Grateful Dead Family Discography: The Harder They Come

The Harder They Come

Composer: Jimmy Cliff

The Harder They Come was performed over 350 times by Jerry Garcia/Merl Saunders groups and by the Jerry Garcia Band between 1973 and 1995. The lyrics and music for the song are included in the Jerry Garcia Songbook. Also played by Phil Lesh & Friends, Billy & The Kids, Voodoo Dead and Bob Weir with Soul Ska.

Jimmy Cliff first recorded the song at Muscle Shoals in 1971. This version, which is more of a soul song than a reggae song, was released on a single as The Bigger The Come The Harder They Fall. He recorded the more familiar reggae version in Jamaica in 1972 this time using the title The Harder They Come. The song is included in Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Songs of All Time list.

Jerry Garcia

Live At Keystone, Merl Saunders / Jerry Garcia / John Kahn / Bill Vitt, 1973
Live At Keystone Vol 1, Merl Saunders / Jerry Garcia / John Kahn / Bill Vitt, 1988
Pure Jerry: Theatre 1839, July 29 & 30, 1977, Jerry Garcia Band, 2004
After Midnight: Kean College, 2/28/80, Jerry Garcia Band, 2004
Pure Jerry: Lunt-Fontanne, NYC, 10/31/87, Jerry Garcia Acoustic Band / Jerry Garcia Band, 2004
Pure Jerry: Keystone Berkeley, Sept 1, 1974, Jerry Garcia & Merl Saunders Band, 2004
Pure Jerry: Merriweather Post Pav, Sept 1/2, 1989, Jerry Garcia Band, 2005
Pure Jerry: Warner Theatre, March 18, 1978, Jerry Garcia Band, 2005
Well Matched: The Best Of Merl Saunders & Jerry Garcia, Merl Saunders & Jerry Garcia, 2006
The Very Best Of Jerry Garcia, Jerry Garcia, 2006
Keystone Companions: The Complete 1973 Fantasy Recordings, Merl Saunders & Jerry Garcia, 2012
Garcia Live: Vol One: March 1st 1980 Capitol Theatre, JGB, 2012
Garcia Live: June 26, 1981, Warfield Theatre, San Francisco, CA, JGB, 2013
Garcia Live: Vol Two, Jerry Garcia Band, 2013
Fall 1989, JGB / Weir & Wasserman, 2013
Garcia Live: Vol Four, Jerry Garcia Band, 2014
Garcia Live: Vol Nine: 8/11/1974, Garcia / Saunders, 2017
Garcia Live: Vol Ten: May 20, 1990, Jerry Garcia Band, 2018
Electric on the Eel, Jerry Garcia Band, 2019
Garcia Live: Vol 18: Nov 2, 1974, Garcia / Saunders, 2022
Electric on the Eel: June 10th, 1989, Jerry Garcia Band, 2024
Garcia Live: Vol 21, Jerry Garcia Band, 2024

