Last night on The Voice (that’s right, don’t knock it unless you’ve tried it–and yes, we will watch just about anything that includes live music) native Jamaican contestant Tessanne Chin sang an emotionally-charged version of Jimmy Cliff’s foundational song Many Rivers to Cross.  Chin absolutely slaughtered it as you will see below.

Many have covered this great song (U2, Harry Nilsson, Bruce Springsteen and Joe Cocker to name a few).  But after Chin’s fine cover, it makes most sense to watch Jimmy Cliff himself sing it.  Watch below as Cliff sang it in 2009 on Later with Jools Holland (with Jools himself on piano and Dave Swift on bass).  And afterwards, listen to the studio version that was included on The Harder They Come soundtrack (originally released on Cliff’s eponymous debut in 1969).  Seems like only yesterday that we were watching that entertaining movie (starring none other than Jimmy Cliff) at the Adams Theater in San Diego.

Regardless, it’s a song for the ages.