The Harder They Come

Composers: Jimmy Cliff       Original performer: Jimmy Cliff (1972)
First release: B-side of Run Rudolph Run single, December 1978
Recording date: August-September 1978        Recording location: RCA Studios, Los Angeles, USA
Producer: Keith Richards        Engineer: Michael Carnavale



Line-up:

Drums: Ron Wood & Charlie Watts
Bass: Keith Richards
Electric guitars: Keith Richards
Vocals: Keith Richards
Piano: Ron Wood
 

Between the day you're born and when you die
They never seem to hear even your cry

Sure as the sun will shine
I'm going to get my share now of what's mine

Oh the harder they come, the harder they fall
One and all - what I say now
Oh the harder they come, the harder they fall
One and all

Oh baby, officers are trying to keep me down
Trying to drive me underground
And they think that they have got the battle won
Forgive them, Lord, they know not what they've done

Sure as the sun will shine
I'm going to get my share now of what's mine

Oh and the harder they come, the harder they fall
One and all - what I say now
Oh the harder they come, the harder they fall
One and all

Beat off on me...

Sure as the sun will shine
I'm going to get my share now of what's mine

Oh and the harder they come, the harder they fall
One and all

And I keep on fighting for the things I want
And I know that when you're dead you can't
But I'd rather be a free man in my grave
Than living like a puppet or a slave

Sure as the sun will shine
I'm going to get my share now of what's mine

The harder they come, the harder they fall
One and all - what I say
The harder they come, the harder they fall
One and all

The harder they come, the harder they fall
One and all 


   

TrackTalk

Harder They Come is an even bigger jumble (than Run Rudolph Run). It was like a quick snatch of tape we'd done between two other songs - did it during a break. But there's nothing on the actual record that was on the tape. Eventually we overdubbed it and wiped everything that was on there off. There's nothing left of the original tape. Ronnie ended up doing most of the drums on it. There's a couple of mistake in it, I don't care. Some of the records I like best have got mistakes all over 'em. So we put it on the B side of Rudolph.

- Keith Richards, 1980



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