Phil Lesh & Friends

May 28, 2016, Port Chester, NY, 2016

Billy & The Kids

9/18/15, Red Rocks Amphitheatre, Morrison, CO, Billy & The Kids, 2015

Jimmy Cliff

no info Single (Sitting In Limbo / The Bigger They Come The Harder They Fall), Jimmy Cliff, 1971
Harder They Come Soundtrack, Various Artists (Jimmy Cliff), 1972
no info Single (The Harder They Come / Many Rivers To Cross), Jimmy Cliff, 1972
no info Single (The Harder They Come / You Can Get It If You Really Want), Jimmy Cliff, 1973 (US)
In Concert: The Best of Jimmy Cliff, Jimmy Cliff, 1976
no info Single (Viet Nam / The Harder They Come), Jimmy Cliff, 1977 (US)
no info EP (Wild World/The Harder They Come/You Can Get It If You Really Want/Wonderful World, Beautiful People), Jimmy Cliff, 1978
The Island Story (US), Various Artists (Jimmy Cliff), 1987
no info Best of Jimmy Cliff, Jimmy Cliff, 1988
no info In Concert-Best Of, Jimmy Cliff, 1989
no info Groove Yard, Various Artists (Jimmy Cliff), 1989
no info Reggae Greats, Jimmy Cliff, 1991
Sounds of the Seventies: FM Rock Vol. 1, Various Artists (Jimmy Cliff), 1992
no info Best of Reggae, Various Artists (Jimmy Cliff), 1993
no info Tougher Than Tough: The Story Of Jamaican Music, Various Artists (Jimmy Cliff), 1993
no info Caribbean Nights, Vol. 2, Various Artists (Jimmy Cliff), 1995
no info Reggae Dance Party, Vol. 2, Various Artists (Jimmy Cliff), 1995
Island Life Media Sampler, Various Artists (Jimmy Cliff), 1996
no info Higher & Higher, Jimmy Cliff, 1998
no info Summer Jammin', Spectrum, 1998
no info Ultimate Collection, Jimmy Cliff, 1999
no info Island 40, Vol. 5: Reggae Roots, Various Artists (Jimmy Cliff), 1999
no info Super Best, Jimmy Cliff, 2000
no info Live and in the Studio, Jimmy Cliff, 2000
no info Classic Reggae: Universal Masters Collection, Various Artists (Jimmy Cliff), 2000
no info Absolutely the Best of Reggae, Vol. 1, Various Artists (Jimmy Cliff), 2000
no info The Reggae Box, Various Artists (Jimmy Cliff), 2001
no info Breathing Fire: Live In Jamaica, Various Artists (Jimmy Cliff), 2001
no info Jammin': Supreme Reggae Vibes, Various Artists (Jimmy Cliff), 2001
no info Planet Groove: The Shaun Ryder Session, Various Artists (Jimmy Cliff), 2001
no info Red Gold & Green, Various Artists (Jimmy Cliff), 2001
Anthology, Jimmy Cliff, 2003
no info The Singles, Jimmy Cliff, 2003
no info Island Reggae Classics: Jimmy Cliff, Jimmy Cliff, 2003
The Harder They Come (Deluxe ed.), Various Artists (Jimmy Cliff), 2003
20th Century Masters: The Millennium Collection, Jimmy Cliff, 2004
Boogie Cops & Disco Pimps, Various Artists (Jimmy Cliff), 2004
no info Young, Gifted and Black, Vol. 2, Various Artists (Jimmy Cliff), 2004
no info Best of Cult Fiction, Various Artists (Jimmy Cliff), 2004
no info Artist's Choice: Willie Nelson, Various Artists (Jimmy Cliff), 2004
no info Best Reggae Album in the World...Ever!, Various Artists (Jimmy Cliff), 2004
The Harder They Come: The Definitive Collection, Jimmy Cliff, 2005
no info Reggae Gold, Various Artists (Jimmy Cliff), 2005
no info Music from Cult Flicks, Various Artists (Jimmy Cliff), 2005
Better Days Are Coming: The A&M Years 1969-1971, Jimmy Cliff, 2006
no info 100 Hits: Reggae, Various Artists (Jimmy Cliff), 2006
no info Surf & Drive Reggae, Various Artists (Jimmy Cliff), 2006
no info 20th Century Hits, Vol. 1, Various Artists (Jimmy Cliff), 2007
no info Made in Jamaica, Various Artists (Jimmy Cliff), 2007
no info Putumayo Presents: World Hits, Various Artists (Jimmy Cliff), 2007
no info Reggae: Songs Of Freedom: Trilogy, Various Artists (Jimmy Cliff), 2007
Reggae Legends, Jimmy Cliff, 2008
no info Essential Festival, Jimmy Cliff, 2008
no info Essential Reggae, Various Artists (Jimmy Cliff), 2008
no info Jamaica Reggae Festival, Various Artists (Jimmy Cliff), 2008
no info Island 50 Reggae, Various Artists (Jimmy Cliff), 2009
War Ina Babylon: An Island Reggae Anthology, Various Artists (Jimmy Cliff), 2009
Dear Jerry (CD), Various Artists (Jimmy Cliff w/ Hart, Kreutzmann), 2016
Dear Jerry (DVD), Various Artists (Jimmy Cliff w/ Hart, Kreutzmann), 2016

