Jimmy Cliff - Sufferin' In The Land

First performance: 18/03/2009

Coverinfo

Bruce covered the song only once:
 
 
2009-03-18 Convention Hall, Asbury Park, NJ 
 
Closed rehearsal with Springsteen and the E Street Band along with the backing singers. "Sufferin' In The Land" is the Jimmy Cliff song - this rehearsal is the only time it is known to have been played, and seems to unusually feature Roy Bittan on alto saxophone.
 
 
 
 

Songinfo

"Sufferin in the land" is taken from the album "Jimmy Cliff", a 1969 album by Jimmy Cliff. It was retitled Wonderful World, Beautiful People after the track of that name was released as a single in the U.S.  Richard Polak, who is credited with the sleeves of a number of Island Records artists in the early 1970s, is credited with photography.

 

 

Other cover versions

Bruce on the artist

2020-04-24 SiriusXM Studio, New York City, NY
 
Bruce plays this song during his second 'From His Home to Yours': For the next hour or so, I will be your DJ for your dancing and listening pleasure. I hope you've all been … staying home, because outside the world is roiling.
"I've known Jimmy Cliff for, I don't know, 20, 25 years at least. And he was always one of my favorite, favorite musicians. And this was on one of the early, early records. It's just a great song about tough times and hardship."

Lyrics

Da, da, da, da, da, da, da, da, da, da
Sufferin' in the land
It is plain to see we're in a terrible situation
Sufferin' in the land
Nearly half of the world on the verge of starvation
Sufferin' in the land
And the children are crying for more education
Sufferin' in the land
Let's singin'
Da, da, da, da, da, da, da, da, da, da
The rich get richer and the poor get poorer
Sufferin' in the land
Everything's gettin' higher and the time gettin' tougher
Sufferin' in the land
They're makin' guns and bombs to set the world on fire
Sufferin' in the land
I'm singin'
Da, da, da, da, da, da, da, da, da, da
Sufferin' in the land, Lord
Da, da, da, da, da, da, da, da, da, da
Sufferin' in the land