“One good thing about music, when it hits- you feel no pain.” – Bob Marley
The classic story of the Jamaican singer, musician and songwriter, Robert Nesta Marley is one of poverty, superstardom and an early death. Born in the garden parish of St. Ann in 1945, the musical legend is a product of a black Jamaican woman and a White-Jamaican naval officer. Although he struggled with racial identity throughout his life, Bob never took sides in his music or life, he simply sang songs into the hearts of his fans worldwide. He once said, “I don’t stand for the black man’s side, I don’t stand for the white man’s side. I stand for God’s side.” Bob never really got the chance to know his dad due to the white upper class’ scorn for interracial relationships in Jamaica and the fact that his father traveled much.
Bob Marley was a powerful, spiritual and talented man and an important symbol to Jamaica’s music and culture. Known by his trademark dreadlocks and smooth, sweet voice, Bob was a rhythm guitarist and lead singer. He was credited as the major force which helped to spread the Jamaican music and reggae to the world. Bob was also accredited for taking the Rastafari movement and religion to a worldwide audience. This has seen him receiving names like the “revolutionary artist” and “Rasta Prophet”.
Bob was very devoted to his music, which helped him to create the ageless and inspiring songs that we treasure today. His music mainly spoke about politics and its injustice, which was seen (and is still seen) as uplifting for the Jamaicans and other nationals who were facing oppression as it was inspired by the social issues facing Jamaicans, blacks and Africans. However, his music also included a little mystical warfare, religion, life on the streets and some love songs along the way.
Although Bob was born in St. Ann and spent his earlier years there, he grew up in the poverty stricken neighborhood of Trench Town, in Kingston where his mother lived after his father died. Bob and his mother struggled in poverty. However, it was there that he found inspiration and love for music as it was all around him.
When Bob left secondary school, his only dream was to be one of the best singers on the island. In his free time, he would practice his songs, until he perfected his first hit known as “Judge Not” in 1962. After that he produced other singles, like “Terror” and “One Cup of Coffee”, which did not receive much airplay.
This, however, did not dither Bob as he kept on singing and writing music. In his early days of creating music, Bob Marley brilliantly evoked his lyrics with the likes of Bunny Wailer and Peter McIntosh (two other musical icons of Jamaica) when they form the group Bob Marley and the Wailers. During this period, Bob and the band soar to great heights and created many great hits from the reggae, ska and rocksteady genre. This included hits like “Get Up, Stand Up”, “Nice Time”, “Simmer Down”, “War” and “Stir It Up”.
Over the next few years, Bob and the Wailers produced some of the most conscious lyrics Jamaica and the world had ever seen. Bob Marley went to America in 1966 and after only 8 months he returned to Jamaica. The hit song “Stir It Up” came to fame in the late 60’s and at this point Bob and the Wailers had teamed up with Lee “Scratch” Perry.
The Perry and Wailers combination resulted in some of the finest music the band ever made, with tunes like “Soul Rebel”, “Duppy Conqueror” and “Small Axe”. In the summer of 1971, Bob and the wailers went to Sweden to perform with Johnny Cash, there they gained a recording contract with CBS. This, however, never went far, as they were marooned in London trying to promote a single called “Reggae on Broadway”.
In 1962, Bob Marley met Island Records boss Chris Blackwell. Mr. Blackwell launched Bob’s musical career to another level that produced The Wailers first album called Catch a Fire. This beautiful and impressive album drove Bob and the Wailers to international fame and respect. Years of musical bliss continue for Bob and the Wailers. However, in 1974 the group decided to part ways.
After parting ways, Bob continued to work solo. This saw him producing some of his best works, which was mostly responsible for the cultural acceptance of reggae music internationally. During this time Bob created hit songs, like “I Shot the Sheriff”, “Could You Be Loved”, “Redemption Song”, and “No Woman, No Cry”.
“Me only have one ambition, y’know. I only have one thing I really like to see happen. I like to see mankind live together – black, white, Chinese, everyone – that’s all.” – Bob Marley
Bob was a member of the Rastafari movement and the greatest activist for this cause. Inspired by his Rastafarian belief, which was one of the main elements in the development of reggae Bob Marley created many great lyrics, including the world renowned song “One Love,” which is loved around the world. In 1976 Bob dropped the album called “Rastaman Vibration”, this album quickly rose to the top of the American charts. It was with this album that the world fell in love with Bob and reggae. The album featured songs like “Crazy Baldhead”, “War” and “Who the Cap Fit”.
During the early 1977, Bob lived in London where he recorded his next album, Exodus. This album was widely received internationally, and it featured songs like “Jammin” and “Waiting in Vain”. The next album Bob released was Kaya which featured a very good collection of soulful love songs and songs about marijuana, including the great single “Is This Love”.
“Emancipate yourselves from mental slavery, none but ourselves can free our minds!” – Bob Marley
His 9th album was the popular album called Survival. This album was another one of his masterpiece and addressed many racial and political issues that were facing blacks. The album survival featured songs like “Zimbabwe”, “So Much Trouble In The World”, “Ambush In The Night” and “Africa Unite”. These songs were said to have ignited the fight for independence of some African nations.
As the new decade approached, Bob Marley made his last album known as Uprising, which was released in 1980. This album featured one of his greatest singles of all time “Could You Be Loved” which sold millions across the world. Other songs on this album were “Coming In From the Cold”, “Work” and the beautiful “Redemption Song”.
“Every man gotta right to decide his own destiny.” – Bob Marley
Bob injured is big toe while he played football (soccer) one day. Due to this injury, Bob developed a form of malignant melanoma which would later claim his life. After his diagnosis Bob refused to amputate his toe, as he did not believed in “scrapping” (removing) any part of his body. This caused the cancer to spread to his brain.
In the year 1981, Bob’s illness took a toll on him, which caused him to cancel his tours. On realizing that he was about to die, Bob wanted to return home to Jamaica, this however, was impossible as he was too sick to travel. He died in a Miami hospital on Monday, May 11, 1981 at the young age of 36. It is believed that before his death, Bob Marley was baptized and converted to Christianity.
A few weeks before his death, Bob was awarded the Order Of Merit, in Jamaica for his great contributions to the nation’s culture. This officially made him the Hon. Robert Nesta Marley O.M. Bob’s body lies at his birthplace in Nine Mile, St. Ann in a moseleum. Although he is gone, people will always remember this Jamaican reggae icon due to his work which almost single handedly put the island and reggae on the world map.