Other recordings

no info Single (Listen To The World / The Harder They Come), The Undivided, 1974
no info Single (The Harder They Come / Rock 'N Roll Show), Canned Heat, 1974
no info Stars, Cher, 1975
Fast Annie, Annie McLoone, 1976
no info Single ( Run Rudolph Run / The Harder They Come), Keith Richards, 1978
no info Single (The Harder They Come / East-Side Girl), Wayne Kramer, 1979
no info Single (Run Rudolph Run / The Harder They Come), Keith Richards, 1979
no info Single (The Harder They Come / Out of Style / Tilt), Joe Jackson, 1980
no info Single (Hot Lovin' / The Harder They Come), Carlene Davis, 1980
no info Single (The Harder They Come (Vocal) / The Harder They Come (Instrumental)), Rockers Revenge, 1982
no info Reggae Sunsplash '81: A Tribute to Bob Marley, Various Artists (Carlene Davis), 1982
no info Colorcode, Stevie Salas, 1988
no info Eye to Eye, Two Twenty Volt, 1989
no info Groove Yard, Groove Yard 1989
Save The Planet So We'll Have Someplace To Boogie, Merl Saunders, 1991
no info 15 Classics, Carlene Davis, 1991
Knot Live, Slipknot!, 1991
no info Single (The Harder They Come / Tomorrow's Just Another Day / Take It Or Leave It), Madness, 1992
no info Jamaica's Golden Hits, Vol. 3, Byron Lee and The Dragonaires, 1995
no info Single (Bad Times Are Coming 'Round Again / The Harder They Come), Waco Brothers, 1995
no info Pajama Party, Poison Idea, 1995
no info Roots of Rock: Rock 'n' Reggae, Various Artists (Joe Jackson), 1996
no info Best of Ska, Rock Steady and Reggae, Vol. 2, Byron Lee, 1996
no info Reggae Sunsplash, Kingston Reggae Sound Machine, 1996
no info Dodge Main, Wayne Kramer/Deniz Tek/Scott Morgan, 1996
no info Reggae Sunfest, Kingston Reggae Sound Machine, 1997
no info Absolutely: The Very Best of Disco, Various Artists (Rockers Revenge/Donnie Calvin), 1997
Tibetan Freedom Concert, Various Artists (Rancid), 1997
no info Never Surrender Never Give In, Guttersnipe, 1998
no info K.K.K.K.K., Kahimi Karie, 1998
no info Remix KK, Kahimi Karie, 1998
no info Summer Jammin', Spectrum, 1998
no info Jamaica: Blue Mountain, Kingston Reggae Sound Machine, 1999
no info Classic Joe Jackson: The Universal Masters Collection, Joe Jackson, 2000
no info Cocaine Blues: 1974-1978, Wayne Kramer & the Pink Fairies, 2000
no info Rock Steady All Night, Byron Lee & the Dragonaires, 2000
no info Steppin' Out: The Very Best of Joe Jackson, Joe Jackson, 2001
no info Live at Dingwalls 1979, Wayne Kramer, 2001
no info Soul Activated, Curtis Salgado, 2001
no info Reggae and Ska Twin Pack, Byron Lee/Ethiopians, 2001
no info Byron Lee and the Dragonaires, Byron Lee and the Dragonaires, 2001
no info Greatest Dance Classics of All Time, Vol. 1, Various Artists (Rockers Revenge), 2001
no info Stars & Guitars, Willie Nelson & Friends, 2002
no info Songs from Shanty Town, Byron Lee and the Dragonaires, 2002
no info More Jamaican Memories, Dwight Pinkney, 2002
no info Free the West Memphis 3, Various Artists (Long Beach Dub All-Stars), 2002
Making Singles, Drinking Doubles, Various Artists (Waco Brothers), 2002
no info Ultimate Collection, Joe Jackson, 2003
no info Instant Live: The Orange Peel - Ashville, NC, 10/03/03, moe., 2003
no info Coma Girl CD single, Joe Strummer and the Mescaleros, 2003
no info Cover Me, Andy Pratt, 2003
no info Warped Tour 2003, Various Artists (Me First and the Gimme Gimmes), 2003
no info Everwood Soundtrack, , Various Artists (Guster), 2004
no info Countryman, Willie Nelson, 2005
no info Pure Poison, Sexual Chocolate & The White Boys, 2006
no info 80's Underground Club Hits, Various Artists (Rockers Revenge), 2006
Save The Dave Benefit, George's Majestic, Fayetteville, AR, March 04, 2006, Various Artists, 2006
George's Majestic Lounge, Fayetteville, AR, September 08, 2007, Steve Kimock & Friends, 2007
no info Tonight & Forever: The Joe Jackson Collection, Joe Jackson, 2007
no info Colour Collection, Joe Jackson, 2007
no info Bridging the Distance, Various Artists (Pat McDonald), 2007
no info Essential House, Various Artists (Rockers Revenge), 2007
no info One Hell of a Ride, Willie Nelson, 2008
American Stranger, Jeff Sherman, 2008
no info Walkin on Sunshine: 12" Remixes, Rocker's Revenge, 2008
no info Have Another Ball!, Me First and the Gimme Gimmes, 2008
no info Classic Joe Jackson, Joe Jackson, 2009
no info Lost Highway, Willie Nelson, 2009
Emily Wilson, Emily Wilson, 2009
no info Harlem-Kingston Express Vol. 2: The River Rolls On, Monty Alexander, 2014
2/9/14, Jacksonville Beach, FL, Yonder Mountain String Band, 2014
no info Single ( Run Rudolph Run / The Harder They Come / Pressure Drop), Keith Richards, 2018
1/26/19�San Francisco, CA, Reid Genauer & Folks, 2019
Single (The Harder They Come / Bertha), Grateful Shred, 2020
Live At Brooklyn Bowl, Night 1, Grateful Shred, 2020
The Independent 12/21/19, Grateful Shred, 2020