I have to confess that when I saw that the theme for Song Lyric Sunday this week was ’empowerment’, my first, dread, thought was ‘I Will Survive’. Rest easy though, gentle reader, and be assured that this post is an entirely Gloria Gaynor-free zone.

Instead, I remembered this song by Jimmy Cliff, the Jamaican reggae and ska singer. It reached Number 2 on the UK Singles chart in 1970 and was one of a handful of generally upbeat chart-oriented releases from him around that time, including, for example, ‘I Can See Clearly Now’ and ‘The Harder They Come’

You can get it if you really want
You can get it if you really want
You can get it if you really want
But you must try, try and try, try and try
You’ll succeed at last

Persecution you must fear
Win or lose you got to get your share
You’ve got your mind set on a dream
You can get it though hard it may seem now

You can get it if you really want
You can get it if you really want
You can get it if you really want
But you must try, try and try, try and try
You’ll succeed at last

I know it – listen

Rome was not built in a day
Opposition will come your way
But the hotter the battle you see
Is the sweeter the victory now

You can get it if you really want
You can get it if you really want
You can get it if you really want
But you must try, try and try, try and try
You’ll succeed at last

Written by Jimmy Cliff

Song Lyric Sunday 19 July 2026