Band
      6 Sep 1989 Fall 1989: The Long Island Sound Jerry Garcia Band
     20 May 1990 Garcia Live Volume 10 Jerry Garcia Band
      5 Aug 1990 Garcia Live Volume 2 Jerry Garcia Band
Other Recordings
     Date Album Recorded By
     14 May 2015 Dear Jerry: Celebrating The Music Of Jerry Garcia Jimmy Cliff, Mickey Hart, Bill Kreutzmann
Notes
(1) also on the compilation Well Matched: The Best Of Jerry Garcia And Merl Saunders
(2) also on the compilation The Best Of Jerry Garcia


Further Information
For more information on recordings see Matt Schofield's Grateful Dead Family Discography

 


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